Sending your child to a boarding school is a great way to give them a head start in life. Academic success rates are nearly always well above average, and the vast majority of pupils go on to study at university afterwards. Of the many options available, UK boarding schools are right up amongst the best. Why? Because they follow a proven curriculum and because those who attend are guaranteed to leave as fluent English speakers, which is a vital skill to have whatever career they wish to eventually pursue.

You can rest assured that all UK boarding schools will be of a good standard, as they all have to be registered with the UK government education department. The education departments lays down minimum standards of facilities and teaching and enforces them. Also, all boarding schools are regularly inspected by independent assessors. More expensive schools will not necessarily be better, as some boarding schools receive endowments, which effectively subsidize tuition fees. You can view academic results, and other indicators of a school's performance by looking at their website.

Boarding schools in the UK educate pupils by following the standard British curriculum, which is revered and copied by lots of other countries. At eighteen, pupils gain their A-levels, which are, according to Cambridge University and Oxford University, the highest form of pre-university qualifications available. Having achieved good A-levels grades, pupils can attend the best universities anywhere in the world. The grades that pupils at boarding schools achieve for their A-levels are well above the national average, with lots of pupils achieving straight As.

The best time for a child to start at a boarding school is at the age of eleven, which is when pupils in the UK start their secondary education. Older pupils are accepted, but the process of transition is easier when they are starting from the same point as their peers. Competition for places can be intense, particularly at the highest achieving boarding schools, and academic entrance tests must normally be passed. The academic year begins in September in the UK, so taking the entrance test at least six months in advance of that month is advisable.

Before deciding which of the many UK boarding schools to send your child to, you should do the following...

- Browse the website of each school and request a detailed prospectus from the ones you like best.

- Visit a few of the schools if it is feasible to do so.

- Ask your child if they have any particular preferences.

- Get a detailed list of what is included in a schools fees and what is not.

- Ask whether your child qualifies for any grants or scholarships.