Boarding Prep Recommendations

[Intoand]

Due to various reasons relating to family and work it looks like we’re going to need to consider a boarding prep school for our children DS 10 and DD 8 likely for next year. It’s not an ideal situation but would like them to have a stable environment while things are changing.

I boarded during my secondary school years but not in prep so unfamiliar with what to consider. We will probably need a school that offers full time boarding but would possibly like them to weekly board when time allows. Children are currently at single sex schools which I like but I’m also open to coed.

From a little bit of online research what I’ve gathered is schools Cottesmore, Sandroyd, Dragon School, and Windlesham house seem to have a good amount of prep boarders but not sure how accurate this is. There also seems to be quite a few more all boys boarding prep like Ludgrove compared to all girls boarding preps (did find the all girls boarding school Hanford though and it looked lovely). Any recommendations or experience?

I think Hanford and Godstowe are the only all girls prep boarding schools left. You must research carefully because it is very very unusual to send a dd to board in the U.K. aged 8 or 9. You need to ask lots of questions about how many other girls board and how often they go home. I would start by looking at co-Ed schools so they can be together and it will make the weekend visits easier to coordinate.

Just don’t.

Both Bedes and St Andrews in Eastbourne have good reputations.

If it’s only for one year that would be incredibly disruptive. You’ve probably looked into other arrangements such as having a guardian for a year and remaining at their current schools?

I'd try and keep them together if you can. Where will you be living? If you can be relatively nearby it will help for visits and if you switch them back to day later on.

This is so sad, it seems very extreme, although we dont understand your full circumstances. Surely a live-in nanny would be a better option?

not the answer you’re looking for but why is work getting prioritised and the children shipped off?

can you not hire 2 full time nannies who rotate shifts. This will allow continuity of schools and friendships and keep the children in their own home. They are far too young to board. It’s incredibly damaging to children hence the lack of provision

It's likely to be disruptive in itself to go to a different school for one year, then have to change again.

So can they continue at their boarding school (boarding, part/flexi-boarding or as day pupils) thereafter?

Or can you pay for them to continue to live near their day school if you'd rather they continued at existing school except for this year? This is difficult, as you need to find someone who will be in loco parentis, that the DC will be happy and safe with, who is happy to take the role, able to live locally and you'd need to arrange accommodation for everyone.

PS: heard v good things about Wimbourne, but a few years ago now.

If they've never boarded before straight into full time at that age is too much. Look at other options. I boarded starting 8 but 1 day a week working up. It was my.choice. Home most weekends. Stayed in some. If I was told I couldn't go home it would be devastating. You can't just throw an 8 year old into a new school with no friends and no way of getting.home. terrifying for them.

Thank you everyone for the replies!
I do agree that coed would probably be the best option in this case to make things easier.
The children would also stay at their new school and wouldn’t change after just one year, although hopefully start with some weekly boarding but we’d need the option for them to stay weekends when needed. (Children will hopefully remain at their current schools for the remainder of this year.)
We have looked into guardians/nannies only a little bit but feel that a boarding school with many other children around may be more reliable. Would be interested in hearing stories about people who have done this and made it work though.

I'm a single mum with a useless ex-husband and a very demanding job that required (at the time when my daughter was in primary) very long hours and international travel at short notice. I just hired a lovely live-in nanny who was always there when I had to work. No way is boarding school the only option.

What will you do with them in school holidays?

OP, for your dd there won't be many dd around at weekends, the number of dd that board at weekends in the U.K. under the age of 11 is tiny. You need to visit a co-Ed prep and drill down in the number of girl full time boarders under age 11.

I wouldn't send my children to Cottesmore to board

feel that a boarding school with many other children around may be more reliable

Full boarding at this age is so unusual these days. I would be worried that a lot of the other children may be unhappy about boarding and homesick, been sent because the family home is traumatic, or parents emotionally detached, etc. Which would not be the fun atmosphere you may be envisaging. I am not anti boarding per se but at this age it would be an absolute last resort for me.

Junior Kings, Canterbury?

Tring Park is coed boarding and takes children from 8 to board.

Also Gordonstoun boards boys and girls from 4.

Why bother having children at all then?

Different people do things differently. 🤷‍♀️ This is the boarding school board, OP asked about boarding school. When I worked at a boarding school, very few parents actually sent their children from 4 (0-2 a year).

I'm referring to parents who board their children at age 4 @SisterMichaelsHabit, not the OP.

Walhampton is worth looking into - lots of outsdoorsy fun with coed boarding from age 7, though I don’t know how many are full time.

Not many full board at that age even if the school offers it. S Anselm's in Derbyshire is a co ed pre prep, I would go co Ed as then they have each other. You could always go single sex again at 13 CE age when there are a lot more options.

@wearedoingthis May I ask why you would avoid Cottesmore?

@XelaM Can I ask about how you found your nanny, is she very flexible? That’s the mainly what I’d be worried is that we’d require more flexibility than a nanny or two could provide as they’d need time off.

I’ll check out S Anselm's, Walhampton, Tring Park, and Junior kings thanks! Think Scotland would be too far though, will probably try to stay within a few hours of London.