Boarding school -- how do they fill the time at home?

[lljkk]

Before I get slated for the mere idea, it's Summerhill I'm thinking of, not some selective or snotty public school. I am not cut out to home-ed. I think Summerhill might very much suit DS1.

Summerhill has 3x11 wk terms. DS would be home 19+ weeks a year (aack!). His friends from primary school would still be in school about 9 weeks a year of that...

So, big question is:
How do boarding school children fill the time at home? We wouldn't be able to much ferry DS around the country to see his school friends.

My brother used to take advantage and take them on hildays, otherwise lot sof playdates with friends from the same school.

I would still have 3 in primary school, so not an option to go off on long holidays (not that we could afford it or I would enjoy that, I imagine, anyway).

sorry, state primary school with 39 week academic years

A dc who enjoys summerhill should have no problems in the holidays

But there might be no one to hang out with except siblings, who will be at school themselves 9 of those weeks a year -- and he does get fed up with siblings plenty of the time as things are.

Teachers sunbathing in the nude? Eww. No one should be subjected to that sight remembers old chemistry teacher

Boarding school kids with friends in different parts of the country tend to spend a few days with them at a time. You will have to be prepared to have kids to stay for a bit rather than the odd day.

That would be ok, lazymum.
Wonder if I'll get more relies next week?

replies!

Both my DDs board 2 hours away from home. Atm we currently live where my youngest DD attended the local school. She still hangs out with her old friends and does the usual stuff. Sometimes she has to wait for them to finish school etc but she usually sees someone 3 or 4 times a week. My eldest never attended a local school here but has made a few friends locally through my youngests DD friends. Usually the older siblings.

Apart from that I have to say my girls just love hanging out at home. Most boarding schools have a very hectic schedule in term time and so my girls just love to chill. They have very little access to computer games at school so although I dont let them go on all day, I dont mind a couple of hours computing a day.

Before my youngest started boarding I used to relish the luxury of having the eldest all to myself in school hours. We would shop, hang out, bake, bike ride, go swimming etc.

They mix all the local home stuff with a few trips to grandmas etc (we are a very spread out family)as well as a few play dates with their boarding friends. We have at least one friend sleepover for 2 maybe 3 nights every holidays and usually DD goes and stays away at a friends once as well.

Ooh, that's good to read, slummy.
I thought that there would need to be some chill-out time (from the intense community experience).
Computer games is a problem, potentially for me, anyway. I think Summerhill might allow free access and potentially this makes my whole idea of DS going there absurd he would never attend class if he could play on the 'puter all day instead.

A maths teacher at my sons school used to teach at Summerhill. He says they get bored with not going to lessons quite quickly and a class full of kids who are there cos they want to be (with noone making them) is much easier to teach.

Summerhill has holidays at slightly odd times so it's not always easy to see local friends as they are at school. Dd has a friend there (who we have largely lost contact with now) & she did find the holidays a little dull as I recall.

How old is your DS1? Was just looking at the FAQs on the summerhill website and it says they don't take any (new) children over the age of 12.

What are the fees at Summerhill?

Thanks for further replies.

DS is only 9, if he went it would be start of Y7 (so not quite 12). He is a major 'puta games addict, had a huge melt down about it yesterday which is why I'm up at this dark hour being stressed out what to do about his addictive nature in that respect.

The fees ... well, maybe I read it wrong, but they're about £12k/yr. A pittance compared to posh boarding schools, I think. But of course, it's a different kind of boarding school (labour of love thing).

All the boys I know who board go home and help on the farm, or alternatively have long and gorgeous holidays abroad.

I am sure it is a lovely school - it is just the website made me think of 'Experiment House' that school in the silver chair where Jill Pole and Euatace go

Is he going to Summerhill because you want to get him off his computer addiction? It does kind of read like that.

What he does in the holidays isn't half so important as finding the right sort of school for him. Have you looked seriously at Summerhill and do you think he'd thrive there?

I'm interested that your suggested alternative is Home Ed. rather than mainstream school. Does he have any difficulty with more formal settings? I'm only guessing from what you have said - it just rang a few bells.