A BOARDER has raised issues around safeguarding within Dallam Boarding School, and complained about the decision to close the boarding house a week earlier than normal.

The school is a co-education state boarding school for 11-19 years in Milnthorpe.

It is one of the only state boarding schools in the UK, meaning that families pay much lower fees for their children to board than independent schools.  

A student, who wished to remain anonymous, complained that students 'have not been happy with the state of the boarding house' due to staff 'not knowing what they're doing.'

They also said that students are having to reschedule flights because they were not told far enough in advance that the boarding house would close a week earlier than usual before Easter.

The student said: "Boarders are not happy with the state of the boarding house. Boarding parents don't know what they are doing, leading most boarders to easily get away with weed and smoking in the boarding house.

"This is mainly due to a lack of experience and training. The decision to close the boarding house for one week was made less than thirty days in advance. Many boarders live abroad, meaning they will find it difficult to get home or more expensive as many have had their travel arrangements and flights booked in advance."

Addressing the drug issue, head teacher of Dallam School Steve Henneberry said: "We have been given really good feedback about our care. We have a high staff-to-student ratio - it feels like a family. We are always trying to make students feel safe and secure. 

"We are always working hard to address these health and wellbeing issues. We make sure we are addressing healthy eating, smoking and so on. We are in the situation like a lot of schools - especially with vaping."

Regarding the boarding house closure, Mr Henneberry said: "The dates of this term were amended slightly - pupils and parents of all schools know through INSET days that training inevitably takes up some teaching time during the term.

"We're combining these training days with some physical changes to our Boarding House medical facility so that minimises further disruption.

"We're lucky to be well connected to national and international transport links but we do appreciate that one or two students may have more complex or costly travel arrangements. We've already arranged a fee adjustment and any parents or students with questions have been invited, as always, to contact our team who are ready to help in any way they can."