I longed to go to boarding school as a child - I was bullied in the local school and at home, at least at boarding school you have someone on your side in the whole building and if not you can lock the door. I would have no qualms with DS being a weekly boarder at a school from age 13, much as I adore him and we get on. If, of course, that was best for his education.

I've worked at a boarding school and a day school. Boarding school seemed more fun for the students as they were able to organise their time better and were able to chat to friends all evening, leaving class time as slightly more focussed on work rather than what they did last night - as they already knew and didn't necessarily want the teachers to hear about it!