Boarding

A home to nurture their talent

Loretto is proud to be Scotland’s oldest boarding school, first established in 1827. In the intervening years, plenty has changed at the school, but our focus on creating a supportive, welcoming environment for children to learn, live and thrive remains as true now as it did then. 

The first thing you notice when you enter Loretto’s Edinburgh campus is the warmth, energy and positivity of both pupils and staff. You will always be greeted by both staff members and pupils when walking around our campus. The relationships between our pupils and staff are marked by kindness, care and respect. At Loretto, pupils are the heart of our community, where they are given exceptional opportunities to grow and prepare for a fulfilling life. 

Being a small independent school, with a superb staff-to-pupil ratio (1:7), staff quickly get to know and nurture every child, unveiling and fostering their talents. Whether a Day or Boarding pupil, Loretto’s extensive academic and co-curricular programme is designed to cater to every child’s interests and abilities.  

Living on campus means that pupils are fully immersed in a rich learning environment. Teaching staff take on House duties throughout the week, so boarders can receive further support when necessary. Within pupils’ structured routines, there’s time set aside for daily prep sessions, ensuring pupils balance their academics with activities, socialising, meals, and downtime.  

Our full week schedule and extensive after-school activities ensure every pupil has a full and purposeful school and social life. Weekends at Loretto are busy and exciting for boarders. On Saturdays, pupils participate in our Enrichment Programme, comprised of over 80 activities, or play in sports fixtures. Sundays are relaxed, with brunch in the Dining Hall and optional activities. For older pupils, there’s always the option to take a short bus journey into Edinburgh to make the most of what the city has to offer, whether it be sightseeing, a cinema trip, or dinner. 

Whilst a truly Scottish school, the Loretto community is diverse, welcoming pupils of 28 different nationalities. This expands our pupils’ cultural horizons and inspires them to harness the opportunities of our globalised world. 

Our houses, the centre of our pupils’ daily lives

As one of Scotland’s top day and boarding schools, Loretto’s Boarding Houses offer more than locker space and accommodation, they are the centre of our pupils’ daily lives, the community to which they belong.

Pupils can board from Year Seven onwards and are allocated to one of our five Houses where they are looked after by dedicated staff and find a place they can call home. Full Boarders, Weekly Boarders, Flexi Boarders and Day Pupils alike can relax, socialise and study under the experienced supervision of resident pastoral teams. Houses are also where pupils take time out, where they are free to be themselves and where relationships between age groups are natural and easy. 

The Housemistresses and Housemasters are crucial figures, giving sound advice when necessary and encouraging pupils to build a rich and varied life at Loretto. Each pupil is also part of a small tutor group, which meets on a daily basis. Their Tutor keeps in regular contact with parents and guardians regarding academic and pastoral life. Heads of Houses and their teams, together with Tutors, look after pupils, with a relationship based on a blend of honesty, trust and mutual respect, which we believe, and are often told, is unique to Loretto. 

Interested in our boarding school for your child? Get in touch with us to discuss boarding – or day – options at Loretto.