Statement of boarding principles
A statement of the school's boarding principles and practice, with its boarding policies, how boarders can complain and a child protection policy that reflects boarding. State boarding schools should publish it, and it does not apply to day schools.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Only applies to
- Schools with boarding provision
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When is it due?
- Renewal
- No fixed date
The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What's needed
Publish the statement of boarding principles and practice, with boarding policies, on the boarding page.
What it must contain
5 parts- Makes its boarding principles and practice available to parents, carers and staffShould
- Has a written health and safety policy that it puts into practiceShould
- Explains how to complain, how it will be handled and the timescale for a responseShould
- Gives boarders a clear, easy way to raise their own complaints about boardingShould
- Reflects the extra safeguarding factors that apply to boarding in its child protection policyShould
What the official sources say
Set out in 1 official source:
National minimum standards for boarding schools
A suitable statement6 of the school’s boarding principles and practice is available to parents, carers, and staff, is known to and understood by boarders, and is seen to work well in practice.
Should§ Part A, Standard 1 - Statement of boarding principles and practice, 1.1
8.4 Keeping children safe in education sets out that boarding schools have additional factors to consider with regard to safeguarding. As such it will be important that the boarding school’s child protection policy (and/or other policies if appropriate) reflect:
Should§ Part D, Standard 8 - Safeguarding, 8.4
Show 3 more from this source
The school has and follows an effective policy on recording and responding to parental complaints that is compliant with the following relevant regulatory standards – The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (legislation.gov.uk) and http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2002/32/section/29. The policy is clear on how to make a complaint, how it will be dealt with and the timescales for a response.
Should§ Part F, Standard 14 - Complaints, 14.1
The school should also have a clear and easily accessible process for boarders to raise their own complaints about boarding provision.
Should§ Part F, Standard 14 - Complaints, 14.2
The school ensures compliance with relevant health and safety laws by drawing up and effectively implementing a written health and safety policy.
Should§ Part E, Standard 9 - Safety of boarders, 9.1
Questions schools ask
Does every school have to publish the statement of boarding principles?
The official sources we check set no requirement for academies. The official sources we check set no requirement for maintained schools. It only applies to schools with boarding provision.
When does the statement of boarding principles need to be published?
Renewal: No fixed date. The official sources set no renewal date. Keep it accurate whenever it changes.
What must the statement of boarding principles include?
Makes its boarding principles and practice available to parents, carers and staff; Has a written health and safety policy that it puts into practice; Explains how to complain, how it will be handled and the timescale for a response; Gives boarders a clear, easy way to raise their own complaints about boarding; Reflects the extra safeguarding factors that apply to boarding in its child protection policy.
Where does the requirement for the statement of boarding principles come from?
It is set out in National minimum standards for boarding schools.
Changes to the official sources
The sources for this item do not publish dated change notes. Their current versions are listed above.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
Is this on your school's website?
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Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4