Sending a child to boarding school need not be a traumatic move

Ask children their impressions of life at boarding school, and they generally fall into two camps: the Harry Potter-Hogwarts camp, where it's all delicious meals, great friends and thrilling adventures; or the Roald Dahl camp, where slops, beatings and loneliness are the norm.

Boarding school is a divisive topic that elicits extreme reactions from both children and adults. But what is boarding really like? What are the pitfalls and, indeed, the upsides?

Mandi Corso, a mother of three, is the first to admit that for years she and her husband, Patrick, were firmly in the "we will never send our child to board" camp. But in April, their 11-year-old son, Oliver, flew to Britain to start boarding school.

"Our views and world were thrown into disarray when an educational specialist suggested we consider Summer Fields in Oxford," Mandi Corso says. "We had heard of the school's great reputation, but knew if we were to be thorough about deciding on the next stage of Oliver's schooling, we had to visit. We were taken on a school tour by two pupils and were blown away by their composure, the sports facilities and the professionalism and warmth of the staff. My husband and I both had an instant gut feeling this was the perfect fit for Oliver. He was offered a place and we never looked back."

Oliver says he was nervous about starting at Summer Fields, but the experience has been better than expected. "I have been a boarder since April. I chose this time because it was the summer term, with nicer weather and the cricket season, which is one of my favourite sports. I was looking forward to going, but I was worried about being away from home. It took a few weeks, but now I really enjoy boarding; it is technically a massive sleepover with all of your friends."

Boarding has clearly been a success for the Corso family, but it took some preparation and, even before that, serious consideration that prospective boarding parents should do before sending their child away. Experts agree a positive experience starts with open and honest communication and lots of research.