Flexibility is the key for the modern boarding school writes Iain Gillespie for The Australian Financial Review’s Special Report into boarding options for students in 2023.

St Catherine’s School Boarding Family, The Randells, share their insights into the benefits of having one foot in the city and one foot in the country through the School’s flexible boarding arrangements.

In the affluent Melbourne suburb of Toorak, the history of St Catherine’s School for girls stretches back 127 years, and its head of boarding, Sue Collister, says the school’s boarding options have also changed dramatically in recent years.

“Our boarding house offers senior-school students flexible boarding opportunities to stay on campus for extended or short-stay arrangements,” she says. “Casual boarding suits busy families who
face unexpected travel,work, family or school commitments.

“Flexible options can also suit families who live out of town and find it difficult to juggle after-school commitments, including school productions and sporting events.”

St Catherine’s ranks as Victoria’s top girls’ school, but that might not be the primary reason why parents might choose it.

Zannie Randell, who lives on a farm two hours’ drive away in north-eastern Victoria, says even though her daughter, Imogen, started as a full-time boarder at St Catherine’s in year 9 this year, she can still come home on Fridays, play for her local netball team, and head back on Sundays.

“One foot in the country and one foot in the city was an appealing adventure for Imogen,” she says. “I also liked that St Catherine’s has its boarding house on site, because some don’t, and it has a welcoming family atmosphere as well as a very good reputation.

“At first, Imogen found it a bit hard being away from home, but she quickly made friends with other kids who’d started at the same time, and they got involved in sports, rowing and other activities. The parents of some of the day girls were just fantastic, taking them to school sports on a Saturday when we obviously couldn’t.”