Alternatives to the UK

[Tiredntested]

My DS (12) will finish Year 8 in July and has got it into his head that he wants to move to boarding school after that. He's happy at home, and I don't think it's about wanting to get away from us. He just thinks he'd benefit from the more structured routine, particularly as he has dyspraxia.
The problem is that boarding schools here are just so expensive. He's been doing some research himself and has come across a few schools in Ireland, which seem to be around half the price. Having Irish grandparents, he thinks this could be a good option!
I've had a look at how the exam systems work and, on the face of it, there seems to be a fairly similar structure, just with different numbers of subjects at the Irish version of A level.
I suppose I'm looking for experiences or thoughts from anyone who's considered boarding schools abroad, particularly Ireland, as an alternative to the costs here. Where did you look, did your DC make the move, and how did it work out?

@Tiredntested

There are State boarding schools in the UK where you only pay for the boarding element eg. Sexey’s in Somerset, Canford and Bryanston schools in Dorset, Hockerill Anglo-European school on the Herts/Essex border.

Look at

www.ukboardingschools.com

Canford and Bryanston are fee-paying schools.

My kids are day pupils at an Irish boarding school - it's very international - a lot of European parents seem to send their kids for a couple of years to improve their English I think, although there's plenty from further afield too.

I will say the education system here is brilliant (we're Brits, but have experienced schools in the UK and other places) - I'm very happy with the school and the attitude towards learning.

If he's finishing year 8, he'd come straight into the first year of Junior cert here quite likely? Irish kids start secondary a year later, they do Junior Cert (Basically GCSE level) in years 2 and 3, most do a 'transition' year in year 4 which is a year where they don't have state exams (my sons school still does school exams) and they do a range things as well as their normal subjects - trips, crafts, skills and subjects across a wide range before they pick their leaving cert subjects for years 5 and 6. He'd be exempt from Irish as a subject, since he's arriving too late to stand a chance.

My DC attended a state boarding school in the UK (although they were day pupils). It's a good idea if you're looking for a good value boarding experience.

Oh - don't discount that you will need a local 'guardian' (I don't remember quite what they are called) - but basically a local point of contact who would make decisions for your son 'in country' - I know a lady who does that here for the german students (there are services) - I'm not sure how much that costs, unless you have local family who could do it.

13 is a typical age to start secondary school in Ireland so it would be a good age to move.
Typically there are 6 years of secondary school. First year to third year are Junior Cycle years, with a state exam at the end. Then transition year as pp described, though that’s sometimes optional. Then two years to a final Leaving Cert exam. Students typically take seven subjects, occasionally eight, at LC level. English, Irish and Maths are compulsory subjects usually, but your son would be granted an exemption in Irish.