Already familiar? Discover more!
Know a little – or a lot – about boarding? Discover new possibilities, explore different options and see what makes the Show a unique opportunity to learn about more affordable boarding at wonderful schools.
ALL WELCOME
The Affordable Boarding Show
Meet outstanding boarding schools charging a third of the typical UK private boarding schools and ask the questions that matter...
Discover affordability – Whether new to boarding or already in boarding
Which video is right for you?
Whether you're already familiar with boarding or exploring it for the first time, we've created two short videos to help you discover what's possible.
Simply choose the one that best describes you and press play!
New to boarding? Come and explore!
Curious but unsure whether boarding is right for you? Discover how boarding works, challenge a few assumptions and see why it might be worth exploring.
Discover. Meet. Compare.
Give us 2 hours…
Book your FREE VIP tickets now and discover some of the best-kept secrets in education at the Affordable Boarding Show, in Central London on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October.
Meet leading boarding schools from the UK, Ireland and South Africa offering an outstanding education and exceptional opportunities – without the high fees of a typical UK independent boarding school.
Discover what makes these schools so special, get your questions answered and find the right fit.
Your FREE guide to affordable boarding
Discover what’s possible...
Think a great boarding education has to come with a £50,000–£70,000-a-year price tag? Download our FREE Guide to Affordable Boarding and discover some remarkable alternatives.
Explore boarding schools in the UK, Ireland and South Africa offering excellent academics, outstanding opportunities and vibrant boarding communities – with annual boarding fees from approximately £13,000–£28,000.
From UK state boarding schools, where the government covers tuition and families pay for boarding, to distinctive independent schools in the UK and overseas, the FREE Guide will introduce you to schools you may never previously have considered – and show just how much choice exists at very different price points.
Whether you're actively searching for your next school, considering boarding for the first time or simply wondering what your budget could buy, the FREE Guide is a great place to start.
Read it online or download your FREE copy to keep – then come and meet the schools in person at the Affordable Boarding Show.
Why pay more?
Find your next school...
Meet fantastic schools face-to-face, attend informative talks and arrange private one-to-one meetings with those that interest you most.
And because choosing a school should be enjoyable too, collect your VIP goodies and join in some special Halloween fun, with our Show magician teaching tricks, free face painting and plenty of sweet temptations!
Give us two hours and we’ll help you discover extraordinary schools, compare your options and potentially save £10,000s – as well as countless hours searching for the right school.
A great day out...
You'll be glad you came!
Come for an hour or two, or make a day of it – you’ll be glad you came!
Your FREE VIP ticket gives you access to everything happening at the Affordable Boarding Show – and there’s an added bonus...
Your ticket also gives you full access to the Online Schools Show, where you can meet leading Online Schools and discover why more families are choosing to learn differently.
Meet the schools
Meet some remarkable boarding schools from the UK, Ireland and South Africa, all together in Central London. It’s a rare opportunity to discover schools from near and far without spending the time and money travelling to visit each one.
Chat face-to-face with the people who know their schools best, discover what makes each one different and get a real feel for the education, opportunities and boarding life they offer – you may just find a school you never knew existed!
Hear from the experts
Hear directly from schools, parents and students in our informative 40-minute talks, taking place throughout each day of the Show.
Attend as many as you wish, ask the questions that matter to you and discover more about affordable boarding, the schools taking part and the opportunities they offer.
Book a private meeting
Book a private meeting of up to 20 minutes with the schools that interest you most.
It’s a great opportunity to talk one-to-one, ask your questions about everything from teaching and boarding life to activities, fees and the application process, and get a real feel for whether the school could be the right fit for you.
Book your FREE VIP Show tickets to receive your private meeting invitation.
Trick AND Treat!
It’s Halloween, so expect a little Trick & Treat fun around the Show! Learn a trick or two from our Show magician, enjoy free face painting and collect special stamps as you visit the school stands.
Once you’ve completed your collection, head to our Halloween booth to claim some suitably sweet treats – because choosing a school doesn’t have to be all serious!
Collect your free VIP goodies!
Your FREE VIP ticket comes with a few extras too! Pick up your VIP bag when you arrive, complete with your Show Guide, pen and some goodies to get you started.
Then see what else you can add as you make your way around the exhibition, meet the schools and collect your Halloween sweet treats. You certainly shouldn’t leave empty-handed!
Take a break
With plenty to see and do, you may want to take a break along the way.
Stop by the Show Tuck Shop for tea, coffee, cold drinks and snacks before heading back to meet more schools.
And there’s no need to carry coats around with you – leave them in our free cloakroom and explore the Show in comfort.
Meet fantastic schools including...
Gordon's School
Surrey,
United Kingdom
Boarding + Tuition:
£27,000–£27,000 per year
A leading co-educational boarding school offering exceptional value, Gordon’s combines academic ambition, outstanding pastoral care and exceptional opportunities to build confidence and character.
Clongowes Wood College SJ
County Kildare,
Ireland
Boarding + Tuition:
£22,375–£25,725 per year
Ireland’s only full boarding school for boys, Clongowes combines academic ambition, Jesuit values and outstanding opportunities in a vibrant community where deep friendships and character flourish.
Bridge House School
Western Cape,
South Africa
Boarding + Tuition:
£19,700–£20,500 per year
Spectacularly set in the Western Cape in South Africa, Bridge House School offers family-style boarding, outstanding academics and a global education where young people from around the world learn, grow and flourish.
Richard Huish College
Somerset,
United Kingdom
Boarding + Tuition:
£18,000–£20,800 per year
Richard Huish offers outstanding state sixth-form education and modern boarding for 16–19-year-olds, combining academic ambition, friendship and greater independence to prepare young adults for their future.
A warm welcome awaits!
Hello in under 40 seconds from the schools taking part in the Affordable Boarding Show!
