Britain's Youngest Boarders

[tense]

This is a programme being shown on BBC2 at 9pm next Wednesday 22 September. The blurb says - documentary following boys as young as seven or eight years old when they leave home for the first time and start boarding school in England. This film tells the story of three boys - Luke, Louis and Dominic - during their first term at Sunningdale, a small family-run prep school in Berkshire that educates 100 boys, the vast majority of whom go on to top public schools like Eton or Harrow.

Just thought some posters would be interested in this.

[Waiting_For_Godot]

I'm looking forward to the editing where it shows them morose for 5 minutes and ignores the hours of happiness and saying they get sent away for weeks on end when mum actually visits twice a week and they go home at the weekend! And then I'm looking forward to virtually everyone saying what a heinous thing it is to do to a child.

Will I be watching? Of course!!!

FWIW We loved Sunningdale and sometimes wished we'd sent our boys there but we couldn't afford it at the time.

[Milla]

Can def suggest that the youngest boarder was my friend's dad who, when his father died at 2, and his mother couldn't cope, was sent to board. AT TWO!!! (He's utterly delightful, btw, no weird twitching or bitterness).
My mother never had a day's school in her life, and was then sent to board at 9. She's terrifying capable and robust now.
Husband was sent at 8. He loved the prep school, the 8-13 bit was no probs, but 13 onwards was when it got nasty. But for him, put in a class with much older boys (18 months - 2 years older being a lot at that age) was not good - bullied, etc. Similar to a friend of mine who had tragic consequences.
Probs can come when finances mean you have to pull them out as has just happened to another friend. Although you can't not do something against the possibility of unforseen consequences.

[blessedmum]

I went to boarding school at the age of ten, yes initially I missed home a lot but you form great and strong friendships. Most of my closest friends now are ladies I went to boarding school with and we know one another inside out, no trying to be what you're not. we're just down to earth and love each other.
Boarding school taught me to stand up for myself and to learn to take good care of myself. I can honestly say for all my friends that they are all bright very confident and successful women in whatever they are doing. You learn that the sky is the limit and you have to believe in your self.

There were cases of bullying but that takes places in day schools too, and even a lady I know was bullied looks back now and appreciated the experience. she learnt to stand up for herself. Boarding school can be a very positive experience.

[Susan]

Thanks for the heads up.

My DS started boarding school last year at 10 years. The school he goes to are arch-rivals of Sunningdale, so this is a must see and record.

I was so naive about private schools that I thought it was perfectly normal for a sports team to be followed about by large video cameras
Thankfully one of the other mums put me straight about it. I will be watching very closely!

I agree that the editing will determine the slant of the programme. I'm pleased to see that one of the boys is moving from a state school to prep, so that will be an interesting comparison with our own experience.

Here is the link to the BBC page http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00txn31

Susan

[sherry_d]

Blessedmum those were my exact experience too and I made very close friends too. We live in diff continents now but still have very good relationships and I spend last year's summer in the States with my family living at my friend's. Some think you have friends at the expense of family but not so in my case. I am very close with my family and live very close to each other now. It was certainly a great experience for me and DD really wants to board too and I am more than happy for her too. Fingers crossed she gets the scholarship.

I will watch this one with interest and will be interesting to see the editing. Sure the kids will miss home but I hope thats not all they show.

[blessedmum]

right on Sherry_d

Its time we meet. lolll. seem to have a lot in common.
I have an excellent relationship with my family as well. I am the last and only girl of the family and yes everyone still spoils me. My immediate bro went into boarding sch when I was born, yes 11 years gap and we are still so close. Even though we live in different continents, we are on bb all the time. I am still mum and daddy's pet and we all get together as often as possible and have so much fun.

I will not bat an eyelid if dd went into baording school as I know it will be a good learning expereince for her. Also most of the boarding kids go home weekly now, In my time, I was boarding in England whilst my family lived abroad so chance of seeing them weekly.

I will work and spend any amount of giving my kids the best education possible as was given to me and I greatly appreciate. the long and short of it is always having a loving and supportive family whether you baord or go to day school.

[sherry_d]

Hmmm very interesting and gave a glimpsy into that world.

The boys seem well rounded, confident, well spoken and very supportive of each other. Head seemed very nice too and keen on boys success.

What I am not sure about is the public display of results.

[pheasantchick]

I thought this was a positive look at boarding schools complete with the predictable crying children and mums.

I aso didn't like the fornightly scores being displayed - not very good fot the weakest students.

Although I would never consider boarding, I can fully understand why army families such as the ones shown would consider it as it forms stability for their children.

Some of the singers were superb!

[Waiting_For_Godot]

I found the programme quite dull, which is worrying as these schools seem so normal to me now! It was nice that the programme makers didn't put their own slant on it.

DS's school also has fortnightly orders which is great for parents as you know exactly where your son is. Even the parent's with less able boys find it invaluable. Little fuss is made from the boys who don't give two hoots about their orders but rather who is captain of the sports team. My son came 1st in 4 out of 6 subjects but when I asked him what his orders were he couldn't remember! Anyway, competition is good in life and quite frankly, in a class of 10 it's not difficult to work out which order you're in.