A Level Colleges that provide student accomodation. Please help

[BettySuarez]

There is a strong possibility that DH is about to be offered a job in California, there are no guarantees yet but we are having to plan for 'worse case scenario' and think about how we will handle emigrating.

We have two sons aged 13 and 11 who will come with us but we also have twin daughters aged 16.5 who are both concerend about the move and the impact that it will have on their education.

They have both just started their A Level courses here in the UK and both want to stay here to finish the two year course.

I am having to get my head around an awful lot of things at the moment and am not entirely sure if I could agree to being on a different continent to my daughters. But I do want to consider all of the options.

One option is to keep them on at their current college and to rent somewhere for them to stay. The downside to this is that they would essentially be on their own with no family or close family friends nearby to keep an eye on them (so I am mentally ruling this one out!)

Another option is to find a college that provides accomodation.

One such college is Hartpury in Gloucestershire, its an Equine College but also does traditional A Level courses. From their website it seems that the FE courses are free for under 18's althought there will be bed and board to pay.

Anyone have any experience of Hartpury? Any other colleges that provide accomodation? We need to avoid tuition fees so have to rule out Independent colleges but would love to hear if there are any other options.

Any other ideas?

[SecretSquirrels]

Does their current college take overseas students?
If they do, as my DS's college does they will accommodate them with local host families.
Might be worth asking?

[tutu100]

Peter Symmonds in Winchester. They do accomodation as they take students from the Fauklands, but I think they may also have boarding for uk students depending on space and circumstances.

[tutu100]

Just found a link for you here boarding at PSC, but I nearly fainted at the cost (although I have no idea what other places charge).

[TribbleTuckandDismount]

Have you looked at Dallem school in Cumbria? They provide accomadation.

[meditrina]

There are a number of state boarding schools (teaching free, you pay the accommodation costs only). Might be worth a look?

[bigbluebus]

Have you tried looking at State Boarding Schools. There are 2 near where I live (Midlands), one is a boys Grammar school which takes girls in the 6th form (not sure about whether they take boarders of both sexes though) and the other is a state comprehensive which has a boarding house taking 60 students - both sexes. May not be in the location you want, but I feel sure there must be more of them around the country. School fees are free to UK citizens, so you just pay boarding fees - making it a lot cheaper than Independent schools!!!

[meditrina]

State boarding schools' association websit here.

[sashh]

What about parents of a friend? That way they stay at the same place with friends and people they know.

One other thing they may not have thought about is that as they already have GCSEs they could go to college in the US.

[gingeroots]

Merrist Wood FE College near Guildford has A level courses and some ,catered ,accomodation .
But there would still be half terms ,holidays ,and all that study leave they get at A level .
It has good Ofsted reports for the pastoral side of things - not saying that not also good academically but Ofsted do a special report on colleges accomodating under 18 year olds .

Would this on line school thing be worth considering ?
www.interhigh.co.uk/

[BettySuarez]

Thanks so much everyone, I will check out all the links. I had no idea that state boarding schools even existed!

Not possible for them to stay with family unfortunately and I only have one friend that I would trust with their care and she is possibly emigrating down under

If they came to the states with us then they would have just under two years to get their high school diploma from high school, then on to do a four year degree course over there.

Staying here to finish A levels and then moving on go UK uni is just one of the possibilities we are considering so a state boarding school would be perfect in that scenario.

It would break my heart though

[Lemonsole]

Your situation is exactly the sort of application that Symonds would prioritise for a boarding place. Largest 6th form college in the country; only one with boarding provision.