Safeguarding

[BellaB52]

My boys, who are quite sporty, have a desire to go to a boarding school and I have been told to look into Millfield and Repton. It will be the first time that they will have been away from home so safeguarding is a big concern. Does anyone have any insights?

@TizerorFizz -at least the kids are coming home though and able to get support from their home and their parents

Could I suggest that members that want to debate the pros and cons of boarding start their own thread, and leave this one for people that actually want to discuss the question the OP asked?

It's all nonsense if it's all one sided ... sorry but as an academic I can't believe people are so blind

As a parent I am so ashamed of my decision, Ibut I have to live with it. I think you put it well when you say that you can't believe people can be so blind @FloofPaws.

@FloofPaws I saw my DC at least every three weeks and we can talk via phones! I sometimes saw them several times a week. Others did weekly boarding. Of course we talk. How else would I know what was going on?

@Biillybiob You made a mistake but we and thousands more didn’t. My DC were vocal and we did know. The bigger issue is the schools won’t always believe what’s happening because it suits them not to. I agree but that doesn’t make all boarding bad.

Every 3 weeks, wow I see my cleaner more often than that

Some schools do have an excellent reputation for sport and it certainly makes your life easier as you don't have to do the taxiing or washing. But, depending on where you live, I would seriously consider whether the schools offer higher standard sport than you can access yourself through the local club structure. It also means that, if you're not happy with the coaching or something else about the dynamic in one sport, you can move them to another club without messing everything else up.
DD just wouldn't have had the same opportunities in football at any school and I don't think DS could have had better coaching in hockey than at our local club.
As well as the sport, it depends on the child. A friend's DD went to Millfield on a swimming scholarship only to give up swimming after a term. That causes all sorts of issues. Another friend's child went there and just wasn't quite as good as anticipated and so was in that horrid position of not quite being in the A team and conscious when he was that he was one of the weaker members and essentially on trial which really dented his confidence. If he'd played for a club too, then there may have been a better balance.

@FloofPaws Can you not read? I said at least every three weeks. Had they flexi boarded, every weekend. They liked what the school offered at weekends and were engaged with school in many ways getting a very broad education. That was fine and they chose that. School was a second home. Parents went in for house competitions, sport, music and theatre and chapel services. Loads of opportunity if you took it.

You will really have to do your research very well. The safeguarding leads will tell you the story they want you to hear. I would ask questions about disciplinary procedures against students and understand how often this is applied and ultimately how many students are expellled/asked to leave every year. If there are none I would interpret that as a lax environment. Remember schools like Tonbridge have had major incidents which they have managed to bury. So really have to do your investigation into whatever school you can in detail. The kids attending the school will likely know about these incidents so do probe. Also stay in touch with your kids and make sure they know that you are always available. Sometimes especially boys want to be macho and that everything is good. #pastoralcare #Tonbridge