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It is our aim to nurture a sense of well-being and security by providing accommodation which gives students the space to be themselves and to grow in maturity and confidence.
Boarding is at the heart of the Oxford Sixth Form College experience. Our students have been known to affectionately refer to their boarding community as their ‘second family’; supporting each other, celebrating each other, and forging friendships to last a lifetime.
For many students, it is their first time living away from home and we are committed to ensuring that each and every one of you is safe, happy and getting the most out of your time with us. We will make every effort to match you to an environment in which you feel comfortable and ensure you have the right level of support.
The College offers boarding accommodation for students across two locations – St. Ebbes and Pensons Gardens – staffed by house parents with breakfast and dinner provided seven days a week. We are also pleased to offer a new boarding option.
St. Ebbe’s is made up of 50 en-suite bedrooms and is a five-minute walk from the College. Each bedroom is fully furnished with a single bed, desk and chair, wardrobe and bedside table.
Pensons Gardens is made up of 31 en-suite bedrooms and is a ten-minute walk from the College. Each bedroom is fully furnished with a single bed, desk and chair, wardrobe and bedside table.
The boarding houses are cleaned daily in the common areas and the students’ bedrooms are cleaned fortnightly. Clean bed sheets are provided weekly. There are also laundry facilities for the students to use: house parents will help the students with this until they feel confident in doing it themselves.
Security is a priority for us, and the boarding houses have CCTV cameras outside the front door and are staffed 24/7 by house parents. The house parents are highly trained in pastoral care and get to know the students very quickly, which aids the support and care they provide.
The regular and frequent communication between the College’s Senior Tutors and the house parents is excellent and provides everyone with an holistic picture of each student in our care. Each morning the boarding staff email the College with the student checks, which tell us which students have had breakfast or have left for College. Students that are unwell are identified and follow-up correspondence takes place throughout the day. At night, curfew checks also take place, and any students who are late are contacted
We begin to identify the most appropriate accommodation for a student as early as their interview. In addition, all students are offered ongoing help with any problem relating to their accommodation: College staff will work together to make sure any issues are dealt with quickly and effectively.