When caring for children, it’s easy to step in. To smooth the edges, tie the laces, fix the circle that’s been poorly cut. But every time we do, we take something away: a moment to learn, to try, to grow.
“In the past, I found myself tossing a leftover snack wrapper into the trash can,” admits a teacher on Edutopia. “If a student was having difficulty cutting out a circle, I would absentmindedly complete it for them. But I knew that if I really wanted to set my students up for independence and maximise their learning, I really needed to stop focusing on the final product and start prioritising the process.”
And she’s right. The world doesn’t come with a safety net — and children won’t always have someone around to catch them. Confidence, agency, and resilience don’t magically appear at 18. They’re built in the day-to-day, from the ground up.
One of the most powerful environments to foster that growth? A boarding school.
More than just a place to study, the right boarding school becomes a proving ground for life. Students learn how to manage time, relationships, setbacks, and successes — on their own. They build routines, navigate challenges, and begin to see what they’re truly capable of. It’s no surprise that in a recent study by the Art & Science Group, 78% of boarding school students said they felt better prepared for university than their peers.
Curious what that kind of transformation looks like? Here are three boarding schools that are redefining what it means to grow up ready.
Strathallan School
From the Duke of Edinburgh Award to student exchange to more than 80 extracurriculars – Strathallan allows students to build their skills beyond the classroom. Source: Strathallan School
“Education should be inclusive, and find character, talents, and potential that was hitherto unknown,” Harry Riley wrote in 1913, when he founded Strathallan School in Bridge of Allan, Scotland. More than 100 years have passed, and the school has moved to a 153-acre site in rural Perthshire. The campus might have changed since then – the school is home to world-class, cutting-edge facilities including purpose-built art, drama and dance studios and an e-sports suite – but Riley’s ethos still thrives through the values that matter: respect, honesty, kindness, hard work, excellence and humility.
This day and boarding school is a true home for boys and girls aged five to 18. Just 45 minutes from Edinburgh Airport, new families are greeted by open skies, rolling green hills, and a campus that blends 19th-century heritage with world-class facilities. Inside, a global community awaits — tight-knit, supportive, and ready to embrace each student for who they are and who they can become.
Two-thirds of Strathallan’s students board full time across eight boarding houses – one of which is reserved for those aged 7 to 13. In this community, they have room to build their confidence and independence, as well as friendships that last a lifetime. A strong support system backs them in their times of need, ensuring students practice healthy lifestyles, whether that’s through nutrition, mental health, or physical activity. Each boarding house is stationed with a housemaster or a housemistress, the house tutors, and a domestic team all invested in every student’s wellbeing.
In a caring environment that embraces their individuality, students grow into well-rounded young adults through vast exploration. Strathallan delivers three academic pathways for them to pursue: GCSE, A Level, and Highers/Advanced Highers programmes. They can choose from 24 subjects to tailor their learning to their ambitions and build practical skills with more than 80 extracurriculars to choose from.
Every corner of campus hums with purpose. On the rugby field, future athletes test their limits. In the ceramics studio, artists mould creativity into form. In the new Dance and Drama Studio, ballerinas leap with grace and determination. Still, students are excelling academically. A-Level students achieved a 100% pass rate in 2024, many securing places at top universities around the world.
Check out Strathallan School to experience a warm and welcoming community today.
The Hun School of Princeton
The Hun School of Princeton has a 6,000 global alumni network. Source: The Hun School of Princeton / Facebook
A private boarding and day school located in New Jersey, US, The Hun School of Princeton values joy as a cornerstone of the student experience, whether inside the classroom or out. Founded in 1914, Hun is an all-gender community that welcomes students from over 25 countries every year, guiding them into building resilient characters that are ready to make an impact in an ever-changing world.
The school’s Boarding programme is central to this mission. Students are located just 1.5 miles from downtown Princeton, as well as Princeton University. Surrounding the dorm life is a multicultural community where students forge lifelong friendships and balance academics with fun activities beyond campus. A trip to downtown could entail watching a sports game at the university, catching a movie with friends or singing your lungs out in karaoke. The best part? The Hun is stationed right in between New York City and Philadelphia, which means students are just a drive away from world-class industries.
School life is just as enriching. On this 45-acre campus, students experience five days of classes per week, whether in Middle or Upper School. World-renowned teachers lead them through a dynamic culture of learning, where they engage in hands-on curricula through a wide range of humanities and STEM courses. On the weekends and after-school hours, learners are kept busy by dedicated dorm parents, who arrange trips to McCarther Theatre, study halls, and more.
Marlborough College Malaysia
MCM operates on three core values: compassion, companionship, and conversation. Source: Marlborough College Malaysia
Malaysia –– a country excelling in various sectors, from healthcare to manufacturing to tourism –– is a dynamic, melting pot of culture where international students learn about the world. At Marlborough College Malaysia, a British boarding and day school, they experience growth in a 90-acre campus where diversity and innovation are championed.
Most students at MCM are full-time boarders, choosing to stay on-campus throughout the week and weekends surrounded by a tight-knit community and a wide range of activities on and off campus. Others opt for weekly or day boarding, where they board for three consecutive nights and spend the rest of the week at home. Across six boarding houses, separated by girls and boys, students are supported by MCM’s award-winning pastoral care, allowing them to thrive in a vibrant community.
In the nature of a holistic education, students participate in a wide range of co-curricular activities to challenge their skills and knowledge beyond the typical classroom setting. From a world-class gym facility where they build athletic capabilities to the Barton Farm, where they learn to nurture environmental well-being through caring for animals and plants –– life beyond the classroom evolves them into engaged global citizens.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International
