Specialized Boarding Schools Southampton

Is there a perfect age to become a boarder?

The younger the better, a year before senior school, sixth-form, when family circumstances dictate or not at all?

‘If the child is returning to a loving, stable family, they are far more likely to settle and to get on with boarding school life, knowing when they return home everything is going to be as they expect. Problems arise when the child senses tensions at home and worries things will be changed when they return.’  - Prep school head.

Why opt for a boarding school education?

Sending a child to boarding school at any age isn't a decision to be taken lightly. If the family is highly mobile and the situation is unlikely to change, boarding school can provide stability and life-long friends often from a young-age. Beware though if you're considering boarding as a way of removing a child from a stressful family situation, this isn't always a good idea - family stability has a huge part to play.

As soon as possible (8+)

The terrible twos and trying threes may seem like the ideal time to pack your youngster off to boarding school but in reality few children head for boarding school before the age of 8, though a handful of schools will take children, in certain circumstances, from 7. (The exception to this is residential special schools see special educational needs provision .) Many parents believe the younger a child is when they begin boarding, the easier they find it to settle to school routine. Others say that boarding at a tender age institutionalises the child. Whichever side of the fence you are, much depends on the child and the parents. Importantly boarding is no longer an all or nothing option; flexible approaches make boarding more popular than ever. Many children begin by staying over one or two nights a week before boarding full-time but this isn't always possible or practical.

Many prep schools (but by no means all) will bring out the best even from the shyest of violets. They will take pride in watching the child grow and treat them as if they were their own.

Some schools have a policy of ensuring they always find something a child is good at, so all have a chance to shine. This can be especially important in a boarding environment where mum and dad aren’t on-hand to give a daily dose of confidence to shell-shocked, playground-torn sprog.

Some schools – will even cope happily with bedwetting – placing such children thoughtfully in dorms (bottom bunks, near the door, close to the loos etc) with quick access to an extra duvet and spare set of pyjamas. Said one such school: ‘We’d pounce on anyone making fun of a youngster with enuresis problems but, to be honest, it doesn’t happen, perhaps because we’re a tolerant school and teach the kids to understand and be accepting of differences.’

Generally, prep schools are much kinder, more homely ...