Boarding school advise please!

Have you looked at Wellington? My DS is thriving there - he's happy, settled abd doing well academically.

We went through the same decisions re our DD for 6th Form boarding last year - academic, all rounder not massively sporty or arty but a joiner-in. In the end we chose Kings Canterbury ( she had to sit exam) over several others we visited as it struck a chord with us. Despite it ancient surrounding and posh clobber, it is quite down to earth; good mix of London, Kent, Sussex and beyond..... not full of celebs’ kinds, mainly professional parents etc, good pastoral care, god mix of young enthusiastic teachers and thise who have been there a long time, doesnt empty out at weekends ( unlike for instance Charterhouse), location in town gives the 6th formers access to outside world .... very nice atmosphere and academically first-rate. What I would say though is that it is a very busy school so if your DD likes getting stuck in this is a great school to join

Shimy it might help as sixth formers seem to be more involved than in other schools with year 9s.

Just noticed OP’s asking about sixth form, so previous post doesn’t apply.

Be aware that year 9ers are altogether in one house (Faulkners)for the first yr, whereupon they are then allocated to different houses for the subsequent years. The disadvantage of this is dc make friends they are then separated from once they’ve Moved to another house. DS in particular preferred a proper house atmosphere where there are older boys in the house who could tone things down a bit if need be and were more experienced as this made him feel more comfortable and made settling in easier.

Some might like Faulkner’s for the reason that all boys of the same year are together for the first yr. It all depends on preference early but wasa dealbreaker for DS.

Thank you, Jossina - very helpful. You confirmed my impressions:)

Canford has fantastic academics, its campus is beautiful, the head is great, there's tonnes of options in sports and co-curriculars. It's the coinsurer's choice, a great school that's a bit under the radar.

Bradfield is great too. It's like a village, and has a fantastic first year programme and coed boarding house. Quite sporty, academics are on the up and offer a lot of choice.

Jossina, what did you like about Bradfield and Canford?

Sorry ai gave a quick response before. Here’s a bit more information for you. Marlborough is definitely full boarding with lots happening at weekends. There is an intake of about 30 girls into 6th form who form a cohort in some boys houses. This means the girls mix with existing students but aren’t trying to break into established girls friendship groups, giving them the best if both worlds. There are regular 6th form parties, themed house events eg Valentine’s Suppers as well as whole school events such as Battle if the Bands. 6th formers can ask for weekend leave in addition to exeats but most stay in because there is so much going on. It’s a lot of fun but the DCs work hard and get strong academical support and results also. My DD loved it but the school is definitely a bubble a bit sheltered from the real world. This is partly always the case with a boarding school but the location in the middle if Wiltshire supports that too.

As a I said before if you want more down to Earth then Bromsgrove offer that. It has a mix of day and international so at weekends it can be a bit quieter than a full boarding school. However there is a 6th form boarding house with mainly international students. This gives a big enough cohort to have a good social life. Pastoral care is high and the head is quietly inspirational.

We also considered Rugby for 6th form and really liked the school but my DD rejected it because she felt new 6th for girls were alienated from the main school in a separate house. Others will say if this sense was true. We decided against Oundle as only a tiny number joined in 6th form. We also really liked Repton but it is in a village with nothing to do in walking distance and felt a bit isolated for a 6th former.

Happy to answer any questions from our experience.

Very, very few schools that take girls are full boarding in the traditional sense. DD2 was in one that was full boarding but the 6th form get more exeats. The schools don’t empty out because the overseas students tend to stay in. However you need enough going on and for 6th form that can be a trip to London or into the local city. Many DC will go home on a Friday if they are not in sports teams. Some come back on a Monday morning.

Parents don’t necessarily collect from Oxford because London DC get the bus or the train.

Bradfield is terrific. So is Canford.

Ours loved Wellington too and had huge fun but came out with very good results. The new master is loveliness itself. He was admissions tutor.

Teddies recently introduced the option of going home on Saturday afternoons after sports and coming back Sunday evening. You may find lots of the school empties out during this time ... so if you're happy with this and can collect your child if all their friends have gone home, great. If not perhaps consider a full boarding school. Its worth checking if there are options to go home on Saturday nights as it inevitably means lots of them do! I give Repton a huge thumbs up for full termly boarding. An amazing school.

To answer trudylady12: Queenswood is close to Potters Bar but it’s not walkable. It’s very close to London. I wouldn’t choose it if a DC wanted a town school. If they want a supportive girls school where new 6th formers integrate, then its great. It all depends on what suits the student best.

We didn’t want new girls’ houses where the girls are separated out and not integrated with existing girls. Uppingham used to do this and DD rejected it on this basis.

Hello Expatmum12 - interested to know what you decided in the end? We are in a similar position.

Haileybury?

Dean Close has an excellent reputation as being a good all rounder. Lots of overseas boarders and a big intake at 6th Form. Good transport links to the airport also so you can visit easily!

King's Canterbury seems to work well for a broad range of children- everyone finds their niche and everyone's enthusiasm nurtured. Spectacularly pretty. Girls' uniform rather stylish. Canterbury charming. Largeish intake at sixth form, who seem to integrate well, and one girls' boarding house dedicated to incomers at that stage (although I think a normal boarding house a better choice if possible). Easy train connection to London so easy for them to find their own way to airports etc..Most staff seem lovely. Very positive, energetic, happy atmosphere.

May I know if Queenswood is in a rural remote location or if it is close to a town with some shops and cafes nearby?

Summertown and Oxford are not red light districts!!! Town/City schools, generally, do not shut themselves away from the local population. It is impossible! Personally I think having a few shops and cafes nearby is great. Oxford has so much to offer in terms of museums, theatre, sport and art on the doorstep in a world renown city: in can only be a bonus.

A well brought up child is not going to go mad in Summertown!!! As if! London children have far more bright lights near them.

I would honestly choose the school, not the location. Where schools are miles from anywhere, believe me, there are "goings on" in the schools themselves! Especially co-ed. I live nearish to Stowe. Children who board in remote locations can get a bit stir crazy. They want to get out of the school bubble. Some cannot stand it after age 16 and go back to London for 6th form. Be careful what you wish for!

What about co-ed Cheltenham College? Friendly and down to earth students and is very much full boarding.

Ours transferred to Wellington at various stages including directly into sixth form. They had a whale of a time, we’re very happy once they’d learned the language and didn’t want to leave for university.

Single sex schools Tudor Hall and Queen Margaret's do full boarding though they're a little small there's also Benenden and Downe House with strong links with boys schools but not co ed in the sense Sherborne is with boys next door. Co-ed you have for full boarding Uppingham and Oundle which I'd strongly recommend as I've only heard good things about them - both have the academic edge over stowe and Teddies Oundle is slightly better in terms of results I think. Go and have a look!

Rugby has a separate sixth form house for girls which means DD would get to know new girls like herself but might miss out on the social integration part in some ways as she is a separate part of House Life to everyone else but it's a great school and academically has the edge over the other schools you are looking at OP.