School Life

Sending your child away from home for more than a week or two can be daunting for parents. How could you even contemplate a boarding school?

“Boarding schools of today are much different than they used to be,” says Marilyn Mansfield, principal of Venta Preparatory School in Ottawa.

“Small class sizes, individual attention from teachers, and learning to be independent and responsible give the student a distinct advantage,” she says. “You can teach a child better when students and staff blend together in non-academic ways.”

She says this happens spontaneously in a boarding school where activities are “ not artificial, but built around everyday life: tidying the living space, sharing meals, having teachers available in the evening to help with homework.” Students really get to know their teachers and learn to communicate with them, she says, pointing out that this has a significant impact on classroom performance and helps students achieve success at higher rates, both academically and socially.

“Today’s parents are often caught up in their professional obligations which can include travel and evening meetings,” she says. “As a result, some schools offer five-day-a-week boarding.”

Many of Venta’s boarding parents are from the Ottawa area and opt for Monday to Friday boarding to provide seamless childcare, she says. “This is particularly common when a child has no siblings. In boarding, a child has an academic and social program with peers during the school week, and quality time with parents on the weekend.”

Mansfield believes that school should be more than preparation to go to college or university. It is a preparation for life. “Boarding schools prepare students for the real world in ways that no day school can.”

Explore boarding options for your child at Venta Preparatory School