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Original poster

Boarding schools - planning for Brexit?

158 replies

Tonsilss · 08/02/2019 13:14

My DD is at a UK boarding school. We are also in the UK, but hundreds of miles away.

We now have only 50 days to a likely no deal Brexit.
I've asked the Head what contingency plans are in place for the effects of a no deal. This is in the current context of expected serious food, medication and fuel shortages, the possibility of contaminated tap water, no facilities for disposing of waste, civil unrest and an increase in crime (eg looting / burglaries).
He has told me that the school has not made any plans in respect of Brexit. And that other schools haven't either (the school is in some kind of independent schools association). Apparently it is too early to be making any contingency plans. The school has not written to any parents (whether UK or international) in relation to Brexit. I imagine that some international parents will have little or no idea of what is going on in the UK.
Can I ask whether anyone else has a child at boarding school and is worried about what will happen, both in respect of the Easter holiday (shortly after Brexit), and in respect of the summer term? Have your schools made any preparations or even just plans to do so?

OP posts:
Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 20:44

Not a UAE citizen either. But it's true that Brexit is not a secret. The implications are a different matter.

OP posts:
Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 20:41

Why would I fabricate this story? Easter hols are after Brexit for us. Again, this post is a request for info, that's all. Are your schools making contingency plans?
I guess not everyone in the Gulf reads UK news stories. The vast majority in the UK still haven't bothered to read up on Brexit. Their lives will be massively adversely affected, and they still ignore it.

OP posts:
Clavinova · 10/02/2019 20:20

I talked to a businesswoman from the Gulf about Brexit recently. She had never heard of it

Took me 30 seconds to find this;

gulfnews.com/world/europe/brexit
Masses of Brexit news.

GN Media is the publisher of Gulf News, the biggest selling English newspaper in the UAE. It is also home to the most visited news website in the UAE, gulfNews.com

Clavinova · 10/02/2019 20:13

Our school breaks up earlier than that

Earlier than lunch time or earlier than the 29th March?? In which case why are you worried about your dd getting home? Or did you mean to write later than that?

Previously you posted;

Tonsilss Fri 08-Feb-19 18:24:11
^I'm worried about whether she'll be able to get home, 1 week after Brexit day

Why would your dd's boarding school break up for Easter 1 week after all the others?

If you are going to fabricate a Brexit story at least be consistent!

Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 19:52

Our school breaks up earlier than that.
I don't think that boarding parents in places like Hong Kong, Russia and the Gulf will have much of a clue about Brexit.
I talked to a businesswoman from the Gulf about Brexit recently. She had never heard of it.
The majority of UK citizens don't have a clue about what's happening with Brexit, so do we really think that people in other continents will understand the implications?

OP posts:
Clavinova · 10/02/2019 18:52

Brexit doesn't officially happen until 11pm GMT on Friday 29th March - private schools break up for the Easter holidays at lunch time on the 29th - 10 hours earlier.

A House of Lords Committee reported last year, that those who can afford it will still be able to buy high-quality local produce - I would put boarding schools in that category as most of them will have access to several hundred thousand pounds in the bank - some of which can be spent on higher priced, locally produced food. Even if a few pupils are stranded at the school for a few days, the staff can take them to the nearest restaurant for lunch if necessary - local restaurants will have stockpiled food and drink.

What medications are you expecting the school to stockpile other than paracetamol?

Duckshead · 10/02/2019 18:08

Aren't we all blueskies! Grin

blueskiesovertheforest · 10/02/2019 17:58

Tonsilss international parents will know about possible problems with flights unless they're totally ignoring the news - I live in an EU country and my colleagues (in an industry unaffected by Brexit and with no special ties to the UK) are fascinated by Brexit and watching it in bemused amazement like some kind of grand scale reality show.

Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 17:54

I understand that Brexit is a disaster for boarding schools. The head won't want to tell international parents about likely food shortages and problems with flights.

OP posts:
blueskiesovertheforest · 10/02/2019 17:02

I suspect this is all about reputational issues and the whispers between parents. The head is amateurishly trying to do a "nothing to see here" act for public relations reasons - he wants you to get the message that Brexit will be mostly harmless, DON'T PANIC! Wink He's probably mainly concerned about not causing panic among parents further away by talking about this.

That doesn't mean there's a plan. The plan might be stiff upper lip, look on the bright side, it'll never happen ...

LonelyandTiredandLow · 10/02/2019 16:29

I think as the pp said forewarned is forearmed. Although if it is a little consolation, I think we have enough for a week or two after we drop out. Still no way to confirm that or how people will be reacting but the day itself could well be relatively stress free.

Duckshead · 10/02/2019 16:24

I pasted this from another thread earlier and it's proving quite useful on a regular basis .

