Preparatory Schools Boarding: Prevalence
Figure 1.-- Not all private schools were boarding schools, but most of the best known were boarding facilities. At one time most preparatory schools were boarding establishments. And many did not accept day children. Boarding schools were a major part of the private school system. Parents attitudes have gradually changed and modern parents are less inclined to board younger children. While boarding has declined suubstantially at prep schools, it still is a major feature at the public schools where most of the boys from prep schools continue their education.
|
|
Not all private schools were boarding schools, but most of the best known were boarding facilities. At one time most preparatory schools were boarding establishments. And many did not accept day children. Boarding schools were a major part of the private school system. Parents attitudes have gradually changed and modern parents are less inclined to board younger children. While boarding has declined suubstantially at prep schools, it still is a major feature at the public schools where most of the boys from prep schools continue their education. Parents believed that sending their boys off to boarding school was a character building experience. Many British parents now tend to think that 8 years of age is to early for children to board, but earlier it was a widely accepted convention. Of course children vary as to maturity and readiness for boarding. In some ways younger children adjust better than older ones. There is, however considerable disagreement about this ans we know of no defenitive research on this. The trend is, however, to board at an older age than was common in the past. There are now more day schools and most boarding sdchools now accept day children. The proportion of boarding to day children varies from school to school. This of course affects the character of the school. While the proprtion varies, the general trend has been an increasing proportion of day children. Data suggests that only about 15 percent of the private school children wete boarders in the early 21st century.
