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Full Boarding Recommendations

31 replies

BridgetZimbabwe · 13/08/2024 09:04

Hello from sunny Zimbabwe
We are looking for a school in UK for my son to attend 6th form in 2025. We were in UK in April and visited 6 amazing schools, but none of them were the absolute perfect fit.
My criteria are simple:

  1. Full boarding
  2. An all year round cricket program
  3. A sports science related A level option
I would be happier with a school in the south where I have a support network but would consider further afield. My preference would actually be to keep him in Zim, but he has a single track focus on playing cricket and Zim cannot offer what he feels he needs to achieve his ambitions.
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Cyclingforcake · 27/03/2025 01:14

Sedbergh School has a great cricket set up - a lot of the Yorkshire and England players went there (Harry Brook is the first that springs to mind). But is in Cumbria which doesn’t fulfil your ‘in the south’ brief.

HmmLikeAVillager · 27/03/2025 00:39

Actually Kings Canterbury might be a good shout - have the St Lawrence ground where Kent play and good amount of overseas and full boarders - traditional Saturday school, etc.

HmmLikeAVillager · 27/03/2025 00:31

Academics league table here for boarding school A' Levels - thought it might be helpful as it says how many boarders each school has on the left so you can guage the size. Was also going to mention Tonbridge and Rugby if you didn't like Millfield. https://www.topschoolguide.com/uk/league-tables/boarding-schools/top-100-boarding-schools-for-a-levels/

EBearhug · 27/03/2025 00:23

Tonbridge like to think they're a bit above Eton academically. 😉

Runningupthathill1980 · 26/03/2025 10:07

I would just add that Tonbridge is also excellent and probably just slightly below Eton in the above list academically, but again whilst they have Saturday morning lessons, the vast majority of boys come home on a Saturday pm after matches (and very limited activities are offered on a Sunday) and return on Sunday, so its not perfect for an international student (albeit there are several there).

Runningupthathill1980 · 26/03/2025 10:03

Very few of the schools mentioned on this thread are true full boarding schools. If academically strong and have a varied and strong co curricular, you need only to be thinking about Eton, Harrow and Radley as true full boarding options (I.e no day or weekly boarders and exeat only). If co ed is a preference then Marlborough College. Would probably rank these in order academically (currently) as; Eton, Radley, Harrow, Marlborough. Pastoral strength ranked; Radley, Marlborough, Eton, Harrow.

Waferbiscuit · 15/08/2024 21:35

Teddies/st Edward's in Oxford. Highly recommend!

PeachSalad · 15/08/2024 20:29

Bradley?

WhitegreeNcandle · 15/08/2024 19:23

Bedford school? They do boarding but I’m not sure if it’s full. Alistair Cook did ok there! They’re also linking up with NCCC I think.

Gymnogene · 15/08/2024 19:13

Apologies, I've reread your post and see you are looking for 6th form, which probably rules out most SA schools.

Gymnogene · 15/08/2024 19:11

Would somewhere like Bishops or Michael House in SA be a great alternative? Half the price, closer to home and similar culture.

summer555 · 15/08/2024 18:03

I know you've dismissed Millfield but their Olympic post sums it up pretty well

Full Boarding Recommendations
Giraffe62 · 14/08/2024 08:40

Have a look at Bradfield

Quornflakegirl · 14/08/2024 08:19

South Africa has some excellent boarding schools.
What about Malborough?

BumBumCream · 14/08/2024 07:55

Have you ruled out South Africa then?

NeedingCoffee · 14/08/2024 07:48

Definitely Millfield. The vast majority of the others mentioned (Canford etc) are not full boarding.

Wellington also very strong at all sports but again the vast majority will go home most Saturday nights.

Ifonlyoneday · 14/08/2024 07:41

Shrewsbury school. (Appreciate its not in the south) has a strong cricket set up and full boarding. May still do cricket scholarships as well.

summer555 · 14/08/2024 07:38

Our school has a great cricket program, hosts county games and international visiting teams to train. But isn't boarding.

I don't know about cricket specifically but Whitgift has a very strong sports program (our friend's son boards there and they produce a number of international sportspeople). The only downside is that it's also a day school so not everyone boards like say Eton or Harrow.

Stowe has amazing facilities (my son played his county cricket games there) but, being blunt, is a compromise in other ways.

Jennaveeve · 14/08/2024 07:16

For a sport driven choice I honestly wouldn’t look outside Millfield. It’s a totally different world.

itsgettingweird · 13/08/2024 12:01

Millfield was my first thought.

Also Mt Kelly is good for sport although I don't know if they offer cricket.

Plymouth college offers year round cricket and also offers full boarding.

EBearhug · 13/08/2024 11:49

Tonbridge has a good cricket academy.

kiana2015 · 13/08/2024 11:47

Buckswood?

GoldenCactus · 13/08/2024 11:45

Epsom College?