Schools, where pupils board, is a British idea and they are still most popular in the UK. Boarding private schools operate in the United States too and in old outposts of the British Empire, such as India. They started as charity schools in the 12th century and then became fee paying. Teachers were normally clergymen until the 19th century and they were a favorite option for British parents who were posted overseas. The schools offered the opportunity for their children to receive an education and way of life from the mother country.

There are schools that accept children from a very young age but most pupils attend between the ages of 13 - 18. Younger children, aged 9 -12 years old sometimes enroll at preparatory boarding private schools but this is not as fashionable as it once was. Many countries use the British schools as a template for how they should be run. Parents send their children to these schools for many reasons. If they have a job in which they move around a lot, it gives a permanent base for the child, rather than repeatedly changing schools. Generations of families often go to the same school, carrying on family tradition.

This type of education has been controversial amongst people who oppose it. Many pupils speak of being unhappy and homesick. Others take to the life with enthusiasm. Certainly, the facilities are excellent, with more expensive boarding private schools having first class sporting opportunities and the best technology. Some even have their own squash courts and cinemas.

Pastoral care should be as important as academic standards and sporting achievement. For many children, breaking away from a family home life can be very difficult. The schools are divided into Houses, with each one having a housemaster or housemistress to look after the pupils. The Matron performs housekeeping duties and the House Tutors are there to assist pupils with their studies. Prefects within the student body are instructed to maintain discipline.

A typical school house will contain dormitories for sleeping in, a library and school chapel. There will also be a common room, in which pupils can relax in their free time. There are plenty out of school hours activities, such as amateur dramatic groups, chess clubs, debating societies or fencing clubs. Boarding private schools have often featured in novels and films. Much of the story in the Harry Potter books and movies takes place at a boarding school. This has had an unexpected consequence, as the numbers of enrollments for these schools in the UK has greatly increased!