Frensham is home to a boarding tradition that is as unique as it is heartfelt. With more than 70% of students living in residence (and most of them from regional and rural Australia), boarding is the heartbeat of the school.
Gosh it’s a worthy question isn’t it? When the educational outcomes for rural, regional and remote (RRR) children are compromised (as they are) by a variety of challenges, isn’t it ‘ok’ to seek more for your kids?
Now, today I wanted to shine a light on the happenings at Kambala in Rose Bay (Sydney). Over the past few years, Kambala has undergone a significant transformation, shifting from a larger boarding cohort to a smaller, more intimate group of around 50 boarders. This change, while not without its challenges, has allowed them to create a truly unique, “boutique” boarding experience that feels like family.
With just a couple of weeks to go, I received word that the Crossing Theatre in Narrabri could no longer host our Boarding Schools Expo – through no fault of ours obviously. Faced with this sudden venue loss, I had a choice to make. Cancel, or adapt.
When The McDonald College joined us for our Boarding Schools Expo events for the very first time this year, it triggered a response in so many families that walked through our doors. There was this collective moment of realisation among country families: “Hang on… my kid might actually be able to do this.”
To the quiet achievers of agricultural advocacy. Our boarders and their families. Wherever you call home.
It’s school holidays again. They roll around quickly. Right across rural and remote Australia there are families reunited. Together again for the ordinary. For the joy. For the day to day of life at home.
For generations, families from across Australia have entrusted us with their child’s education and wellbeing. Located in the vibrant heart of Launceston, Tasmania, our boarding community is warm, inclusive, and deeply connected — where care is personal, friendships are lifelong, and every student is known and valued.
Gosh it’s a worthy question isn’t it? When the educational outcomes for rural, regional and remote (RRR) children are compromised (as they are) by a variety of challenges, isn’t it ‘ok’ to seek more for your kids?
Since 1901, Ravenswood has embraced a strong tradition of educational excellence, developing young women of purpose who are empowered and inspired by the highest quality of teaching and learning experiences.
We are celebrating our 21st birthday by hosting LIVE Q&A sessions at many of our Expo events this year, kicking off with Emerald on 1-2 May. BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!
For generations, boys have arrived from across Australia and overseas to live, learn and grow together on 110 acres of heritage-rich grounds nestled beside Sydney’s Lane Cove River. They come for the education, stay for the mateship, and leave with memories that last a lifetime.
We are celebrating our 21st birthday by hosting LIVE Q&A sessions at many of our Expo events this year, kicking off with Emerald on 1-2 May.
NEGS has a long history of educating daughters from our most remote regions. Their equine program is definitely an attraction for many families from our northern states…
Since 1887, generations of boarders have excelled at our unique school. Hailing from country NSW, Sydney suburbs, interstate and overseas, our diverse cohort of around 120 boarders is filled with students who are secure and happy in their surroundings.
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
You would be hard pressed to find a person (particularly a country person) who has not heard of The King’s School. It is the oldest boys boarding school in Australia with a history of almost 200 years in educating young country men. [Perhaps I should declare here that we are (were… until the next gen’) a King’s family. A bit of this intro on behalf of King’s will come from my heart. It is really hard for it not to, but good for you to know that these Takeover Thursday’s are sponsored by the schools that choose to take them up.] Have you ever driven through the gates at King’s ? For a farmer’s wife from a western NSW town of about 800, to approach the gates with their very own set of traffic lights on Pennant Hills Road was to have a very real sense that you were about to become part of Australia’s cultural history. And culture, with ceremony and recognition is something that The King’s School does very well. Whether that’s sporting celebrations, religious practices, the arts or cadet parades… culture, along with boarding, is at the very core of The King’s School. Some of Australia’s oldest
Kambala offers a family-style Boarding experience from Years 7-12, in our purpose-built Boarding House, Fernbank. Fernbank accommodates girls in twin rooms from Years 7-11 and boarders have their own accommodation room in Year 12, which is ideal to support their learning and commitments during those important 12 months.
