British Preparatory Schools: Responsibility--Day Schools
Figure 1.--Many schools, especially those located in large cities, only offer a day program. Not all parents wanted their children to board or could afford the substantail expense. There used to be a strong association between private schools and boarding. Many educators saw boarding as an important part of the educational program. Day schools have become increasing popular as many British parents are reassessing the boarding experience, especially for younger children. These boys are preparing to go home after a fill day of school.
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Many schools, especially those located in large cities, only offer a day program. Not all parents wanted their children to board or could afford the substantail expense. Parents in particular often did not want to send their daughters to boarding schools. There used to be a strong association between private schools and boarding. Many educators saw boarding as an important part of the educational program. Day schools have become increasing popular as many British parents are reassessing the boarding experience, especially for younger children. Many formerly all-boarding schools have responded by accepting day students. The day rolls are beoming an increasingly important component of the schools student body. This has created some financial problems as many elements of the boarding program are fixed costs. Thus the loss of boarding students has affected the schools finacially. There are now quite a number if day schools which for practical purposes are all located in metropolitan cebnters. Larger cities will have several day schools. Quite a number of boarding schools have expanded their day-pupil enrollment. Location is a particularly important factor for day schools. While parents can make occassional long trips to boarding schools, day schools have to be located relatively close to home. Some day boys not located near the school find that they spend a great of time traveling to and from school. Thus they have less free time at home than they would like,. Of course the staff at day schools does not have nearly as much time to work with the children. The program is more narrowly focused on the academic program.
Many schools, especially those located in large cities, only offer a day program. Day schools and day boys at boarding schools have become an increasingly important part of the prep school system. Most boarding schools also now accept day boys and they are an important part of the school in many formerly all-boarding schools. There are a range of differences here. The emphasis on sports, for example, is commonly less focused at day schools. And the relationship among the children is commonly different as they spebd less time together. The atmoshere at these schools can be differebt that the atmoshere at boarding schools, even the boarding schools that accept day boys. Not all parents wanted their children to board or could afford the substantail expense. Parents in particular often did not want to send their daughters to boarding schools. Age was also a factor here. Other parents were concerned about boarding younger children. Some parents, however, did not view day schools as really complete prep schools, seeing the boarding as an important aspect of the prep school program.
Importance of Boarding
There used to be a strong association between private schools and boarding. Many educators saw boarding as an important part of the educational program. Of course the staff at day schools does not have nearly as much time to work with the children. The program is more narrowly focused on the academic program.
Day schools have become increasing popular as many British parents are reassessing the boarding experience, especially for younger children. Boarding has held up better at the public schools for secondary-level students. More and more British parents are coming to the conclusion that 8 years of age is just to young to send a child to boarding school. Many formerly all-boarding schools have responded by accepting day students. The day rolls are beoming an increasingly important component of the schools student body. Quite a number of boarding schools have expanded their day-pupil enrollment, in some cases changing the character of the school. Some have abadoned boarding altogether when falling numbers of boarding made the boarding section unsustainable.
Financial Problems
This has created some financial problems as many elements of the boarding program are fixed costs. Thus the loss of boarding students has affected the schools finacially.
Location
There are now quite a number of day schools which for practical purposes are all located in metropolitan cebnters. Larger cities will have several day schools. Location is a particularly important factor for day schools. While parents can make occassional long trips to boarding schools, day schools have to be located relatively close to home.
Some day boys live close to the school and can walk to and from school. Generally speaking, however, private school students live further from their schools than children attending state schools. Some day boys not located near the school find that they spend a great of time traveling to and from school even when picked up by their parents which is common. Many schools also have small school busses. Other children may take city busses or trains. However they travel, many find that thus have less free time at home than they would like. Younger children are anxious to get home in the afternoon to play with friends or watch a little television. Those with longer comutes often find they have less time than they would like. Older children who normally stay longer at school find they have even less time. Often older boys staying late at school for games and prep find that once they have their dinner and complete any homework, have little free timr before bed time.
Older Children
Many boys who begin at their prep schools as day boys begin to board by age 11. There are several reasons for this. Often the schools encourage this as part of the program to prepare children for boarding at public schools. Many parents are more willing to consider boarding for 11 year olds than 8 year olds. The children themselves sometimes are ibnterested in boarding. Many after a few years at the school find their best feriends are now at school. Others find the comute back and forth to school eachj day is tedious and a waste of time. They often have to get up earlier than the boarders and find they have little free time once they get home. Here there is considerable different from child to child,.
