Boarding School Open Day Questions: Parent Checklist

Prepare a consistent scorecard

Open days are persuasive by design, so use a written scorecard. List your child’s learning, wellbeing, cultural, dietary, medical and travel needs before the visit. Give the same core questions to every school and record who answered them.

Safeguarding and boarding supervision

Ask to see the current safeguarding, anti-bullying and complaints information. Notice whether answers describe a clear process rather than only saying that the school is a close community.

• Who is present in the boarding house overnight and at weekends?
• How can a student report a concern privately?
• How are staff recruited, trained and supervised?
• What happens after bullying, harassment or repeated homesickness?
• How are off-campus leave, visitors and transport managed?

Daily life in the boarding house

• What is a normal weekday and weekend schedule?
• How much unstructured time do students have?
• Which activities are compulsory and which cost extra?
• How are room allocations and roommate concerns handled?
• What happens when most local students leave for the weekend?

Learning and academic support

Ask how progress is monitored, how frequently families receive useful feedback and what happens when a student falls behind. Clarify access to learning support, language support, extension work and university or careers guidance.

Published results can be useful, but they do not show whether the school suits your child’s starting point or learning style. Ask for examples of support pathways, not a promise of a particular grade or destination.

Health, wellbeing and communication

• When is the health centre staffed and what happens overnight?
• How are medicines, allergies and dietary needs managed?
• What counselling or pastoral support is available and how is privacy handled?
• Who contacts parents after a health or disciplinary incident?
• How can families raise a concern and escalate it if unresolved?

Fees and practical arrangements

Request a full schedule covering tuition, boarding, deposits, uniforms, devices, trips, examinations, transport, guardianship and optional activities. Read withdrawal and refund terms and ask how often fees normally change.

For international pupils, clarify airport transfers, holiday accommodation, visa support boundaries and who is responsible for guardianship. Verify legal or immigration information independently.

What to observe without asking

Look at how adults speak to students, whether students appear able to approach staff, the condition of shared spaces and whether the boarding house feels lived in rather than staged. If possible, ask a student what they would change. A balanced answer is often more useful than another list of facilities.