ONE of the oldest schools in Britain has seen an increase in its number of weekly boarders as families seek the best of both worlds for their children.

Durham School, at Quarryheads Lane, Durham City, offers co-educational day and boarding to pupils aged from 11 to 18.

“Working life puts families under huge pressure during term time,” said Headmaster Kieran McLaughlin.

“Not only are they tackling the school run twice a day but they are also driving back and forth to rugby practice, swimming lessons and so on, as well as trying to squeeze in homework, leaving them barely any quality time in the evenings.

“Weekly boarding takes the pressure off both parents and children and makes their weekends together really special and pleasurable.”

The school, which has 340 day pupils, now has 57 full time boarders and 54 pupils who attend from Monday to Friday, returning home at weekends.

“It really is very much the same sort of thing they would be doing if they were at home,” added Mr McLaughlin, “but at a more leisurely pace and with their friends”.

“And, contrary to popular belief, boarders find their relationships with their parents benefit enormously as the time they spend together is more valued and valuable.”

Janette Wallis, senior editor of The Good Schools Guide, said: “We see increasing numbers of parents with demanding jobs valuing boarding as it makes a teetering work/life balance a bit more manageable.

“Boarding has become much more local, with parents usually living less than 90 minutes from their child’s school.”

Hilary Moriarty, ex director of the Boarding Schools’ Association, said: “For parents, weekly and flexi-boarding is seen as the friendly and acceptable face of boarding; you still feel in touch with your children without feeling that you’re ‘sending them away’.”

The Independent Schools Council’s 2014 annual census, showed the number of British children in boarding increased by about 4.6 per cent this year.