Sherborne School(Boys) or Bedford School?

I'm not sure that is accurate. Firstly, there are a significant number of borders (they aren't a tiny minority). Secondly, many of the day boys live within walking distance of Bedford School. It's very close to the town centre - not on a rural campus somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Borders and day boys socialising at the weekend isn't unusual.

Just counted - 23 Sundays per academic year

So that is 23 days when there is absolutely nothing happening, and hardly anyone around.

The alternative is a school where everyone is around for meals, clubs and societies organise outings or meetings, there are music groups, play rehearsals, lots of people to play sport or go to the gym with, get together and play computer games with, go out for tea with...

Ime interaction between overseas boarders and day pupils is often limited, even with Saturday school.?

That's not the case at Sherborne. There are not large numbers of 'international' students in the boys school, a few in each house (3/4) and of varied origins. There are no cliques.

It's also very, very long time between four on a Saturday afternoon and Monday morning.

A comment otherwise is the opinion of somebody who has absolutely no idea of what they are talking. This is a great disservice to the OP and his son.

The Half terms I would have thought would be trips - I know the boys have been over in Finland during Feb HT ....normally the agents arrange for a host family during exeats (I get lots of requests come through to me because I live on Beds/Cambridge border and registered to host a French child to assist my daughters language skills).

I do agree with LIZS though above - check the boarding and where exeats etc would be spent - Also if your son's aspiration is medicine , results are going to be pretty important ( but see my post above )

You seem to have a few things here !

I am not sure there is anything such as a "public school accent" - if you mean speaking cogently and correctly - I can understand that, but not all public schools do that

Sherborne ( I had a friend with a son there ) is very beautiful and pretty and may fit in with your idea of an English public school. That said , I do not know Bedford school , even vicariously , so you will have to choose.

From abroad I would say that ( as previous posters have said ) having more weekend boarders would be a Good Thing. Also if the school gets generally good results then if your child is clever , then they will do well. Sherborne is not known as the most academic school but my friend's son went to a very good UK university from there , it would give you the very lovely UK experience ( if that is what you want) and I am of the opinion , even if a school does not have the best results overall , if your child is committed & good teachers , they will by and large get where their abilities would take them.

Just counted - 23 Sundays per academic year (fewer in the upper sixth as they won't go all the way to the end of term since exams will finish earlier).

Ime interaction between overseas boarders and day pupils is often limited, even with Saturday school. Where would he be going for exeats and half term?

No - not on Sundays. But there aren't very many Sundays by the time you've allowed for 17 and a bit weeks of holiday and 5 exeats.

Bedford School has an intake of 17% International students - I am not sure what Sherborne percentage intake is. The reason why I actually thought Bedford School would work better for a 16-18 year is because it has day boarders too (The boarding houses are twinned so the day boys and the boarders develop a strong bond). This will give the Op's son an opportunity to socialise with both day boys and boarders and develop a wider circle of friends. Op's DS will be 16/17 years old when attending which will allow him to go into town and into London too on weekends allot of the day boarders live within a 5 to 15 mile radius of the school (I know of a few boys that will be in the lower sixth form because my daughter is in the same year at the girls school).

Bedford may also be a better location for hands on experience (volunteer/work experience) in the medical field too which is really necessary if that is the field he wishes to pursue. There is a hospital in the town and obviously being so close to Cambridge there are immense opportunities with Bio science companies etc.

None of us have met the Op's DS so its hard to say which school would suit him - but I am sure with the research the op has done he will choose the right school be it Bedford or Sherborne (or another school). I do know Sherborne and it is a beautiful location - I just know my 16 year old daughter would hate being in such a rural location ...but the Op's son may love it.

@HainaultViaNewburyPark

And on Sundays?

All the boys will be at Bedford school for at least part of the weekend (unless it is exeat, in which case no one will be there - not even the borders). Lessons run on Saturday mornings, and there are often matches all Saturday afternoon.

OP I also live in HK, although I'm a British expat. From what you have said, I think Sherborne would be the better choice due to its full boarding status, so all the boys will be there at weekends, not just the international students.

We are considering it for DS for that reason (although we're a few years away from that decision still).

Thank You so much for your personal experience sharing in regard to the Sherborne school. Do you think the boys act and speak politely from Sherborne school? My son is determined to learn the british accent as well

If your son attends Sherborne, he will quickly be able to adopt an English public school accent.

This is not the case with other more locally focused schools where he may pick up a more 'provincial' accent.

Sherborne boys are polite, good-mannered & very well-spoken without any show of arrogance.

He will also always be an 'Old Shirburnian'. oldshirburnian.org.uk

The advice about choosing a school where everyone is a full-boarder is important so that your son won't be alone at the weekends or stuck with a few other boys from abroad. This happens all the time when schools have a lot of day pupils and weekly boarders. International students are so disappointed with their experience.

If you read this thread carefully, it is obvious which school you should chose.

@Teenmum60

I don’t see what difference it makes being sixth form entry. However, I wish OP and his DS the best of luck whichever school they choose.

TonTonMacoute My reservation about Sherborne would be that the DS is applying for 6th form not prep/senior school.

Bedford School is a very old traditional school too it goes back at least as long as Sherborne (1550's). It has an extremely large OB club 8500 worldwide and as I stated before old links with Hong Kong and China.

The only negative aspect of Bedford School is its not in a leafy area of the UK although this is actually positive for a 16-18 year old being just a train journey into London and a bus ride into Cambridge.

I honestly dont think it matters about the mix of boarders when it comes to a 16-18 year old because all the boys will socialise together at this age.

It is however quite sporty ...I would actually show your son the locations because I feel its really important for a 16-18 year old to be in the right location - if he was joining the Prep/Senior school at 7+ or 13+ I would certainly say that Sherborne would be a better school but I am not so sure with a 16-18 year old....good luck with whatever school you choose I am sure it will work out fine.

Yes the Sherborne Boys are very polite. Even when being kicked out of the pubs for being underage they remain polite

@MrWestinghouse

Oh definitely, yes, whenever I visited I was always very impressed by how polite and helpful the boys are. The nice thing is that they mostly learn from the older boys, who are very good at keeping an eye on the younger ones.

As with most boys schools there is always a bouncy competitive feeling, but my impression was always of a very friendly and caring school.

The school is in the town and most of the boys walk through the town several times a day to and from houses.The boys from the school seem to be well liked in the town.

If your son does go, he will find that he will be a Shiburnian for ever. What I mean is that if ever he meets another old boy it will be like meeting an old friend, even if they are from a different generation.

I do agree with Clarevoyent about the full boarding experience at Sherborne. It is not clear how many full boarders are at Bedford, but there seems to be a real mix of day boys, weekly boarders and full boarders. I suspect that the percentage of full boarders is fairly small at Bedford, and that will limit what activities are available at weekends in comparison with somewhere like Sherborne.

I am quite familiar with Sherborne, my DS very nearly went there, and I know many boys who went and were very happy there. I would unhesitatingly recommend it for a boy who was coming from abroad.

Also try Uppingham...