Letter: Benefits of boarding school for parents and children
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: If the 'Writing (is) on the wall for boarding schools' it has obviously not been interpreted clearly (leading article, 27 April). A closer look at the statistics would reveal that although some boarding schools have been hard-hit, others continue to flourish. Of course, recession has turned many away from boarding and it may be more accceptable for some parents to claim that they do not approve of boarding rather than admit that they cannot afford it but, if you ask children they will tell you that customer satisfaction is high.
Boarding numbers at this school stand at their second highest in a decade, at least partly because so many day children choose to board in their last year or two. 'Traditional' boarders at age seven or eight may be a vanishing species but children know what they want and many parents are still prepared to pay for what they perceive as a different and special type of education.
In a buyer's market perceptive parents look carefully before they make a choice of school and there is a new realism in most independent schools: value for money is a concept no longer ignored by the successful survivors in a 'market' that may be shrinking but is far removed from terminal decline.
Yours faithfully,
H. DAVIES JONES
Headmaster
St Andrew's School
Eastbourne
East Sussex
27 April
(Photograph omitted)
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments