We Are doing a taster day and night at for our son (he would most likely go to boarding school at 11 years old, possibly 10 if he's keen to go earlier). We live overseas but are British.
We are choosing between Windlesham House in Sussex (and Port Regis in Dorset as my husband's parents live in Dorset and DHs sister teaches at Port Regis)
Does anyone have any knowledge about Windlesham? We are very keen that it is not empty at weekends, that most kids stay and that it isn't just the "foreign" kids that are there at weekends. Both DH and myself full boarded and remember the weekends as being fun bonding times - obviously more important if your child is overseas. He will come home at half term and holidays and my husband is over on business so will go and see him, plus we have 2 sets of grandparents in the UK. He is sporty, average academically (although in a better school, I think he could be over average), finds social interaction a little bit of a challenge (this could just be environmental in his school I think), but I'm thinking this will change with the right environment. The pastoral care is very very important. We are not terribly interested in it being a pushy school or a feeder school into any amazing school. He is bright, he will do really well in the right environment but ultimately we want him to be happy and make friends!
So if anyone has any insight into Windlesham - good or bad,mid love to hear it. We will be making a decision most likely in the next few weeks as we will have seen both schools and done tasters at both. We do have many aqua instances/friends with children at Windlesham and they have nothing bad to say about it. Initially we were reluctant to send him to a school where there are so many other people from the country we live in, as well as someone who has just left DS's school, but given the positive reports, we would be silly not to consider it.
Please share any good or not so good things about Windlesham House (a boarding school in Sussex NOT the day school in Surrey). Thx.