FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Boarding

How can I choose the right school?
Will I have to take an entrance exam?
Who will "care" for me at boarding school?
Will I adapt easily to boarding school life?
What should I bring to school?
Will I get enough to eat and what if I don’t like the school food?
Can I have my own music system, computer and mobile phone?
Are there lessons at weekends?
I live overseas. Will I have to stay in school during half term?
Will going to a boarding school help me get into university?
What happens if I’m ill?
Who arranges travel?
Are students accompanied to the airport? Train station?
What are the arrangements for pocket money?
Can I buy sweets and stationery items at school?
Can I leave things at school over the holidays?
May my friends visit me at school?

1. How can I choose the right school?
Think about the following:
Would you like a school in the town or the country?
Would you prefer to be near to airports and stations?
Are you looking for a school with an informal or more traditional, formal style?
Do you need specialist support of any kind? (e.g. language)
Are you looking for a large school, or a smaller, possibly friendlier, atmosphere?

2. Will I have to take an entrance exam?
We do some testing to enable us to fit a child to the right course or level but Moira House is a non-selective school so there is no entrance exam as such.

3. Who will "care" for me at boarding school?
Trained Pastoral staff and housemistresses, both resident and non-resident are on hand to look after girls and work closely with guardians and parents but all the staff at Moira House are concerned with the day-to-day welfare of pupils.

4. Will I adapt easily to boarding school life?
It is natural to miss home and family at first and some overseas students have the added problem of jet-lag to overcome! In addition, students may not have the language skills they need to adapt quickly to their new environment. Moira House is particularly aware of the language and cultural issues, which can make life difficult for students from other countries and the homesickness, which ANY new girl might suffer. Staff do their best to make sure that everyone soon develops confidence and settles into school life happily.

5. What should I bring to school?
Not too much! Don’t forget that girls (below the sixth form) wear school uniform during the working day and that there is a wide range of activities at school. Also, the food may be different from what it is at home but it is still good so although you might want to bring some of your own specialities with you, remember there may not be space to store large quantities!
Most girls bring their own duvets and duvet covers.

6. Will I get enough to eat and what if I don’t like the school food?
Boarders eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at school with breaks for a drink and a biscuit or cake mid-morning and at teatime. There is always a choice of cooked or cold meals with plenty of salads and fruit.
Senior girls may make their own breakfast in house. Sixth Formers who do not wish a "sit-down" lunch can eat at the very popular "deli-bar".
In addition, girls can prepare their own snacks and hot drinks in the boarding houses.

7. Can I have my own music system, computer and mobile phone?
At present, girls can bring all three of these to school with them if they wish. However there are rules about safety and when and where they can be used.

8. Are there lessons at weekends?
We do not have lessons but we do have study time on a Saturday morning. Girls have a range of games and activities to choose from. There is also the nearby town of Eastbourne for the senior girls to visit, shop and go to the cinema.

9. I live overseas. Will I have to stay in school during half term?
Students usually go to Guardians if they cannot be with their families. However, some girls go to stay with daygirls or friends from school, providing their parents give permission.

10. Will going to a boarding school help me get into university?
At present more than 90 percent of independent school pupils go on to higher education. At Moira House, this percentage is even higher with most girls going to university. There is a full-time Careers Counsellor at the school.

11. What happens if I’m ill?
A team of nursing sisters look after you. The Doctor holds a surgery at school once a week although you can make appointments to see the Doctor at her surgery in town.

12. Who arranges travel?
Parents and guardians arrange travel although the school can help arrange taxis.

13. Are students accompanied to the airport? Train station?
We arrange for girls to be collected from the airport by a taxi company. There are school trains (girls are escorted by staff) at the beginning and end of terms (however, not at the beginning of the Christmas Term).

14. What are the arrangements for pocket money?
House Mistresses look after the pocket money for younger girls. Older girls have their own bank accounts.

15. Can I buy sweets and stationery items at school?
The School has a shop (called TOGS) that sells sweets, drinks, stationery items and school uniform.

16. Can I leave things at school over the holidays?
Yes, you may leave some of your things (in a trunk or equivalent) at school over the holidays.

17. May my friends visit me at school?
Yes, your friends are welcome to visit you but you must clear the arrangements with the housemistresses first.