uk boarding schools (private schools, living, price)

[lulu55]

Hi all,
i have one question-
can somebody tell me some good boarding schools in uk. I have a son- he just turned 6 so he will start school next year. but my husband and i -we both work in diplomacy so we move often, (we are now in usa- but originally we are from europe) so i want my kid to be in one school and not changing his schools every couple years.
so if anybody can tell me some good full boarding schools.
thnx

[RH1]

Originally Posted by lulu55

Hi all,
i have one question-
can somebody tell me some good boarding schools in uk. I have a son- he just turned 6 so he will start school next year. but my husband and i -we both work in diplomacy so we move often, (we are now in usa- but originally we are from europe) so i want my kid to be in one school and not changing his schools every couple years.
so if anybody can tell me some good full boarding schools.
thnx

I think you need a price range in mind, then a search on the net might help. Eton springs to mind, but it's not gonna come cheap!

[backtotx]

You need to concentrate on which part of the country you would like your son to be in, ie ease for you visiting him and such. My kids were day boarders at Barnard Castle School in County Durham. They have a good mix of day pupils and boarders. The school itself offers a varied curriculum including sports, music, drama and art so there is something for everyone there. Check out Independent Private Schools, Independent Private Education – ISC (the independent school council website) which lists independent schools in the UK. It breaks the numbers down, ie boys vs girls, day and boarding pupils and also states the school fees. Good Luck.

[Raggy dee Ann]

Originally Posted by lulu55

Hi all,
i have one question-
can somebody tell me some good boarding schools in uk. I have a son- he just turned 6 so he will start school next year. but my husband and i -we both work in diplomacy so we move often, (we are now in usa- but originally we are from europe) so i want my kid to be in one school and not changing his schools every couple years.
so if anybody can tell me some good full boarding schools.
thnx

You can also talk to people who are also in the diplomatic corp and get their recommendation. As someone who attended boarding school for 3 years in the 70's and hated it, I'd say 6 is a little young. I was 12. Not that it's any of my business what you do.

[oldblueeyes01]

You need a price range to get the respose you are looking for..however, Bedales school in Steep, Hampshire I can highly recomend.

[lulu55]

well price is not really a problem. i don't even know what are price ranges for uk boarding schools. so it is ok if school is expensive. and it can be in any part of uk since husband and i will live in peru. so it isn't important in what part school is.

[chilaili]

IF money is not a problem, then I would recommend you first decide on the area you want the school to be in for your son's sake, not yours:

1. Do you want it to be close to an airport so it's easy for your son to travel for the school holidays?
2. Do you want it to be close to any cities or in the middle of nowhere?
3. Do you have any friends and/or family in the UK that live close by for him to visit during half-term holidays?
4. Do you want it to be in a warm(er) and pleasant part of the country rather than somewhere cold and bleak? Ie; the Southeast might be preferable to, say, the Lake District.
5. Do you know anyone whose child already attends a school and that is of the same age groups as yours so at least he would know someone when he gets there?
6. Do you want it to be single-sex or co-ed? This last may not be a concern right now, but later on, if he is still in boarding school when puberty hits, it could be a major issue.

Also check the schools' extracurricular activities as well as their academic achievements:

1. What kinds of sports do they offer?
2. Are there any arts-related activities?
3. Does the school participate in any regional or national competitive arenas?

A lot of this information should be available thro the Boarding Schools Association (Welcome to the Boarding Schools' Association - BSA) and you can run searches on here for schools by area, activities, fees, etc. Another thing to remember is that not all boarding schools are prep schools AND secondary. That is, the school may only cover ages 6-11 and then he'd have to go somewhere else. Do you want him to stay at the same school thro'out?

P.S. Wells Cathedral School in Somerset is quite a good school. I nearly went there myself.

[oldblueeyes01]

Originally Posted by chilaili

IF money is not a problem, then I would recommend you first decide on the area you want the school to be in for your son's sake, not yours:

1. Do you want it to be close to an airport so it's easy for your son to travel for the school holidays?
2. Do you want it to be close to any cities or in the middle of nowhere?
3. Do you have any friends and/or family in the UK that live close by for him to visit during half-term holidays?
4. Do you want it to be in a warm(er) and pleasant part of the country rather than somewhere cold and bleak? Ie; the Southeast might be preferable to, say, the Lake District.
5. Do you know anyone whose child already attends a school and that is of the same age groups as yours so at least he would know someone when he gets there?
6. Do you want it to be single-sex or co-ed? This last may not be a concern right now, but later on, if he is still in boarding school when puberty hits, it could be a major issue.

Also check the schools' extracurricular activities as well as their academic achievements:

1. What kinds of sports do they offer?
2. Are there any arts-related activities?
3. Does the school participate in any regional or national competitive arenas?

A lot of this information should be available thro the Boarding Schools Association (Welcome to the Boarding Schools' Association - BSA) and you can run searches on here for schools by area, activities, fees, etc. Another thing to remember is that not all boarding schools are prep schools AND secondary. That is, the school may only cover ages 6-11 and then he'd have to go somewhere else. Do you want him to stay at the same school thro'out?

P.S. Wells Cathedral School in Somerset is quite a good school. I nearly went there myself.

Sound Advice

[Mooseketeer]

Christ Church Cathedral School - prep I think still does boarding and does have a good reputation.

Boarding School Reviews
UK Boarding Schools - private schools, public schools and boarding schools in the UK


I would agree with Raggy Dee Ann though that 6 seems really very young for full boarding. My Father was a Diplomat and I was put in boarding schools at 10 ( which I loved ) but I did find most kids who had been put as boarders much younger did seem to have problems later on life with personal relationships, trust issues etc...
A Guide to Boarding Schools in the UK

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by Mooseketeer

I would agree with Raggy Dee Ann though that 6 seems really very young for full boarding. My Father was a Diplomat and I was put in boarding schools at 10 ( which I loved ) but I did find most kids who had been put as boarders much younger did seem to have problems later on life with personal relationships, trust issues etc...
A Guide to Boarding Schools in the UK

I don't want to hijack this thread and turn it into argument for or against boarding schools, but I can say from personal experience boarding school was not a good choice. I completely understand why my parents chose to send me, but I just didn't have the right personality for that environment. And going to a single-sex school for 7 years from 11-18 was insane! Even they have admitted that was a bad idea as 20 years later and I haven't had a single relationship that lasted longer than 2 years, am still single and will probably end up as the crazy old lady with cats living at the end of the street in some mouldering victorian mansion .

BUT, it's also true that some kids do extremely well in boarding school and love it the whole time they're there. They make friends that last a lifetime and have very fond memories. You just won't know until you try it. But be prepared for it not to work out and have a back-up plan.