full boarding options for expat kids

[EMRmum]

Hi, looking for advice on boarding schools please. We are British expats living in the Middle East looking for a great boarding school for our daughter from year 9. She is an all-rounder - academic (CAT4 average 139), loves maths, in the netball team, does a lot of dance and plays piano. She's self-motivated and is pretty competitive (mainly against herself!). We've been to see Wycombe Abbey (and we and the kids loved it) and going to see Downe House in a few weeks. We obviously need backup options but we're struggling to find another suitable option other than these two.

Ideally we are looking for a good all-rounder school that is academically challenging but also lots of fun with good drama and dance offerings and somewhere that is easily accessed by both sets of grandparents (one in the north west and one in south east!) and also from Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. Since we are abroad, one on the most important things is that we need it to be full boarding rather than weekly boarding so that she won't be left at school with just a few other overseas kids every weekend. We want the weekends to be really fun with lots of friends and lots of activities going on. Happy to look at co-ed but struggling to find any other option that is academic and also still pretty full on a Saturday night.

Are there any other expat parents out there going through (or having been through) the same decision making process or any other parents at these kinds of schools who can suggest other good options for me please?

Thanks so much for your advice!

Thanks - wow you are all such a font of information on this subject, it’s amazing! I wish I’d thought to look on mumsnet before! I don’t think I’ve looked on mumsnet since I was breastfeeding in the middle of the night, ha ha!

Roedean looks really lovely and I think I’ll go and see it but it’s not really the best location for us (great for one set of grandparents but horrendous journey for the other!).

I’ll add Worth to the list although it likely has the same issue as I think it’s also south coast if I remember rightly. Hubby did suggest it the other day though as an option.

Mayfield I think is possibly too catholic for us - we are not catholic and I think of it as being quite a religious school. Perhaps I’m wrong?

Has Charterhouse become more academic / more reputable as a serious academic contender? The website looks fantastic and it’s a great location for us but I always thought of it as being more an old boys club rather than a school getting good grades… gosh hope I don’t sound too judgey?! Maybe it has changed a bit since letting girls into the school?

Have you thought about any of the Scottish boarding schools?
Gordonstoun is particularly good for all rounders who are academic self starters but also offers extremely good extra-curricular activities and opportunities.

I personally would discount Charterhouse, a little bit pushy/hot house.

Mayfield is a Catholic school, but a high percentage of girls are not even Christian! Great pastoral care, and lots in at weekends.

Worth is on the up, very near Gatwick. Catholic too, but not sure of ethos.

Gordonstoun couldn’t be further from Heathrow and Gatwick and is not known for academics whatsoever . I’m sure a great school for those who choose it but quite probably the polar opposite to what the OP is looking for 😀

Another one though possibly too far for your mum is St Mary's Calne, friends of ours who were expats in Thailand had their kids there and were very happy with the school. While on the map it looks like it's pretty far west it's close to the M4 (1h20 to Heathrow) and to Chippenham for the train which is an hour to Paddington. They have a section on their website devoted to the weekends so it's evidently something parents ask about as it's 80% boarding.

I've had DC at Christs Hospital and Wells - why I suggested them. Both very happy in their respective schools - happy to answer questions.

Worth is about 15 minutes from Gatwick so although it's SE, it's not on the coast.

DC both went to Millfield. Full boarding, well suited to expat kids (mine were), great sport and facilities. One DC academic and did very well. Other less academic with some LS needs and was well supported and has finished university and is in very good job in London. They both talk very fondly of their time at Millfield.

If Sherborne is too far then surely Millfield would be as well

I have a friend with a very recent dreadful experience of Millfield. Could have been bad luck, but who knows.

Another vote for Uppingham. Most boarding schools organise taxis to and from the airports so you can confidently look further afield.

Me too. It would be inconceivable to choose Millfield over Sherborne or Bryanston.

My cousins went to Stonar school in Bath. One loved it, one hated it. They have a big equestrian vibe so if she likes horses it might be worth checking out?

Stonar is not in the same league as the schools mentioned. I think they've wound down the equestrian side a bit.

My cousins went 20 years ago so I'm not surprised there's been some changes . Thanks for the update x

Lots of day and weekly boarders at Oakham, plus it's quite far from London airports.

I would second Christ's Hospital.

Charterhouse isn't in the same league academically as schools like Wycombe Abbey and Sevenoaks, but like Sherborne/Sherborne Girls it does very well for the high flyers and it's amazing for drama and the arts. It does tend to empty out at weekends somewhat.

Have you considered Christs Hospital in Horsham? A stones throw from Gatwick and full boarding as well.
I would consider it when my boys are older (were expats too but in Caribbean) as it's round the corner from my parents and sister.

Have you considered state boarding schools such as Cranbrook in Kent or Holyport College in Windsor and Maidenhead? If you walk around Sevenoaks at the weekend it is full of groups of pupils looking happy and purposeful. Otherwise, it is an easy train journey or flight to Edinburgh - what about Fettes, full boarding and the day pupils have a longer day so they all mix.

I’m not up to date on the schools, although as a nanny to children who went to various schools, Benenden was very good for my extremely academic, not particularly sporty charge! I would say though that although the logistics are important (proximity to grandparents etc) imo it is more important that the school is right. Without being insensitive, GPs die/move away/become ill/stop driving/are unable or unwilling to ultimately do as much as they say/you think they will. Base your decisions mainly on what you as parents can commit to.

Oakham is closing its onsite school shop at the end of this term which is not a popular move with the parents. A physical school shop is worth considering when looking at a new school as every child will panic buy at least one bit of stationery, maths sets, deodorant, sanpro etc during their school lifetime. The school shop is a lifeline for boarders who don’t have their parents close by to quickly get these things for them, especially if they’re younger boarders and they are not allowed out into town outside the set shopping afternoons.

Have you looked at Woldingham? Lots of expats there as so close to LGW.

I just checked Fettes, they don’t do weekly or flexi boarding and 70% of the seniors board so your DD wouldn’t be the odd one out - they have a full schedule for the weekends.

thanks again everyone for all the updates overnight! Ok, so it seems we should also look at St Mary's Calne and CLC probably. They seem a good fit although further afield than we had wanted.

@trockodile that's a really good point and one that had crossed my mind about grandparents involvement dwindling as time goes on. My daughter actually has a good friend who went to Benenden this year and is absolutely loving it so we were initially keen until we saw it was really in the furthest corner of Kent! Perhaps I should go and see it anyway in case the school completely bowls us over! Thank you.

Two more questions… does anyone have experience of Brighton College? It sounds amazing from what I’ve read. But is it another school that empties out at the weekends?

also any views on Ardingly College?

Thank you!