Have you ever considered if boarding could be right for your family? The first national, free Introduction to Boarding event at Trent College, Long Eaton next Saturday (16 June) is the perfect chance to get answers to questions you may never have realised you even had.
From 9am to 1pm, An Introduction to Boarding, supported by the Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) and UK Boarding Schools.com, will examine the changing face of boarding in Britain and why many schools are now offering boarding to suit hectic 21st century family life, including flexi, Monday-Friday and Sixth Form only options.
The image of the traditional boarding school could not be further from the reality found in the boarding houses of many of England’s independent boarding schools today.
And TV presenter, adventurer and former boarder, Ben Fogle, is among a wide variety of guest speakers who will aim to sort out the boarding facts from fiction to help equip families with the knowledge to make informed decisions about boarding education.
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This is the first and, to date, only planned national event about boarding and presents a unique opportunity for families to have all their questions answered honestly and impartially by some of the country’s most respected voices on the subject.
Other expert speakers include Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the Independent Schools Council, journalist and broadcaster Annabel Heseltine, who has written on parenting and education for 25 years, and Dominic Moon, Senior Education Consultant for The Metropolis UK Boarding Schools Guide. They will be joined by pupils, parents and other school representatives to address questions like what are the benefits of boarding, what boarding options exist and how to choose a boarding school.
It is estimated a third of the British athletes set to take part in this year’s Olympics will have been educated at independent schools while Champions League winning footballer, Frank Lampard, and England and Nottinghamshire cricket star Stuart Broad were also privately educated. Boarding schools are now the most buoyant part of the fee-paying market.
Rebecca Singleton, from Coxbench, Derbyshire, is one professional parent who, with husband Richard and sons Sixth Form student Tom and Will, who is in Year 9, made the decision that the boys would become boarders to ensure consistency in their education and extra-curricular interests while adapting to their parents’ busy lifestyles.
Mrs Singleton, Marketing Director for Morrisons Supermarkets based in West Yorkshire, explains: “When the boys suggested they wanted to board we were unsure if they would like it. On reflection it has been the best thing for them. They recognised the benefits of boarding, ranging from less travel time to and from school to more structured study time, as well as making the most of extra-curricular activities. Both boys totally immersed themselves into the boarding community and developed their confidence and independence. They have truly made the most of everything on offer.”
For more information on An Introduction to Boarding please visit www.trentcollege.net and click the homepage link, contact 0115 849 4950 or follow @IntroToBoarding on Twitter.