Boarding schools seem to have less after school clubs?

[futuremoneyinbank]

Wanted to see if anyone else is noticing that in general public school seem to have less going on after school? Dd's school seems to have 2 options for lunch split into A/B yet most days after school there may only be 1 activity option only available for select years to do. When I boarded we were encouraged to do at least 3 after school activities e.g trampolining/flower arranging/badminton/film club/drama/choir etc.

Is this a recent development since Covid perhaps? Or is there a study saying extra curricular is better at 30min bursts in lunch? I can't understand why there is seemingly nothing for a slightly bored dd to do after prep most days of the week.

That certainly hasn’t been our experience. Vast array of activities every day and evening.

I suppose there are a number of factors.

Income - have they kept fees the same while weathering increased costs?

Have they lost staff - either to cut backs or through illness?

Has the number of pupils decreased, making it difficult to run lively activities?

How old is your daughter and is she new to the school? Are you sure she’s fully aware of everything on offer? It can take pupils a while to completely grasp the extent of opportunities available and to throw themselves into stuff.

It’s impossible to say what’s going on at your school, but I’d imagine most places are still trying to recover from the impact of lockdowns and closures. You should certainly ask them if you don’t feel enough is being offered.

My daughter has just started boarding and has no stops clubs and activities - so I don't think what you are experiencing is the norm.

Not at my daughter's school, she is absolutely non-stop in both lunch breaks and after school with all sorts of random and interesting clubs alongside the regular type of sports ones.

At DH's public school the GCSE results are a bit shit and DH puts this squarely down to the fact that there is SO much else for the boys to do that they don't do any work!

I don't think what you are experiencing is the norm for a full boarding school (i.e. most kids board and the school is fully geared up for 24/7). Is it more flexi orientated so there are not so many kids around after prep?

DS's full boarding school kept the kids busy right up until bed time with school up to 6pm, dinner, Chapel, Prep, and then house social time. Sport/clubs were done at lunch (2+hrs).
DD's day/boarding school was more free. Activities/prep up to dinner, then free time after 7pm in the boarding house.

Why board if you don’t get all the clubs and activities. At one time DD1 did 13 activities each week! Reduced to 10 in y11. Still got stellar GCSE results. It was what we looked at when choosing a school. Extra activities were important so DDs could have a rounded educational experience.

Don’t they list what DC can do? (Sometimes there will be a charge). Music and sport usually have numerous options but DDs also did dance, MUN, Young Enterprise, Drama, Concerts and choirs, Public speaking, learning to type, participation in and rehearsing for House competitions such as sport, music, plays etc, Cookery and some I’ve no doubt forgotten! They were both extra busy.

For my two (youngest finishes this year) it's been more about how to fit it all in or prioritise.

DS is a boarder at a Prep school and the official clubs they share with day students are quite limited, but once they are packed off there is at least six or seven organised activities to choose from every evening, including indoor sports, outdoor sports, crafts and games. I'm jealous!!!

DD is boarding at senior school and they have about 20 activities to choose from every night, though she does have to sign up for a term at a time so there are more choices but less flexibility.

But it is a good point that this is something to look at when choosing a boarding school.