# Full-time boarding for student-athletes Source: https://camps.epsomcollege.edu.my/university-prep/boarding School and academy in one timetable on one campus: A Levels at Epsom College Malaysia, training with the academies, and a boarding house to come home to. ## Why full-time boarding A young athlete who trains seriously and studies seriously runs out of hours before they run out of ambition. Full-time boarding at Epsom College Malaysia removes the travel, the late nights and the split between two institutions, and puts one team of adults around the student. ### Time Lessons, training, prep and rest happen on a 50-acre campus in Bandar Enstek, twenty minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. There is no commute between school and academy, and the hours that would be spent in a car go to training, sleep or study. ### Supervision and recovery Each house is led by a Housemaster or Housemistress with resident tutors and pastoral staff, at least seven adults in all, who see the student every day, and the boarding house manages sleep, meals and recovery rather than leaving them to a fifteen-year-old. Coaches and house staff talk to each other, so a tired or struggling athlete is noticed by both sides. ### One team around the student Tutor, coach and house staff share progress and agree the load together. When examinations approach, training is reduced by agreement; when a tournament matters, the school knows and plans for it. ## The student-athlete week ### A weekday The day begins in the house with breakfast and registration. Lessons run through the morning and early afternoon, and academy training takes the late afternoon: tennis with Mouratoglou Academy Malaysia, golf with GOLFZON Leadbetter Academy or football with LALIGA Academy Malaysia. Supper is followed by supervised prep, then house time and a bedtime set by year group. ### Weekends and competition Saturday mornings often hold academy training or a fixture. Tournaments and matches away from the campus are managed by the academy, with travel and supervision arranged. Sundays are for rest, house events and excursions, and the house makes sure a competing athlete still gets a proper day off. ### Examination seasons Before IGCSE and A Level examinations the training load is reduced by agreement between tutor, coach and student, and prep time is extended. The academies plan competition calendars around the examination timetable rather than the other way round. ## Who it suits ### Age and stage The school offers boarding from Year 6 (age 10) to Year 13. Younger students train with the academies inside a balanced school week; from Year 10 the training load can grow into a serious daily programme for those who are ready for it. Sixth Form entry suits athletes who already compete and want A Levels and a sporting record together. ### Academic readiness Every student-athlete sits the same entrance assessments as any other applicant and follows the full curriculum. Sporting talent does not bypass the academic standard; the school confirms that the student can carry IGCSE or A Level study alongside training before a place is offered. ### Character The pathway suits a student who wants to train daily, accepts coaching, keeps up with prep without being chased, and can live well in a house with others. Coaches and house staff will say honestly whether a student is ready, and a camp is the easiest place for everyone to find out. ## From camp to full-time ### Step 1: a camp or an assessment Most families begin with a camp, which lets the coaches see the athlete train and the athlete see the campus and the house. Where a camp is not possible, an assessment can be arranged on campus or by video. ### Step 2: a conversation The coaches give their view of the athlete's potential and what a full-time programme would ask. The camp team then introduces the family to the school's admissions team. ### Step 3: application and offer The school's admissions process follows: application, assessments in English and mathematics, an interview, and a written offer setting out the year group and boarding arrangement. The Admissions page under Boarding School describes each step. ### Step 4: arrival The school sponsors the student pass, the house team confirms travel, and the new boarder arrives before the returning students for induction. The Boarding life page describes the house, the routine and how families stay in touch. ## Common questions ### Do we need to attend a camp first? No, but it is the easiest way for the coaches to see your child train and for your child to see the campus and the house. Where a camp is not possible, an assessment can be arranged on campus or by video. ### Which year groups can join? The school runs from Early Years to Sixth Form and offers boarding from Year 6 (age 10). The main intake is in August, and the admissions team confirms availability for a given year. ### Can my child keep up academically with daily training? That is the point of the model. Training is timetabled around lessons, prep is supervised in the house, and tutor and coach agree the load together. The school will not offer a place if it judges that the student cannot carry both. ### What if my child stops wanting to train at that level? The school place does not depend on the academy. A student can step back from the academy programme and continue as an ordinary boarder, playing school sport. ### Where do student-athletes go after Year 13? To universities in the UK, the US, Australia and across Asia, some on sports pathways. Leavers take A Levels, a competition record, video and coach references with them, and the guidance team supports each application system.