How academically selective are Sherborne and Millfield at Year 9 entry?

[tachetastic]

Our DS is currently at an independent Prep school in Somerset and we are turning our minds to identifying a suitable senior school for Y9 entry. We are talking to our HM and schools in the area, but would be grateful for the views of Mumsnetters.

DS is a lovely young man who always scores highly for effort marks in his school reports, but bless him he is not academic in any sense. He is however, gifted on the sports field. I'm not suggesting he is going to play for England or is heading to the Olympics, but across all sports he is among the most talented in his year group and I am confident would hold his own at most if not all schools. Whatever school he goes to, he will be a full boarder.

The two schools that stand out to us at the moment are Sherborne and Millfield.

Sherborne appeals because of the traditional approach (we are aged parents), the fact it is full boarding (so does not empty out at weekends) and I think DS would enjoy the all boys environment.

Millfield on the other hand appeals because it is without a doubt the most sporty school in the country, which DS would love, it is still 75% boarding (and given its size that is a lot of boarders), and it also scores highly in supporting students with additional academic needs. DS does not have any specific need such as dyslexia, but may benefit from learning support as it gets closer to the GCSE and A-level years.

I understand from speaking to the schools and visiting their websites that both are selective, but that neither rely on Common Entrance other than for setting, instead using the ISEB or other computer based tests, together with interviews and references. This leads me to suspect they may be more open to boys who are not going to be mathematicians, doctors or lawyers, but are quite sporty and easy to get on with. I must say my interactions with both schools have been very positive.

It would be great to hear from other parents with experience of these schools (or other options in the Somerset/Dorset/Devon region) and the chances of a not-that-academic boy making the grade. I don't want to put him through the pressure of interviews and testing at schools that are at best a long shot.

Thanks. 😁

I guess it depends how you define “not academic” as that can be quite subjective. I’ve been living in HK and “not academic at all” means “might not get into oxbridge” 🤣 whereas some of my U.K. friends would say it and mean “might not pass English and maths at gcse”. It’s also a bit tricky as schools hold their cards quite close when it comes to what is an acceptable ISEB score and it can vary by year. Has the prep school given you any guidance on what might work for him?

Of the two you mention, my impression was that Millfield is less academic then Sherborne and might be a better fit if he’s a very good sportsman. Their teams are v impressive- my dc play against them and all the schools keen to avoid the Millfield pool! I have friends with dc at both and all are happy- none are academic heavy hitters. In Dorset, Claysmore and Bryanston would be considered less academic than Canford, for example. You would need to check how many stay in at weekends though as these schools do have quite large local contingents. Be prepared to press for actual numbers.

Thanks @illiterato. I think at the right school and with support he will pass his GCSEs, but he is in the bottom set for any subjects where they have setting and so I would expect low passes.

My main concern with Millfield was whether it was so sporty that even a really sporty boy could get lost in the crowd. At his prep school he is rarely celebrated for his maths or English, but he is celebrated for his rugby, hockey, cricket and athletics, and that is important to his sense of who he is. There are around 100 boys in each year at Millfield. If they are all really sporty (which they seem to be) the competition for places on that A team must be intense, but I would also be interested in anybody's experience as to whether that is the case.

I like the look of Bryanston but think it may be a tad alternative for our taste. 😀 I don't know much about Clayesmore, but was a bit put off as it is only 40% boarding. May need to take a closer look.

Sherborne parent here with two DS as current pupils. There are certainly some very clever and scholarly boys at Sherborne but I’d say it’s fairly broad entry, and within the student body sporting and musical prowess are much celebrated. They regularly play Millfield and are usually beaten- not always though- for instance Sherborne may have the edge in rugby but Millfield are certainly stronger for soccer. Others will know more, but I think that Millfield does have some Somerset-based pupils who are there because it’s a well-regarded local school, and these will not necessarily be sporting superstars-perhaps these day pupils raise the academic quotient.
We are very happy with Sherborne- it’s a school where all sorts of talents and interests are encouraged, including but not limited to academics. DM me if you want to know more.

I can't help with the schools OP, I don't know them past knowing Millfield is sporty. However, I think you are right to worry about the sports thing. It may help to view it as something else.

