Weekly boarding experience

[MrPickles73]

Does anyone have recent weekly boarding experience please? What are the pros and cons?
We have found a great 13+ coed independent school for our children but sadly it is 80 mins each way from our home. We never planned for our kids to board though both are flexi boarders at their prep school and enjoy it. Weekly boarding is significantly cheaper than full boarding and runs Monday morning to Friday night. Saturday morning school (catch up lessons etc) is optional and Saturday afternoon fixtures compulsory. You can stay Friday night for free when there is a Saturday fixture.
I will miss them both but the closer (60 mins each way) day option is weaker academically, sports wise and they would be joining in yr 9 when most started in year 7..

I wouldn't worry too much about starting in y9. My son did and found that the ones who had been there since y7 were very keen to have new friends by then.

I had one that weekly boarded and it worked really well for him in terms of his sports commitments after school and like yours would stay on for Saturday fixtures which we would go to and collect afterwards.

They will have each other for support, how do they feel about boarding during the week?

I think if they want to, it will be fine. It sounds like they are enthusiatic boarders as they have chosen to do it at prep school? We are in a similar position that we never intended DS to board- his prep school is a literal 5 minute walk away- but he begged to flexi and really enjoys it. By Y9 I think he would be fine to do weekly having had the practise and a positive experience (although he won't, we actually live in the grounds of the senior school and I am not paying an extra 10k for him to sleep in a different bed ).

Both are sporty and I get the impression to get the most out of these schools you either have to live on the doorstep or board.
Joining in yr 7 would probably work for DS but less so for DD as girls seem quite cliquey at this age?

There are very very few full boarding school nowadays and most offer weekly boarding as this is the demand from parents and children. There are no full boarding girls school left now as all take day girls and most have weekly boarding. If it is managed well most rub along well together. Boarders are obviously closer as they spend more time together. Look for a school without Saturday lessons and only sport commitments on a Saturday morning so if there are no fixtures they can come home Friday night.