What happens at weekends?

Life at The Leys is vibrant, full, and community‑centred – especially at weekends. As a predominantly boarding school, we operate a six‑day week, with Saturdays playing a distinctive and valued role in school life.

Saturday School: A Full and Enriching Experience

Saturday is a normal and lively school day for all pupils, including those in Years 7 and 8. The morning consists of four academic lessons, creating a purposeful but enjoyable start to the weekend. The rhythm of the school week allows us to balance academic learning with the richness of wider school life. By spreading teaching across six days, we protect more time during the week for sport, volunteering, music, drama, enrichment, and the Wider Curriculum that enriches every Leysian’s experience.

Saturday afternoons are dedicated to sport for pupils from Year 9 to Upper Sixth. This gives everyone the chance to represent the School, develop teamwork and resilience, and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with fixtures and training sessions. Many pupils say that Saturdays are one of the highlights of their week: busy, sociable, and great fun.

Life on Campus at Weekends

Weekends at The Leys offer a wealth of opportunities, and a high proportion of pupils choose to stay on site to enjoy them. Boarders benefit from full access to School facilities, including the Sports Hall, fitness suite, swimming pool, and music school providing space to relax, unwind, or stay active.

Saturday evenings bring a varied programme of in‑House or whole‑school activities, everything from film nights and games tournaments to events organised by the pupils themselves. Our location in the heart of Cambridge is also a huge advantage: at designated times, pupils can visit the city, supervised or in small groups depending on year group, and enjoy one of the world’s most vibrant and beautiful university environments.

Sundays: Rest, Reflection and Adventure

Some Sundays include a Chapel Service, as published in the School Calendar. Pupils attend on average four Sunday Chapel Services per year. On other weekends, pupils enjoy a more relaxed start to the day with a late brunch served at 10.50am, giving everyone an opportunity for a well-earned lie‑in.

Pupils are warmly supported in attending places of worship in Cambridge, with the usual permissions in place, should they wish to do so. Many Sundays also feature optional trips and excursions for those who wish to explore further afield.

Leave Weekends

At The Leys we take pride in our modern, family‑friendly approach to boarding. While many pupils choose to stay on site and take part in the weekend community, they are also welcome to go home on Saturday afternoon or evening once all school commitments have been fulfilled.

In addition, there are designated Leave Weekends across the year: two in the Autumn Term, one in the Lent Term, and one in the Summer Term. On these weekends, pupils may leave after Friday’s lessons and return on Sunday evening. For the May Bank Holiday weekend, pupils may depart from 12.30pm on the Saturday, with boarders returning on the Monday evening.