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Whilst Hong Kong has always been a major source of student recruitment for UK boarding schools due to historical ties, there has been a steady uptick in the number of students opting to join UK boarding schools from other major Chinese cities like Shanghai. That became even more pronounced after the pandemic, as travel restrictions were lifted and many teaching staff at international schools – many of whom had lived and worked in the city for many years – decided to return home or move on.
Fifi, a Shanghai-based mother of three, was one of those who took the plunge and enrolled two of her children at UK boarding schools since the end of the pandemic. Whilst she has no regrets, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Her eldest joined Rugby School but had to take a semester out after feeling homesick and isolated (he has since returned); her younger son trialled a semester at Christchurch Cathedral School in Oxford and enjoyed it so much he stayed.
Choosing to enroll your child in a boarding school across the other side of the world isn’t a decision you can make lightly. It is a time-consuming exercise that involves doing your research, visiting the schools, testing and interviews. Those involved in the process say it takes 2-3 years of preparation before your child actually takes up the place. It also requires significant monetary investment. Most children join at the age of 11 which means parents will be paying seven years of fees. Whilst fees vary, an average of £25,000 per year for fees is not unusual (and with VAT of 20% being passed onto parents from January 2025, prices are only going to rise). If students join in Year 9, recommended as the latest point of entry, they will have a year to get acclimatised to the school culture, before the hard graft of the two-year GCSE exams preparation begins.
Who can help?
It’s a lot to manage by yourself and that’s where agents and consultants can help for a fee between 30,000-500,000 RMB. A whole package might include closing the gap between a student’s current academic attainment and what they need to achieve in order to be admitted by their target school, monitoring the application, liaising with the school, practicing interviews, and boosting exam skills. As there are over 2,000 boarding schools in the UK to choose from, consultants can help find the one that is the right fit for your child.
Is boarding school right for my child?
That depends on the child. Children who are communicative, outgoing and sporty are more likely to be successful, consultants say. Children have to be willing to get outside their comfort zone and become part of their new community. On top of that, a key indicator of possible success is their fluency in English. If your child is moving from a Chinese school or a bilingual school where English isn’t their first language, they might struggle to succeed academically if their English is letting them down. That’s why consultants recommend moving your child earlier to a UK boarding school, or even enrolling them in summer camps or finding English tutors in advance of starting boarding school so that they won’t experience too much of a culture shock. Schools advise against moving your child after 13 unless he or she is fluent in English because the barriers to success are too high. Grace left an international school in Shanghai at age 13 to join a high-achieving school in Surrey. She told her mother that classmates from China who are stand-out students struggle with the amount of new English vocabulary in subjects like Biology and Chemistry. Grace thought her English was pretty good but struggled initially with essay writing. It was difficult for her to fit in at first– many girls had been at the school since nursery, or had joined at 11 and had already formed bonds. It took her half a year to start to feel settled with a group of friends, but now she’s very glad she came.
Which boarding school should we choose?
Whilst top-tier schools like Eton and Harrow are the best-known, parents are warned not to pick a school just because of its brand. More important, is to find the one that will suit your child. Richard Houchin, Director of Admissions at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, a school that has 80% boarders, explains that girls who aren’t already academically excelling won’t be a comfortable fit for the school. But that isn’t the only criteria that’s important when it comes to being admitted. The school puts an emphasis on soft skills, and student welfare is paramount. In the last seven weeks he has visited Shanghai twice, speaking to small groups of parents to educate and inform them about what a UK-style education can give their daughters. That can be difficult, as typically, parents equate ‘good’ schools with ‘good’ exam results and there is a culture of tutoring outside school which puts children under even more pressure to achieve. Whilst academic results are important, Houchin says education is more than that. A narrow focus on results, he insists, goes against the whole ethos of education in the UK.
What do UK boarding schools offer?
So what might your child get that’s missing from their current educational experience? Well, for one thing, most UK boarding schools worth their salt will be interested in cultivating the whole person, helping students develop into their own people. With no parents or ayis around, children have to develop independence and problem-solving skills to help them with life and relationships. Boarding school enables a very wide educational experience, more freedom to choose subjects and academic pathways (some boarding schools offer International Baccalaureate and A Levels) and a rich extracurricular provision with an emphasis on trying new things. Many schools are based in the English countryside, so it’s relatively safe and there’s plenty of green space and fresh air. Being in an English language environment, for most of the day, and being immersed in English culture, just feels very different to being back in Shanghai.
Teacher support is good, teaching standards are high, and mental health support is widely available. Christie Carson, an EAL teacher and consultant, believes that UK boarding schools are effective at looking after the individual needs of a student. If a student is struggling (or, conversely, needs promotion to a higher class) the school will be proactive at giving them extra help or finding the class that suits their level.
Top tips from parents
Check the school’s cell phone and devices policy. Will your child have access to their devices to contact you during the week or just at the weekend?
If your child will need English language support, check the English as an Additional Language (EAL) provision at the school – are staff qualified? Are exams such as IELTS available?
Thinking ahead to university – does the school have mentoring and support for students hoping to attend universities in the US, Europe, Asia and UK (if this matters to you)?
Consider having one parent live nearby the school to lessen separation anxiety, at least for the first year while your child is getting settled. Students can board weekdays and return home at the weekend.
Check how easy it is to meet staff at the school if you can’t attend a scheduled online or in-person parent-teacher conference.
For more information on the regulation of UK boarding schools and inspections visit https://www.boarding.org.uk/.
