More and more Auckland parents are opting to spend thousands of dollars sending their children to boarding school - even if they live just minutes away.
King's College headmaster Bradley Fenner said parents were happy to pay the extra $8000 a year to save driving to and from school and sporting activities, and to know their child was living in a supervised, structured environment. The King's hostel, which has beds for 400 students, has had a 39 per cent increase in boarders from the local region since 2002.
Year 13 student William Steel, 17, has been boarding since he started at the college in Otahuhu even though he lives in Remuera.
It would take him no more than half an hour to get to school by train, but William prefers no commute at all.
He is involved in rugby, swimming and tennis and loves the convenience of going to practice on-site, just a few minutes' walk from his bedroom.
He has also found the nightly two hours of obligatory study, or "prep", has helped his schoolwork as it is easy to do it when everyone is around him.
William's mother, Charlotte Steel, said modern technology allowed the family to keep up-to-date through regular text messages, and they enjoyed having him home at weekends.
William has two younger sisters who have sporting activities almost daily, Ms Steel said, so his decision to board had eased pressure on the family's evenings.
"Boarding depends entirely on the child. For us it's been a positive decision."
Mr Fenner said King's College students were "spending so much time here that it actually makes it easier if they live on site".
St Cuthbert's College principal Lynda Reid said the school had noticed a definite trend in local families looking to board in recent years.
"Families who live in what would have been considered 'easy commuting distance' in the past - people who live in Karaka [near Papakura] or on the North Shore - started becoming interested in boarding."
Student involvement in extra-curricular activities was increasing and 92 per cent of the senior school participated in sports, Mrs Reid said.
Because of the way sports games were run on several days of the week, students no longer had to pick just one summer and one winter sport they could play badminton on Wednesday, hockey on Thursday and netball on Saturday morning, she said.
"If a girl was the sort of student who was involved in two or three sports and a couple of cultural activities, [boarding does] make a difference," Mrs Reid said.
Mt Albert Grammar headmaster Dale Burden said there was growing demand for boarding from Aucklanders who lived out of zone but wanted their son to be a "MAGS boy".
The idea of monitored homework was a huge drawcard for parents.
Mt Albert's boarding fee was $9000 - but there were no tuition fees on top of this, Mr Burden said.
Epsom Girls Grammar School and Auckland Grammar School said they took boarders only from outside Auckland.
What are the implications and issues concerned with this story?
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This affects the relationship parents have with their kids as they don't see them as much, with all our modern technology like skype, it could never overshadow seeing your parents face to face.
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ReplyDeleteNo Andrew he goes to school by train and is in 30 minutes train ride area.
ReplyDeletethey could be struggeling with money so with him boarding it might also make the famimilies life style change.
ReplyDeleteWill I see your point but the truth is that kids can have more time todo what they want without having to go to family evenings, family sport etc, etc. Boarding might improve grades, eith more time studying, Improve the time work is sent in and give kids more rest
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ReplyDeleteYes I agree with william about the relationship but William everybody would have had there shots so even if they did get sick they were in safe hands because they have got the matriant on site and things like that.
ReplyDeleteYes Andrew but Liam's mum said that he wanted to bord so it was his choice not his parents. Andrew i also think that they are not struggling with money because he is at a private school which is very expensive and he has 2 other siblings as well so I they are fine whe it comes to the money topic
ReplyDeleteaaron I see your point but what if someone gets a non-spreadable virus such as cancer,malenima etc etc. what happens then?
ReplyDeleteAndrew i dont think you read the whole story because Liam only lives 30 minutes away
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ReplyDeleteI think that it is not good to board at school because 1, you would need extra help with homework that you don't understand and 2, you would lose your relationship with your parents and get to used to modern technology too. And number 3, it would use more money too board instead of catching the bus to school
ReplyDeleteI think that it is unfair for E.G.G.S and Auckland Grammer to only to take students from outside of Auckland to bord because what if there isnt a bus route or a train near there house and there mum or dad couldnt take them to school and neither could there neighbours or anybody what would happen then?
