Any ideas for boarding schools 90 mins from London?

[justuptothebrimplease]

Am so hoping the collective Mumsnet mind will help match my daughter to the right school as I really don't know where to start!!!

I'm looking for a 13+ co-ed weekly boarding school place for our girl. She is very strong on sports, drama music and art and middle of the road academically. 112 sats score.

She's outgoing and makes friends easily, but is a sensitive girl and would suit an environment that has a high standard of pastoral care.

We aren't into hothouse environments, and obviously her scores aren't high enough for the most competitive schools in any case, but we would love to find a place where she can be gently encouraged rather than strongly pressured to do her best.

We are looking roughly 90 minutes travel time around London so Surrey, Sussex, Oxfordshire etc etc and will probably rent a place near the school in any case.

I'd be so grateful for any pointers as all schools seem to say the same thing about themselves!!!

Thank you so much

Any

Friends kids went to Oakham and liked it, they aren't super bright and loved sports

Sorry I obviously should have said South/South West London. My sats score would probably be minus 112

Hurst or Ardingly

Haileybury

Charterhouse

Oundle. 20 mins from Peterborough station, and a 45 minute train journey into London. Consistently good results, and offers a fantastic all-round education experience. A family member goes there and they absolutely love it.

Yse the map on locrating.com to look at the area you are interested in and then run searches on those schools through Mumsnet for gossip. Based on what you have said I would consider Ardingley, Sevenoaks, Caterham, Kings Rochester, Sutton Valence…

Charterhouse? Not an academic hothouse (but very respectable result) and loads of drama, music and sport opps.

Bloxham ticks all your boxes.

Seaford College,

Haileybury

The Oratory, Reading
Great pastoral care, small school, amazing art,drama and sport. Definitely not a hot house

I would have thought that Sats 112 is a good score (out of 120) which would put the likes of Brighton (exam hothouse and offers A-levels, but super Oxbridge results), Sevenoaks (one of the best IB schools, v progressive loads of media types) and Wellington (high energy, loads of cool nouveau riche kids, bit of a party school in sixth form, offers both A+IB) within reach if you want to go highly academic, but these are also rather pressured environments.

Then you have the über posh Charterhouse (old money) and Marlborough (sporty) which have a bit less academic intake but still pressurised albeit more on the social side.

For a less pressured more encouraging (but still decent Oxbridge output) environment, I would pay a visit to the King’s School Canterbury- they have an arts festival week at the end of June if your DD is into that. It really is an amazing school and ticks all your boxes with amazing music and arts, all kinds of sports you can think of in a great city and a nice school atmosphere and robust pastoral care.

Marlborough and King’s Canterbury are full boarding though, albeit the latter also has day pupils so might be more flexible

Stamford. Brilliant pastoral, superb arts provision, in a lovely, small Georgian town with lots of independent shops and cafes.

Cranleigh School

Thanks so so much for all the messages. Super helpful. We are definitely looking for more of the trad 'old money' British tribe ideally, rather than the flashy type. We are only looking South South West of London.
If anyone has any insight into the Oratory or Charterhouse in terms of drama, sport and Pastoral care I'd be deeply grateful.
Thanks so much

Maybe slightly further than you think, but how about Malvern St James?

Dauntseys near Devizes may fit the bill, very outdoorsy and good pastorally

Another vote for Haileybury

Another vote for King's Canterbury- lovely, happy place

I'd also say Haileybury.

I have friends who went to Charterhouse and a couple are in the beyond normal wealth category which is generally the vibe I get from the school. We play them at sport and they seem nice enough.

King's Canterbury!

For sixth form I went to the Royal hospital school in Holbrook in Suffolk.

It was a good school with a good mix. Lots of bright but also lots of average students. Loads of drama and sports.

I went on a special grant for children and grandchildren of people in the forces (my grandad was in the forces). I think my parents got an 80% discount on fees.

A lot of people don't seem to be able to locate the South/South West of London!

Caterham might wok?