FAQ

What else is needed during the application process?

How many students do you have?

821 as of December 2021

What percentage of students are boarders?

36% of students are boarders at Rossall.

How many countries do your boarders come from?

We have almost 70 different nationalities at Rossall.

What kind of food is served?

Freshly prepared and healthy options are available for every meal. British cuisine borrows from across the world and also features delicious and comforting English dishes. Dietary requirements can be catered for, please let us know and we can discuss this further.

What bedding do I need to provide?

A duvet and pillow are provided for all boarding pupils, these include covers, but you are welcome to bring your own covers or additional items of bedding in ‘Single’ size.

How do I do my laundry?

Your House Matron works all day on a Monday through Friday and does laundry every day. Pupils do not need to do their own Laundry.

It is important to use the Name Label service from SchoolBlazer so your uniform returns to you. Your bed will be changed every Tuesday.

Can I buy groceries or snacks?

Rossall provides boarders with all their meals and there are small kitchen areas in the Boarding Houses, well-stocked with items such as tea bags, bread, jam etc. We encourage healthy eating at Rossall but students can buy food items – some of our older students even enjoy cooking in the House for their fellow boarders.

Senior boarders are able to go to Fleetwood or Cleveleys on weekend afternoons with permission from their Houseparent.

Can I order online and have it delivered to school?

All deliveries to the School will be accepted at the Sport Centre, these are then delivered to your boarding house. You should address your parcels as follows: Full Name, Boarding House, Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancashire, FY7 8JW.

Where do I keep my suitcase? And do I have to take everything home in the summer holidays if I am coming back for another year?

All of the Houses have luggage storage areas so you won’t have to keep your suitcase in your bedroom.

Over the summer we use many of the Boarding Houses for our Summer School programmes. However, following a discussion with your Houseparent, you will be able to pack your belongings into storage boxes that will be safely stored until you return.

How often do I have to tidy my bedroom?

Rossall asks all boarding students to look after their room and keep it tidy as you will use your space to do home study as well as sleep and Socialise.

Our Boarding Houses are your homes at Rossall, and we all work together to keep them nice environments for each other. Your Houseparent will regularly check your room and, if necessary, ask you to tidy up.

Can I use my mobile phone in the UK? Or how can I get a SIM card?

EU Roaming allows a lot of European students to continue using their own home mobile numbers, however, Brexit may change the costs allowances for roaming, check the rules from your mobile phone provider to see what they charge and if they have maximum allowances.

It is preferable to arrange a SIM card before travelling, as it will mean you can use your phone immediately on landing in the UK. Your Houseparent is always happy to suggest companies you could use. Current pupils favour GiffGaff and VOXI due to their impressive, low cost data packages.

How much money should I bring?

You should not bring large sums of cash into the country, and we do not accept cash payment for fees. However, you may wish to bring money with you for social activities. 

You should decide with your parents how much money you can bring to Rossall. Large sums of money should be handed to your Houseparent to be placed in the safe. 

You can withdraw this money when you need it. You may decide you prefer to have a bank account instead, however.

How do I get a bank account?

If you choose to have a bank account while at Rossall School your Houseparent will be able to help you organise setting one up. 

Your money can be stored in a safe by your Houseparent until you have done this. If a lot of new Rossall pupils need bank accounts we may be able to arrange for a bank representative to come to us, otherwise, we can help arrange meetings at local branches or assist with online applications where applicable.

HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking corporations, and one of our closest local branches. It may be possible for you to set up an HSBC account at home that allows you to spend in the UK before moving to Rossall.

When do I receive my timetable?

On your first day of school, you will be given your timetable. A member of the Academic team will talk through how your timetable works and what your school day will look like. If you have had to arrive at School without confirming your subject options, your Houseparent or Tutor will be able to help you organise a meeting with the Director of Studies.

Do I have to buy any course textbooks before I arrive?

Any required books are provided at School and you do not need to bring any with you. Each subject department is different and some books may require a small fee to be added to your bill, but you will not have to purchase books from an external bookseller.