ReplyDeleteit is a very good idea to board because the child can do alot more activitys when they want to without there perants saying you shouldent do this because we will have to pick you up late at night
ReplyDeleteYou can't join activities that are out of school because you will always be at school.
ReplyDeleteYou might even get sick of spending most of your life at school.
I see your point Samuel but the child can sometimes be let out for weekends so the child can do a winter and summer sport aswell
ReplyDeleteI agree with williams first comment. It does effect the relationships, but if you go home in the weekends like it said in the story you would still see them face to face quite alot. So it doesnt really effect the relationships that much.
ReplyDeleteThey are in a supervised place and the housekeepers don't understand kids as well as their parents and the children may not feel happy.
ReplyDeleteThe problem also is that when the child needs something eg a blazer he or she has to contact their parents and they would have to agree and go to the shop to buy it for them and being that the child isn't there to try on the blazer the parents could waste a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteScott I see what your saying but they don't have as much time to choose because their not let out much. So they could do a sport outside of school but they wouldn't have as much time to do it as a school activitie. They would also miss out on alot of practices as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that is true Scott student will be able to do lots more after school activities and have no hassle to get back home
ReplyDeletep.s you spelt 3 words worng-activities, shouldn't and parents not activitys perants or shouldent
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ReplyDeletewhat I mean is like parents are nuts to spend 8000 bucks to send their child to boarding school and since we are similar to kings the amount of money spent on boarding should be the same
ReplyDeleteAnother problem with bording is that kids wouldn't be able to parctice sport and get coaching fromn their parents on weekdays because there at school for most of the week. They also wont be able play for a club too because they have to go to practice during the week and will be unable to make it to practices. One thing they won't learn from their parents about is manners and disiplin too.
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ReplyDeletei think boarders would miss out on family ocations like birthdays, for people that live no way near the school it's o.k. but for people that live only a few minutes away it's a bad idea wasting all of that money and missing out on everything important like birthdays when they could just save money and walk or bike to and from school and enjoy life at home with thier familys
ReplyDeleteHave you considered that kids did this to escape chores, I would do it if it weren't for the cost
ReplyDeleteI think if they bord it will teach them a stricter childhood because they wont have parents connected to them to let them stay up an extra hour until bed time or something like that
ReplyDeleteAndrew, train tickets for the whole year, to and back, just say 700 times a year (the holidays and weekends too) is $3500 so when you said it is about $8000 it is totally wrong, i don't get you all how did you get $8000
ReplyDeleteTre i don't think boarding will give the children a more strict childhood because the children are from the parent, the parents produced the kids. they will make it strict because the parents want the children to be very successful. no parent will put a curse on their own children. the parent make children do more homework they will never say you can sleep at 12 tonight also they will help the children but teachers won't do a lot of that. the teachers probably won't care about the children much because they are not their child, the teachers won't care and be as strict as much as the parents too
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ReplyDeleteI disagree Gen what about food water and power. That $8000 also consists of that. And some parents are pretty slack on their kids. In fact most are compared to some people in different countries.
ReplyDeleteNick I think it's not a good Idea saying parents are nuts for spending $8000 for there child since I think they are trying to save money and also they have found that boarding has helped there childs studies.
ReplyDeleteBen I get your point that people might miss special occasions but don't you think education is better than a birthday. Anyway they do get a chance to come home in the weekends. I reccon they could come home also in the school Holidays.
ReplyDeleteIf the kid chose then some may chose to be away from there parents nagging to do this or do that and the think they will be happier with their friends. The parents however may miss the child very much
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the recession???
ReplyDeleteIf families are willing to pay up to $10,000 EXTRA a year why not drive them or catch a train for a max of $4.00 each way.
Andrew if there parents were struggling with money why would they put there child in Boarding in the first place.
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