You will find our two boarding houses, The Croft and The Cottage, tucked away within our beautiful grounds. Boarders love being so close to Oxford city centre which is less than a mile away and parents love how convenient we are for London and its airports. The school grounds are a haven of peace and quiet, away from main roads – our boarders like to make the most of this natural environment whenever they can.
Each boarding house is run by our experienced boarding team of caring and compassionate assistants.
The Cottage
Our Year 11 to 13 girls stay in The Cottage, and it’s here that they can get a taste for university life by having their own well-equipped single study bedroom.
Nestled in the woodland, The Cottage with its 45 bedrooms has its own courtyard patio garden, dining room, kitchen, common rooms, computer rooms and laundry facilities. Comfortable sofas and chairs are ideal for relaxing in after a busy day and there are plenty of study spaces.
As The Cottage is also where our Sixth Form Centre is based, all girls can enjoy self-contained facilities and take the first steps towards independence. Of course we encourage our Sixth Form girls to take an active role in the main school as well and they can take advantage of all that it has to offer at any time.
The Croft
Well known for its fun family atmosphere, The Croft is for our younger boarders from Years 5 to 10. As a Croft boarder, girls will share a comfortable and spacious room, usually with three or four others, depending on age. Our older boarders generally share with one or two others.
For relaxing after a busy school day, the common room provides a homely space full of comfy sofas plus TV, DVDs, games and much more. As well as plenty of places to study and relax, there are also computers and technological equipment and kitchen and laundry facilities.
Croft boarders can take full advantage of all the fantastic facilities the school offers from the music block and art studios to the sports hall and fitness suit, not to mention the spacious grounds.
In summer you will often spot boarders reading under the shade of a tree, enjoying an impromptu game of rounders on the sports field or taking part in their end-of-term barbecue and pool party.
Boarding School Options at Rye – Something to suit everyone
The boarding options we offer at Rye are designed to support the needs of you and your daughter; to offer flexibility depending on your requirements at different times. Whether you need full boarding, only returning home in the school holidays, weekly, flexi, or occasional, we provide all the options for your individual needs.
Full Boarding
Our boarders stay in our houses, The Croft and The Cottage, during term time returning to stay with their families or guardians for the school holidays. Boarding gives our girls the opportunity to enjoy Rye St Antony’s excellent range of educational, sporting, and recreational facilities in the evenings and at the weekends. With our caring and committed house staff on hand at all times, girls are given the opportunity to take part in a full and varied programme of activities to suit their individual interests and talents. Personal achievement, the development of leadership skills, and strong interpersonal relationships are all synonymous with full boarding at Rye.
When the school day is over, girls can choose from studying independently to exploring a new or favourite interest or activity through our hugely varied selection of clubs on offer. They may also spend time practising a musical instrument or rehearsing for a school drama production.
Weekly Boarding
Weekly boarding is an attractive option for those who live within a reasonable distance of the school, but want to take advantage of the many activities that Rye St Antony has to offer during the week. This option offers the best of both worlds as girls can still maintain regular contact with their families, while enjoying all that boarding life has to offer at Rye during weekdays. Our weekly boarders usually arrive at school either on a Sunday evening or on a Monday morning and go home on a Friday evening. Rye is conveniently located for trains and coach services to London and beyond.
If any of our weekly boarders would like to stay for a weekend, they are always more than welcome to do so for an extra cost. This may be so they can join in with a particular trip or activity that has been planned for full boarders. With our boarding, we believe flexibility is key and we are very happy to help families with their individual requirements.
Flexi Boarding
For girls who like to stay in frequent contact with their families, or would perhaps like to try boarding for the first time, our flexible boarding options are ideal. Some pupils also choose flexi or occasional boarding to keep up with their regular music, sporting, or other activities at the school. We offer flexi boarding and occasional boarding for any of our day pupils who are in Years 5-13 and options are available for a single night or longer to suit a family’s individual requirements. For those who have a long journey into school or complicated family commitments, flexi and occasional boarding offer the perfect solution. For older girls, who have never boarded before, it is also a great way to prepare for life away from home before starting university.
Our boarding team is very happy to talk to you about your specific requirements for flexi and occasional boarding, so do get in touch for any queries you may have on this option.
Come and find out what boarding is like by sampling a night’s stay with us.
During this time, our boarders are staying in The Cottage where they have their own bedroom. This allows us to, in line with the BSA Safe Boarding Charter and government guidance, make our boarding environment as safe for our community as possible by implementing bubbles and ensuring our girls have their own space.
