Looking for full boarding girls schools

I haven't seen my dc for nearly a month, and won't until half term. Not really through choice, but Covid and damn quarantine requirements!

That sounds a bit rubbish for her, Crumbs, unless her actual parents are in and out of the school all the time?

I remember at prep level the non-UK based parents seemed to spend more time at the school than we (a few hours on the motorway) ever did. I doubt they made much demand on their appointed guardians.

But I also remember a poster, some while ago, who had been asked to act as guardian to a non-UK resident child at boarding school in England. She wanted to be assured that the child would be invited to stay with (new) friends every exeat and holiday - so nothing would be required from her as guardian. I wasn't the only person who found this attitude iniquitous.

Never hear a single thing from the school, the child has my email and phone number (and I speak her mother tongue fluently) and I never hear from her either.

I've swung into action and rescued her when she's missed flights etc, but there was zero expectation (nor would the child want me turning up) that I did anything other than be a trusted person in the country in case of emergency.

Hello, resourceful mums, does any one have experience in CLC pre-assessment test for year 7 ( virtual one) ? my girl will go on it in this summer. Many thanks.

Oundle is mixed by there are about 5 girls houses and all of them are full boarding with no weekly allowed. Day students are housed in a mixed day house. It’s 60% boys overall and 40% boys. The main emphasis is on self starting academic types so I don’t think it sounds what you looking for. Plenty of full boarding all girls all rounder schools out there to choose from instead.

Stowe is mixed and is introducing day students and weekly boarders.

Stowe is mostly boarders - DD wants to go because her cousins did.

Oh sorry just realised you want single sex

Have you looked at Oundle, it's a lovely school, co ed and has the large majority full boarding I think, they aren't keen on weekly.

She said the girls were lovely, no real issues with unkindness. She just loved the whole place and did really well academically as well as co curricular and sport. Uniform is really smart, but when they go to 6th form it’s much more relaxed. They regularly interact with the Boys school, although she wasn’t too fussed about being with boys.

Sorry, that has come from friends of ours, with children there. I'm not talking wealthy, I am talking the uber rich - private jets et al.

Just coming back to this , having seen the remark about Benenden being “ bitchy” - our older daughter started there 7 years and our younger is just about to go into the sixth-form and I have never come across behaviour that I would describe in that way. There may be , probably are, as in any group of teenage girls some individuals whose behaviour from time to time is less than kind, but the ethos of the school as my girls have experienced it is overwhelmingly kind, supportive and grounded.And any of these schools, given that all charge c £40k pa is inevitably going to be largely populated by the well off and wealthy!

Just coming back to this , having seen the remark about Benenden being “ bitchy” - our older daughter started there 7 years and our younger is just about to go into the sixth-form and I have never come across behaviour that I would describe in that way. There may be , probably are, as in any group of teenage girls some individuals whose behaviour from time to time is less than kind, but the ethos of the school as my girls have experienced it is overwhelmingly kind, supportive and grounded.And any of these schools, given that all charge c £40k pa is inevitably going to be largely populated by the well off and wealthy - naive to think otherwise.

I've already commented on this thread as my DD is a Mayfield School. Although Mayfield is a Catholic school not everyone who attends is Catholic but they do have mass weekly. For the students who wish to be more involved with the religious side school have their own chapel.

As a parent @Kinlocrhum gave a good summary of our school in that Mayfield is academically sound but is great for art, ceramics and drama. We have good sports facilities and the equestrian facilities are outstanding.

Good luck with your search OP.

Also check out the Good Schools Guide on line. A small fee is paid to read the full reviews.

So many typos! Sorry.

If you’re open to a mixed school Kings Canterbury is wonderful. I have children both in day snd boarding and would say it is overwhelmingly a boarding school (ds never wanted to board but I do think he’d missed out on a lot) . My dd boards snd only ever comes home for fixed exerts. Many of her friends are international students. The school is based in the heart of the city do they are never bored on a Sunday (which is the only day they have no lessons)

Do you have friends in UK who could be guardians? We are also overseas, and have our closest friends as guardians. They also live very close to school.

However we have never had to 'use' them so to speak, even during Covid. They have also never taken dd out at weekends, even for lunch - the reason being she is having too much fun at school!

To me a guardian is someone that could assist with pastoral or discipline issues, or make a decision if she was ever in hospital after a freak accident. Boarders tend to get asked to stay with day girls over a weekend from time to time, or to stay with more local boarders.

Mass is compulsory at Mayfield on Sundays. If you are very Catholic I would stick with a Catholic school.

I’ve had friends with daughters at CLC, Wycombe, St Mary’s Ascot, Downe House & Benenden. I think they’ve all been happy, my daughter has friends who went to Benenden who she met at university who seem very nice. I know you’d like single sex but another friend, who lived abroad, has been very happy with Felstead in Essex. Proper full boarding and a broad ability range. One of her daughters had a difficult period of time & missed a few months of education (nothing to do with school - family circumstances) and they let her start in a younger age group rather than struggle academically.

Have you looked at St George's Ascot. That is boarding and the day girls also are in school Saturday mornings.

OP I hope you aren't imagining that full boarding will obviate the need for totally committed, full time guardians for your daughters?

Boarding works best when there is regular and frequent interaction with 'home'. So the guardians you appoint should be seeing their wards at least every two weeks - attending school events, sports, concerts, etc. And picking the children up, either to go 'home' or to be taken out for Sunday lunch, say.

You need to place as much emphasis on decent guardianship as on choice of school.

Downe House: I don't think it is too close to London. At least 1.5 hr drive to most parts of London.

St Mary's Ascot: Pls note that a girl must be Catholic to be considered for admission.

One other thing. I note you live overseas. You will have to have Guardians based in the UK, so also consider that when selecting a school.