To think schools should mention Saturday lessons on their websites

[Butkin]

Looking at potential schools for DD from Yr 7. Having a look at their websites to check out for open days etc. One of the fundementals, for us, is if they have compulsory attendance on Saturdays - either for lessons, sport or both. Ideally we only want her to go to school Monday-Friday although we understand she may have to play matches on Saturdays.

Despite having glossy websites and FAQ pages none of them seem to mention this. Is there a secret code we're missing. Do all schools which also have boarders require day girls to go in on Saturdays?

We're ringing round and checking but it does seem odd they don't mention this from the outset.

Not all schools, no. I have worked in an independent day/boarding school which doesn't. However there were often sports fixtures on a saturday, so if your child is keen on sport this would probably be an issue in any independent school.

Despite having glossy websites and FAQ pages none of them seem to mention this. Is there a secret code we're missing.

Possibly. I went to school on Saturday - lessons until lunchtime, sport in the afternoon. All compulsory for day pupils as well as boarders. The only thing non-boarders didn't do was go in for chapel on a Sunday.

I would assume that any boarding school will have a 6 day "working" week, with Sundays "off". No idea about independent day schools.

Your daughter will probably be more than happy to do what everyone else does - all the good stuff happens when a day pupil isn't around...!

I went to a boarding school as a weekly boarder. There were plenty of day girls too. No school on Saturday but lots of matches (home and away).

I think if there is school on Saturdays then you will find it mentioned on the websites. There is usually a tab called "School life" or similar and this usually has info about the school day, which is where I'd look. Or just call the admissions person - I've found that if you call up for a brochure rather than filling in the contact form they're often really friendly and helpful and you can get quick answers to any initial questions.

I was a boarder who stayed 24/7 at school but 'school' was only mon-friday.

Many thanks - yes we're calling round and everybody is helpful. There are quite a few schools in Cambridge we're looking at and it is a minefield in terms of their "working week"!

My DH was a day boy at a Boarding school and not only was school on Saturday compulsory, but prefects had to do Sunday duty as well. (As he often tells us...)
Our nearest Public School has lessons all day Saturday for day and boarding pupils, with Wednesday afternoon for sport.

Depends on the balance of boarding and day pupils, IME. If it is mainly day / weekly boarding, then there is a reasonable chance that there are only matches on Saturdays. If it is mostly full boarding, and promotes itself as such, then Saturday is likely to be a full day.

DS is a day boy at a predominantly full boarding prep school. He has school 8 - 4 on Saturday (longer if match over-runs or is away) and this year will have to go in some Sundays for chapel. OTOH there are exeat weekends when he finishes at lunchtime on Friday and has no school at all over the weekend - so not all weekends are a writeoff.