Boarding Suggestions for 6th Form Boy

DC certainly offers golf

www.dulwich.org.uk/senior-school/sport/sport-played/golf

(it owns quite a lot of Dulwich, and suspect it owns the land of that golf club)

Fairly traditional school, but very international outlook. Numbers boarding are small, but there are enough of them to have a good community, especially in the sixth form. Worth a look

Dulwich College? It does empty out a lot during weekends but they do a lot to keep the boarders busy, and being a London school, the opportunities for weekend outings are amazing. Great academics, amazing sports.

If golf is important have they considered St Leonard's school in St Andrews? Mixture of day and boarding pupils and lots of sport.

T might help,with recommendations if you say what parts of the country work best (transport links, easiness for wider family to visit for school events, journey for emergency guardian)

Also what sort of boy is he - interests other than sport? Is non-availability of golf a showstopper, or is it just something nice to have? (the other sports are standard).

As there is one school already on her list, what exactly about it does she like? What didn't she like about nearby school to there such as St Peters of Bootham, that means she isn't considering them?

I know nothing of it but there some threads on here about Queen Ethelburghs it may be worth reading.

Agree completely with chickoletta about millfield from friends experience

I've taught in independent schools all my career and would recommend Clifton College in Bristol or Truro School in Cornwall - both are sporty with high academic standards but also have an international vibe in the boarding houses.

I've never been to St Edward's (Teddies) but have a friend who is a housemaster there. It has an amazing reputation.

I personally would be quite wary about Millfield - I've heard some things that would concern me about falling standards of pastoral care there.

Ultimately, your friend and her DS need to visit a few places and see what feels right.

Are they interested in Yorkshire particularly? Near family or something?

Brighton tends to empty out at weekends but is very popular within Sussex.

Wellington has fabulous sports facilities and good pastoral care. The new master was head of admissions and one key reason we chose the school. He is just lovely and inclusive.
Ours went to the odd 18th party but not that many and not all in London. It certainly wasn’t every weekend as most were during the holidays. Work definitely took priority over parties but there were the occasional really big parties for some.

Oakham and Uppingham are quite isolated. I love the idea that Rugby and Harrow would not stretch him! Really? Why do people think these schools don’t have bright pupils? They do.

Oakham is meant to be good and they certainly do cricket. Uppingham doesn't really have day students (a few local scholarship kids only) but not as sporty I'm told.

I would be looking at full boarding with fixed exeats - they have more going on at weekends than places that have weekly boarders or high proportion of day pupils or exeats not fixed.
Just because concord college always seems to be top of academic boarding tables, it doesn't mean it's the best boarding school. I wouldn't send my DC there. 'Not a party culture'- fine but he's still 16 17 18 and surely needs a bit of fun with peers?
Marlborough has coaches to London airports at exeats/ half terms I believe

As mentioned up the post I would consider King's School Canterbury. It ticks all your boxes.

Millfield?

Brighton College?

Tell her to have a good look at Sevenoaks. Inter alia it is popular with London based Europeans.

Perhaps Westminster. Though boarders are only a third of the year group, their day friends are able to come in and join them for weekend meals, and they all have London with its theatre, art galleries and range of public lectures on your doorstep.

I am going to disagree with Bubbles. Depending on subject there can be a huge difference between a very selective school and one that takes a wide range. An A* maths student may really struggle in a class where others are unlikely to get more than a B. Maths A level can be insufficiently challenging for a talented student anyway, but worse if it is taught at the pace of the least able student. The same will apply in other subjects. History is more fun if the whole class engages at the same level. I doubt many would say the same about Universities all being to get the most from bright students so I don't understand why the opposite would apply to sixth forms

A friend's very bright daughter moved to d'Overbroeck's sixth form and they are very happy with it.

I think most top to mid table boarding schools can educate bright children! I would choose somewhere in a decent sized town or city for a boarder with guardians. Oxford is a great choice. Never go to the middle of nowhere. Former Day pupils won’t really enjoy being so remote. However you have to realise that many schools within striking distance of London have children in them that party in London at the weekends! It’s inevitable but not every child goes, obviously. I know DC at Rigby who had a fairly quiet existence!

Some big names are competitive at 6th form so choose a bit of a spread from fashionable to a bit less fashionable. Many schools allow 6th formers more freedom to go out at weekends so if he has to stay at school, look for an international intake and a decent sized town or he will go stir crazy!

For a sixth former boarder I think Abingdon is worth considering. International pupils are full boarders and seem to be very happy despite it being mainly a day / weekly boarding school. It certainly fits the academic and sports remit. Also Radley should n’t be dismissed. It has a traditional reputation but in view of sports, academics and available facilities I would suggest visiting even if just to compare to other candidate schools. It is opening up to more international pupils including in the sixth form.

There is quite a lot of competition for 6th form places amongst those which are less selective at yr 7/9, these school will often take very bright pupils from outside the UK whose English might not have been good enough at yr 7/9 but are are likely to get top results and go to top universities because it boosts their results/university destinations and looks good on their websites. Ultimately there is nothing wrong with this but the schools can afford to be choosy so unlike a yr 7/9 a place is definitely not a done deal.
SPS does have boarders only a very small number 30ish last time I looked and mainly 6th formers but it could suit as its not a traditional boarding school but I suspect competition for places is very fierce so your friend would be wise to have at least 1 back up.

The op says she wants "very strong academics",so people say schools like Gordonstoun..Reeds,Epsom etc,pay a education consultant,unlike random people on the internet they might know what very strong academics mean..