4 global boarding schools dedicated to inspiring students’ ambition and creativity through education

Leaving home isn’t the easiest thing to do as a child or young teenager. Some say the biggest struggles will be being away from your family and friends and being in a new, unknown environment. Language barriers could occur if you move to a country that does not speak the same language as yours. So, one may ask, is attending a boarding school worth it? 

The answer is yes. Jeffrey Robert Quebec’s research found that boarding schools have many strengths that will have a lasting impact on the students they serve. Students learn independence, form long-lasting relationships, and have a supportive environment. With a small classroom size, faculty are allowed to “get to know each student and focus on and support their strengths and areas of potential.”

Looking for a boarding school for your child can be daunting, so we have put together four global boarding schools that can personally cater to your child’s needs:

Ashbury College is an IB World School with a university placement rate of 100%. Source: Ashbury College

Ashbury College

Ashbury College, a leading independent school for all genders in grades 4 to 12, is nestled on a 13-acre campus in the heart of Canada’s national capital, Ottawa. Founded in 1891, Ashbury has over 40 years of experience as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. It offers the powerful continuum of IB programmes that develops well-rounded students who can respond to today’s challenges with optimism and an open mind.

Studying at Ashbury is a rigorous journey enhanced by small class sizes, a student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1, dedicated faculty, and innovative technology. Its French-English bilingual diploma further broadens students’ worldviews and helps them get into their best-fit post-secondary institution. Past post-secondary destinations for Ashbury students include Harvard, Cornell, McGill, Oxford, University of Toronto, Queen’s, Cambridge, Carleton, Dartmouth, University of Ottawa, Norwegian School of Business, and the Sorbonne. Ashbury is proud of its 100% university placement rate.

Ashbury boarders bring with them a lifetime of memories as they make their mark at some of the world’s most notable universities. With peers from over 50 countries, they forged lifelong friendships and built a foundation for global literacy in a safe and structured environment. At the same time, they honed soft skills that will serve them long after they’ve left Heather Gillin Residence, Matthews House, or Maple Residence, which are state-of-the-art dormitories with spacious kitchens, games and study rooms, fitness areas, secure high-speed Internet, and feature a mix of single and shared rooms with en suite bathrooms. 

Ready to take your child’s education to the next level and achieve their full potential? Apply to Ashbury College today.

One of the most beautiful schools with an excellent reputation for academic success. Source: Glenalmond College

Glenalmond College 

Established in 1847, Glenalmond College is a co-educational, full boarding and day school for boys and girls, with 80% of their students being boarders. Surrounded by the vast beauty of the Scottish countryside, an hour and 11 minutes car ride to Edinburgh and Glasgow, students between the ages 12 and 18 work their way towards their GCSE and Sixth Form (A-Levels). 

Glenalmond offers GCSE subjects ranging from Core subjects like Mathematics, English Language, Literature, 1 Modern Language, and Sciences to Elective subjects such as Art, Music, Design Technology, Physical Education, Drama, Computer Science, and more. The college offers Sixth Formers Mathematics, Sciences, Business, History of Art, Religious Studies, and more for A-level subjects.

The pursuit for excellence thrives from Glenalmond College’s pride in its strong academics. However, combining it with extracurriculars outside of classrooms to shape, develop and drive the ambition of their students to achieve the extraordinary while offering a supportive community from their educators. The support continues after their education as the college goes above and beyond to ensure students get the guidance they need for their university applications, career advice, and gap year if taken. 

Glenalmond students have successfully achieved the extraordinary by receiving acceptances to world-class universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrews, London, Bristol, Exeter, and Newcastle.

To get an idea of what Glenalmond offers for your child, visit Glenalmond College’s website for more information.

The Ecole d’Humatiné, a place where beautiful scenery and unique education meet. Source: The Ecole d’Humanité

The Ecole d’Humanité

The Ecole d’Humanité offers a uniquely progressive education in English and German that nourishes a child’s intellectual, artistic, athletic, social and emotional development. The renowned Swiss boarding school is located in the Canton of Bern, with the breathtaking Bernese Alps as the backdrop to its pristine campus. Flower-strewn meadows, verdant woods, and the necessary amenities are within arm’s reach. These are the settings for many enrichment opportunities, from hiking, biking and skiing to theatre, dance, and blacksmithing — which tie into the Ecole d’Humanité’s preparatory curriculum that boasts an extensive co-curricular programme. 

What sets the Ecole d’Humanité’s approach to learning apart is how it is not about education for education’s sake but rather about finding the meaning behind what children learn and how that can help your child pave their way. Individual strengths shine, with your child set to succeed at the pace and area they want to focus on.

As a small, private boarding school, Ecole d’Humanité considers community to be of the utmost importance. The school’s rhythm is organised to encourage this sense of belonging, with weekly family and school-wide activities and even meals together in the dining hall with family heads. Community, along with progressive education, has helped many students find their stride and passion. 

Ambitious and motivated students may participate in the Advanced Placement Path Programme, which is unique amongst boarding schools in the country. It is a fully customised, goal-oriented educational plan that allows high school students to take on college-level work while still in secondary school. Adventurous students may opt for the Outdoor Programme, which will take your child through majestic vistas. As they explore stunning Swiss scenery, your child will develop a profound appreciation for the natural world and discover deep reserves of strength and grit within themselves.

With 168 years of history, SPS educates students to build purposeful lives serving the greater good. Source: St. Paul’s School

St. Paul’s School

Home to over 540 students and 111 faculty from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, SPS focuses on allowing students to learn and grow together. It’s not just about obtaining knowledge but developing the understanding and ability to apply it in new and unfamiliar contexts, in and out of the classroom. 

The SPS academic programme provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals and the flexibility to pursue varied and enriching electives. The core curriculum includes mind-stimulating courses in the Humanities, Mathematics, Sciences, Languages, and the Arts. These are intertwined with performing arts, an inclusive chapel programme, and community engagement. SPS also allows its students to work on their ambitions and take control by allowing them to draw their education map, choose from more than 100 courses, and create a supportive learning environment. 

SPS boasts a 2,000-acre campus where 100% of its students and faculty live together, making it one of the only high schools in the U.S. to do so. At SPS, faculty members partner with families to ensure the right amount of independence is granted to students to achieve excellence. This flexible approach, a multinational community, advanced topics, and more create independent self-starters who will one day transform the world.

Previous SPS graduates have forged success at elite institutions like Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Vanderbilt, USC, UPenn, UCLA, Brown, Cornell, and Columbia. 

Click here to find out more about St. Paul’s School.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International