BOARDING SCHOOL HAS ROOM FOR PARENTS

By John Horgan ANEW kind of "boarding school without ban" for boys between six and 13 will be opened in Hampshire on May 6. Its headmaster is Mr. Kevin Botting, M.A., a Catholic teacher who believes that the role of parents whose children are at boarding school has been very much neglected, and who wants to do away with the "double standard" that affects children shuttled between the different atmospheres of school and home.
Mr. Botting, who has been teaching at St. Benedict's Middle School, Ealing, for ten years (the last two as Assistant Headmaster) told the Carnotic HERALD this week that he wanted to break with the 'muscular" English tradition of education.
PUZZLED
He thinks that children axe cam very puzzled by the differences between the patterns of behaviour at school and home, and feels that this makes the child feel unsure of himself, with possibly harmful effects later on.
For this reason, all full boarders will be allowed to go home at week-ends whenever they like. and their parents will be encouraged to visit them frequently at school. There will be outings to places of interest and, Mr. Rotting added. "if the boys' parents want to come along on these they will be welcome."
Bishop Sutton School, as it will be known, is to occupy a large country house near Alresford, built
in 1866 and completely modernised. It was bought together with its grounds of about seven acres, "for a very reasonable price."
Initially there is room for about 30 boys (there were over 70 enquiries about places when plans for the school were announced) but additions to the buildings are planned and there will eventually be room for over 100.
"As both I and my wife are Catholics", Mr. Batting said. "we hope to attract Catholic boys, but if non-Catholic boys would like to come their applications will be considered with the others."
On Sundays the boys will go to Mass at one of the two local Mass centres served by a Travelling Mission of the Portsmouth diocese. "It would be very inconvenient for the priest to have to come up to this school, and we have not yet made arrangements for a chaplain", Mr. Booing said. "For the time being we will arrange a 'ferry service' for the boys, probably in cars, to Mass every week."
Boys from the school, which will also pay particular attention to games and to "the individual development of each boy", will be prepared for the Common Examination for entrance to public schools.
"What we hope," said Mr. Batting, "is that they will be a credit, not so much to the school as to themselves. that their true capabilities will be brought out and developed while they are here."
Mr. Batting's wife, who will also form part of what will be a full graduate staff, has had experience of teaching in junior schools and is an L.R.A.M. arid A.R.C.M. from the Royal Academy of Music.