Would you board DC if no private day school locally?

[LemonTea]

My DP and I have been talking a lot about our DC's education recently, but we live in an area with no day private schools. The nearest would be about 50 miles away, so unrealistic for a day commute.

I'd never really considered sending the children to boarding school (and I'm not really sure I would want to anyway), but this would be our only option if we wanted private education for both of them.

I'm getting way ahead of myself (only 3 and 1), but want to know if I should start saving for boarders fees

No. But then I wouldn't educate them privately either .

Should have said - we are thinking about secondary schools.

I wouldn't board my dcs unless the alternative was borstal. Do they have to be privately educated? If you're not 100% about local state schools can you not supplement their education with a little extra tutoring if necessary?

Move house, it's obvious

What are your state schools like?
I would never let them board, but then I wouldn't go private either

What justaboutspringtime said

No. I'd never send our dc's to boarding school.
I think what ellingwoman says is right- think about moving.

Moving house is not an option due to our business, so I guess I just have to hope that the local state schools improve in the next few years.

TBH it's not that I am really pro private education (I went to private school and boarded when my parents were away, so I know what it's like); it's just that I think the extra facilities that these schools offer are way ahead of any thing in the state sector, certainly around here.

I am just mysterfied which part of the UK has its nearest private day school 50 miles away. That must be a massive exaggeration.

What about weekly boarding?

No, of course not.

I boarded from 12-18 and was reasonably happy (after the first term of sobbing hysterically - had to be taken out of assembly as the headteacher 'couldn't hear himself think with all that noise').
I would not do it for my own children.
Even the best boarding school in the world can not provide the equivalent of a decent parental hug at the end of a tough day. Everyone deserves some unconditional love in their daily lives.

Message withdrawn

Or could you get a more flexible arrangement - eg couple of days boarding but you visiting or child coming back overnight midweek? Don't know how this would fit with the business you run?
Boarding doesn't have to be dropping them off at the start of term and not seeing them til Christmas!!

Having said that, only go for it if your kids are 100% up for it, because boarding has a lot of pressures.

I think it very much depends on the nature of your children. I boarded at aged 11, hated it for first term and a half, then got used to it and was perfectly happy.

I'm thinking that DD will probably do weekly boarding at secondary school age - she's a child that is very sociable and adjusts easily. If she were more nervous or clingy then I might re-assess.

No I would move house instead.

No indeed.

But then as others say, wouldn't send them private.

Hello MI!!! How are you?

Really tired - Scotland.

SJM - I agree with you. That's why I asked the question - is a private education worth it if you have to send the DC to board?

I think if you're asking that question after reading SJM's post, then you probably know deep down you don't want to do it. Can you not try the state school and maybe re-think at start of Year 9? That would mean they're 2 years older, and won't make any difference in terms of curriculum and exams?

No. Never.

Many pupils in the North of Scotland had to board at the local (non private) secondary schools and there are few, if any, public schools north of Perth.

yes, you can go for miles and miles and miles without catching a whiff of a private school in scotland

I would consider weekly boarding for ds if it suited him but only at secondary level.