b'last few years but many state and independent boarding schools give priority and some nancial assistance to children from these families. One thing that hasnt changed for the better is the cost of sending a child to boarding school, now often comfortably above 40,000 a year for full boarding. This hasnt discouraged applications from wealthy international families, but there are real concerns that the middle-class British parents, who for years have just managed to afford private education by scrimping, saving and re-mortgaging, are being priced out of the market. Places at state boarding schools, where parents only pay for the boarding element (usually around 13,000-16,000 a year) and tuition is free, are consequently more sought after than ever. Some years ago, possibly as a result of the economic downturn, the boarding demographic in some schools was not well managed. While this may have secured short-term benets, bursars quickly realised that parentswhether they come from Beijing or Bognorwant their children to be part of a diverse and well-integrated boarding community. These days you will nd that schools take great care to ensure that this is the case and for most it seems that around 1520 per cent international pupils achieves the right balance. Those who want a traditional English education without their sending children half way round the world can do so courtesy of the many international incarnations of some of the UKs most famous schools.This book contains over 300 of the Good Schools Guides highly informative and famously frank reviews. Every school has been visited by our writers, who check out everything from dorms to food and weekend activities. We also speak to heads, parents and, most important of all, pupils. Boarding, 21st-century style continues to ourish, holding strong even through the recent global pandemic. 18'