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Boarding schools
Boarding schools range from day schools with a handful of boarders to boarding
schools with the occasional day pupil. A large number now offer weekly boarding
as a half-way house or flexi-boarding, which enables pupils to stay at school
on an occasional basis, to fit in with their activities or their parents'
diaries.
What is on offer varies considerably. Quite obviously there is very much
more time to present a full educational programme, including outdoor, sporting,
cultural and community activities, than there is at a day school. Good boarding
schools capitalise on this and, if they take day pupils as well, may expect
them to be there late in the day and at weekends; inefficient ones, or those
with few boarders, may ignore the weekends and evenings, leaving teenagers
at a loose end.
The trend away from boarding has largely been reversed and the overall number
of boarders is increasing (some hold Harry Potter responsible). But some
schools are abandoning boarding and you should satisfy yourself that your
chosen school is not one of them - it is no fun for your child to be rattling
around in half-empty accommodation or finding themselves alone at weekends.
Look for a good boarding environment (lots of weekend activities etc), not
just lots of boarders.
Boarding makes especially good sense to parents if there are no suitable
day schools within reach, if you are likely to move during critical periods
of your child's school career or if your work makes it difficult to manage
children at day schools. From the child's stand-point, you need to make sure
your child is happy with the idea, particularly if there are problems at
home. Some children are very independent and will flourish in a boarding
school; others may be homesick, feel rejected and become demotivated. Quality
boarding schools offer a taster boarding experience - worth considering if
your child is undecided about boarding. It is also worth thinking about:
Distance: most parents choose a boarding school that is within about
1½ hours' travelling time of home (you can easily stay in touch, support
the school's team etc). If that is impossible, is there one close to
grandparents, friends or relations?
Schedule and extra-curricular activities: what is available, especially
at weekends, and how much of the day is scheduled and organised? Is it geared
to boarders or day pupils? Are children free to pursue their own interests
as well as those that the school regards as appropriate? What sort of contact
is there with the local community or other schools? Are they allowed into
the local town - accompanied or unaccompanied?
Home contact: does the school provide sufficient telephones and good
e-mail facilities for boarding pupils to contact their family and friends?
Food: more important for boarders who cannot rely on daily supplements
from home. What other food can they buy and cook? What are the house kitchen
facilities?
Houses: meet the house staff. Are there sufficient and suitably qualified
staff to offer the right level and type of pastoral care? What are dormitories
and other rooms like? How much privacy do pupils have? Are they allowed into
dormitories/bedrooms during the day? Are bed-times sensible?
Exeats: how many and for how long? Are they fixed or flexible? What
if you want to take your child out of school at short notice, or before the
end of term? Is weekly or flexi-boarding available and how widespread is
it? Do the boarding houses empty out every weekend?
Sickness: What provision is there for ill children? Is there a nurse
on the premises and a nearby doctor on call?
Also try researching:
School League Tables
Fee Planning
School Fees UK
Financing school fees
School Loan
Education sites in the UK
Education Loan
Private Tutors
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