Boarding school - is it normal?

@Errorofjudgement I'm so glad your DD is enjoying her school. Whatever school our DC end up at, the main thing is for them to be happy there and to feel that they are well looked after. And this is, of course, all the more important with boarders...

Thanks. Glad to hear your Dd is happy too. It’s such a huge decision to send them on this particular path.

@AlexanderHamilton, so pleased to hear she’s enjoying it. I think starting 6th form whether BTEC, A levels or a Diploma, there’s always new people and new ways to learn so it takes a bit of time.
DD had a nasty sprain a couple of years ago and that ankle is still weaker. Luckily as her focus is drama it’s not been an issue.
Wishing your DD a speedy recovery, sounds like she’s getting the very best care and support.

That’s so lovely to hear BoardingSchoolMater. Your DS has found his tribe!
DDs experience is very different, state comprehensive school through to the end of year 11, then a scholarship offer to a specialist boarding school for 6th form. So from a big school to somewhere much smaller, and a whole new world!
We live 2.5 hours away from DDs school which isn’t ideal, so that reassurance that DD is being well cared for and loves her school is so important.

She is - few social issues but that’s her asd and a bit of an injury blip with what we feared might stem from a sprain two years ago but a referral to the fantastic specialist clinic at QE (bit of a trek for us but so worth it) has reassured us it’s just some over compensation from when she was injured which can be sorted with physio.

Yes, @errorofjudgement. That many. DS went from a tiny prep school (14 in his year). I was a bit scared, as he was so used to a small school (and this was right for him when he was little - he's an oddball who had never even been for a sleepover). However, it's so spectacularly good that the size is irrelevant. We are 250 miles away, yet the staff all know who I am when I visit (very occasionally). This in itself is impressive. But more impressive is that DS (who has never been keen on school) can't wait to get back there after the holidays. He even said: "I love being at school". They are doing something very right.

@AlexanderHamilton, indeed you do recognise it, we’ve chatted before 😊
Hope your DD is enjoying 6th form?

And dd’s is even tinier (though numbers may seem smaller as Upper School live out rather than board)

I think I recognise the set up at your dd’s school error assuming it’s one of ‘The Four’. dd may have done a couple of summer schools there & several students in her year left st the end of year 9 & came to her school?

&BoardingSchoolMater - 1500 full boarders?! Wow - DDs school is tiny!

@errorofjudgement Agree re the value placed on physical and mental health by any decent boarding school. My DS has a counsellor in addition to the house set-up. The counsellor has helped him navigate our divorce. Our DC at day schools have fared less well.

The boarder's san. is in yet another building (DS's school is spread across a small town). There is also a GP service, which DS has used (he is now a temporary resident at home, as he is 'resident' at school 250 miles away). DS has not had cause to visit the san., thankfully, but I gather it's excellent.

I can't begin to say how happy I am with the set-up at his school. There are about 1,500 boys there, all full boarding.

At Dds school the boarding staff are not teaching staff. Indeed boarding is off site which Dd says a lot of her friends preferred it as it gave them a sense of going home from school each night.

Alexander I thinking of 700+ boarders the vast majority if not all full boarding.
I’m pretty sure the boarding school association recommends a separate medical centre staffed by trained nurses. It’s pretty standard stuff now for the staff at these health centres to do all the usual treating of minor injuries/illnesses and run asthma clinics spirts injury clinics do travel vaccinations smoking cessation clinics and contraceptive advise and support.
I think the role of the matron should not be underestaimted they are often mother figures and organise pupils ensuring clothes are being put out for washing reminding kids to change their duvets ironing shirts for those going for an interview and most importantly the dreaded labelling of clothes. They also accompany children to hospital appointments etc. Its a team effort caring for pupils, in most boarding house there’s an HM (whose usually a senior teacher) and his family, deputy HM at least one resident tutor and his family if he has them and then numerous tutors attached to a boarding houses, a matron usually resident and often a named trained nurse with a particular responsibility for that house plus others cleaners etc also play a big role. I agree HM’s are the first port of call for most things but they also are relying on all the team to assist in the support of the children in their house and would not have been my first port of call for a thicker duvet or labelling new clothes that I’ve sent in the post!

The physio at Dds school is nearby but independent of the school.

Agree with HappyGardening re the medical set up.
DD is at a vocational school with ~ 200 boarders plus 140 day students.
They have a separate med centre staffed by nurses with day and overnight sick dorm, 2 GP surgeries each week at the school, and a school physio with physio suite. Plus an independent counsellor who’s freely available.
Instead of house mistress/master, each boarding area has 2 house mothers & they’re role is purely looking after the students.
I’ve been very impressed at the importance placed on both physical and mental health by the school.

Approx 100 boarders & 35ish day students plus Prep School (boarding not generally available in Prep)

All boarders register with the local GP whose surgery is within walking distance.

Just found your comment about what your ds likes. DH introduced sushi after parents complained that food was a bit behind the times. Is he at a boys or co-ed school? If there is sufficient demand for a change in menus, I would be surprised if school is not listening. If everyone else prefers lasagne and chips, then poor him.

Interesting.
How many full boarders?
Does your DD’s school have a visiting GP?
IME of a variety of large primarily full boarding schools both professionally and as a parent they have a separate health centre maned by registered nurses with a regular often daily GP surgery, and beds for unwell children including an isolation area. Many children unless seriously unwell are often encouraged to stay in school as 1. few are ill for more than a few days 2. parents aren’t always able to drop everything to pick up a child, many of course have work commitments, or are travelling for work or pleasure and 3. often once at home parents also don’t always have the time to bring them back as soon as they’re better for the same reasons they can’t pick them up.

Sorry, have missed some comments, so might well have been mentioned, but at my ds school food was an issue, too, and so the parents formed a food committee that now advises on the menu and quality and quantity of offerings. They hold regular food tastings etc. Maybe talk to the parent organisation and get something started up? Or get Tatler to write in their guide that the food is horrible, that usually leads to a yum up

Definately no nurses at Dds school. Minor illnesses are dealt with within the biardingvhouse usually with the ill child sleeping in the sick room. Anything more or contagious then parents are asked to collect and take them home until recovered.

The days of a sick bay in boarding houses is probably over, sick children are usually now supervised/cared for by trained nurses rather than matrons (two difffrent jobs although similar titles). In fact I believeIve read somewhere the requirement for sick children to be looked supervised/after by trained nurses is a requirement under some sort of boarding school regulations especially as there are issues around confidentiality etc amongst those over 13 who would be generally considered to be Gillick competent.

Can't help but be amused that he tops up on cucumber. Difficult because they seem healthy but not exactly filling.

Also, the food being too spicy is annoying because, surely, they should make it milder and those who prefer it hotter can add extra spicy table sauce.

I'm sure he'll work out his priorities soon. I think it's, on the whole, a good thing he's wanting to dash out to play. Sounds like he's enjoying it!

We were not allowed snack or sweets at prep school but could spend about 20p a week in the tuck shop on Sunday!

I went years ago and I've got to say food was probably the best thing about it. Breakfast was cooked with options of having as much cereal and toast as you liked, there were biscuits and drinks served at first break, lunch was the main meal and seconds of main and dessert were always offered, tea was a cake/pastry and options of bread and jam on top of this, dinner was also a cooked meal but instead of pudding there was fruit. There was always plenty of veg , salad and fruit offered. I blame my large appetite on always having seconds at school! I was very thin then due to the huge amount of sport I did!!!