What Facilities Should Be Expected in a Good Boarding School?

Parents send their children to boarding schools for various reasons. Sometimes, when both parents are working or have jobs that involve travel, it is necessary for them to arrange for their children to be in schools which provide accommodation and other facilities beside education. In many other cases, parents feel that being in a school environment 24x7 can help their children to develop not only academically but also as an individual with a greater sense of responsibility and self-reliance.

Whatever be the reason, parents who are looking for a boarding school would pay attention to a number of factors which are directly linked to the kind of education, discipline and environment their children would be exposed to during the most crucial years of their childhood.

For this reason, it is important for parents who are seeking prospective schools with hostel accommodation to understand and know what they can rightfully expect in terms of facilities from those schools and make their choice based upon whether the factors meet their expectations or not.

Some of the most basic amenities which can be expected in a good boarding school like Goenka International School are:

#1. Proper Accommodation

Accommodation facilities are of vital importance when you are sending your kid off to a new place. The rooms or dorms need to be of a minimum standard- clean, tidy, spacious and airy with proper furnishing. Toilets are also important. Exposure to unsanitary toilets and baths can be highly detrimental to a child’s health, so it is imperative that toilets in the hostel are well maintained and sanitary. Accommodation not only includes the dorms but also the common space and the availability of playgrounds. A well-stocked, well-ventilated and spacious yet cosy common room and well-maintained playground are also well within standard expectations.

#2. Houseparent

As children who live in boarding schools are away from their parents, it is very important that the school provides house parents or house guardians who can provide counsel and individual attention to students. Goenka International School is regarded as one of the top institutions and they have their children sorted into houses and every house is assigned a houseparent to look after and guide the children in that house. Even if the nomenclature varies, asking for individual attention from a dedicated individual in school is not too much and parents should enquire whether such a facility is available or not.

#3. Balanced Meals & Hygienic Dining

The importance of proper nutrition for growing children cannot be stressed upon enough. Balanced meals and hygienic dining and kitchen spaces are to be expected from a good boarding school.

#4. Medicare, Safety & Security

Needless to say, it is every parent’s imperative to ensure that proper medical facilities including infirmaries and ambulance services are available in the boarding school where their children are to spend more than 90% of the year. Safety and security are other areas of concern and parents can safely expect round the clock security guards, CCTV surveillance and other safety protocols to be in place in the school.

Other factors of some importance are the kind of recreational facilities available and whether or not children can opt to receive after school support in case they help extra help with their academics. Having an understanding of what makes for a standard boarding school makes it easier for parents to make the best choice for their children.