Boarding School for Military Families
Stability, care, and a school that understands service life
Leweston Full Boarding
For most military families, Leweston Full is the right choice, full boarding means a settled home at school throughout term time, with meals, activities, pastoral care, and the consistency of the same people around your child every day.
Boarding at Leweston isn't a single option. It's a ladder with five clearly structured packages that let all of our families access boarding at the level that works for them. Leweston Full provides boarding seven nights a week but weekends are optional meaning that your child can come home whenever you are back. Siblings are accommodated from Year 4 to Year 13, so brothers and sisters stay together.
As a 10%+ school your contribution can be:
| Full boarding per term | Your contribution | |
|---|---|---|
| Years 4 to 6 | £9,446 | £945 |
| Years 7 and 8 | £11,793 | £1,179 |
| Years 9 to 13 | £12,888 | £1,288 |
Why military families choose Leweston
Your child will be known here: Our unique 'upstairs downstairs' model means that boarding houses sit within the main school building. Boarders eat together, learn together and spend their free time together. Houseparents, teachers, and boarding staff all know the children.
Stability through postings: Your children's education doesn't have to move every time you do. Same friends, same teachers, same routines. Siblings Year 4–13 together.
Weekends belong to your family: No Saturday school means your child is free to come home on Friday afternoon when you're there. A full weekend programme runs whenever you're away.
A school that shares your values: Based in a Catholic tradition that values service, community, and character, producing young people who are resilient, kind, and ready for the world.
Exceptional sport and challenge: Official Pentathlon GB Training and Talent Hub. BHS-approved equestrian centre. Six consecutive years NSEA Regional Champions.
Well located for major garrisons
Leweston is in Sherborne, Dorset, within reach of the largest military bases in the South West and beyond.
| Distance | |
|---|---|
| RNAS Yeovilton (Fleet Air Arm) | 12 miles - school bus route |
| Blandford Camp (Royal Signals) | 23 miles - school bus route |
| Bovington Camp (Royal Armoured Corps) | 25 miles |
| Larkhill (Royal Artillery) | 45 miles |
| Salisbury Plain Garrisons (Tidworth, Bulford, Warminster) | 45 - 53 miles |
| Defence Academy (Shrivenham) | 80 miles |
| HMS Excellent, Portsmouth (Royal Navy) | 84 miles |
A school with military spirit
Two of Leweston's most distinctive programmes carry a strong connection to military values, discipline, physical resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure. Both are available to boarding pupils as part of everyday school life.
Leweston Chedington Riding Academy
A BHS-approved centre with six consecutive years as the NSEA South West Regional Champions. Pupils can bring their own horse, take on a loan horse, or begin riding from scratch. Equestrian boarding is available for those whose horse is central to their training.
The discipline, routine, and partnership skills that come from riding, caring for an animal, competing under pressure, training consistently, resonate strongly with service families and the values they bring to school life.
Modern Pentathlon
Leweston is an official Pentathlon GB Training and Talent Hub. Modern Pentathlon was designed in 1912 to simulate the complete skills of a military officer behind enemy lines: OCR, fencing, swimming, shooting, and cross-country running. The sport has deep roots in the British Army.
Pupils train to regional, national, and international level from within the school programme. It is one of the most demanding and complete multi-sport pathways available at any school in the country.
Understanding CEA at Leweston
Leweston is a 10%+ school which, together with the MOD Continuity of Education Allowance, covers 90% of approved boarding school fees. We strongly recommend discussing your CEA eligibility with your unit welfare team before enquiring, so we can give you the most accurate guidance from your first conversation with us.
"The school has significantly grown in popularity but has retained its core ethos: a family feel school without airs or pretension where all students are noticed."
Good Schools Guide
Frequently asked questions
What is the Continuity of Education Allowance and how do I apply?
The CEA is an MOD allowance that makes a significant contribution to boarding school fees for eligible service personnel. You apply through your unit HR or welfare team, who will confirm eligibility and issue the relevant paperwork. Your minimum family contribution is 10% of the fee, which at Leweston Full equates to between £945 to £1,288 per term.
Can siblings board together at Leweston?
Yes. Leweston accommodates siblings from Year 4 through to the Sixth Form (Year 13) within the same school. Brothers and sisters travel together, share the same term dates, and benefit from a boarding community where staff know the whole family. This is one of the most practical advantages Leweston offers service families managing multiple children across different year groups.
What happens to my child at weekends and during exeat?
There is no Saturday school at Leweston, so your child is free from Friday afternoon whenever you are home. A structured weekend activities programme runs for boarders who remain on campus, so if you are on exercise, deployed, or posted overseas, your child is always cared for and busy. Exeat weekends are planned in advance and communicated clearly at the start of each term. All full boarders are welcome to stay in school for exeats if required and we are always willing to discuss arrangements if an operational commitment changes your plans at short notice.
What support is in place when a parent is deployed?
Each boarding pupil has a named houseparent and a tutor who monitor their wellbeing throughout the term. When a parent is deployed, we encourage families to let us know in advance so that the boarding team can offer appropriate additional check-ins, not intrusively, but consistently. Many service children find that the structure and community of boarding provides real stability during deployment periods. We treat this sensitively and individually.
Can my child bring their horse to school?
Yes. The Leweston Chedington Riding Academy offers livery and loan arrangements for boarding pupils. Your child can bring their own horse, take on a loan horse through the school, or begin learning to ride, coaching is available for all abilities. The centre is BHS-approved and offers BHS Certificates as well as a BTEC in Equine Management. If equestrian provision is central to your child's training, equestrian boarding packages are available.
Talk to us about your family's situation
Every service family's circumstances are different, posting cycle, number of children, CEA status, school year. Fill in the form below and our admissions team will be in touch. You don't need to have everything decided.