hi thisismydilemma, my daughter is a full time boarder and has a house mate that is a day student. In fact two of her best friends are day students and so I know the mother's quite well.
My daughter and her friends are in year 8, which is referred to as 3rd Form. my daughter is over the moon with school life there at CH.
The two day students pretty much enjoy life nearly the same as boarders. They have a desk and bed and wardrobe just like the boarders so they can study and hang out with house mates. They do have Saturday school and so that means getting them to school first thing.
Then there are the school actives after class that all the children take part in like sports. CH is big on sports and everyone takes part. What my daughters friends parents are considering is switching from day to boarding because their children really like the connections with their mates and the fun they have as boarders. Boarders do tend to stay until around 8:15 until they finish their prep ie homework. So it's a long day and basically they are coming home for down time and bed. If they have to be to chapel on Sunday morning or evening then you have to consider that as well I believe its compulsory but call the school to confirm that.
I have friends whose children attend day schools attached to boarding and the running commentary is that the children spend a lot of time enjoying school life because a boarding has a lot more going on other than academics and a few extras.
As a parent of a CH student I can't say more good things about it. The grounds are incredible and as of today a £1.2 mil Careers centre has been developed by an Old Blue. They will be leading the way in career progression for our children. Last year they opened a LARC or Languages and Resource Centre building where they have a modern library, and classrooms to teach. Next year the tuck shop will also include a coffee shop. As you may have noticed the theatre is incredible and often the children have cinema night there.
You may read some concerns in this thread about children coming from tough backgrounds, which may be the case for a small group of children but I can say from first hand experience that the children are just like any other children. They are lovely and you'd never know their history at all.
It's a high achieving school. Most children play instruments, sports, do drama, which they have incredible west end type performances that are attended by locals and Old Blues to capacity.
In this world we live in mixing with all nationalities is important, our children must get along with everyone because our society is global.
Sure my daughter has friends that may have lost a parent or a sibling that may have disabilities that put extra pressure on the family. Although a parent may put that on their application CH requires every child to set their entrance exams. The first is a computerized exam, which even the likes of St Pauls requires children to sit. From there the children that are lucky to go to the next faze in January number 240 our of around 800 applications. The assessment at the residential in January is where the teachers put together group tasks, physical assessment, attitude, a personal interview of around 45 minutes plus the written and math papers. CH is looking for bright students that really would benefit from life at CH where they work hard and play hard.
You will find that Day students tend to want to spend the maximum time at school because it's where their peers are. That's why my daughters best friends will be boarders next year.
Good luck with the application process. If your child gets in life as you know it will be different but that is how it is when children go to secondary they suddenly aren't our little primary school kids anymore. That wouldn't be cool.
xx KK
