Former boarding student at Pembroke School lifts the lid on the ‘old school’ punishments she received in TikTok video

A former boarder at a top Adelaide private school has taken to TikTok to rant about the punishments meted out during her time on campus – including having to do chores.

A former boarding student has lifted the lid on the “old school” punishments doled out at a top Adelaide private school in a social media video.

In a two-part video posted to TikTok, former boarding student at Pembroke School Charlotte Nicholls said she thought the punishments were “completely normal” until her friends told her otherwise.

Ms Nicholls finished year 12 at the school in 2020.

Pembroke School charges more than $60,000 per year for boarding students in years 10 to 12.

“Woah, mine was not normal at all,” Ms Nicholls said of her experience at Pembroke.

The videos, published on Monday, have already attracted more than 150,000 views on TikTok.

She described a system in which boarding students would accumulate “strikes” for poor behaviour.

A TikTok has revealed some insight into punishments the boarding students at Pembroke School received. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

If a student accumulated three strikes, they were “gated” which meant they were grounded over the weekend.

“You can’t leave the boarding house, you have to wear your school uniform … and you have to do house chores,” Ms Nicholls said.

“There were barely any chores to do because we had cleaners … they would find the most random stuff.

“We had to clean plant leaves outside.”

Her phone and laptop were also confiscated.

Former private school boarder Charlotte Nicholls has detailed the "oldschool" and "behind the times" punishments she received during her time there in a video posted to TikTok. Picture: @charlottenichollss on TikTok

“You’re in school uniform, you’re doing jobs all day and all your friends have gone out for the weekend,” Ms Nicholls said.

But within her first year, Ms Nicholls said the rules became stricter and students were “gated” for “breaking any of the bad rules”.

She recalled being punished for walking around campus wearing a towel instead of school shorts following a swim one night.

“I understand being a girl and everything and being safe at night but come on,” Ms Nicholls said.

Her windows were also barred shut after she said “a couple girls snuck out”.

“They were chained shut,” Ms Nicholls said.

“It is so messed up.”

In the second video, Ms Nicholls said there was “no trust” with students.

“Being a girl boarder restricted us 10 times more than being a boy boarder,” Ms Nicholls said.

“You have to get back by dark, you can only go out for five hours at a time and the boys could go further than us.

“I understand they’re responsible for our safety but to a certain extent.”

However, despite the rules, Ms Nicholls said she “had an absolute ball at boarding school and made the most of it”.

“I’m not complaining at all, I’m just sharing my experience,” she said.

Pembroke School declined to comment.