Alternative boarding school to Win Coll?

[Titwillow55]

Deciding on schools to visit for my 10 year old son who seems to be a text book win coll boy. He is academic, quirky, very musical, Aspergers, polite, not a “boys boy”, hates football, likes coding and reading.

we live abroad so looking for full boarding that doesn’t empty out at the weekend and isn’t only Chinese students at weekends like some are. I boarded and loved it. Son is keen to board. Before anyone starts down that route…

he’s not at a prep school so the current school can’t help. We don’t want Eton just due to our own preconceived ideas (!) which is a shame as I know ton is very academic.

any insight into Radley at all? Or Harrow? We’ve been to rugby and it didn’t quite fit the type of boy our son is. Marlborough was too full of flash cash I felt. Thank you for any helpful steers.

Sorry should say win coll would be first choice just looking for a back up or alternative

I think Radley has a reputation for being quite sporty?

Have you considered Sherborne? It has a fairly broad mix but sounds like your DC would be in top sets anyway, and it has a good reputation for music. Oundle?

Christ's Hospital? Full boarding takes all types (substantial bursary scheme to ensure it does). Music is outstanding (fabulous marching band). Easy to access from Gatwick

I'd probably be looking at Eton for myself if I were you! Can you not get past the preconceptions? Seems a shame. Otherwise Harrow / Tonbridge.

We don’t want Eton just due to our own preconceived ideas (!) which is a shame as I know [E]ton is very academic.

TBH the academic aspect might be the least exciting element - though they do come out with superb vocabularies. It’s the skills they acquire through the school’s very particular boarding set-up that really give them an edge once they leave. And it’s mostly a perfectly lovely life day to day. I’m sure there may be plenty of current undergraduates who might vaguely live up to the stereotype - but they’re not amongst those I know best.

Another vote for Eton here. Sounds like your son would be a good fit. I know several families who were initially almost embarrassed that they were applying to Eton because of its elite, über-posh reputation, but they are all really happy.

DS is at Eton, I would recommend that you apply.
There is no other school that compares in my opinion and I think your DS would be a great fit.

My DS did start at Winchester .Eton offers so much more, including wonderful pastoral care which is so important especially if you are overseas.

food for thought about Eton.

Would life be miserable there for the non team sport enjoying boy? Hes happy to go for a run or would enjoy a gym session. But football and rugby he hates. I think he’d like rowing, do they row at Eton? And he loves swimming. Basically solo sports are his preferred.

we aren’t posh. We can afford the fees but people wouldn’t know by talking to us. Is Eton stuffed full of braying David Cameron types?

@Titwillow55 I think he’d like rowing, do they row at Eton?

They definitely row at Eton. The school is on the Thames which is the perfect river for rowing and the school takes maximum advantage.

I have no doubt that there are plenty of excessive displays of money at Eton, as there are at most of the top flight schools. But that is not the norm and I am sure your DS would find his tribe if you decided to go that way.

Eton hosted the Olympic Games rowing. They have a world class purpose built rowing facility. Not sure another school can match that

Is Eton stuffed full of braying David Cameron types?

Oh. I thought this was a serious thread …

Any pupil impersonating a middle aged man would look rather odd amongst the 13 year olds your son would be fraternising with.

But perhaps you should take a glance at the website?

thank you that’s very helpful. Do any current parents have a view on the head, Simon Henderson, that they’d be happy to share? I know he ruffled a few feathers by being more liberal than his predecessors.
I realise that he’s probably no more so than heads at other schools. However if you send your son to, say, Brighton College you’d expect that whereas at Eton you might be hoping for a more traditional viewpoint.

we are flying to the UK next month to take a look at Win Coll so will add in Eton.

Definitely take a look at Christ's Hospital! It's a full boarding school with very few day pupils and prides itself on having students from all walks of life - very refreshing for an independent school! Your son would fit in really well as it's very academic and very musical (check out their marching band - it's brilliant!)

@DidIhearthephonering My DS is at Winchester and we want to make a change for 6th form. Did your DS move after GCSE'S, DS would love Eton but I know 6th form entry is very difficult.
We are not sure where to begin with our search , we are in London so we would be open to day or boarding. We are also considering Tonbridge.

@DidIhearthephonering My DS moved earlier, it offers him so much more than Winchester did. I will pm you.

I’d be curious to hear what you felt Winchester lacked, @DidIhearthephonering! I recall when we had a look around a few years ago it all seemed wondrously calm and civilised - but we didn’t like some of the living arrangements. And the relevant child was definitely more excited by not-Winchester.

@StrangeNew It's very shabby in parts when compared with other schools today. We were very disappointed with the oversight and pastoral care. While some of the teaching was good, there are far too many mediocre teachers.
The school is not interested in listening to parents concerns, we would have moved for 6th form but the opportunity came up earlier.

Our experience of Eton is everything Winchester was not. The societies and clubs are second to none.Teaching is excellent and doesn't have to be topped up with tutoring during the holidays. Housemasters are available and work incredibly hard to make sure the boys are reaching their potential. There is a great atmosphere in the house.

Most of all we know DS is being well looked after and he's very happy and thriving.

Where did you decide on for your DS ?

Where did you decide on

The place your DS is currently at. See my post above about recent leavers.

My apologies, I missed that @StrangeNew.
They are very lucky boys.

Have you approached any of these schools and mentioned your son's diagnosis? Our experience with our ASD son is that the vast majority of private schools do not want neurodiverse children.
All of the schools you have mentioned are very high profile private schools with a big emphasis on sport.

@StrangeNew Could you say a bit more about the the "very particular boarding set-up" you mention at Eton? I'm interested in finding out as much as I can about the school as my son is applying for Sept 2026, along with Winchester. Thank you

What about Bedes? It might not be quite as traditional as the other schools you are looking at, but your DS might really like it. https://www.bedes.org/

I’d recommend you go and take a look at Ampleforth College too.

Ampleforth is very musical - have a look at their Schola and the Highland band (although bagpipes aren’t everyone’s thing!) It’s mostly full boarders and always has loads going on at weekends, well all the time really. They definitely welcome children who are neurodiverse and although it never claims to be academic at selection, they really bring out the best of every child so if your son is academic he would excel. Sometimes I think that’s better than having all academic children (when very clever boys suddenly don’t feel good enough). This way every child is nurtured for their own skills and talents. There’s also a lovely junior boarding house for the first two years before they choose which boy’s house they go into which makes for a really gentle supportive transition to boarding. The pastoral care is superb. The school organises transfers to airports.

All the best whatever you choose.

Harrow is not that academic

Eton is

Oundle is definitely worth a look

Christs Hospital - you might like this as it’s mostly build on scholarships so a real mix of disadvantaged, working class, middle class and well off. A family member went there, loved it, and has the most remarkable mix of friends. Very strong academically

Uppingham is a bit more relaxed but still structured

I also have family at Ampleforth, they enjoyed it, but it is fairly non selective and non-pushy - you need to be a self starter if you want to achieve

All of the above are focused on full boarding. Tonbridge might also be worth a look but check on the full boarding

I’d look at Eton. We chose not to send our son to board because he didn’t want to, but I do think Eton has it all. However this includes a reputation that you may not want to land on your son. That’s the downside.

I did hear a friend who works in the city (OE) saying he thinks doors are closing now to Etonians (in the city). But the education is still very very good. And its reputation abroad is unsullied as yet.