I posted this on the boarding school topic as not sure where to post as this is a combination of secondary health, mental health and boarding school stuff.
We’re international parents and sent him to boarding school in England after he attended an international school in Hong Kong. He struggled with homesickness in Year 9 but seemed to be doing well in Years 10 and 11, getting 8 A* (or 8/9 as they call them now) and 2 As, plus an A in the EPQ. Now he’s studying English Lit, Politics, History, and RE at A-Level.
However, since the end of Year 11, his mental health has taken a downturn. The school has a 'all-rounded' angle they like to promote, but academics aren't the priority—sports and extracurricular activities take the lead. The school's overall grades have been slipping, and he’s been really angry and depressed about it. He often bursts into tears during our calls, especially when he compares himself to others, like when he hears about someone who did better but still got rejected from a top university.
The emotional issues started up again at the beginning of Year 12, especially with a new, stricter housemaster. I flew over to check on him and talk to the school, and while he seems more stable now, I still feel conflicted. He wanted to switch to a more academic school at the start of Year 12 (like Cardiff Sixth Form or Concord) but decided against it because they don’t offer RE and are too focused on STEM. Plus, we didn't give a term's notice.
Now he’s thinking about coming back to Hong Kong at the end of Year 12 to redo sixth form at an A-Level international school, meaning he would have to repeat Year 12. I feel pretty helpless after investing so much for the past three years, and I worry that he was too young to be sent abroad. What should I do?