Ludgrove vs Sunningdale

[Mandy00]

Looking to send our twin DS’s to boarding school when they are 8. I know people will have different opinions on this and it certainly wasn’t an easy decision but I went to boarding school as a child and loved it and my sons seem very excited about the prospect.

We loved the look of both Ludgrove and Sunningdale and I’m wondering if anyone has any experience of choosing between the two.
I liked Sunningdale as they do offer weekly boarding instead of fortnightly and it felt very small and homely. Ludgrove also seems wonderful, it’s very hard to choose.

One son is very very academic, the other does well but is less academic and more into his sports.

any advice would be much appreciated!

Genuine question - do you not think 8 is very young to be living away from your key caregivers? I under that sometimes circumstances this may feel an option but there is so much evidence about the potential impact on someone's emotional wellbeing.

I knew I would get these comments and I do understand completely but it’s not like a comment like this is suddenly going to give me an epiphany, as if I haven’t thoroughly thought about the pros and cons in detail :(.
many people have personal reasons including home environment which may give boarding an appeal for their children, if they have the means. It’s something that’s right for our family and sons but thank you for the concern.

I wouldn't even consider Ludgrove as it doesn't offer weekly boarding. I think 8 is far too young for anything other than weekly boarding. Are you close enough to attend week day matches too?

I don't have any direct experience of either of these two schools, but from my own experience from my children boarding from age 9, I think weekly or fortnightly boarding would work well, so long as your sons know when they are coming home, especially if they will have contact with you at matches and phone calls in between.

The important thing is that your sons know when they will be at school and when they will be home, and that you are always at the end of the phone or if they need you.

Ludgrove is a great school - both academic and sporty. The reason we chose it was that it was an ‘all in and all out’ school, which meant that all boys did the same and so some boys going home and others staying didn’t make any boy feel alone. The weekend that they don’t go home, we visited to watch sports. The fortnightly routine has been absolutely fine and the boys have great fun.

We're at another boys' prep not far from S and L, so visit them regularly for matches and know families at both - all of whom are delighted with their choices. My take would be that Sunningdale is of course smaller and maybe a bit more cosy and boys have a better chance of standing out as excelling in their field, as the pond is smaller. Ludgrove seems a lot more competitive- definitely sports-wise, but a larger pool of mates maybe. Boarding isn't for everyone but the boys I know seem to really enjoy it at both those schools, so their parents obviously made the right decisions.
Also think about where you'd like them to go afterwards and look at leavers' destinations which are probably a bit different from each other.

Sorry - I would also say that you should feel able to go and visit a few times until you're satisfied you really have a good feel for both schools and also ask the registrars to put you in touch with current parents.

I have 2 sons who started at Sunningdale aged 8 and it is a lovely family-run cosy school. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions

My preference would be Ludgrove as everyone follows the same boarding routine and we see this as a massive plus.
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The boys seem genuinely very happy and it is a school which instills a lot of fun into the boys’ days.