Looking for a full boarding school for sixth form

[notsurewhattowrite]

Hi
I know virtually nothing about boarding schools so asking for advice. Husband had been offered a job in the Middle East and so we are potentially looking for a boarding school for my dd who will start sixth form in 2025. Would be good to be in reach of Heathrow or Gatwick.
She's pretty academic, wants to study STEM, but not particularly sporty or into drama. Need full boarding and good pastoral care. Co-Ed or all-girls both considered. I've had a look around and seems we are already quite late in looking so I'm panicking a bit!
Help!

Have you considered international school instead? There are IB ones and English national curriculum ones…

I didn’t much like boarding school…

Peter Symonds is excellent and no fees (just boarding costs).

If she is mature and responsible can you not just get her a flat and she continue at her current school? I have friends who did this when their parents had to relocate for work during the GCSE/A-level years and they didn’t want to move to a new school/country.

Her current school doesn't have a sixth form so she'll have to move anyway. She'll finish her GCSE's there. Well also consider the schools in the UAE (I know some are excellent) but need a plan B. We're going to look at Peter Symonds at the open evening so there is that option thank you.

I wouldn’t worry about being close to airports. Most boarding schools have lots of children flying in and out. I’d look for somewhere in the southwest.

Ah, it helps then a bit If you are already expecting a move post-GCSE. As I said I have two friends (one in Scotland and one in England) who’s parents got them flats for sixth form as they moved abroad (oils and gas industry). It worked very well but obviously requires a certain mindset and maturity.

I've a friend whose child went into boarding school because dad had a job in south Africa. They were so miserable it just didn't suit them.

I have three friends who teach in the UAE. The schools were very good they all said.

It will be a broadening experience for your daughter so I would take her

St Catherines Bramley, girls only. Close to Heathrow and Gatwick.

I know boarding school may not suit so we will look around various options and it will ultimately be her choice. I'd love her to join us but currently she wants to stay in the UK.

The employer might be able to pay for you to get a schools consultant to help. They get paid to meet with you, contact schools, see if there are places available, make a list etc

Roedean is girls only near Brighton, friend's daughter is currently there and loving it.
There's also Ardingly, who have a full sixth form.
Both within half hour/40 min of Gatwick.

If looking at Heathrow then Bradfield College is off the M4 (co-Ed)

Hurtwood House is near Gatwick and not far from Heathrow. It’s only sixth form so a bit more relaxed than a school that has younger year groups. It does have a strong performing arts side to it but plenty of the kids there aren’t doing any of that.

We've got friends overseas who are schooling in the UK from Y9 and have gone for Chaterhouse (over St Catherine's, St Theresa's and Wycombe Abbey). Other friends who were going to do the same from Singapore looked at Marlborough, Canford, Bryanston and Haileybury.

Bromsgrove has a very healthy boarding population. Boarders use both Gatwick and Heathrow, although Heathrow is closer. There are mixed age boarding houses and one sixth form only boarding house (boys and girls, on different floors).

It's important to consider the percentages of boarding and day pupils to ensure that the school is vibrant in both term times and at weekends.

Bromsgrove also has the opportunity for students to stay at school during half terms if students live to far away to fly home for a week.

You’re going to have to start ringing round schools now, most will expect registration to have taken place in first few weeks of year 12 and schools are in the final stretches now before summer holidays, many have already had their open days.

decent 6th form boarding is extremely hard to come by. Especially co-Ed. Most schools have a small number of students, many of whom will have come up through the school and so anyone coming in will have to be a proven all rounder - there’s a lot of consideration around what the individual will bring to the school community.

I think that's an appalling suggestion.

@notsurewhattowrite excellent care at St Leonards school in St Andrews. boarding and non boarding. alas this is in scotland but the flight from edinburgh or dundee goes directly to heathrow.

Shiplake
Pangbourne
Wellington
Bradfield
Lord Wandsworth
Leighton Park
Luckley House
Reddam House
Cranleigh

All within easy distance of airports, and just off the top of my head from around my area. Each with different merits and more or less likely to get in - some are complete non-starter as will be oversubscribed, others less so. Only you can decide by talking to them and visiting which will be a good fit, if they even have space.

Edited to add: I may have misunderstood what full boarding means, if it means everyone boards then the below is not relevant as it is part boarding but mostly day pupils.

Colchester Royal Grammar School is co-ed in the sixth form, very academic, and does boarding. It is a state school so only boarding fees not tuition. I don't know about the pastoral care side.
https://www.crgs.co.uk/137/boarding-information

Windermere School

IB 6th Form

Georgous location

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.windermereschool.co.uk/&ved=2ahUKEwjmveKe04KGAxUlSaQEHWLVDDoQFnoECBgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1CBe7V_XYgr8-WGIxDPgkg

Sorry, why??

Woldingham is lovely and they have a new Sixth Form Centre opening soon. Great pastoral, strong STEM and close to London for airports.

There are British schools in the Middle East. Use KHDA website to check ratings of school. Your husbands employer may offer to pay some school fee's as they are expensive in the UAE but I suspect still cheaper than UK boarding.

I live in the UAE now - feel free to PM.

Where in the UAE? Take her on a trip there and she may change her mind about wanting to remain in the UK.

Abu Dhabi. The school fees will be covered by the company so that's not an issue.