Boarding school advise please!

Bromsgrove is very down to earth and has a large intake at 6th form - many of whom are international. It is a mixed day and boarding school butting has planned Saturday activities and is large enough to have people around on Sundays. The 6th form intake tend to be quite academic.

Repton is another down to earth school. Lots of sport and good academics.

Also both Rugby and Marlborough have a large intake of girls in the 6th form. Both full boarding and academic. I would describe them as less down to earth than the other 2 schools but there are no airs and graces in either school from what I have observed.

I would say Oakham covers most of your requirements

St Edwards which was my first thought now offers weekly boarding as well a full this is frequently a slippery slope to empty weekends.
Kings Canterbury is full boarding with some day it suits lots of children, Canterbury is a great city but IMO less “down to earth” than St Edwards.

Queenswood near Potters Bar is friendly and down to earth. It is girls but ticks all your boxes except co-ed. It’s a busy school with heaps going on and actively welcomes new girls into the 6th form. It’s relatively close to London for trips home.

Other schools can be competitive to get into such as Marlborough. Rugby could be a bit easier or Stowe. I think Rugby is an excellent school and I would put them above Canford as a boarding school.

If you want good grades go for Canford, although Sherborne is definitely on an upwards trend. But Canford is about 40% day boys and day girls from Bournemouth so boarders can feel a bit left out.

If you want an all-round trad boarding school, then definitely Sherborne. On coeducational, it has the best balance in that the other gender is around for social life, but not in your lessons or over the breakfast table.

Teddies is lovely and it is in Oxford but the education is definitely geared towards the plodders.

Not sure why you asked about those three but have you considered others in that part of the world ? There are plenty !! Leweston, St Mary’s Shaftesbury, St Mary’s Calne, Millfield etc.

Teddies is full boarding, with Oxford on its doorstep, so lots to do for 16yr old DD in the city, unlike the other two, as is Sherborne (full boarding with a very small handful of day pupils like Teddies) which isn't co-ed but does lots with the boys' school so mixing with boys shouldn't really be a concern. Not too sure about Canford re full boarding but think a decent number probably stay in at weekends. Hopefully, someone will come along and tell you more about this. Sherborne and Canford are the more academic schools and Teddies isn't very selective on entry although you can do the IB at Teddies or the A Levels though I hear they're spread quite thinly - the teachers -between the two but the school has a reputation for happiness and inclusivity. Have you visited the schools?