Boring bit: The millennium bug issue didn't cause problems because if careful advance checking, planning and investment. Which is the exact opposite of what we have at the moment.

OP I would want a plan in place too for the school tbh.

Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 12:51

I wish that hoping/deciding that our government wouldn't screw up our country was an effective strategy, Gina. But I've followed that strategy for 2.5 years now, and it's not working out.

OP posts:
Gina2012 · 10/02/2019 12:29

I will have to hope that they take some last minute measures.

Or decide that doomsday is NOT going to happen on 30/3 🤪

WorriedJu · 10/02/2019 12:22

We'll in that case you need to weigh up.the pros and cons of this situation and decide if leaving your child at school and hoping it works out ok some how is better than another plan of picking her up in advance of the mass potential petrol shortage.
You've thought this through many havnt so use your foresight to your advantage.

boredorboard · 10/02/2019 11:59

Interest to know where roughly your school is OP? As a PP said schools in in Kent with proximity to Dover should be even more concerned with making plans than schools in the Scottish highlands.

boredorboard · 10/02/2019 11:57

I do think that Brexit will have very much been considered in terms of future admissions. Coming to school in the UK may not be impossible but likely there will be more hoops to jump through. Often higher fees than uk pupils will need to be paid too.

Any existing EU pupils in UK schools will need to apply for right to remain by the end of 2020.

I am sure all that has been discussed at governor meetings.

Original poster
Tonsilss · 10/02/2019 11:42

To those saying I should drive and get her on 28 March.
If I tried to get there in a day I would likely have an accident - really not safe. It's also possible that there will be panic buying of petrol, so early fuel shortages. Carrying spare fuel in the car would be dangerous and arguably illegal. This is a really bad idea.
It's not up to me to make contingency plans for the school. But I would expect them to stockpile some supplies and to be prepared to accommodate children for a few extra days if needed. Not worried about heating, as will be spring.
If I sent supplies to dd, she would realistically have to share them with the many other children. So that wouldn't work.
If I contact other parents about this, it will no doubt piss the school off. I imagine that they are scared of the reputational repercussions of speaking to overseas parents about a likely no deal Brexit.
I will have to hope that they take some last minute measures.

OP posts:
MarchingFrogs · 10/02/2019 11:01

Fuel, food and medication shortages if they happen will be short term and mostly due to people whipping up a frenzy.

Or hoarding, possibly? However,
Kitkats (made in York) - they may be, but unless the government has managed very successfully indeed to suppress details of the extent of localised climate change in North Yorkshire, the cocoa beans aren't grown there. So perhaps we should all be panicking more.

LonelyandTiredandLow · 10/02/2019 10:42

OP I've also asked dd's school what preparations they are doing for a No Deal. We are in Kent and the council have warned schools may close due to severe disruptions when the lorries start to jam. I've asked the school and had nothing back. I'm interested in whether they have to close if there aren't enough food supplies as of course not everyone will be able to make a packed lunch.

People are only just starting to realise that actually everyone not having the choices they used to have means there will be very limited fresh produce. I suspect many haven't really thought it through and are just expecting someone else to "sort it out".

If I were you OP I'd arrange to go and get her a few days beforehand. The supermarkets warehouses should at least last a couple of weeks, it's just the fresh food that will be the initial shock for people. At least if she is with you you know you have your purification tablets too.

boredorboard · 10/02/2019 10:38

Yes the school may well close and that is a valid option

However the op was saying that her school has NO PLANS and shouldn't they have a plan whatever that may be?

Fazackerley · 10/02/2019 10:30

This is so weird
Fwiw one of my dcs is at boarding school. I expect if there's civil unrest and shortages like you are expecting, then the school will close, and we'll all be wishing we'd stuck to the local state school. What else are you expecting fgs?

boredorboard · 10/02/2019 10:25

WorriedJu as resourceful as you sound I don't think a parent paying a school approx £30k a year should need to send a camping stove and supplies via Amazon

You are right that things happen and plans should be in place to deal with them rationally and without panic. Therefore the school should be reassuring parents by saying if there is a problem getting home for the Easter hols then school can accommodate them for a few days and yes we have a good supply of tins and dried food just in case.

WorriedJu · 10/02/2019 09:15
  • sorry fie repeating myself could only see half my first post initially after i posted.
WorriedJu · 10/02/2019 09:14

Amazon and Amazon Pantry could be useful. Send water and easy to prep meals in packets and tins, multi vitamins, water purification tablets, loo roll, perhaps even a little camping stove, camping cooking set and small fuel supply. A sleeping bag and thermals for when the heating goes off, torch and batteries too.
But personally I'd be collecting dc in advance if was as concerned as you.