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Connect with fellow parents of boarding school students on our supportive forum. Share experiences, tips, and insights.

Connect with fellow parents of boarding school students on our supportive forum. Share experiences, tips, and insights.

Boarding school

Weekly boarding schools?

20 replies

missylissy9 · 17/10/2023 19:21

Currently looking at weekly boarding schools for DS (currently in Y5). Myself and DH both boarded as teenagers and absolutely loved it. He boarded full time and I did weekly and we've decided that we would like our DC to board as weekly boarders so they still spend time at home but equally have the boarding experience. He does a night or two boarding at his current school every few weeks (very flexible) and loves it so we know he could thrive when he starts properly boarding in the future.

He's outgoing and confident, very sporty and in terms of academics I'd say he's in the middle. Very strong on maths and science but slightly weaker with his English skills.

We're ideally looking for co-ed, within 90 minutes of London and the Ascot/Windsor area. Also strong in the sports department as he is really into his sports (rugby mainly!).Heard some good things about Wellington but otherwise just looking for some recommendations!

(Had posted this in secondary education before realising there was a dedicated board for it)

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DTTop · 20/10/2023 09:41

From what you described, Tonbridge School would have been perfect, except that it's boys only.

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Carcassoneship · 20/10/2023 09:45

Caterham offers weekly boarding and looks like it could be a good fit: www.caterhamschool.co.uk/school-life/boarding/weekly-boarding/

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tealgate · 20/10/2023 10:16

You are going to have a bit of an issue with sports matches, aren't you? Most boarding schools and lots of other private schools run coaching on Saturday mornings and matches in the afternoon. It means your 'weekend' at home will probably only be from 4pm Saturday until Sunday night.

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motherissueshelp · 20/10/2023 10:19

Holyport College?

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Legoninjago1 · 20/10/2023 17:27

Cranleigh? Quite strong at rugby I believe.

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SummerInSun · 20/10/2023 17:29

Hailbury?

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RedPanda2022 · 23/10/2023 17:05

St Edward’s oxford
bloxham
both above have sport +++

pangbourne (need to visit to see if you like it, we were worried about the naval connection but discovered it was not that prominent, not accepted a place but nothing to do with the school we just had a few offers to pick from)
Bradfield - unsure if offer weekly
shiplake is now coed all the way through

Afraid I only really know our relatively local options, St Edward’s is probably the strongest academically and somewhat stronger than the others.

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Blewitt · 23/10/2023 21:30

Lord Wandsworth College would be a good option from what you describe. Right distance, mixed, good sport and academically sound. My friend has has 2 boys there and they have been really pleased with it.

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FloofCloud · 23/10/2023 21:40

What's the benefit of them boarding would be my question

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missylissy9 · 23/10/2023 22:42

Thanks for all your suggestions, will take a look at them all.

@FloofCloud Something that has always been done in both mine and DH's family's. Everyone in both our family's boarded and absolutely loved it. Gets to spend more time on his sports and with friends. I feel at 13 he will be ready, he's already doing a night every two weeks and loves it. Nearly all of his friends will go on to board as well, whether that be full or weekly.

OP posts:

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Legoninjago1 · 24/10/2023 08:23

Bradfield and Charterhouse don't offer rugby at all I don't think. If you're not completely set on co-ed, Radley might be worth a look? Otherwise Wellington would seem to tick all your boxes.

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paiop · 25/10/2023 18:06

Sounds like you have had a lot of good recommendations here but I'd recommend you go along to as many as you can on their open days and quiz the kids you meet.

Epsom is a really good call for weekly boarding. Also Wellington as another pp mentioned.

A pp mentioned Radley but they are 100% full boarding. Other Oxfordshire schools that were recommended are good, but you might struggle to get there in 90 mins, depending on where you are. Although st Edwards, Pangborne and Shiplake also do rowing and you may not have thought about this already but your sporty DC might want to try a new sport. Shiplake is a huge one for rowing but their boarding option isn't great. It sounds like you want a boarding school that allows weekly boarding as opposed to a day school that has boarding. There is a big difference- find out about the shape of the day and if day pupils stay till late or leave at 4!

As weekly boarding you really want to consider the commute time as if they only come home on Saturday after their matches and then go back on Sunday they may also want to stay home till Monday morning sometimes.

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Xiaoxiong · 30/10/2023 11:10

I'd be looking at Wellington, Teddies, Oratory, and Marlborough (only an hour from Windsor/Ascot)

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Sparehair · 08/11/2023 08:43

Marlborough is a great school but full boarding and quite strictly so ( exeats only) It’s an expat favourite because of that. We looked at it for ds as we were living overseas at the time but then we moved back to uk so chose somewhere with more weekend flexibility.

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smilesup · 08/11/2023 08:46

Does he want to board? My DF was made to board as it was what the family did and he hated it.
As a parent of 3 teens I can't imagine not wanting them around as much as possible before they leave home.

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Xiaoxiong · 08/11/2023 17:38

@smilesup this is on the boarding schools board. According to the OP the DS in question is already happily boarding, they just need suggestions for senior school options.

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tedgran · 08/11/2023 17:55

A relative is at Bradfield, they love it, got brilliant results in their GCSEs, dyslexic, support has been fantastic. Weekly, but Saturday mornings at the school.

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ChickenSoupAndLokshen · 08/11/2023 18:05

Shiplake College might fulfill your criteria.

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Dancingdreamer · 25/11/2023 14:21

Sparehair · 08/11/2023 08:43

Marlborough is a great school but full boarding and quite strictly so ( exeats only) It’s an expat favourite because of that. We looked at it for ds as we were living overseas at the time but then we moved back to uk so chose somewhere with more weekend flexibility.

I don’t remember Marlborough having loads of expats when my DD was there. I would also say that the fun of boarding at Marlborough is all the activities organised at the weekends simply because the school doesn’t empty out at weekends.

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Sparehair · 25/11/2023 15:11

Dancingdreamer · 25/11/2023 14:21

I don’t remember Marlborough having loads of expats when my DD was there. I would also say that the fun of boarding at Marlborough is all the activities organised at the weekends simply because the school doesn’t empty out at weekends.

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I think it’s now around 15% have parents who live overseas, so mixture of international and expat. My comment was more than it is one of an increasingly small pool of boarding schools that mandate genuine full boarding vs. offering pretty flexible weekend arrangements where full boarding is available but not the norm, even if the only fee option is full boarding. In this case the OP actively wants her son home every weekend so Marlborough would not be a good choice for them.

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