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
We welcome back NEGS Armidale this month – with a spotlight on their extensive opportunities to develop your child’s passions. Whether it’s athletics, equestrian, agriculture or performing arts, NEGS creates the pathways to ensure you can ‘be your best’. Nestled in the stunning New England High Country’s main hub of Armidale, NEGS’ vast campus conjures up a boarding school experience of idyllic days and definitive seasons, nature and colour, and a setting to inspire you to indeed ‘be your best’. Boarders at NEGS hail from all over the country, both city and rural based students, and instantly become part of the warm family environment that serves to enrich the lives of these young people. There are many facets of curriculum to explore at NEGS and below you will find links to their athletics pathways program, their world class equestrian program and further information on their Scholarship programs. Enjoy this Takeover Thursday. PS. To discover everything NEGS are sharing, each topic below is actually a clickable link to their website and videos. Try them out! Whatever you do, do it heartily Be your best @ NEGS NEGS, a leading independent Anglican regional junior school and girls senior day and boarding school
The time has finally arrived – 2024’s Australian Boarding Schools Summit will go LIVE tomorrow FRIDAY 11th October at 2.30pm. This year’s content continues to probe the issues that are important to families with children at Australian boarding schools, or those families that are exploring their options. Hosted by renowned regional journalist and author Jennifer Cowley OAM, discussions begin with a financial theme where we investigate the myriad of options when it comes to bursaries and scholarships and continue through to academics (country kids playing ‘catch up’) and whether size really matters when it comes to big and small boarding cohorts. Our students are back again with schools represented from Victoria, Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory and facilitated by founding director of Womn-Kind, Ruby Riethmuller. We are in our third year of producing content that is just so relevant to families with kids at boarding school. We ask the questions you want answers to, and explore in depth the responses from leading industry specialists, boarding school staff, parents and of course the kids themselves. Our previous Summits (2022 and 2023) are still available to watch on demand, but today it’s all about 2024. You can pop your headphones on and listen as you go
A little late off the starting blocks this week though we’re very happy to ‘introduce’ you to Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) Armidale located on the stunning northern tablelands of NSW. They’ve been a beacon of excellence in girls’ education for 137 years. Serving students from across the region and beyond, providing a nurturing environment that empowers each student to reach their full potential and prepares them for lives of significance. The college’s academic prowess is evident in its 2023 HSC results, boasting the highest percentage of Distinguished Achievers in Armidale. Consistently scoring above the national average in NAPLAN testing, PLC Armidale leads the region in educational outcomes. With a diverse range of scholarships available and a rich history of producing accomplished alumnae, PLC Armidale continues to shape the future of young women. The school’s intentionally designed capacity ensures personalised attention, with an impressive average student-to-teacher ratio of six to one. Enjoy this Fabulous Friday with PLC Armidale. PS. To discover everything PLC Armidale are sharing, each topic below is actually a clickable link to their resources. Try them out! PLC Armidale – Nurturing Excellence for 137 Years Humanities and the Creative and Performing Arts Experience Day We welcome girls
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
Late last year I interviewed Adam Larby, Head of The King’s School, Tudor House for our podcast Destination Boarding, I was utterly transfixed by stories of adventurous childhood experiences and the sense of belonging created for their young cohorts. If you’re not aware of The King’s School’s southern highlands campus for primary aged boys and girls, including boarding from Year 3 to Year 6, then this Takeover Thursday will expose the very best of primary boarding this country has to offer. Families choose boarding for their younger children for a great variety of reasons, not least, isolation. Be that remote living, or attending a very small school where they may be no other kids in their class, or indeed where families have been living overseas and children are heading back to Australia before beginning senior school. I know so many families who chose Tudor House particularly in Year 5 and 6, to allow their children to experience boarding and stronger academic curriculum before boarding in senior school. For me, I would have loved the annual Billy Cart Derby where I would have designed the fastest cart and raced like a ‘Ferrari’ or maybe the camping …. somewhere in the woods
Happy ‘slide-into-winter’ time for our southern states, while our Queenslanders up north watch on in awe (or bewilderment). Toe socks, woollen gloves, gentle washing of the ice off the windscreen, industrial strength felt lined rubber gloves to clean the troughs…. I’m getting colder just writing the list. Well I’m off to sunny Townsville for the Queensland Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association (ICPA) State Conference and watching the weather on the nightly news has me pulling out the summer frocks from their recent relegation to the back of the wardrobe. (insert small happy dance). Queensland must be exhausted from its hosting duties. Unless you’ve been living under a winter weighted feather doona you may have noticed Beef Week just wrapped up and honestly this celebration of beef gets better and better every time Rockhampton opens its gates! I loved watching along at home via the socials. A bit further up the coast, Townsville is bracing itself for the arrival of hundreds of delegates – members, schools, stakeholders and sponsors – for the annual State Conference of ICPA. I’ve written an article this month about the vital role the ICPA plays in ensuring equity of access to education for rural, regional and remote
We’ve got a busy week this week. It’s our first Expo of the season in Dubbo tomorrow and Saturday and it’s promising to be a big one. 36 boarding schools attending from regional and metro NSW, as well as the ACT. If you haven’t pre-registered to attend, it’s not too late – and you can, of course just turn up. Our events are FREE to attend and everyone is welcome. The McDonald College in Sydney is hoping to attend our Expos next year, in the meantime they’ve joined us this week for a ‘Takeover Thursday’ and we’re just a bit thrilled. They offer such a unique experience for our rural and remote kids that have a dream to pursue the performing and creative arts – dance, theatre, music. They offer an exceptional experience in these endeavours and their boarding program means that more country kids have access to achieving their dreams. The McDonald College also pursues an Elite program in tennis and rhythmic gymnastics. What a stand out opportunity for our families with the next star in their midst. If you’re not familiar with them, then scroll down and follow the links to find out a bit more about what
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
Well we’re a bit late this week with Takeover Thursday coming to you on Friday – a few things got in the way of bringing the good news story to you about another of our amazing boarding schools. NEGS has always held boarding at its heart, not simply a place to stay while you’re at school – it’s truly a home. With over 100 acres, space is not a problem and NEGS is able to provide all the very best of opportunities for your daughter. There’s an Equestrian Centre, their renown Agricultural and Livestock precinct and did you know they collaborate with various State sporting associations including NSW Hockey, NSW Rugby and Netball NSW as part of the Athletic Development Program. Their linkages with the globally focused University of New England (UNE) also situated at Armidale, are well known where they forge partnerships to enhance career paths and options for their students.Look the magic of New England region speaks for itself, imagine going to boarding school there – surrounding yourself with magic and opportunities. Enjoy the takeover and visit NEGS at one of our Expo’s this year – Dubbo is just around the corner Friday 10, Saturday 11 May. Hope
Boarding School isn’t just about the kids. As parents we are often gifted with lifelong friendships along the way and it’s so so worth it. Make the effort – you’ll be in the winner’s seat for life.
