How do you justify seding your child to boarding school?

[sunshine75]

I've read some pretty horrific things lately about boarding schools and the damage they can cause. See this article from the Guardian.

www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/20/damage-boarding-school-sexual-abuse-children

However, I have no personal experience of one and have no close friends who went to one. Therefore, I don't want to be hasty in forming a negative opinion about them.

So, if you chose to send your child to a boarding school then I'm curious as to why you chose to? For example, why did you chose boarding over a really good day school? Is there anyone who chose a boarding school for a much younger child and was this a really hard thing to do?

[cungryhatterpillar]

Gauss - I agree. All that you know from someone with a distinction in part III is "this person really wanted to get a distinction in part III".

Does anyone actually find part III easy? I have a distinction myself and I'd cheerfully describe it as a hellish. Although I have heard that the stats and applied courses aren't as hard as pure, but perhaps the applied mathematicians say that about the pure courses too.

[july42]

The school brochures and recommendations of those privileged to decide on whether they should send their darling child to boarding school in a nearby county lord it up. Let's not make any mistake, private school education affords many advantages these days.
Go back in time to strict prep schools in the 70's and early 80's and speak to the 'grown up' adults now. Many pupils went there because their parents worked abroad, put in an English boarding school at age 7 and then went back to their 'lives' overseas.
Whether it was out of 'necessity' due to parents choosing their work over their children's real care or a home counties parent pontificating over the pros and cons of sending a little darling to boarding school and then gee them on at weekend sports, there is a payback, The payback can be unpleasant. After all you are abandoning a young child into the care of strangers, think orphanages.
How can any reasonable parent think it is desirable to miss out on their child's upbringing is beyond belief. Many parents have been to boarding schools themselves and in their emotionally stripped belief think their children will benefit from the same emotionally stripped upbringing.

[relaxitllbeok]

Welcome to mumsnet, july42. This is what's known as a ZOMBIE THREAD.

[Kelwar]

Sorry to reply so many years later, but your 7 year olds begged to go to boarding school? It’s the sort of thing my mother tells people to justify sending my brother and I at 6 and 8.. no young child would beg to leave their family to be cared for by others.. and I’ll be interested to see how your situation with your children pans out in the future as neither my brother or I speak to our mother for sending us away so young. No judgement just fact from a child’s perspective

[Faizaali]

Hi everyone 😊

[Lynda07]

That article is about historic sexual abuse in boarding schools. Sexual abuse was rife in all institutions and many other settings, I can remember it when I was a child and teenager. Whatever the environment there will always be abuse of the vulnerable, however kids are now clued up, they are listened to and believed and schools are far better at vetting staff than ever before. So much used to go on without a lot of people knowing about it and, shamefully, children could not confide in their parents. Looking back, I don't think I'd have been able to tell my parents had I been abused.

The ones who are always in danger are those who cannot speak up for themselves, ie handicapped in some way (not only children). Then there are those institutionalised for wayward behaviour, nobody cares about them and who would believe them if they complained?

[Lynda07]

Oh blimey, the thread will soon be having its sixth birthday! Never mind, the comments may be useful to some posters.