Boarding In Touch

Dear Parents, Guardians and Carers,

Happy New Year and welcome back to boarding. We hope you all enjoyed a restful Christmas break and had the chance to spend some valuable time together as families.

It has been wonderful to see the boarding houses come back to life so quickly, filled once again with energy, conversation and laughter. The students have settled back in extremely well, reconnecting with friends and staff and approaching the new term with positivity and enthusiasm.

We are also delighted to have welcomed a group of 20 immersion pupils from China into boarding this term. Their arrival has already brought a wonderful sense of excitement and curiosity, offering a fantastic opportunity for all students to build new friendships, broaden their perspectives and experience life in a truly international and multicultural boarding community.

We are looking forward to a busy and exciting term ahead. Years 11 and 13 have now completed their mock examinations, and we wish them every success as they receive their results and reflect on their progress. The term has already started on a high note, with trips to Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham and Stoke, providing students with a great balance of enrichment and enjoyment beyond the boarding houses.

There has also been plenty happening within boarding itself. Regular activities such as baking, sports, and arts and crafts continue to be popular, providing students with opportunities to relax, socialise and try something new. Our Sixth Form students have once again enjoyed their much-loved coffee and cake mornings at weekends, and we even managed to fit in a mid-week cinema trip, which proved to be a real highlight.

We have also begun work on replacing showers and refurbishing washrooms across the boarding houses. This programme will continue throughout the term, and we will do everything we can to minimise any disruption to daily routines. Alongside recent Wi-Fi upgrades, it is encouraging to see ongoing improvements that enhance students’ comfort and experience in boarding, with further developments planned.

Finally, we are excited to be creating a dedicated Lego room for Cedarholme Boys’ Boarding. Lego offers a calm, creative and social way for students to unwind, and we would be very grateful for any Lego donations you may no longer need at home.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are very much looking forward to a happy, settled and successful term in boarding.

Best wishes,
Barry Hobbs - Head of Boarding