We’re approaching our live Expo season and this year we’ve over 70 schools exhibiting with us at our events in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. It’s giving me pause for thought. What does a boarding school look like in 2024? Just a generation or two ago it was more often the case that a school had boarders as a ‘side gig’ so to speak, a ‘school with boarding’. Now we find that schools are truly boarding schools – schools that embrace their boarders, that grow their boarder numbers and schools that know the very essence of their culture and spirit begins in the boarding house. The Scots College is one such School in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. With one in five of their students in Middle and Senior School being a boarder, they understand that their boarding community is vital to the pulse of the College. Discover more about The Scots College through their takeover today. PS To discover everything The Scots College are sharing, each topic below is actually a clickable link to their website and virtual tours. Try them out! Celebrating over 130 years of excellence in boys’ education Scots: The finest preparation for life. Boarding is a critical component
We’re off to a great start for 2024! Holy moly the humidity out where I live has knocked us off our feet for the best part of summer – we’re just not used to it. On the bright side, our regular falls of rain have been welcomed and summer crops are looking the goods. February has been a busy month for the team here as we get ready for our in-person events, and begin to put together the agenda for our Australian Boarding Schools Summit. Did you know that we host an online event each October where we discuss the matters that matter to you, families at boarding school and families looking for the best option for their children? 24 Australian Boarding Schools partnered with us last year to ensure that you have access to this event, wherever you call home. This year will be our third year of hosting and with over 550 families registered from across Australia and overseas we’re proud to know that it provides an avenue for nuanced conversations between parents, staff at boarding schools, industry experts and of course, the boarders themselves. Do you have topics that you would like to see us dive into at our Summit ?
We’re proud to present our first Takeover Thursday for 2024 with Ascham School, Sydney. If you know you know… Ascham is renown not only for it’s near 140 years of boarding for country girls, but also for their unique learning program – the Dalton Plan. A teaching philosophy that embraces four principles—collaboration, responsibility, reflection and independence. Ascham is committed to educating girls from rural, regional and remote areas of NSW and indeed Australia and this is further demonstrated by their investment in new boarding houses and facilities. I firmly believe in the opportunities boarding schools offer our country students, and when I can see schools investing in their boarders it gives me heart and hope for the future. It’s not easy for schools from our metropolitan areas to continue to ensure their boarding communities have room to grow (space being a key element). When schools, such as Ascham, strive to ensure that they can remain a home away from home for generations to come it must be commended. There’s more to Ascham than The Dalton Plan. Take a few minutes to discover what generations of country families have experienced with today’s Takeover Thursday. Thank you to the team at Ascham.
We’re off to a great start for 2024! How has your year begun ? Hopefully gently, and maybe even a get away to the coast ? Thinking of any of you affected by flooding and storms which have cast a big shadow over the new year for some of our Victorian and Queensland families. We’re back ‘on air’ with Destination Boarding and launched 2024 with Humans of Agriculture head honcho and champion of rural Australia, Oli Le Lievre. Link below – it’s a great chat. The Summer Series, ‘Nailing Homesickness’is still rolling out and there’s some really heartwarming tips and tricks from boarders who have managed to overcome the struggles of settling in to boarding school. Speaking of heading off, many of you (or your friends) will be beginning to plan the farewell for your new boarder and with that we’ve got a few links below that may help you over the next couple of weeks. Wishing you and your boarders all the very best for the coming year and we really hope that our resources continue to provide support to our new families, and our families that have been with us for a while. Do you know of a super duper kid with personality plus ? We’re
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The School of the EXPO Award celebrates genuine connection between families and schools. Voted on by families attending each event, the award recognises schools that stand out for their friendliness, presentation, and knowledge of boarding life. It’s a fun, interactive way for families – and their children – to engage with the schools in the room, while giving exhibitors valuable feedback on what resonates most. Each winning school receives a free registration for the following year’s Expo in recognition of their excellence.
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