The Royal Alexandra and Albert School is primarily a boarding school with over 420 pupils boarding at the school, out of a total of 910 pupils. Set in 260 acres of glorious parkland, the boarding school is an ideal location for young people to live and learn.

Boarding houses
There are eight senior boarding houses and one junior boarding house. The boarding houses are mostly purpose-built and provide a secure and welcoming place to live, work and play. In September 2010 annexes were built on two of the senior boarding houses which include 21 ensuite study bedrooms for sixth formers.  Two more annexes will be completed soon.

Full Boarding
Full boarders live at the School during term time. After Saturday lessons there is the option to go home for the weekend and around half our boarders take this option. They return on Sunday evening ready and rested for lessons on Monday morning.

Flexi Boarding
At this boarding school, some of our pupils are 'Flexi Boarders' who stay for an extended day, often from before breakfast until after the evening meal. They spend their non-school time in the same houses as the boarding pupils so there is no 'them and us' between the two groups of children. They are at all times an integral part of the boarding school community, eating together, doing prep and taking part in intra and inter-house competitions, all of which are an essential components of Boarding School life. They sleep at School for between seven and ten nights each year and further nights may be available, according to demand and subject to availability

Flexi Boarding is a growing phenomenon in UK boarding schools because it meets the needs of children and parents and it is the term used in Ofsted to refer to boarders who are not full time boarders.

Flexi Boarding replaced 'day boarding' for new pupils from September 2011.

Activities
Both Boarders and Flexi Boarders benefit from the many activities that are available at a boarding school. The school has its own swimming pool and riding stables which many pupils take full advantage of after the formal school day has ended. They can also take part in many other activities including rugby, football, Scouts, dance, fishing, kayaking or the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme, to name but a few.

As a boarding school, the Royal Alexandra and Albert School has a lot going for it. Not many boarding schools can boast such a beautiful location, steeped in history, which provides so many opportunities for children to learn, and achieves such great results. And not many boarding schools can achieve this with a state maintained school and at such an affordable cost for boarding.