Imagine your son is really really academic. In terms of his personality, would he fit better at a St Paul's type school, where he is surrounded by equally clever boys who all bounce off each other and lowest set is still probably a 9 at GCSE. OR is he the type of boy who in this situation would be better off going to a less academic school and being the high flyer in the top sets.
It sounds like this is what it really comes down to, if they both have equally good provision for lower attainers.
The only other thing I know about Millfield is there is a lot of relationships etc as it's coed. A lot of designer labels and jock culture. They're all over tiktok too, as in, they have an official tiktok page. This isn't me picking at them, it suits some kids perfectly fine, but it's worth bearing in mind.

Have you looked at Blundells, just over the border in Devon? I think they are quite sporty but not quite so elite as Millfield.

Yes Blundells is a good school for a sporty boy, probably the top all-rounder’s school in Devon. They offer a significant fee reduction for local families though, which might mean fewer boarders especially at weekends. There’s a lot of love for the Taunton schools. I don’t know anyone with DC at these but I was really impressed with the attitude and team cohesion of a visiting cricket team from King’s Taunton last summer. They didn’t win, but their teamwork and supportive ethos made a real impression, to the extent I commented on it to their coach.

I would say Sherborne is becoming more academic and certainly my scholar DS gets plenty of stretch. But I wouldn’t call it a highly selective school and there are undoubtedly also boys who contribute to the life of the school in other ways, whose effort and attitude are valued as much as raw ability. The link to Sherborne Girls is a huge plus also.

I think you should have a look at Milton Abbey - it might be too small to offer all the sports want (or it might not - it’s quite a trad school in many ways) - but very specialised in non academic kids.

Also Mount Kelly - used to be Kelly College then merged with some other school. It’s very sporty, and non selective academically.

Both boarding although I don’t know what percentage full board.

Also - stating the obvious - have you talked to the prep head and head of PE? They should give you a good idea. If your son is as non academic as you say, I think Sherborne might not be the best place for his confidence.

I've got family who teach and coach at Millfield, plenty of kids not very academic but there on sport merits. Also some seem to do music more than sport. And although there are a lot of very talented sports people there, they are spread out across so many different sports. They seem to be big on swimming and rugby.

Bryanston or Clayesmore would be the right Dorset choices. Clayesmore is a good choice for a sporty child who is less academically able. Good Sen support .

Can I ask why 40% boarding is putting you off?

I can’t speak for the OP but I personally I wouldn’t choose a boarding school where boarders were the minority because then it’s a day school that accepts boarders rather than the other way around and I think provision for boarders tends to be better at a school that is primarily set up around boarding. But it does depend on the set up. In particular boarding schools benefit from a longer day which enables them to interleaf lessons with sport and private study. If the day students all leave early then you lose some of that benefit in terms of timetabling. Schools that insist day students stay for the full day ( 8/9pm) tend to be those where day students are a minority.

Thanks a lot for those comments.

@AvocadoSurprise We are also looking at Blundell's. It is a sporty school, though as you say definitely not as much as Millfield. I have also heard from parents that the SEN provision is not great. There is no guarantee that DS would need lots of support, but he may need some. Also as you say, Blundell's is 50% boarding but a lot of the boarders are weekly or flexi. I hear the few boarders in at weekends rattle around a bit after matches are finished.

@Vaughan32 Interesting comment. We spoke to the registrar at Sherborne Prep a while ago when we were looking at preps and she said that while entrance to Sherborne was never guaranteed, in practice they had never had a boy turned down who wanted to go. However, they were introducing changes that will mean this is unlikely to continue to be the case in future. I took that to mean they were increasing their selection standard. I had forgotten about that until I saw your comment.

@Notamum12345577 Precisely @illiterato 's point. I would prefer a school that is set up for boarding and has a few day students, not the other way around.

@olympicsrock I have never heard of Bryanston or Clayesmore as particularly sporty schools, but perhaps I am uninformed. Happy to be corrected.

@Luredbyapomegranate Thanks for the suggestions. I have heard pretty negative things about Mount Kelly, but things may have changed. They have a great reputation for swimming, but for other sports I struggle to see who they play against. Will definitely look at Milton Abbey, though I think my DS would be happier in a larger school.

