Thread For Boarders

[morethanpotatoprints]

Just thought I'd start a support thread for those either starting this september or established boarders happy to help those with many queries.

There are quite often individual threads for particular schools but it doesn't necessarily say whether boarding, day, private or state in the title. So I thought this would be a good way of getting us all together and also for those people from overseas looking for particular types of schools.

My dd is starting in sept and will weekly board, atm I am gathering uniform and other essential items and will begin the labelling process soon.
I do quite like this as sad as it seems, I find hand sewing very therapeutic and relaxing for some reason.

For the avoidance of doubt, that's copied from Wikipedia.

Thank you grovel

I now have visions of our children walking round in such dress. It sounds like the equivalent of our gentlemans smoking jacket

Just sorting her wardrobe out today, it's surprising how much you can throw when you are faced with labelling the lot

She has so much stuff and half of it she doesn't wear or has grown out of. The dirty mare also has 3 large sacks of washing I've a good mind to make her do it herself, she'll certainly be helping with some ironing.

You see, Morethan, it's things like that you need to think of when you get weepy - you'll miss her, but not her laundry pile/untidiness/whatever.

I know that when DS starts full boarding I will not miss getting half a field of mud out of rugby kit, or super-ingrained grass stains out of cricket whites. I know the matrons at DC's school have been known to resort to filling a bath with industrial strength Vanish solution and chucking in 33 sets of whites.

Great unsung hero(in)es:

Those who do boarding school laundry.

grovel Thank you for "mufti" definition. Learned something new.

Top mufti tip: do not send back anything which cannot survive being(for very understandable reasons) boil washed in a mixture of dettol and vanish, unless you have a very organized teenager who will hand wash his/her own precious stuff and not let it get lost in what seems to be a great communal heap.

All this talk of huge laundry piles has made me realise why they might boil wash everything. Yuk, can you imagine some of those awful smells.

I am making dd bring bras, socks and undies home at the weekend and then have more ready to take back sunday night.

The only other thing will be the occasional sheer blouse she'll wear for some performances, perhaps only once a term.

Surely they won't boil wash their blazers and sweaters?

Another silly question.
How often do yours have to completely bring everything home? Is it end of term, half term, school year? I mean not just clothes but all their belongings?

stealth

Sorry, missed you off the last post. Yes, would gladly see her gone tomorrow when I see the mess in the room. I still haven't finished it and no doubt won't tomorrow either. I know in my heart I'll even miss the mess though, but I know that family and friends will keep an eye on me

You can ask what the system is for end of term clear out of rooms . My dd always had to completely clear her room at the end of each term - no one could keep anything at school over the holidays . It makes you quite ruthless about not sending her with too much stuff! I doubt there will be more than basic storage space . Dd took some plastic boxes that slid under her bed for shoes and other bits and bobs. Rooms need to be kept tidy. Extension lead and double plugs a good idea too . Hope this helps !

At dds school they run residential Easter & Summer Schools so rooms have to be cleared then.

They don't boil wash stuff there as far as I know as the leotards & unitards would be ruined. But everything goes through the tumble dryer.

Dancingqueen

I hope there is somebody as considerate as you at dd's school. You sound like your weight in gold.
Are you from a dancing school or is your nn nothing to do with it at all?
Anyway, you have helped no end on this thread so very much.

dancingqueen I'm about to start a new job, same thing as you by the sounds of it. I'm quite nervous having had no previous experience!

Would it be ok if I pm'd you?

If anyone here knows Abingdon, Ruthin, Brighton, King's Canterbury or Oundle - or if anyone is a HK parent with a child boarding in the UK you might be helpful to this poster who needs advice.

Thanks Gruach

I did see this but don't know the schools at all, and didn't think to link to this.

I'm a HK parent but unfortunately don't know any of those schools to comment. Although I think the UK will need to brace itself as more and more HK Chinese become disenfranchised with the HK system are sending over their children. I have several friends already throwing in the towel and have applied to UK Boarding schools.

morethan when it comes to mufti (home clothes) like so many other things schools vary considerably. At DS's school they only wear "uniform" which is usually a suit of your choice, when in lessons the rest of the time they're in home clothes, so they need quite a few, in other school as said above home clothes only at weekends/evenings. As your DD is coming home at the weekends just send a few things initially then see how ieverything works.
DS's school laundry is excellent and very efficient suits are dry cleaned and turn around is very quick, underpants and socks go in labelled net bags so don't need naming, DS has one cashmere jumper which he obviously doesn't send to the school laundry (he's very organised) but otherwise everything else goes and seems to be appropriately washed. Some schools will wash cashmere lambs wool etc by hand or in the wool wash so if yor DD has some pretty jumpers she wants to take check with her matron on the first day if thus is ok from a washing point of view.

The school would like me to register DS with local GP. I'm keen to stay with our GP at home. DS has SEN issues and our GP has been important part of getting a diagnosis. I'm not wanting to move quite yet is this okay? What has everyone else decided?

Registering him with the school GP will not (ime) prevent you from using your regular GP during holidays and exeats.

But it is fairly imperative that there's someone on the spot who already has access to all his medical details while he's in school. Particularly in the first few terms while he's settling in he may pick up more minor ailments than is usual at home - bugs, aches and pains, etc. If the school nurse feels the need for a GP visit it's important that that is someone who can make assessments based on contextual understanding. And without delay.

T IME school GP registration is more trouble than it's worth although a lot of school health centres insist. If a DC is not registered with a GP then officially they can only be seen as an emergency. Personally I would prefer this temporary registration to be at the school end because then the routine appointments for more chronic or 'non urgent' ailements can be arranged by the parent during the long holidays (especially useful for younger DCs or self-conscious teenagers). As a parent you can also keep an eye on prescriptions rather than relying on your teenager to remember to ask.

I think the school GPs are variably unhelpful from reports from DCs which is why sometimes having a parent's support during a routine visit is a positive.
The other thing is that busy DCs resent the time taken out to go to the health centre for non acute illnesses during term time so may decide to wait until the holidays anyway.

Most schools will insist that you register with their GP, the registration form will usually be in the school welcome pack. Most GPs will not prescribe medication without this registration and some schools won't give medication like concerta unless their GP has approved it they are after all acting in loco parentis. There are also issues re routine vaccinations. Your school health centre will need to know about and manage any existing illnesses like asthma diabetes etc and cannot do this without you registering with the school GP. IME most school GP's take their responsibilities very seriously they often specialise in paediatrics/adolescents and will have more experience than your average GP they will happily meet parents, talk to them on the phone or via email. They are also happy to see children or do telephone consultations over the phone. Basically your child is at school more than he is at home therefore this is where he has to be registered. The one who look after the boys at DS's school are excellent, very efficient and helpful as are the receptionist staff. Your local GP/walk in centre etc has to see you during holidays you register as a temporary patient and prescribe medication but generally will not refer you to a NHS specialist due to funding issues.

Interesting summer you've had a different experience I've spoken to the GPs at Winchester three or four times in term time and holiday time and found then to be excellent and very very helpful.