More than a place to sleep – built for belonging, designed for growth

When families first walk through the doors of our Boarding house, they often ask about routines, expectations, and academic structures.

These are important, but they only scratch the surface of what truly defines us. While structure is part of our rhythm, it doesn't define who we are or what the Scotch boarding experience is all about.

Steven Montogomery, Head of Boarding at Scotch College, describes boarding as...

Not simply an extension of the classroom. It's a home. Like any good home, it is grounded in relationships, resilience, and room to grow.

More than a workplace

Boarding is not a business – it is human.

That humanity is most clearly felt in the relationships we build.

Many of our staff live on-site, and their families live here too. We share weekends, dinners, routines and often, our children grow up alongside the boarders in our care.

This is not just a workplace; it is our home. The emotional connections we form with the boys go beyond duty.

We celebrate their wins, feel their setbacks, and sometimes carry their burdens. It's personal.

This is what Service looks like in boarding: not a job title, but a commitment to caring for others as if they were our own.

Adaptability – a skill for life

Boarding, like the world beyond it, is ever-changing and we believe it's important our boys learn to adapt.

From the moment they arrive, boarders must learn to adjust to new routines, people, and perspectives.

To encourage adaptability we deliberately change our room allocations each term. Not to disrupt, but to help develop emotional flexibility. A skill that will serve them in future workplaces, relationships, and life beyond school.

A roommate may not become your best friend. But learning to live with, respect and understand others is a vital skill. This is integrity in action – not avoiding discomfort, but rising to meet it with character.

Learning beyond the textbook

In boarding, you're never truly alone. There's no private backyard or quiet retreat. You're constantly surrounded by others, which can be both a comfort and a challenge.

For many new boarders, this is difficult. But learning to share spaces, manage emotions, and navigate constant social interaction is part of the growth.

Through this very experience, boys develop empathy, independence, and emotional resilience. A kind of growth that doesn't come from a textbook.

Boarding is not a 24/7 tutoring service, it's a place where learning happens through life.

Opportunities to grow

There will be challenges. Sometimes in friendships, sometimes in homesickness, and sometimes in self-discipline. These aren't faults in the system; they're essential parts of growing up.

At Scotch, your son won't be spoon-fed success, but he will be given every opportunity to build character, resilience, and a genuine sense of self.

From the Bibbulmun Track to birthdays, sport to study, our boarders learn to care for themselves and one another.

As in our day school, we embrace vertical leadership in boarding. Boarders across year levels take on leadership roles fostering mentorship, connection, and shared responsibility.

The older boys look out for younger ones. Traditions are passed down with moments of kindness echoing in daily life.

These are acts of Stewardship, not just of resources but of relationships. Boys learn to take responsibility for their community and the kind of men they want to become.

Community of kindness

"Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always." —Robin Williams

At Scotch, kindness is not a side note, it's a core value. We foster a community where boys grow academically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Boarders inevitably face challenges while living away from home, but with strong support systems and supportive peers, they're reminded daily: you are not alone.

Boarding at Scotch is not a dormitory or a discipline programme. It's a home away from home: a place of care, challenge, and connection.

A place to stretch, stumble, and grow.

It is, without doubt, the most important classroom of all...just without the whiteboard.

Steven Montgomery
Head of Boarding