Is DS in prep at present, @tachetastic? If so do they have a strong relationship with schools in this area? Prep Heads are or should be the Registrar Whisperer and both help you discern the best school to suit your DS and then help you get him there. Of course they will know best the schools they already send boys to…

Thanks and yes, we will of course speak to the Head, but he only joined his current prep this year and I wanted to give them time to get to know him before having that conversation. In the meantime i thought views of other parents for suggestions gives me information to ask him about certain schools. DS is also only in Year 4. Next year is when the search will really begin.

What about King's College, Taunton? Also sporty, not selective. Can't comment on the learning support I'm afraid... maybe someone else on here can.

Of all the schools mentioned Sherborne is the best for a boarding all rounder. Milton Abbey is tiny and very niche. Bryanston is popular but friends of mine moved their dd because of bullying which seems common. Clayesmore won't have the boarders if you want full boarding. Millfield is great but I've heard so many stories of sporty kids being ignored as they aren't elite.

Thanks @Changeau . You're the second to mention Bryanston as an option.

Does anyone know how sporty Bryanston is? I always see it as a hotbed of creativity.

That is my concern about Millfield. I think at any other school DS would be on the A team, but it sounds like you basically need to be a future rugby international to be picked for the Millfield As!!!

The academic question is one that I always struggle with. I want him to be supported but I do also want him to be pushed to his potential academically.

Bryanston is quite flashy. Great food and facilities. However the head left recently under a cloud. I'd say its snobbier than Sherborne. It has a good non academic offering at A level. Sherborne is far more traditional at A level.

I and two of my children went to Millfield.

Yes, you're right, even if your son is good at sport he will probably just be an also-ran in terms of their sports teams.
The teaching is very good there and my son was allowed to be good at art, which isn't always true in some schools.

My children were there some time ago, but I think it is true that the entry requirements are not as high as at some other schools.
The fees are very high and you are extremely unlikely to get any reduction unless you are an elite sportsperson or very bright.

You do not have to be academic at all to go to Millfield, just be able to pay the fees - I know people there with dc who REALLY struggled to pass any GCSEs at all, they decided Millfield was a better "brand" for their dc to have in life on their CV than another lesser-known school. That's not a criticism and it may be your ds will be pushed to fulfil his potential, I simply don't know ... Personally would go for Sherborne

@tachetastic if he’s only in Y4 you’ve got masses of time to see how he develops before you need to make a firm decision. You might find he’s more academic/artistic/musical than anyone previously spotted if his new prep helps him find new strengths. You can afford to run a variety of options at this stage- it’s often a process of discernment rather than immediate clarity. My DS were headed to a very different school based on what we thought in Y5, and the choice of Sherborne emerged quite gradually and against expectations! Perhaps draw up a long list and start attending matches when schools on your list play one another. You’ll get a truer picture of the culture and attitudes on the touch line than during an open day when they are consciously being their best selves. You might find you have an allergic reaction to certain schools that you would not have felt from their admissions team or prospectus.

Thanks a lot for your confirmation of what I thought!

The fees are eye watering, but only around 500 per term more than Sherborne, so that would not be a consideration in choosing between those two. As you say the chances of a scholarship are tiny. It gets to the point where you just have to bite the bullet fees wise I think.

I just can't ever admit to my parents how much my four kids' education is costing! Their argument is that the local comprehensive was good enough for me, and given the fact I can now look at these schools for my kids maybe it didn't do a bad job!!! 🤔

@Changeau Thanks for commenting on the offering at A level, which I had not even considered, but you are right could be interesting. Bryanston is snobbier than Sherborne? Is that the parents or the kids? I can equip my DCs to deal with snobby kids. I'm not as good at keeping my mouth shut..... 😶😂

Personally I'd probably choose a good local day school in preference to any that you've mentioned, which is what I did for my youngest daughter. The problem there is that most (where we live at least) are highly selective and entrance is difficult.

Thanks @angela99999. Is that because you don't rate the schools I am looking at? There are others in the area such as King's Bruton.

Personal circumstances mean we need to look at boarding provision. Our DS is currently a full boarder and loves it. I don't see that changing in the medium term.