Boarding at Aldro
A home beyonD home
Boarding has always been part of Aldro’s heart.
It’s where independence grows gently; a chance to practise and prepare for boarding at future senior schools, in a setting that is warm and nurturing. Our boarders leave ready for senior school life, carrying with them a quiet assurance and a pocketful of stories.
As a prep school, our job is to prepare our pupils for the next stage, so regular, positive, feedback tells us that we must be getting things right.
Boarding at Aldro is more than a bed for the night.
Here, children discover what it feels like to belong to a family that stretches beyond their own. A family that knows the comfort of a favourite drink, the magic of a bedtime story, and the joy of waking up among friends. Our Boarding Team are always on hand to notice the little things; a missing button, a favourite snack, a child who needs a chat before lights out.
From banana milkshakes to lavender scented pillows, nothing is too much trouble. Parents tell us it feels like handing their child to an extended family, one that cares deeply and communicates often. Behind the scenes, there’s a quiet choreography: matrons labelling kits, tutors checking homework, gap students organising games.
It’s homely, yet purposeful; a place where children feel known.
Boarding at Aldro
Hear more from Aldro's Housemaster and Housemistress about boarding at Aldro.
A big part of delivering a brilliant boarding experience, is focusing on the fun of being with your friends
EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE
A big part of delivering a brilliant boarding experience, is focusing on the fun of being with your friends. Every term, the boarding team create an enviable carousel of themed activities such as mid-week, ‘Wacky Wednesdays’, in addition to exciting excursions to roller discos, pool parties, slip and slide and s’mores on the bonfire. We are fortunate to have wonderful grounds and resources at our fingertips too, and there aren’t many prep schools whose boarders can spend summer evenings boating on their own lake!
There are trips to Buckingham Palace, Hampton Court ice-skating, go-karting, and Twickenham for the roar of England rugby. It’s non-stop fun, but never too busy for those all-important calls home. Our cultural programme opens doors to British life and culture, from historic dockyards to London’s galleries to trips to Oxford.
Flexibility for modern families
Meeting the needs of modern families, Aldro offers full time, weekly and part-time boarding options enabling a greater number of children to join our boarding community.
‘Big Boarding Weekends’ are also a popular feature where specific year groups can experience a super-charged, fun, boarding weekend together.
Our Boarding values
As a prep school, our job is to prepare our pupils for the next stage.
A large part of that preparation is to make sure that pupils learn to reflect our school values of Kindness, Respect, Integrity, Humility and Service.
These values are always evident in our boarding home and help to foster relationships between boarders, as well as between children and adults.
Well-located
Aldro is located in the beautiful village of Shackleford, less than 10 minutes drive to Godalming and 15 minutes drive to Guildford. Trains regularly depart to central London from both Godalming and Guildford and journey times from Guildford are typically 35 - 40 minutes to London Waterloo.
We are also fortunate to be close to both London Heathrow airport (40 minutes drive) and London Gatwick airport (45 minutes drive).
We are also within easy reach of Aldershot (20 minutes drive), Andover (55 minutes drive) and Bulford (65 minutes drive).
TESTIMONIALS
Quote 1
The boarding house is a wonderful community with students from overseas and locally all enjoying and learning about boarding. A great sense of shared living and lots of fun!” Parent of Form 7 boarder
Quote 2
Whenever I've needed to ask questions, organise something or get in touch with the school, the matrons and Mr Russell have been outstanding. They are responsive to emails, and have helped sorting out pocket money, organising his kit, labelling new uniform items and generally acting more as extended family than school staff. FCDO parent of Form 8 boarder
Quote 3
The school community is wonderful. Both local and far flung, Aldro has an excellent boarding program and so kids from London or even other countries are able to make Aldro their home away from home. Parent of Form 7
Quote 4
The setting – in the countryside but still close to London – makes it fantastic. On top of that, the school organises loads of activities that are very “British” in spirit, and both our children have been invited to spend weekends (EXEATs) with friends’ families, which has given them an even deeper experience of family life and traditions here. It’s been a fantastic cultural immersion for them both. Parents of Spanish boarders in Form 6 and 8
Quote 5
Our son has very much enjoyed, and benefited from, establishing a close knit group with the full time boarders. This includes creating a place he feels at home in their dorm, sharing card games and late night stories. Aside from the fact that he's clearly having a wonderful time as a boarder, he's become better organised and more independent. He has thrown himself into the drama activities more since boarding and, in spite of being busy, we get regular phone calls to hear the latest news! Parent of Form 8 boarder
