DAY pupils at boarding school are so smitten with the lifestyle they want to stay on full time, a new survey revealed.

The survey by the Boarding Schools Association, Boarding in the 21st Century, revealed that nearly half of all day pupils wanted to stay on as full time boarders.

It comes after an ISC 2002 census revealed that prep school boarding was up by 1.7 per cent compared with last year.

More than 600 parents responded to the survey, More than a day: Prep School parents and their attitudes to boarding, which cited extra facilities and activities on offer as the main advantages of boarding.

Over half of all boarders themselves decided to board.

And more than 77 per cent of parents said they were satisfied with the boarding experience for their children.

Quentin Edwards, chairman of the Boarding Schools' Association, said: "As the survey shows, boarding has evolved to meet the needs of busy, working families. There is now a whole range of options available to those who wish to maintain a close family relationship but seek an education beyond the traditional school day.