I went to boarding school at age eight. My sister shortly followed me at five. Independent girls school etc. it was the 90s. We were there until 18.
I don't want to be cruel but please seriously consider taking your child and yourself out of this harmful situation. I also remember frequently sobbing to my mother at the beginning about how unhappy I was and in the end I stopped, simply because I knew she wouldn't listen. This is painful for a child to realise.
This morphed into very unhelpful coping strategies that many of the girls around me were also doing.
It's hard to describe the deep loneliness that being treated like this by your parents can do. Even if logically the child can understand the decision 'why' at eight your emotions can't.
Fact is my parents were not part of my life from a young age. My sister and I do not have a close relationship with my parents at all now and neither of us can emotionally 'forgive' what has happened. My parents of course can't understand because they were giving us a good education. Sometimes other things matter also.
House parents are not there to 'parent' your child in my experience. They are there to just make sure nothing awful happens. The nurturing is totally optional. I had many house parents in this remained consistent throughout.
If this path is really important to you then please consider starting with the boarding when he is older.
I am not being cruel in anyway because clearly you are hurting also