Most children are day pupils who attend schools in the independent sector. They often live in areas further away than normal day state school travelers. The children can sometimes have their home 20-25 miles away. If you want your child to attend as a day school student then consideration should be given to traveling distances. Consider rail and bus links and if you like the look of a school, but it seems difficult to get to, check whether it runs its own bus service, as many do. If not, the travel may be able to be split between parents who reside in the same area.
But you may want to consider the benefits of a boarding school education; don’t dismiss it just because it is unfamiliar. There are more schools to choose from and the trouble and expense of the daily trip can be avoided. Boarding schools are not the right choice for all children but most find the experience enjoyable and are excited by the prospect of being away from home during term time. Many children have a mixture of day and boarding experience – often in the same school.
Weekly boarding or flexible boarding are options that have increased in popularity recently. Children travel home at the weekends which works well for parents who both have jobs.When both parents are tied down by a full time job. Private prep school often helps to free up restrications on time. parents often find that this method enhances the limited quality time that they spend with their kids at the end of a hectic working week. A large proportion of parents send their children to boarding schools that are close to the family home. Or, if the parents are often out of the country or moved around a lot in their work, they tend to pick schools near family or friends.
If you make a list of all the suitable boarding schools for your child and then consider all their strengths and weaknesses, this will really help your decision making process. Day pupils are welcome at most boarding schools also. Your child could start as a day pupil but enjoy the flexibility of being able to convert to boarding later. Many day children, particularly in preparatory schools, take the opportunity to be occasional boarders for a few nights a year. Boarding schools have lots of options and flexibitly so chances are you will find one that is right for you