Hear directly from the schools inviting you to meet them at the Affordable Boarding Show - come along to meet them, face-to-face in London on 30–31 October 2026.
Your next school discovery could start with a simple hello!
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About the Show - your questions answered.
What is the 'Affordable Boarding Show'?
The Affordable Boarding Show is a unique opportunity for families to meet outstanding boarding schools from the UK, Ireland and South Africa – all together in Central London.
The schools taking part offer excellent education, boarding, facilities and opportunities at fees substantially below those charged by many typical UK independent boarding schools.
Meet the schools face-to-face, hear from schools, parents and students in our Talks Programme, ask your questions and book private one-to-one meetings with the schools that interest you most – all completely free.
Where and when is the Affordable Boarding Show?
The Show takes place in the heart of the City of London at:
CLS, 107 Queen Victoria Street
London
EC4V 3AL
The Show runs over two days and you are welcome to attend on one or both days:
> Friday 30 October: 10am–7pm
> Saturday 31 October: 10am–4pm
You can arrive at any time during opening hours and stay for as long as you wish.
Your FREE VIP ticket also gives you access to the Online Schools Show taking place alongside the Affordable Boarding Show.
How do I book my free VIP ticket(s)?
Simply book your FREE VIP tickets online here before the Show.
Visitors aged 16 and over should be registered individually, with anyone aged 16–18 accompanied by an adult.
Families can make one family booking and then tell us how many people will be attending on that ticket – there’s no limit on the number of family members you can bring.
Once booked, we’ll also keep you informed about the Show and let you know when private meeting bookings open.
Why should we attend?
Give us an hour or two – or make a day of it – and discover schools you may never previously have considered.
Instead of spending countless hours researching or travelling to visit individual schools, the Affordable Boarding Show brings remarkable boarding schools from the UK and overseas together in one place.
Compare your options, ask the questions that matter to you, meet schools privately and discover what boarding life is really like.
You may just find the right school for you – and potentially save thousands of pounds in the process.
What do you mean by “affordable boarding”?
Affordable boarding doesn’t mean compromising on the quality of your child’s education or experience.
The schools at the Affordable Boarding Show offer an alternative to the high fees associated with many UK independent boarding schools, while providing strong academics, excellent pastoral care, enriching opportunities and vibrant boarding communities.
Our participating schools currently have annual boarding fees ranging from approximately £13,000 to £28,000, making an outstanding boarding education accessible to many more families.
Which schools can we meet at the Affordable Boarding Show?
You’ll be able to meet a carefully selected group of boarding schools from the UK, Ireland and South Africa, including UK boarding schools and independent schools offering exceptional value.
Every school is different, which is part of what makes the Show so interesting.
You can explore different locations, educational approaches, boarding options and school communities – and meet the people who know each school best.
Visit our Exhibiting Schools page to discover all the schools taking part.
How much do the schools cost?
Annual boarding fees at the schools currently taking part range from approximately £13,000 to £28,000, depending on the school, age of the student and boarding option chosen.
That can represent a substantial saving compared with many UK independent boarding schools.
Additional costs will apply at individual schools for extras such as excursions, travel and other items, so it is important to understand the full cost.
The Affordable Boarding Show is the perfect opportunity to discuss fees directly with schools and find out exactly what is – and isn’t – included.
Why are the fees so much lower than typical UK independent boarding school fees?
There isn’t one single reason – and that is one of the interesting things you can discover at the Show.
At our UK boarding schools, for example, the government covers tuition and families pay for boarding, creating exceptional value. (To apply you must be a UK citizen or passport holder or have a qualifying residency visa or right to remain.)
Schools just a flight away in Ireland and South Africa operate within different education systems and cost structures that can also result in substantially lower fees.
Lower fees don’t mean lower ambitions, opportunities or standards - come and meet the schools, see what they offer and judge for yourself.
Are these 'affordable boarding' schools academically strong?
Absolutely – academic quality is central to the schools taking part, alongside excellent pastoral care and the wider opportunities that make a great boarding education so valuable.
The schools offer different curricula and qualifications, with students progressing to university and other destinations in the UK and around the world.
The Show gives you the opportunity to discuss results, subjects, qualifications, university pathways and academic support directly with each school – and find the right level of challenge for your child as a parent, or for you as a young people looking for your next school.
Why should we consider boarding schools in Ireland or South Africa?
Because an outstanding school doesn’t have to be in the UK.
Schools in Ireland and South Africa can offer excellent academics, impressive facilities, wonderful boarding communities and extraordinary opportunities – often at considerably lower fees than typical UK independent boarding schools.
They can also give young people a broader outlook and memorable experiences while providing pathways to universities in the UK and worldwide.
We wholeheartedly recommend you consider these wonderful schools. Meet them in London and discover just how accessible – and appealing – boarding overseas can be.
Is overseas boarding practical for UK families?
It may be much more practical than you imagine.
Several of our overseas schools are within easy reach of international airports, making journeys to and from the UK surprisingly straightforward.
Of course, travel arrangements, term dates and the practicalities of attending school overseas need careful consideration.
That’s why meeting schools face-to-face is so useful: ask how their international families manage travel, airport transfers, holidays and communication, and decide whether overseas boarding could work for your family.
Where can I find out more about attending the Affordable Boarding Show?
See the Plan Your Visit page on this website here for full details about the Show venue at CLS in Central London, planning your travel and answers to lots of other questions you may have about attending on Friday 30 October and Saturday 31 October.
Ask a school directly
Start a useful conversation.
Please use this enquiry form to send a message to any of the Exhibiting Schools you are interested in, or to contact the Show team about anything related to the Affordable Boarding Show. (Tip: You may find our FAQs and Plan Your Visit pages useful in answering any questions you may have.)