Cothill and Ludgrove

[msabmsad]

What are the advantages or disadvantages of attending a FULL boarding school??

[ICanTotallyDance]

Completely not an expert on this one. I'm sure someone more helpful will be along shortly. The most obvious of the pros are:

a) Children are never left alone in the dormitories during the weekends.

b) Boarders have everything scheduled to fit in with their routine, nobody is worrying about weekly/flexi/day boarders.

c) Everyone is in the same boat- no jealousy over X going home on Friday, or Y getting to stay for the weekend activity.

d) Most full boarding schools have been around a while and know their business, otherwise they wouldn't survive providing something that isn't the default education it once was (for some families, obviously full boarding has never been the default for most children). Anyway, this means they are some of the top schools around. They know exactly what they're doing.

Cons:

a) if your situation changes, and you want your DS to spend more time at home, then obviously you have to choose between that and their school.

b) Hard to take the occasional time off, e.g. a weekend out. This is the trade off for not being left alone in the dorms.

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

Pretty impressive summary from a "not expert"!

OP At the prep I know best (which plays sport against the two you mention) there is a compulsory weekend leave of 3/4 days at least every three weeks. And of the other two weekends there will be an option of one Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening and/or one Sunday out (returning for chapel on Sunday evening.)

You probably know all this. My point is that if you take all the possible leave options (at a full boarding prep) you may find the actual difference in amount of time out of school is only a few Saturdays per term. For some parents and some children that may make a big difference for whatever reason. But ime children often prefer to stay in school when there are activities planned or just to spend time with their friends. (Not because they're unhappy at home!)

And ICan has already touched on the main difference - the ethos of the school. Boarding life is school life. They are, after all, mainly preparing children for entry to the major public schools - which will be full boarding.

[msabmsad]

What can you tell me about Ludgrove boarding provision??

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

Nothing that is not on their website.

Are you enquiring with regard to a particular child or are you perhaps researching an article?

[msabmsad]

I am just asking in general what the boarding accommodations like in a boarding school?? Dormitory size beds or cubicles??

[IndridCold]

zero OP is taking her time over her 'article' .

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

(Possibly...)

I know it can take a while to get into the way of things here when you're new.

Ho hum...

[summerends]

Is OP the one who asks the same recurring Ludgrove boarding question?

[IndridCold]

Yes, OP has asked this question before. As zero points out, the info is on the Ludgrove website .

[ICanTotallyDance]

Huh. That's rather odd! OP you really would be better off reading their website!

[summerends]

OP, you have a rather bizarre interest in the sleeping arrangements of Ludgrove. If this is a legitimate fact finding exercise I am sure Ludgrove will provide the information and you can arrange a visit. I wonder if you have not asked similar questions about Ludgrove over the years under different names.

[ZeroSomeGameThingy]

So now, when I feel like a spot of enquiry before responding I have to erm... interrogate not just the obvious but the un-obvious as well? Fun.

I did wonder why this thread was so quiet.

[summerends]

Zero you and IcanTotally at least have the moral high ground in being your usual helpful selves

[summerends]

I on the other hand seem to have acquired a rather useless memory of posters' styles and comments over the years .

[IndridCold]

I'm afraid I have a memory like that too summerends. Sadly, it is combined with the inability to ignore bizarre posts .

[summerends]

Regard it as fulfilling a public duty to alert other Mumsnetters IndridC

[happygardening]

Is it the same OP? How extraordinarily bizarre what is thus fascination with Ludgroves boarding provision? OP if you really want to know about it go and look at it for yourself, most schools have open mornings when virtually anyone is free to attend if they wish.
All boarding Preps are different some have huge dorms others little one you can't generalise. Ludgroves website site says they sleep in dormitories and the one picture looks like a bunk bed or normal bed to me. But I suspect you've already looked at their website.