I went to boarding school AMA

[Ooodles]

I started there at the age of 8 and left at 18. If anyone is interested feel free to ask me anything

Why did you go? Did you want to go? Did you miss your family?

8!
Dare I ask why your parents didn't want you at home when you were so young?

My parents wanted me to go, I wasn't completely against the idea, I was excited but I remember also feeling incredibly nervous when it came to actually going. My older sister started the year before at 13 and loved it, not sure why they didn't wait till I was older. I did really miss my family at first but I got used to it once I had settled in, It was still hard to leave after being at home for holidays

What was it actually like day to day? What was the routine once you’d finished school for the day- were there set meal times and bed times? Did you have much freedom?

Was it anything like the Malory Towers books or Hogwarts?

The older i got the more freedom I had in some ways. Once I had finished lessons I'd have extra activites mostly sports and music, which you had to do every school night. Then around 5:00 go back to house, in prep school i had free time, tea at about 5:30 then more free time and then go to bed, different ages had different bedtimes. In senior school we also had activities after school, tea at 6:00 then about an hour or so of studying before we were free. There were set meal times, though in senior school you could eat at house or school and were expected to make your own way there and in senior school there weren't set bedtimes but you did have to be quiet after a certain time

What were the sleeping arrangements? My knowledge comes from Malory Towers but imagine 10 bed dorms are now a thing of the past! Please tell me you had midnight feasts though!

Was it anything like the boarding schools on teen shows? Drugs, sneaking out etc?

Not much like Hogwarts unfortunately and I don't think I've ever read Malory Towers. As for teen shows I'm sure there were a few sneaking out and taking drugs but for the most part we were fairly sensible. There were deffiently some midnight feasts and attempts to pull all nighters. The most I shared with were 3 other girls, which was actually really fun and in senior school I shared with 1, in sixth form I had my own room

Would you want your own children to board?

Money aside would you send your own kids? If so would you send them at 8?

Did your family get to visit much/how often did you go home? Would you choose boarding for your own DC? (If you have them/decide to have them). It’s interesting to me, I know very little about boarding schools or how it works.

Was sent when I was 9, hated it. Mother was dying.

Did your family get to visit much/how often did you go home?
They could visit when we had sports games once a week and take us out for about an hour afterwards. We could go home on weekends but I usually didn't, some weekends I would go to my grandparents and they would often come to watch me play. My parents not so much and I would only go home during holidays or for the occasional weekend.
Would you choose boarding for your own DC?
I don't think I would, my DC go to a local primary at the moment. I did enjoy school but I don't think it benefited me in anyway being away from my family and I couldn't cope with them being so far away at such a young age

Do u think u have a close relationship with ur parents now? Or do u think it effected that?
I always wanted to go boarding school!

I'm not close with my parents but I don't think it was just to do with boarding, in some ways it was, for example after a while of being there I didn't feel like i needed my mum as much. When I went home I did most things for myself, many things I couldn't/wouldn't do before I left. I didn't rely on her anymore and I found that meant we spent less time together even when I was at home, especially when I got used to coming and going so going home for the first time in many weeks wasn't as big of a deal. Some of my friends from school maintained a close relationship with their parents throughout

What was bullying like there? Also those children strugglingvto fit in were they cared for by the school (guess that depends on who is acting as parent yonthe child and whether they're nice with good values etc ... bit of potluck maybe?

Thank u for replying and answering my question. Ive always been fascinated with boarding school. Ive always liked the idea of being a boarding house person not sure the correct name, for the little ones , however morally I've felt its not right to send 8 year olds, so couldnt do it

What were the bad things about boarding?