157 330
BOARDING SCHOOL
157
November14
J
ust across the causeway in
Malaysia,
Marlborough College
of fers a British schooling
experience for boarders from
around the world. We asked the students
to tell us more.
PHOEBE COX (14) has always lived
in Asia, although her parents are both
British. After many years in China, the
family moved to Singapore. Her mother
now lives in Malaysia and her father in
Kazakhstan, while Phoebe, who is in
Year 10, has started her third year of
boarding at Marlborough.
Where were you prior to
Marlborough?
I went to Dulwich College Shanghai
in China, while in Singapore I studied
at the Australian International School
and Tanglin Trust; both were temporary
arrangements while waiting for
Marlborough to open.
Why are you boarding at
Marlborough?
I wanted to become more independent,
and more sociable, by learning how
to live with a group
of girls. I’ve enjoyed
learning about the
cultures, beliefs and
traditions of the girls
in my boarding house;
it’s a great way to open
your mind to new and
exciting possibilities.
How was the
settling in?
The strong sense of
family and connection
within the boarding
commun i t y made
s e t t l i n g i n v e r y
easy. The girls were
w e l c o m i n g , t h e
Housemistress caring
and the atmosphere
relaxed. I didn’t feel
“homesick” as such,
but coming from a
family with no siblings,
it did take some time to
get used to living with
a house full of girls!
JACK DALGLEISH (12) is
Scottish and lives in Hong Kong.
He is boarding in Year 8.
"I previously attended the
Japanese International School
in Hong Kong, and I’m now
studying at Marlborough for
the quality education. I didn’t
find settling in easy; I got quite
homesick and upset. One year
on, however, I feel that Taylor
House is a home away from
home. I enjoy afternoon sports
like hockey and tennis, and
my favourite activity is having
a sound night’s sleep! There
is a real international mix of
students, including from Japan,
Canada, South Africa, Malaysia
and Britain. We love going on
outings together, including to
the movies and eating out! My
advice would be to bring familiar
belongings with you, whether it’s
posters or a teddy bear… even a
mug from home would do fine!"
Need to Know
• Senior boarding houses are for
pupils in Years 9 to 13.
• Junior students in Years 5 to 8 can
choose from full or weekly boarding.
• There are currently 730 pupils; 186
of these are boarders.
Find out more at an Information Evening
on 20 November from 7pm to 9pm at
the Singapore Cricket Club; see page
110 for more details.
Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia
+607 5602244
marlboroughcollegemalaysia.org
Your daily schedule is packed
with classes and activities; what
do you enjoy most?
I enjoy the wide variety of activities
during and after school; there’s sport,
music, drama, charity, art, technology,
debating and much more. We are
encouraged to try something we haven’t
done before – to step out of our comfort
zone. On weekends, boarders can
take part in trips to Singapore or Kuala
Lumpur, play sport or volunteer at
charity events.
Any advice for students
considering boarding school?
If you’re nervous about boarding
school – don’t be! Boarding is not for
everyone, but it’s utterly worth it for the
experiences, memories and friendships.
A boarding house is a home, and the
pupils and staff will welcome you as
though you’ve been there all your life. If
you’re unsure, just go for it!