'Junior boarding and the importance of continuity'

'We currently admit boarders from Year 4, providing them with a strong and caring sense of family where they can thrive in a warm home-from-home environment.

Pupils join our dedicated house for our youngest boarders - Catteral House – where they mix with full boarders, flexi boarders and day boarders up to Year 8. Our youngest boarders only move onto senior boarding houses when they reach Year 9.

Our junior boarders of all ages benefit from access to all the same high-quality facilities as our older boarders including sports pitches, gym and state of the art theatre – all here on our site in the stunning and safe setting of the Yorkshire Dales. They can also join a wide range of co-curricular clubs and societies as part of our CASE (Creative, Active, Service and Enrichment) programme, which nurtures personal development beyond the academic programme, and discovers and develops an individual’s strengths whilst encouraging participation and contributing to their wellbeing. It also aims to help them find lifelong interests and passions.

This important sense of continuity that our youngest boarders gain from progressing seamlessly through from junior to senior school and ultimately sixth form is key to their wellbeing and personal development. This is true for all boarders but particularly for those from forces backgrounds that might otherwise experience considerable change in their lives. Some children of forces parents may otherwise attend more than six different schools during these formative years. It also helps our international boarders, many of whom are a long way from home.

Headmaster Sam Hart explains:

“Creating a safe, secure and stable home from home environment all the way from Year 4 through to 8 provides our youngest boarders with continuity that really supports them through the time when they transition from the Junior School at Year 6 to the Senior School in Year 7. They are already familiar with their surroundings, routines, expectations and the key people in their lives, helping to make this adjustment naturally seamless and smooth. We work really hard to build a wonderful family-friendly feeling here at Giggleswick and we love to see our boarders and other pupils develop through their school years here, leaving us as well-equipped, resilient, assured and happy young people.”

Christine Gemmell, former housemistress of Catteral House adds:

“We focus here at Catteral House on building really good relationships with all the children and supporting them in every aspect of their lives as part of one big extended family. This creates a very solid foundation and helps them make and keep friends through sharing experiences together. It really gives them the very best start as they progress towards our senior boarding houses, sixth form and eventually life beyond Giggleswick.”

We have exciting news to share later this year about our ‘One School’ approach and the many benefits it brings!'


19.05.23