Do I need to buy stationery? Do I need a calculator? Do I need a laptop?

You should have a basic set of stationery and a notebook. RosShop sells a wide variety of stationery that covers all Rossall student needs including, but not limited to: Lever arch folders, notebooks, pens, pencils, highlighters, rulers, maths sets, and exam board-approved calculators for A Level and IB.

All Sixth Form students should have their own laptop or portable device suitable to access Google Classroom and aid their studies.

Is there an induction programme?

Inductions programmes are set up for pupils arriving at different times throughout the school year. They are tailored to the pupil and will normally include a tour of the campus, IT support and induction, and meeting tutors and teachers. You will ‘buddy up’ with someone in your tutor group or House on a similar timetable, they’ll likely be your first friend at Rossall.

Induction doesn’t end after one day, however. Heads of Year, Tutors and Houseparents will regularly check in to make sure you are settling into Rossall life well. All staff are always happy to help if you need it, and you do not have to wait to be asked if you’re setting in, you can talk to anyone at any time.

How do I find out what activities I can do after school?

Activities change every term. There will be a really large selection of options, meaning there is something for everyone. A copy of the choices is sent to parents every term with the option to sign up straight away. At the start of term, one tutor session is dedicated to choosing activities to make sure everyone has signed up or can ask any questions if they’re unsure.

Sixth Form students are able to take part in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) once a week on a Thursday. Senior School pupils will have participated in CCF in Year 9, but opportunities for Sixth Form cadets are vast and valuable additions to your UCAS application.

How do I join a Signature programme such as the Fleetwood Town Football Programme or the International Piano Academy?

When you fill in the Enquiry Form just tell us which of our Signature Programmes your child might be interested in and our admissions team will walk you through the process.

All areas take pupils at all stages of learning, while there will be assessments or auditions for some, this is to place you in the right level of the programme rather than to determine whether you can join. There are links at the back of this pack for all of our specialised programmes.

How much does the football kit cost?

In 2022 the cost of football kit for training and traveling to matches was £250.

How do I let the School know about my child’s holiday arrangements?

Holiday and travel arrangements must be submitted at least 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE END OF EACH TERM AND HALF TERM.

We encourage you to book return flights to one of our closest airports, Manchester or Liverpool and kindly request that where possible flights are booked that are departing or landing before 21:00. Both airports are only an hour away from Rossall and we run a shuttle bus service to both.

We appreciate however that this is not always possible and your son or daughter may still need to travel via Heathrow or Gatwick Airports. To minimise travel time to Rossall we recommend, where possible, that you book a connecting flight to Manchester Airport. Alternatively, we can pick up from the two London airports, due to the length of journey we request a minimum of 48 hours notice to arrange transfers from these destinations.

We offer transport to Poulton-Le-Fylde and Blackpool North train stations as well as to Blackpool bus station.

Regardless of if you are staying in the UK with your Guardian or returning home, holiday and travel details should be submitted by completing our dedicated online form:

Holiday and Travel Arrangements Form

PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE TRAVEL DETAILS TO US IN ANY OTHER FORMAT.

Once you have submitted the details, you will receive an automated email that confirms the details.

If you have already submitted your arrangements and there has been a change to the details, please email these changes to [email protected]

PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOLIDAY AND TRAVEL INFORMATION TO YOUR CHILD’S HOUSEPARENTS.

If your child is travelling as an Unaccompanied Minor, please contact Mrs Melanie Schwab who will advise the school representatives details for the airline documentation. If you prefer to speak on the phone, Mrs Schwab can be reached at +44 (0)1253 774254

For all boarders arriving at Manchester Airport, please make your way to the Information desk in the Arrivals Hall of Terminal 1.

We will have staff and monitors there to meet you and to show you where the minibuses/coaches are located to take you to Rossall.

The staff can be contacted on +44 (0)7807765280 if you have any difficulties at the airport.