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Original poster

Recommendations for liberal co-ed boarding schools in the south

34 replies

windygallows · 16/12/2018 21:52

My DD has announced she wants to go boarding - she's entering yr 9. It's all v last minute and I'm not v familiar with the schools available. I've done searches for schools online on the usual portals but finding it hard to distinguish between them without knowing their reputation or anecdotal feedback.

I'd be grateful for recommendations for schools that meet DD's main criteria:

  1. Coed
2 . 2 hour radius from London
  1. Good academics but not too pressured. She's a good student but not top of class.
  2. Offers dance and more focus on arts than sports.
  3. Liberal, community feel with a 'kind atmosphere'.
  4. Good facilities, nice looking campus if poss.
  5. Boarders and day students.
  6. Smallish class size.
  7. Uniform okay or not

It's a long wish list but any thoughts as to appropriate schools would be appreciated. Am not trying to be lazy by reaching out, just looking for recommendations from humans rather than search engines.

OP posts:
bionicnemonic · 17/12/2018 00:29

Leighton is in Reading. First name terms for staff and students. Flexible uniform. Excellent music facilities. Dance, Art, Textiles GCSE. Quaker ethos: ‘Let Your Life Speak’
Frensham similar outside Farnham. Not Quaker, no uniform (I think)

bionicnemonic · 17/12/2018 00:22

Leighton Park?
www.leightonpark.com/
Frensham Heights?
www.frensham.org

Annandale · 17/12/2018 00:15

Hmm, I wonder what Ballard in the New Forest is like? I don't know it personally but it clearly has a strong dance element and is coeducational. However, also very religious by the looks of it. Might be worth a look.

pantomaam · 17/12/2018 00:07

Have you looked at Bedales in Petersfield?

I went 15yrs ago, I loved every moment. Hoping to put mine through there too next year if they want to.

LadyGAgain · 17/12/2018 00:03

Lancing? Very arty.

Original poster
windygallows · 16/12/2018 23:56

Thx bubbles! I had looked at Bradford and will look again.

OP posts:
BubblesBuddy · 16/12/2018 23:54

We had this problem a few years ago. DD was looking for 6th form. Dance is quite difficult to find in co Ed schools. We found Bradfield. At that time, the admissions office were difficult to deal with and DDs friends there all left so DD changed her mind about them and went to Heathfield at Ascot. Superb for art and excellent dance teacher. Just not co Ed. You rarely get everything! Bradfield, presumably, have now sharpened up their act and I would look at them as they are not far from Reading.

Original poster
windygallows · 16/12/2018 23:25

thx Lark. I was looking at Oakham - think it might be a bit too far away but will take a look.

OP posts:
LarkDescending · 16/12/2018 22:57

Two hours from London doesn’t confine you to the south - don’t forget the Midlands schools.

To start you off I’d suggest Oakham is worth a look. It’s always had a very strong arts offering, and since you mention dance in particular here’s what they say about it:

www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/Dance