From 2025, boarding at St Peter’s School will continue to evolve as a dynamic, flexible and enriching experience for pupils from Year 7 upwards. With four distinctive boarding houses, a variety of boarding options, and new short-term opportunities for international pupils, the future of boarding is bright and more accessible than ever.
A Home away from Home
St Peter’s is proud to offer four unique boarding houses, each fostering its own sense of community and character. Each House is overseen by Houseparents who are also academic staff at the school. Many live in the boarding house with their spouses, children and pets, adding to the warm, family atmosphere that defines boarding at St Peter’s. Houseparents are at the heart of each boarding community, creating a supportive and welcoming environment where pupils can flourish and make lifelong friendships. Each house also has a residential assistant living on site.
St Peter’s is a short walk from the beautiful and historic city of York. In their free time, boarders are able to walk into the city centre to enjoy the many cultural, social and leisure opportunities on offer. In addition to this, there is a full programme of Sunday and evening activities organised by the school.
Dronfield, the girls’ Sixth Form house, is a modern, lively, and open space complete with cosy nooks for studying or relaxing. From September 2025, Dronfield will be looked after by Mr and Mrs Sharp, who live with their youngest daughter and their dog. Mr Sharp is head of Cricket and Teacher of Academic and Core PE.
The Rise, a beautiful Victorian house on the edge of campus, offers a supportive and spirited environment for girls from Years 7 to 11. Mrs Gillies lives at The Rise with her husband and their dog as well as visits from their grown up daughter who is now at university. They look after the friendly community of girls in Year 7 to Year 11 who call the house their home during term-time. Mrs Gillies is a Teacher of MFL.
For boys, Linton provides a traditional and characterful boarding experience for Years 7 to 11. Cared for by Mr and Mrs Battersby, the boys of Linton pride themselves on their camaraderie and House spirit. Mr Battersby is Assistant Deputy at St Peter’s 13-18 and a Teacher of Business and Mrs Battersby is Head of Art.
Sixth Form boys enjoy the modern, family-style comfort of The Manor, where academic focus is balanced with independence and opportunity. The Manor is presided over by Houseparents Mr and Mrs Noy Scott who live there with their sons. Mr Noy Scott is a Teacher of Latin and Classics.
Life in House
A Matron and a dedicated team of staff help ensure the smooth day-to-day running of each House. Pupils benefit from a laundry service and are encouraged to take on light responsibilities, sharing in small duties that contribute to the sense of ownership and camaraderie within the house. Boarders enjoy a well stocked kitchen to enjoy nourishing snacks in-house but are also fed three delicious meals a day by our dedicated catering team in the school’s main dining room.
Flexible Boarding to Suit Every Family
Recognising the diverse needs of modern families, St Peter’s offers a range of boarding options. Full boarding, available from Year 7 and required in Sixth Form, provides a stable, structured environment and access to the full range of school life. Part-time boarding (between 2 and 5 nights per week) offers flexibility for busy families while ensuring boarders remain active members of their Houses.
For occasional needs, flexi boarding allows parents to purchase bundles of 10 nights, giving day pupils a taste of boarding life when needed — including boarders' meals, supervised prep, and evening activities. During the Summer Term, exam boarding is available for Upper Sixth and Year 11 students, offering a quiet, supportive environment during revision and exams.
Boarding also allows pupils to gain time back in the mornings and evenings by not having a commute. Whether they use the extra time for rest, physical activity or work, pupils can benefit from the proximity of the Boarding Houses to the campus. All Houses are within a 5 minute walk to campus.
International Opportunities at St Peter’s
We welcome boarders from all over the world to join the school’s boarding community. Most are full boarders completing GCSE and A Levels and the majority go on to top UK universities. St Peter’s holds a sponsor licence for Child Study Visas for any boarding pupils who do not have UK citizenship. When there are sufficient numbers, we are able to offer accommodation in school over exeat weekends, although we do encourage boarders to take a break from school when they can. We work closely with boarders’ educational guardians to ensure that all of our pupils have a positive experience when moving to the UK.
Launched in September 2025, short-term boarding options designed to offer an authentic UK boarding school experience. Overseas students can join for a year or just one or two terms, benefiting from a tailored academic programme and full immersion in the boarding community and cultural life of York. A special 4-week Summer Term Immersion Course will also be available.
With boarding now more adaptable and inclusive than ever, 2025 marks an exciting chapter in the life of St Peter’s — one that continues to place community, care and opportunity at the heart of everything we do.
