French mum needs help to find a boarding school near London airports

[isadup]

Hi, I am not familiar with this english schools, but I read on this forum that people help each other to find the right one, so I figured you might help me ? As I was 12 and above, my parents sent me to en english boarding school for the summer term, three times, to help me learn english with a proper english accent. I have been thankful all my life. I would like to do the same with my eldest son, who will be 12 next year. I am therefore looking for a school (full boarding) that would accept him for the summer term only. My requests are that the location stays within 45 min max of the airports (roughly), that the "pastoral care" is good (I learnt this expression here and suppose it means that boarders are taken care of like in a little family, am I right ?), and that the school doesn't empty at week ends... So far I have only had negative answers (from Windlesham, Papplewick, Felton Fleet...)

It would be great for me if you could give me names of nice school, where my little boy, not used to boarding at all, could feel well, with kind friends ? Thank you so much for your help !

Have you looked at the summer boarding schools. One of the Cambridge Language Schools (not just in Cambridge). They do boarding school summer only for 8-13 years old.

Also a number of the private boarding schools double up as boarding English Language schools for the Summer.

Sounds like a wonderful opportunity and experience for you son.

You may find that none of the big names will accommodate your son for 1 term. However, Ardvreck School in Scotland (Edinburgh Airport) regularly take French children for 1 term. Give them a call, it is a wonderful experience of British and Scottish culture - www.ardvreckschool.co.uk

Mill Hill International (part of the Mill Hill Foundation) was set up just for this purpose. The students mix with the 'normal' students for some lessons and activities, so they don't just meet non-native speakers. There are also English language lessons.

For a 12 yr old boy you probably need to be looking at boarding prep schools. Oxford is just on your distance from Heathrow; you could approach the Dragon School and Summerfields, and see what they say.

Salisbury is further away; but I mention it as Salisbury Cathedral school has a regular exchange with a South African school and I guess would be quite welcoming to other exchange students. Their boarding house is fairly small but there are always choristers around on weekends.

The poblem you have with a 12 year old is that he would need to go into Y8 to be with his peer group, and the summer term of Y8 is entirely taken up with revision for Common Entrance and then end of school celebrations so I can se why many traditional boarding preps would find it hard to accommodate him at this stage.

You might have more luck if you could wait until he was 13 and in Y9.

Otherwise, I believe Northbourne Park take a significant number of French students - and arrange transport back to France at end of term and exeats.

www.northbournepark.com/international-pupils.aspx

King's Ely (about an hour from Stansted) used to do this for yr 8s. It might be worth checking if they still do. Www.kingsely.org

you could also try Giggleswick - 45 mins from Leeds/Bradford, 75 mins from Manchester

I think Old Swinford School which is a state boarding school in Worcestershire offer an exchange scheme. I am not sure if this will be affected by EU Exit, however. The fees may be cheaper as it is a state boarding school. The nearest airport however is Birmingham. Heathrow is about 2 hours away on a good run.

Alternatively I would second a summer programme. Plenty if schools offer these but as a PP said these schools often start at 13+. If you want one for a 12 year old, have a look at Bromsgrove, again in Worcestershire . The definitely offer a programme for younger pupils. I think they collect from the London airports.

My kids are full boarders at Kingham Hill and they regularly have european students board for either a term or a year to improve their English. They have a twin program with a school in Germany but also a number of Spanish students currently. 75 mins from Heathrow, so a little further away than you requested but it may work for you. Plenty of weekend activities (more so than other schools where friends have children).

I would also suggest Kingham Hill. It is nurturing and fairly flexible with shorter placements. Good Luck!

I thank you all so much for so much help, really ! I have taken contact with Mill Hill and discovered that as you say many schools provide summer programs. I didn't know the end of 8th year was so hard with many exams...
Schools with many foreign pupils were not really what I was searching for, as I hope my boy will stay as far as he can from other French children ;)
I still can't believe the prices, around 8500 pounds a term ?! Can anyone give me an idea of the percentage of children going to this kind of private boarding schools ? Most French pupils go to public day school, which is totally free... I mean it's very fair, of course, but does it concern most English child ? Sorry to be so unaware. Thanks so much for your help !

Only a small percentage of English children go to fee paying schools and an even smaller number go to boarding schools. Most children go to free state schools and live at home with their parents.

Wikipedia says 0.5% of UK school children go to boarding school, and about 7% of UK children go to independent (fee-paying) schools. Very very few people can either afford the fees or want to send their child away to board.

Actually most British boarding schools - especially at prep (u13) level,are de facto international schools. At this age most boarders are from China, Russia ( and former Russian republics) Nigeria etc. Theses are essentially children perfecting their Wnglish etc before moving into secondary at 13.
Very few UK based families send their children to board at this level with a few exceptions for military and diplomatic families and those with special family circumstances. Most UK families keep children at home until they are at least 11 and then ease them gradually into boarding via flexi ( the odd night) and weekly boarding.
That is partly because most families cannot afford it and partly because most feel it is better for the children to stay at home.

Try Cothill House. The headmaster is a linguist (French and German) and the school sends its own boys to live in France for a term when they are 11/12. So they might be sympathetic to what you are looking for.

I agree - a summer programme with loads of other non English speaking kids is not much use....

Aldenham school. 15 minutes from Luton airport

You could try contacting Hockerill in Hertfordshire - www.hockerill.com . It's a state school (no fees for day pupils) that offers 'state boarding', which is boarding but at a fraction of the price. If it's not suitable they might be able to offer advice in any case.

It’s not near London, but Denstone College in Staffordshire definitely take children for a term to learn English. Your son could fly to Manchester and the school is an hour from there.

Bonjour!

We host foreign students for an organisation called OISE.

The children live with a family and attend a language school during the day.

We've been taking students for this school for about 10 years. The kids all like the school and some return for a couple of years so it must be good.

We are about 60 minutes from Heathrow.

I believe west buckland offer this . Bristol airport ?.
Another option is and American children’s camp. Some still run traditional 7 week programmes. Could go every summer and acquire a US accent!
www.pointopines.com/about-our-summer-camp/life-at-a-sleep-away-camp/