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Original poster

Thread For Boarders

826 replies

morethanpotatoprints · 01/06/2015 11:33

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.

OP posts:

Dreamgirls234 · 13/09/2015 13:32

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Adventurers71 · 13/09/2015 15:14

So my update after half a week!

DS said he loves it even more than he ever thought he would!

That makes it all worthwhile for me.

I'm sure that most of the DC that are taking a little while longer to settle will feel like this in time. Change is something that different people take different times to deal with.

Countdown now on for the first weekend I will spend with him in a few weeks :)

Gruach · 13/09/2015 15:26

Oh goodness - you're right, 3.15 pm today makes 4 whole days since we said goodbye.

You're very lucky to have actually heard from your DC recently. But the latest news here was that he was having the best time.

It's a big day today for both the new boys and the new HM. I admit I've been loitering beside my phone hoping for updates on stuff.

IndridCold · 13/09/2015 16:18

Just sent DS a message to ask how the installation went, was told 'It was really cool when they plugged him in!' .

Gruach · 13/09/2015 16:28

So that's what they mean about being a "foreward-thinking school"!

Dreamgirls234 · 13/09/2015 18:32

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NewLife4Me · 13/09/2015 20:51

So glad they are all settling in well and most importantly happy.
My dd has asked to stay weekends now, I'm rather upset
However, I'm not sure if others agree but I said when I receive the first report.
This isn't because I don't trust her to do her best, but because she hasn't been taught or learned anything in a classroom situation for a few years now, so I need to know she is settled academically first.
There's so much for them to take in at first and they have individual programmes and a different timetable every week. I think the weekend break will do her good.

Gruach · 13/09/2015 21:14

She's asked to stay for weekends? That's brilliant! It's wonderful that she doesn't want to miss a minute of what's going on. (It's quite common for day or weekly boarders to beg their parents to let them be full boarders once they see how much fun weekends at school can be.)

You obviously prepared her well NewLife. (Though I do understand why you might hesitate.)

NewLife4Me · 14/09/2015 09:03

Gruach

she said she finally feels that she fits in somewhere, and isn't a weird freak anymore just a week and she feels like she belongs and is meeting like minded people all the time.
besides the music though she is really interested in the academic subjects too and likes Geography best. That is surprising.

IndridCold · 14/09/2015 10:03

NewLife re the weekends obviously you know your DD best, but it might be worth checking if she is the only one who goes home at weekends. There is nothing more demoralising than getting back on a Sunday evening and everyone else is talking about what they got up to together at school when you weren't there.

I think that you will find that she is keen to stay over now, while it is all new, but that once the novelty wears off she will be happy to come home for weekends again.

I'm pleased for you that she is enjoying it though .

Adventurers71 · 14/09/2015 12:55

NewLife

I am so pleased that your DD is settling nicely. It does make a difference I think.

My DS didn't even know anything about the installation of HM so it must have gone right over his head. He didn't make it into a football team - but he was expecting this as he is totally not the sporty type at all.

I will be ready for a proper Skype call soon without being teary - I can understand why the housemasters and dames say not to be in touch too much at first. It really does allow them to settle easier even tho it sucks for us parents a little.

Does anyone have experience with Scottish Leave and how it works? Do you know what times they can leave on the day before the other boys leave at holidays periods?

I know it's a long shot but just thought I would ask :)

IndridCold · 14/09/2015 13:28

Re Scottish leave it's normally anytime on Thursday afternoon so long as there are no school commitments. I also think it only applies to long and short leaves, as there is often an event on the last night of the half.
You should organise it with your HM, and there may be variations between them.

The Installation was in the chapel for B and C only btw, so it's not surprising your DS didn't notice .

vixsatis · 14/09/2015 13:38

Newlife Adventurers- sounds as though it's all going really well.

Nearly two weeks in and I have heard precisely nothing. I'm assuming that school would tell me if he were dead

Adventurers71 · 14/09/2015 13:47

IndridCold - thank you. I have sent the housemaster a message so will see what they say.

vixsatis that made me chuckle. They say no news is good news apparently - but that would drive me barmy.

IndridCold · 14/09/2015 13:53

I have been known to use Facebook to check for signs of life!

NewLife4Me · 14/09/2015 13:57

Vixsatis

you are so funny. It would drive me mad as well, I'd be calling and leaving messages.
I'm sure our calls will diminish a little now as she settles into things.
I tried not to laugh so loud when she told me she had started Ballet class once a week, it's nothing serious though and she danced up to grade one when younger. She's not the daintiest though, perhaps better placed on the rugby pitch.
She has lost weight though even in the first week, it's running up and down 5 flights of stairs throughout the day she believes.
As for weekends, I think perhaps starting next half term, just here and there. They are very flexible and just ask for dd to tell them friday if she intends to go saturday afternoon.

Silly question but who do I contact about friends from school attending birthday party at home and sleeping over. Not sure if can be done as early January and they don't return to school until the 10th.
Would it be the girls themselves via invitation or the school, to ask parents.

vixsatis · 14/09/2015 14:53

Newlife - if you are taking boarders out you should ask the school. They may or may not check with the other girls' parents. This can be done at the same time as you invite the girls, who can make sure that their parents respond quickly if necessary.

Indrid No apparent activity on FB since June........It is indeed driving me barmy

Adventurers71 · 14/09/2015 15:04

vixsatis

If you look on facebook on the right hand side where the list of everyone who is online is - it will show the last time that person logged on (unless they choose to hide when they are online).

It can come in very handy with a DD who travels around the world for work ;) and now for a DS who is boarding and another who will be off to Uni soon.

vixsatis · 14/09/2015 16:10

But wouldn't that require him to be a "friend" of mine? He de-friended me last term "for your own protection, Mummy".

NewLife4Me · 14/09/2015 16:39

Ha Ha , for your own protection.
If you don't mind me saying vix, your son sounds like a live wire.
Just how they should be at this age.

vixsatis · 14/09/2015 17:00

He is- when he can be persuaded to communicate!

Dreamgirls234 · 15/09/2015 22:27

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happygardening · 16/09/2015 07:55

Unless you DD's weight is very low or she is displaying signs of an eating disorder I'm not sure why your HM thinks it will shorten her life, cause infertility or arthritis. Are you absolutely sure those were her exact words? Perhaps your DD could go and talk to the schools nurses/GP she could be weighed and measured to check everything is within acceptable limits and also assuming she was weighed on arrival at the school at the very least will show whether or not she's weight unnecessarily and her diet could looked at to see if it healthy and if she can do anything to improve her diet within her choices of food e.g. more cheese or even contemplate adding new foods! Teenagers have very high calcium requirements and if your DD eats little dairy she might benefit from a calcium/vit D supplement the GP can prescribe this.

Dreamgirls234 · 16/09/2015 11:27

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derektheladyhamster · 16/09/2015 16:38

what is your dd eating at school? We are constantly on the lookout for those girls who are not eating a lot. Is there enough food which she will eat at breakfast/lunch/dinner? If she is not eating much it will be flagged up by either the other girls or teachers.

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