How many people do you know with children in boarding school?

[Intoand]

Curious about this as, living in London, and having children in school and friends with children in school about how many seem to be looking into boarding or have children boarding currently. Although not a crazy amount it’s more than I would have thought. Two of my friends have children boarding, and another is looking into a girls boarding school for her DD. Some of what I’ve heard has been friends of friends too, but still more than I originally thought.

A few,it’s because DCs first school was a local pre prep and we still know a few who have been all the way through to the minor public school it’s a feeder for. He’s in sixth form now and many of the brighter kids from the boarding school have left and joined the sixth form college as it’s a very good one and parents want to save money

None

A handful. Couple of state boarders, most weekly boarding and then just two who do the full away for the whole term thing.

None, although I think my step cousin went to a specialised boarding school at 16 presumably on a scholarship.

Currently, one, in a family with a rather weird dynamic. I know others in which the children did but are now adults.

A few, relatives rather than friends. 13 has been the youngest. I'm quite posh by origin. They seem to do all right, but so they should with that much money spent.

Can't imagine doing it ourselves. I would say my dad and late dh were very fucked up, and maybe boarding young was a factor. Anyway, we didn't have a bean when ds was younger so it wasn't an issue.

I know a couple of kids who have gone to boarding school for 6th form.

When I was at school a few kids disappeared to boarding schools. It tended to be just before GCSEs or A Levels. Looking back I will never understand why. I'd love to know how they feel about it now.

I was about to say none. Then realised I know 3 through a sports club my child attends.

Loads. All military.

A few. One of DH’s colleagues, a couple of people I know through DC’s hobby. DH went to boarding school but has no friends from that era, I went to a day school & expect some of my friends from school will educate privately but not at boarding.

Zero - I don't run with a rich crowd.

Same

When DD was at university one of the halls was catered and most of the students who had gone to boarding school stayed in these halls rather than in self catered halls.

None and know none in private either.

I have two nephews who won scholarships to a music school, they board weekly.

One military family who all boarded from 8.

One other friend who's kids were offered a bursary to board at their existing school after her marriage fell apart suddenly and horribly and she had to move further away at short notice. Now she is more stable but the kids are happy boarding weekly.

Loads. Both my DC are day pupils are boarding schools!

But also, we were military so still have friends who serve and their kids board. Plus a lot of the DC's friends from prep school went to boarding schools.

2 who are there now but my dd has just started and quite a few of her friends are ex boarders.

None.

I think boarding school is falling in popularity (thank god!), my old school is no longer a boarding school as the number of boarders dropped to a level where boarding wasn't sustainable.

I hated boarding and would advise any parent to think long and hard before dumping their children. Think how your child feels when they cry down the phone. Think how they feel knowing you could have them at home but choose to send them away to school even though you're at home every night, they don't understand your job not at 10 or 11. They see your job as more important to you than them. I was a military child but it wasn't necessary in the end as my Dad was never posted overseas again.

You either thrive or you come out with issues. I don't think my sister has ever forgiven my parents for sending her away. Our relationship with our parents isn't as close as it could be either.

Too many to count. I live near a University City that despite having some of the best independent day schools in the country and to which people travel to on a daily basis from miles and miles away, almost every local posh person sends their children away to board at schools that are demonstrably inferior in almost every respect. That respect of course being the opportunity to hang out with red trousered people.

I honestly find it baffling and not sure they realise that the world has changed.

One. She has four children at boarding school, she is completely sold on how wonderful boarding is. I think she is mad, to trust other people to raise her precious children.

2

About 4. I used to think it was cruel but when we were viewing secondary schools I’d chat with dc’s friends and they wanted to go to the schools. Some 11 year olds cope. Most are in our county or the county next door so come home at weekends. They have a great of social life and siblings around them. Dd1’s friend is working every hour under the sun to do well in her GCSEs because she wants to go to a boarding school that’s hard to get into and she wants all 9s. I would love it if my dc were that motivated.

I know quite a few here in SW London - mostly boys. There seems to be a real shortage of private schools which cater to boys in Year 8+ here and so many families I know who would have preferred a private day school close to home end up opting for boarding schools outside London.
They all seem to enjoy it though - I don’t hear of anyone crying down the phone etc. There is a massive difference in boarding school when you’re age 13 than age 7. I don’t know anyone who’s sent their kids that young.

A few as day pupils at mainly boarding schools. Mostly because the long days enable the parents to both have full-on careers, but I think in a couple of cases because both parents boarded and enjoyed it, and have it in mind for the future for their DC.

I did meet someone socially who saw London independent day school as fine for her dd, but was clear that after pre-prep her ds would board for no other reason (as far as I could tell) than tradition / it being the ‘done thing’. Which was eye-opening.

@Teddleshon
that made me laugh. It’s important that the ‘red-trousered’ people stick together 😂

A few but we are in France and it's due to the way the baccalaureate works. My daughter is doing bac general so goes to our nearest Lycée but a few of her friends are doing the bac professional and have chosen schools that cater specifically to their area of interest e.g. catering / hospitality or environment / land management and they offer boarding Mon-Fri. Dds best friend is in a Lycee pro only about 40 minutes from where we live but has chosen to board anyway as that's the norm there. They start Lycée at age 14/15 so to the best of my knowledge it's always the kids who have chosen it.

Maybe 3 or so. A couple of kids went to a state boarding school from DC’s class and a friend of the family sent their sons to one of the UK’s top boarding schools.