Boarding School
As the leading international boarding school in Ireland, our vibrant boarding community lies at the heart of our school. Irish students seamlessly mix with a diverse community of students from around the world. Our boarders are able to live, work and socialise together, sharing all aspects of school and boarding life.Villiers School is the only boarding school in Ireland authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at senior cycle, offering students the choice between national and international curriculum.
Boarding enables our students to gain individual autonomy while simultaneously learning to live and interact with others. Our aim is for our boarding graduates to complete their Villiers journey as young adults, who are confident in their ability to communicate readily and easily with those from different cultures and backgrounds. Boarding students are ready to take their place in an interconnected, globalised world.
Boarders appreciate what it means to be part of a highly supportive community and actively encourage each other to achieve their potential. Living and growing together, students understand how their actions affect others. They learn to be considerate and tolerant of different views as well as resilient to the challenges that life and learning can bring.
At Villiers, we are extremely proud of the rich cultural diversity of our boarding house, which, although predominately Irish, enjoys and celebrates the cultural richness of students from many nationalities, making us a great choice for boarding school in Ireland.
Villiers School is an affiliate member of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA).
Boarding School Staff
- Vivienne Long – Head of Boarding
- Stephanie Collopy
- Aamir Khan
- Gerard Peña
- Brian Sheehan
- Deirdre O’Sullivan
- Alice Marshall
- Natasha Brechko
- Eve Meaney
Nursing Staff
- Nurse Beverley Callendar
- Nurse Barbara Fitzpatrick
Boarding School Life and Care for Students
The school is home to 165 boarders aged between 12 and 18. The school is also home to our Head of School, Ms. Storey, and her family. In addition to this, full time house parents stay within the boarding houses. Under their expert care, pupils are encouraged to develop academically, socially and to participate in all aspects of their extracurricular life. Our school nurses are on hand to care for the pupils’ welfare and practical needs whilst in our care.
The Villiers boarding experience is further strengthened by unique teacher involvement in the care of our boarders. This enables the development of strong connections and understanding between staff and students.
This cohesive, family environment is fostered by the traditional system of in-house dining. The boarding community eat meals together three times a day. This provides a chance to chat about the latest events, relax with their friends and for staff to keep abreast of any concerns a student might have. Our school caterers are happy to provide tailored meals for those with specific dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, Halal and coeliac friendly options.
The essence of Villiers is our inclusive family based community. We aim that students of all ages, boarders and day students alike, are thoroughly immersed in the Villiers family. We are wholeheartedly committed to providing a safe, caring, welcoming and friendly atmosphere. This is an environment where both individuality and community mindedness can flourish.
Weekly, Fortnightly and 7-day Boarding School
The majority of our boarders are weekly boarders who reside in school from Sunday evenings to Friday afternoons, and return to their homes on weekends. Some students choose to become fortnightly boarders and remain in school every alternative weekend. This is particularly popular with senior cycle Irish students, and students travelling a farther distance to school.
Villiers also welcomes a large number of 7-day boarders, which is an option to students whose parents live overseas. The boarding house will close only for October Mid-Term Break, Christmas Holidays, February Mid-Term Break, Easter Holidays and Summer Holidays.
Boarding Common Rooms
Boarding Handbook
More information about day to day boarding life can be found in our Boarding Handbook.