Co-ed Boarding schools starting at 13+

Bromsgrove has a prep whose pupils all largely transfer into the seniors. Lots of day pupils join at 11. It's not really a full boarding school - only about one third full board and they are mainly the international students. The rest are split between day and weekly boarders.

It does however seem a very happy school with grounded children and locally has a reputation for being "on the up" under the (relatively) new head.

Do consider looking at Cheltenham, I suspect it might be of interest. I think their prep provides no more than 50% of their year 9 intake, and they get mixed up in the boarding houses. With regards to weekly boarding - they have lessons Saturday morning and I understand they are expected to stay in at least 50% of weekends. (at least that's what the head told me when explaining how much more we'd be able to have our daughter home compared with choirschool!)

Happygardening with a daughter in year 8 and a son in year 6 I get the impression that long lead times are more critical for boys than girls, though I admit we missed looking at Marlborough in the end because having wondered about visiting I then decided that no I wanted my daughter home for senior ... she has since twisted my arm!

iCoriander if you are dependent on fee reduction then it sounds as though you would be wise to cast your net wider and apply for several. It all depends on how much you need and whether your family fit into one of the special fee reduction categories that schools like Marlborough have
I have heard that Cheltenham college has generous scholarships including for sport and allrounders of up to 25% (BTW although it has flexible boarding, friends say that Cheltenham college is very much a full boarding week). Otherwise at most other schools you would almost certainly need a bursary.

Also, Rugby school through their dedicated 'Arnold Foundation', are very pro supporting students needing financial help. I don't know exact numbers but they have quite a number of bursaries they give out every year and are always working towards attracting bright students who may not have been able to afford it.

I'm very surprised you're DD is in yr 6 and your head hasn't spoken to you about senior schools.
Even if there's an attached prep e.g.Junior KIngs (and not all go on to KIngs) the max number if 30-40 girls and boys the schools you're mentioning are taking 130+ at every year so spread round all the boarding houses I really don't see it would be a problem. Friendship groups change when you're boarding unless your DD is not very good at making friend in which case I doubt she'd be a good candidate for boarding.

From your requirements (distance, full boarding timetable, coed and no prep school) I would shortlist Malborough and St Edwards. Rugby and Shrewsbury would also be good choices but a bit further.
Your DD must realise though that in any senior school even if there is no attached prep school there will always be several preformed groups who come from particular prep schools, especially from the larger or closer prep schools (Bilton Grange for Rugby or the Dragon for St Edwards and Malborough). By year 9 DCs are keen for fresh faces, new friends and moving on from their prep school so I am not sure that I would have 'the no attached prep' as an absolute criteria if the school was otherwise right and had a large intake from other prep schools.

Y6 is really late for this. We were talking with Smt from y4 to start the process. So many 13+ intakes require registration and in some cases pretest in y6 or early y7.

Shrewsbury?

Rugby school is in the centre of town. They have lots of links and the students do lots of community service within the town. Some students do community service in the local state schools teaching show how to use a musical instrument or other extra curricular, some go to old people's homes to serve tea etc lots of various charitable projects to do with the town.

Some people on MN have complained about the town that it's not 'pretty', or hasn't got enough naice shops. Personally, it looks to me no worse than any other bog standard town. My interest lies with the school not the town as I'm not planning on moving there.
We've taken DS out before within Rugby and there was more than enough to while away time, it all depends what you're looking for. If you're looking for a nice seaside touristy place with lots of quaint coffee shops, then Rugby is not it. But I'd never discount a fab school because of the town unless it's inaccessible.

Not sure there are many full boarders at Wellington.

What is her objection to those with a prep or 11+ entry? I wonder if you are giving her too much influence on choice based on some insecurity about settling or making friends. Presumably she is only 8/9/10 atm and she may find things change when others leave or join at y7. Wellington might be worth a look?

I'm surprised your prep head hasnt recommended anywhere, what year is she?
A friend removed her DC from Bryanston 2 years ago because despite the claim on their website she said it most definitely isn't a full barding school.
Ditto Canford another friend choose it (and is really happy with it) because it wasn't full boarding!

Have you ever been to Rugby?! It definitely isn't another Marlborough. Im not sure I would say that MC is "integrated" into the town, although its a huge employer in the area, the pupils are quite restricted as to where they can go (least they were might have changed with the current head and now one of the deputies is going or even gone). The locals do talk about a "town and gown".

Cheltenham is primarily weekly boarding.
Your option are limited OP if you want proper full boarding, as you say Marlborough ticks all your boxes.
Where is your head suggesting?
Sherborne is one of those diamond schools I think, and the boys school is in the same town?

There are very few proper full boarding schools left, I would scrutinise the number of full boarders very carefully (schools are notoriously economical with the truth when it comes to this as they want your money) if you're looking at anywhere that offers a mixture of full weekly and even worse flexi boarding. The ISI reports seem to classify weekly boarding as full boarding so do be careful if your reading those. The commonest reason I hear friends grumble and moan about their schools is because they wanted full boarding and having sent their DC's there they discovered the vast majority go home every weekend and their DC is either on their own with a handful of others or they're driving back and fourth to the school every weekend to pick their DC up.

Kings Bruton?? don't know how many full boarders. Only know it because ds stayed in one of the boarding houses while at mill on the brue

My friends have been very happy with Cheltenham