Eton Boarding Houses

[ebgw]

My DS has a conditional offer of a place at Eton for September 2018. The next step is to choose a boarding house. Any views or tips on this matter?
DS is academic (mathematics in particular) , energetic and loves tennis where he trains and plays at a competitive level. I am also in doubt if he should choose a house with eating in house or out. Does that make a difference? Also the distance that I noticed between some houses and the main buildings is a concern? Tips highly appreciated. Thank you

Congratulations to him.

The most important thing is a housemaster and dame who you and your DS feel will energetically and empathetically look out for him, look after him and actively encourage him to get the best out of his time at school. Everything else is secondary - location, dining, rumour ...

If he is a fussy eater or particularly sociable then he will probably prefer central rather than in house dining. More choice and you see more people. (I personally would hate to have to face fresh air before breakfast but I'm not a schoolboy.)

Location? Wherever he lives he will have to walk miles for some things and find himself fortunately close to others.

Obviously you'll pore over your initial choices - but when you visit serendipity will take over. Sure to be one or two HMs you feel particularly happy with, maybe one you mentally strike off the list after two minutes in their company ...

Just remember the HM will choose the boys he thinks will suit the current character of the house - and who will get on with the rest of the F Block cohort he has to choose. You may consider yourselves very unlucky if, at the end of his first year, your DS doesn't firmly believe that his house is the best!

This is a frequently asked question throughout the years. I’ve written elaborately on this subject on MN last September which you may find useful and another one seven months earlier here.

The bottom line is, except for College, all the other 24 Oppidan houses are similar. You may as well throw a dart at the list and see which one it strikes. But do take a shot at the KS exams and hope to go to College.

This is, of course, assuming you and your son have opted for Eton instead of Winchester. But Good Luck all the same wherever you go.