Almost as many said it would help the child to learn to live with others while 37 per cent believed the child would get a better education by being immersed in school life as a boarder.More than three in four parents (77 per cent) were very satisfied at least with their children’s prep school boarding experience, while 75 per cent said their sons and daughters were also happy.More than 40 per cent of parents of prep school boarders said they did not see their child every week.Almost 10 per cent of parents would go for longer than three weeks without seeing their child.Nearly six out of ten (57 per cent) of parents of boarders said they saw their child every week. All four are boarders although Alexander, the youngest at nine, stays only two nights a week. Mr Mason, 49, a company director from Worcestershire, said: “I can understand that some people feel it is somewhat strange to have a child of a relatively young age living away from home People have taken me to task about it at dinner parties. I think they imagine that we pack the children off and don’t see or hear from them until the end of term But it’s not like that at all. This was very much the boys’ decision.”The couple had never intended that their sons would board at school after Mr Mason’s experience in the 1960s. But the boys asked to board after they realised that their classmates were enjoying extra-curricular activities that they, as day pupils, were missing.Mrs Mason said: “I think a child thrives on having their parents coming to watch their sports matches, plays and concerts. Just because they’re boarding doesn’t mean we’re not up at school all the time.” Alexander, who attends Abberley Hall prep school, said: “It’s fun when I stay at school We do lots of activities after school like indoor cricket.

We do activities from 6.30pm until 7.30pm and then we go to bed I like it because I get to see more of my friends.”. ALTHOUGH HE was Scottish-born, Alan MacNaughtan’s stage career was studded with stylish performances as English aristocrats, clerics and academics (he had a special ability to suggest intellect on the stage). Rarely out of work in a long career – although illness dogged his later years – he gradually established himself as one of the most versatile and distinctive supporting actors of his generation. Alan MacNaughtan, actor: born Bearsden, Dunbartonshire 4 March 1920; died London 29 August 2002.

His many varied roles for the company included a gleefully anarchic Bob Acres in The Rivals which subsequently visited London (St James, 1948). More repertory experience at both Brighton (where the powerful H.M. Tennent management ran a rep at the Dolphin for a time) and at Sheffield Rep (1949-50) gave him further priceless experience. MacNaughtan was becoming recognised as a special actor blessed with a silver voice (with a curiously attractive slightly husky lower timbre) and impeccable style.Moving to London, he was often seen in offbeat, even quirky, material away from the mainstream West End – a wry comedy role in Pinero’s Preserving Mr Panmure (1950), the glacial Hsieh Ping-Kuei in a revival of Lady Precious Stream and three contrasted roles in a triple-bill of his favourite Shaw (1951) all at the enterprising Arts Theatre.The Arts in the 1950s, when he was often directed by John Fernald, regularly saw MacNaughtan in between such long – and more lucrative – West End runs as Dial M For Murder (Westminster, 1951) and The House by the Lake (Duke of York’s, 1956), a suspense play with Flora Robson. His Arts roles included an impassive Triquorin – self-deprecating but ultimately detached, corroded by accidie – in The Seagull (1953) and an enchanting comedy performance as Burwin-Fossetton in an adaptation of the Grossmith classic Diary of a Nobody (1954), directed – none too happily – by the veteran monstre sacr?asil Dean.An elegantly sardonic performance in Jean Anouilh’s Dinner with the Family (New, 1957) led to MacNaughtan’s being cast on Broadway in the same author’s bitter comedy The Fighting Cock (ANTA, New York, 1959) when he played opposite Rex Harrison’s redoubtable general. MacNaughtan’s success in this led to his remaining in America to appear with Vivien Leigh and Mary Ure in Giraudoux’s Duel of Angels on tour on Broadway (Helen Hayes, 1960).Back in the UK, MacNaughtan returned to Shaw for a happy 1961 Mermaid double bill of The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet (as Elder Daniels) and Androcles and the Lion (Spitho).