Boarding school recommendations close to London

[stuffedfull]

I'm thinking of taking my yr 7 DS out of his independent day school to go to a weekly boarding, he is sports mad and struggling with extra sports activity plus homework plus travel. Am about to hit the Good Schools Guide for bed time reading but wondering if anyone has recommendations of weekly boarding schools, not too far from w London with good sports facilities ..... Thank you

[Staverton]

How close?
St Edwards in Oxford is very sporty

[Dustylaw]

I wouldn't worry too much about weekly boarding because, with few exceptions, many boarding schools leave the children pretty free to come home many or most weekends - even if they have Saturday school. More important is to look at the schools which will make that travel easy for your son. If you are looking for a good all round school with loads of sport (3 full afternoons per week) and easy travel to London then I highly recommend The Leys. That is 10 mins walk from Cambridge station which is 45 minutes from Kings Cross. Also has a junior boarding house if you are thinking of making this switch into Yr 8. Best of both worlds is to find one where your son finds it easy to come home when he wants at weekends but where there isn't a wholesale emptying out at weekends which takes the fun out of staying in school.

[happygardening]

St Edwards is very sporty but either full boarding or day out of about 700 children about 600 board. They are pretty flexible and accomodating but your DS would not be allowed out every weekend. Cranleigh is popular with some of our friends defintely weekly boarding and sporty. St Edwards doesn't take children to yr 9 and has no attached prep although plenty of preps locally to it I believe Cranleigh has a prep.
My DS's have full/weekly boarded since they were in yr 3 I really do believe to make it work you need all or at least the vast majority to be in the same boat. If you want weekly boarding choose a school where at least 80% weekly board activities/lessons/Saturdays will then be organised with this in mind.

[millpond]

I know people in west london who send their boys to Caldicott and Papplewick both run coaches from Chiswick and I think Caldicott do from Notting Hill too. They seem to do a lot of sport. I think they are both preps so they will end at year 8............

[Colleger]

Are you looking for a prep until Y8 or are you going to wait until Y9?

[JWIM]

Lord Wandsworth near Odiham in north Hampshire?

[michaelaB]

Have a look at Ashford School in Kent. No Saturday school except sports and only 35min from St Pancras. Has a specialist junior boarding house.

[jgjgjg]

Royal Russell, in South London. Takes boarders from Year 7 I believe. Also Whitgift in Croydon is literally building a new boarding house as we speak, not sure what ages it will cater to though

[difficultpickle]

Bradfield College near Reading?

[stuffedfull]

Thanks do much everyone for your suggestions, I will research them all, v kind of you to take the time ..... Ideally I am looking for a senior school with prep attached to start yr 8 in sept as I don't want to move him now then again in 2 years time at 13yrs. Alternatively I could calm down and stop panicking, take the time to properly research schools and prepare for 13+ and move him then. I find it hard to see him being so exhausted by everything, he leaves the house at 645, comes back anytime between 5 (straight from school) to 7/8 (if sports fixture on) and usually had approx 2hrs work, towards the end of the week house becomes a war zone due to both of us suffering sleep deprivation!! Can't be right for a 12 yr old, don't want to wreck our relationship and can't be too good for his education either. Part of the problem is he plays all sports for his years and year above so invariably has a game of some sort or training every day. Anyway I'm sure you get the pic!!