BOARDING
nights a week or just stay occasionally when there’s a late rehearsal or training, or to put in some extra revision when exams are approaching. Flexibility is particularly popular in families with younger children. Only around a third of junior boarders stay full-time, with over half flexi boarding and 10% going home for the weekends. That level of variation makes boarding a family-friendly option, say schools. Every parent knows how hard it can be to juggle all the demands that keep family life running smoothly, particularly when they are working full-time. By offering occasional or flexi boarding, schools can take away the stress of making last- minute childcare arrangements when a work trip or late-running meeting gets in the way. Boarding offers an appealing balance of supervision and fun. After homework is completed (something many parents are delighted not to be overseeing), pupils take part in clubs, sports or enjoy being with their friends. The flexibility has helped to ensure continued popularity of boarding into the 21st century. While postal deliveries will continue to be owl-free and corridors devoid of supernatural manifestations, the care that schools take to make boarding a fun, enriching and nurturing experience has a magic all of its own.
38 SPRING/SUMMER 2023
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