Flexi boarding

[jellycat1]

Need some advice please.
We currently own a house in SW London and as we're living overseas at the moment it's rented out. We're looking to sell it and buy outside London to be finance free and have the house for our own use. We may be back in Uk in a few years but if not, we'll be back and forth 50/50.
I want to register my boys for preps which have true flexi boarding options as I want them home with me when I'm in Uk but will need boarding for some of the time. No problem booking the boarding ahead of the term obviously.
Any recommendations of really good Preps that offer flexi within an hour-ish of London? This will drive where we buy.
TIA.

[BubblesBuddy]

None that I know quite like this. There used to be schools that offered occasional boarding but staffing costs have tended to stop this. Schools like predictability.

Flexible usually refers to a weekly arrangement where you stay all week and go home at the weekend. Not stay at school for weeks and go home for weeks. I think that is very disruptive to the children and most schools would find it difficult to accommodate. What would you pay? Would they be a full participant in the school community?

I know some schools where you can nominate a few days a week such as Winchester House in Brackley. However this is the same days each week and not what you describe. Others may know where your boarding arrangement is possible but most schools wouldn’t like it. Your child may be missing out on all sorts of activities when you remove them to be with you and they may not thank you for it.

[BeachysFlipFlops]

Prebendal in Chichester is pretty ad hoc boarding, you can just nominate that week what you want. They have some weekly boarders, some full time and the choristers who are there full time.

Small school though and more than an hour out of London.

[LIZS]

I think Ardingly and Hurst offer flexi boarding, not sure how common it is in prep years compared to senior.

[OAB]

Hurst do not offer boarding in prep

[jellycat1]

Thanks everyone. Lambrook also seems to offer what I'm looking for so looking for similar models. Love Papplewick but worried full boarding from 11 might not be what they want. Yes Bubbles it may not be ideal and may not be the route we choose in the end but I want to have access to all options if possible.

[BubblesBuddy]

I think when a child goes to a school where everyone boards from 11, they get used to the idea, they know it’s coming, and really want to do it. They don’t want to be different or separated. I think this is the problem with your original question. It is separating them out and being different. I think children thrive with consistency. Many girls board happily at 11 in senior schools. I think your idea is more about your needs than theirs.

[jellycat1]

Thanks for your opinion bubbles.

[jellycat1]

Any Feltonfleet / Lambrook parents about?