Winchester college v canford?

there is always the consideration that he will probably be stronger in one or more of arts, sciences or humanities than others so might be top of some sets and bottom of others which i cannot see being a problem.

i would put him down for winchester anyway and think of the registration fee spread over the years until he goes or does not go and so perhaps "losing" £50 per year over 4 years is easier to swallow for keeping the option of going open.

my friends' sons all seem to change in many different ways over the years between say 8 and 13 so there is no foolproof way of knowing!

Kings Canterbury is a good school.

i do think that if your son can get into somewhere like winchester or eton and you can afford it and they do not want co-ed then there is not a lot of point in not sending him.

the advantages from contacts, education etc are so much higher than most schools it makes a lot of sense. if he wanted co-ed then try westminster.

there are a lot of other good schools but it has always seemed to me that winchester and eton are like oxford and cambridge in that there are a lot of other very good universities but there is something extra that you get from them that is more than just the day to day education.

obviously this is just my opinion....

how can you suggest greshams to someone considering winchester?!?! ditto oun dle. unless you live in either norfolk or northants and don't want to travel far there is no reason to go to either!!

Can I ask why you've narrowed it down to these 2 already? Esp if you live out the cuontry and maybe geography is quite flexible? Would strongly suggest there are lots of other schools to consider in the same vein. Greshams are v good at the drama and theatre, as are Oundle, both sporty but with a wide variety of sports and prob slightly more academically inclined than Canford. If you do want south / southwest then Sherborne worth a look, and all boys but with a sister school so mixing opportunities. Or Radley, although prob quite sporty. Eton are always good for quirky - if you're happy to consider Winchester then you might manage to consider Eton without the widespread prejudice!

My post doesn't make sense - I'm tired - quirky and academically stuious aren't the same thing, but are often traits that are found together.

No - they have to be academically studious - the two aren't mutally exclusively but often are found together.

does that mean that boys have to be quirky to suit Winchester?

Canford is your jack of all trades - if you have a child that can hold their own in the classroom academically, throws themselves into school life - sport, music, drama, and is an all-rounder then Canford is an excellent choice.

If you are academically gifted, question the world around you, as someone else mentioned, enjoy mental sparring, enjoy the company of like minded fellows but don't need to roll around in mud to do so, then Winchester is your school of choice.

Out of these 2 schools.

Agree with freshmint

Canford not at all the same sort of place and I would struggle to see any overlap at all between the type of child who would be happy at Canford and the type who is a natural wykehamist.

wykehamists are very intelligent, inquisitive, quirky and individualistic people. however you have to be sure he is bright enough. you don't want him to be seen as a thicko. having said that it is a brilliant place for boys who might just get beaten up for being a bit different in other places.

Canford not at all the same sort of place and I would struggle to see any overlap at all between the type of child who would be happy at Canford and the type who is a natural wykehamist.

Of course you have to look at both schools but if your ds is only 9 I'd say it was completely pointless doing that for at least another 18 months or more ...

A good point for Winchester - Kings, Westgate and Peter Symonds Sixth form are all (at top sets) academically on a par with Winchester and the kids all mix socially - usually on the Buttercross or in the Cathedral close in the summer!

probably not best for sporty boys which means that those who were not sporty at prep school can probably find things to their level and perhaps enjoy them more.

it is undeniably academic though.

Sorry to slightly hijack but is the gist of this thread that Winchester is the place for exceptionally bright, very academic and also sporty boys?

he will have to play winchester football though at least for first year which can appear slightly more grim than rugby! otherwise they seem rather useful at individual sports.

as i said earlier, try and go and see the schools and see what they feel like - for example canford eat in one dining hall for the whole school whilst winchester the boys eat in their own houses. you might prefer the large scale dining as an opportunity for greater mixing or prefer a smaller less intimidating approach.

he might just find his best friend is going to one particular school and that makes his mind up!

Winchester boys always look SO scruffy when they wander around.
Not a shirt tail tucked in between them most days.

what do his current school say ? I have friends who have been told their sons would not suit Winchester as even though they are bright they are not 'independent thinkers' (whatever that means...) and not quite right for Winchester. also Winchester doesn't play rugby (big deal for some boys!) Canford more real world I think than Winchester - still very elite, academic, traditional.