Attending a school like Harry Potter’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is, or at least has been, the dream of pretty much every living person under the age of 40 at one time or another (and realistically about half of the people in the world above the age of 40 probably share the same dream). And while obviously there are unfortunately no schools in the world that will teach people how to use real magic, there are actually some educational institutions in the world that bear a striking resemblance to Hogwarts.
There are boarding schools all around the world that are relatively similar to Hogwarts, but there are none that are more like Hogwarts than the boarding schools that exist in the UK. Any Harry Potter fan could find themselves in a UK boarding school and be astounded by the similarities, and these are the 10 biggest similarities between Hogwarts and boarding schools in the UK.
They’re Both Symbols Of Inequality
Not to start things off on an incredibly political note, but one of the most obvious similarities between Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and real life UK boarding schools is that being at Hogwarts or any private school gives you a considerable advantage over those who have gone to state run schools. That’s not to say that state schools can’t provide a good education, but actually one of the biggest advantages of going somewhere like Hogwarts or any standard boarding school is that just merely being a part of your educational class allows you to network with other people who are being groomed for powerful positions in society.
Admittance Can Be Exclusive
It definitely seems like J.K. Rowling may have used the UK boarding school system as inspiration for the creation of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in more ways than one, because one of the most noticeable aspects that Hogwarts and boarding schools share in common is their exclusivity.
Hogwarts is theoretically a bit more egalitarian than a normal boarding school, but you only get admittance to the school if you have magical powers, and those from “good” wizarding families typically get better treatment than others, at least by other students and some teachers. On the other hand, boarding schools are ostensibly open to everyone, but the vast majority of students are from wealthy, established families too.
Sports Are Kind Of A Big Deal
Quidditch may be the only major sport in the entire wizarding world, but it is clearly a very important part of wizard culture, and it’s a very important part of culture at Hogwarts too. The jocks of the school obviously get a lot of attention, especially when they’re winning, and the sports rivalries between players and houses can be intense. And although the spectrum of sports that boarding school students play in the UK is much wider, they’re still equally as competitive and sports obsessed. They may be teenagers, but for them, sports are very serious business, and playing sports for their school is definitely a big deal.
They’re Centuries Old
It’s obviously something weird to people who live in a country that was only founded a few hundred years ago, but both Hogwarts and many UK boarding schools have actually existed for hundreds of years. It’s understandable why Hogwarts has existed for so long, because no one wants a bunch of people with magical powers running around with no idea how to use them. But society in the UK has been pretty intensely stratified for a very long time, so these UK schools were created as a means of educating the more elite members of the British upper classes centuries ago.
Students Hardly Ever Leave
One of the hardest things to wrap your head around if you’ve never been a boarding school student is the idea that once you’re at school for the year, you’re pretty much there and nowhere else, but that actually seems to be the case for most boarding school students.
Just like at Hogwarts, UK boarding school kids get their metaphorical occasional field trip to Hogsmeade, but the vast majority of their time is spent at their school and they don’t have much of an opportunity to leave. Even during their free time at school, they are generally required to stay at the actual school.
They Have Houses
Although Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is iconic in itself, the individual houses at Hogwarts are actually probably as recognizable (if not more recognizable) than the entire school itself. If you ask any Harry Potter fan, they already know which Hogwarts house they belong in. And much like the fabled Hogwarts, standard UK boarding schools have houses in their schools as well. But unlike Hogwarts, the houses aren’t chosen because of some specific personality traits, it’s just a means of breaking down the student body into smaller groups that can live and work together more efficiently instead of leaving it as one big mass of kids.
And Prefects
Much like the Hogwarts houses, UK boarding schools also organize and lead their students through the use of prefects. School prefects are older students who have stood out in some exceptional way, and therefore are chosen to lead their own house and serve as supervisors and role models for their fellow students. If a boarding school were a university, then the prefects would be something like the student body government and resident advisers in one single package. And although it isn’t necessarily always the case, typically students who are chosen as prefects have to maintain a certain level of school involvement and academic performance in order to get and maintain the gig.
They Have Dress Codes
It seems a little ironic that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry seems to be such a crazy place that is home to all sorts of wild child activity, because the control that is exacted on the kids who attend the school is pretty extreme. And the same goes for those who go to boarding schools in the UK as well.
Obviously when classes aren’t actually in session the dress code is considerably more relaxed and students can essentially wear what they want, but when they’re on actual educational time they’re required to suit up in their standard school uniforms.
The Dining Hall Is Often A Hub Of Activity
Both in the Harry Potter books and films, it seems like the Hogwarts Great Hall is basically the heart of the entire school. Kids seem to spend a lot of their downtime there, and nearly every major school event takes place there, which is in addition to the hall serving as the school’s cafeteria. And surprisingly it would seem that this is very much the case for the average UK boarding school as well. The schools are massive and have all of the facilities required to offer children an education as well as a home, but the dining area is typically the place where everything significant happens.
Students Form Strong Bonds With Each Other
Honestly, maybe it’s just because boarding schools aren’t a standard thing in the US, but the whole idea of sending your children to a school where they live seems a little sketchy, and the UK boarding school system in particular seems to have its own host of issues. However, one thing that is really lovely about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as well as regular UK boarding schools is that the students who attend school together seem to develop very intense bonds. It’s kind of to be expected if people spend nearly every waking moment together, but developing powerful bonds with your peers is a great thing.
