Schools

A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils not only study, but also live during term time, with their fellow students and possibly teachers. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board", that is, food and lodging.
Many public schools in the Commonwealth of Nations (called private schools or independent schools in the United States) are boarding schools. The amount of time one spends in boarding school varies considerably from one year to twelve or more years. Boarding school pupils normally return home during the holidays and, often, weekends, but in some countries may spend the majority of their childhood and adolescent life away from their families. In the United States, boarding schools generally comprise grades seven through twelve, with most covering the high school years.
Many New England boarding schools traditionally offer a post-graduate year, which is unknown in many parts of the US. Most boarding schools also have day students who are local residents or children of faculty. Some boarding schools in the United States feature military training.
Annexed to the house staff accomodation, houses usually include study-bedrooms or dormitories, a dining room or refectory where pupils take meals at fixed times, and a library, hall or cubicles where pupils can do their homework. Houses may also have common rooms for television and relaxation, kitchens for snacks, and perhaps computer, ping-pong or billiards rooms, together with facilities such as cloakrooms and cycle sheds. Some facilities may be shared between several houses.