Full boarding options for boy

[Conniedmack]

Hello, after some advice on boarding schools for my son. He’s smart but not genius, middle to upper level although he’s just started at his prep after 4 different schools abroad. He’s great at sports, easily makes friends, enjoys currently boarding weekly. Wondering whether I should bother with schools that seem so hard to get into, many tests (Harrow, Marlborough etc). I worry the pressure would be too much for him, he’s currently 10. He is an avid reader and huge depth of knowledge on many things, I’d say a self learner who absorbs knowledge when delivered by an aspiring teacher. He is a 10 yr old gregarious boy who’d currently prefer to rough and tumble rather than study for exams. Loves hockey, rugby and football. Not sure he’s scholarship material (although hard to assess at this age).

Any advice on the type of school that is looking for boys beyond the academic grade but rather the thinking, intuitive adaptive child. He wouldn’t do well at a hothouse. So far I’ve looked at Sherborne and Radley. Booked in to tour Canford and maybe Harrow and Stowe.

Thank you so much. I hadn’t thought of Repton but will have a look at it indeed. Many thanks for your comments.

We are in a very similar position to you @Conniedmack and will go to see SMC in May for our DD as our DS is going to Radley. Downe House is an obvious option but SMC has peaked our interested very recently and I’m keen to find out exactly how much of a full boarding set up it is.

I think Sherborne Boys and Girls is a great option too with a broad intake should you not wish to bank on a very academically selective school.

Good luck, it is so stressful to make a choice when you feel like you’ve just decided on a prep.

I would say SMC and DH are on a par in terms of full boarding - ie neither really is as both are v relaxed over weekends out. That tbh was kind of a decider for us as we live too far from either to facilitate effective weekly boarding if it came to that. Not a criticism of either school as they have to position themselves where the demand is but it’s just the reality.

I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on SMC. Did you like Downe House? I keep hearing mixed reviews. I never near a bad word about SMC but it does worry me, in this current climate and with an attached mixed prep that it won’t become coed like Godolphin has done, with these smaller senior schools. 🤔🤔

I think it’s unlikely SMC would go co-ed as there’s no scope to increase the campus and with only 60 places a year it would be v small for a coed school from a sports perspective, which is still a consideration for a lot of parents and likely to be self fulfilling.

Have you thought about Taunton School and Kings College Taunton. Taunton have separate boarding houses to the days pupils and most are full boarders, very few flexi. Kings have mixed houses so a mix of day and boarders.
Both lovely schools and great for sport, easy access to London by train.

Have a look at Ampleforth College. It sounds like it would suit your son perfectly. It isn’t a hothouse but just a really friendly, supportive place with loads of great activities, brilliant sport, very active CCF (Army and Air Force) and a huge love of readers (they started a big reading thing last year where all the children and staff read for a while in the evening). It’s a proper boarding school with loads happening at weekends and lots of land for enjoying the great outdoors. We thought it was miles away but it really isn’t as they sort transport and supervise the children on the train from London. It is catholic but you don’t have to be a catholic, as long as you are respectful to all the catholic parts. My children just find it quite spiritual.

Good to know. Thank you

DD goes to Rugby and though there are day pupils they are less than 20% with over 80% being boarders, this is one of only very few full boarding schools remaining. Rugby certainly offers a great balance as although academic it is by no means a hot house and certainly not as pressured as some of the other schools mentioned above. Sport is fantastic as is its co-curricular programme. Being 5 mins from the train, just under an hour from Euston station London it has a good balance of UK and international students / UK students with parents overseas. Pastoral care is fantastic and the weekend programme of sport, fun socials across each year and in-house are much loved. Exeat every third weekend and 3-4 weeks holidays at Xmas and Easter. Cannot recommend it highly enough. We looked at Marlborough, Wellington (most go to London on weekends), Oundle and Uppingham (both are entered around just a small village) also Stow however too isolated. Rugby town may look a bit run down but the pupils love it offers a selection of coffee shops, restaurants, charity shops and large ASDA to stock up on and can pop into town after lessons daily and once 18 they can go to certain pubs on Saturday night. DM me if you have any questions.

How did you find SMC after your visit? I’m still yet to go. I’m back to Marlborough for a second visit and harrow at the weekend. Oundle next 🫣 my weekends have been overtaken with open days

Cannot recommend Oundle highly enough! Absolutely wonderful school.

One of mine went to Christ's Hospital and loved it. Its very well located (has its own railway station on the line to Gatwick and London). Co ed and very much full boarding - there is an exeat every 3 weeks but international boarders can stay over. Academics are good but the assessment is not gruelling, especially if you don't need a bursary. Lots of sports and activities like DofE and CCF and also good for music drama and art. Lovely campus in 800 acres of Sussex countryside - they do have to get their brains around the uniform though.

Tonbridge?

There was so much discussion on this thread about what does/doesn't constitute full boarding that I thought it helpful to update on a recent change at Sherborne. Whilst there was previously scope for an additional weekend out each half, the new Head has (sensibly) withdrawn this so there is no longer any question of Sherborne being anything other than FB.
In reality it will make v little difference since the provision was hardly used- but at least prospective parents can now be clear where they stand.

Thank you. I considered Tonbridge but apparently their boarding numbers at weekends are pretty low.

Thank you that is super helpful. We have visited Sherborne twice but I do question whether it is academic enough for my son not that he’s a genius but on the result tables they aren’t too high up 🤔 not sure that even matters and I’d be looking no for an all rounded school. The other thing I didn’t quite like was there wasn’t any green space in the school, the walk to the sports pitches is 1ins and there’s no where to sit outside as the dining hall is on a public street. Hmm quite what I wanted but everything else was nice as was the boarding houses we visited.

Haha yes I showed my son and he said that’s a hard NO 😂🫣

Thank you. Booking in for a visit in September but it’s currently a 5 hours drive so finding the time to even visit is hard work 🫣 BUT I have never heard a bad word about it.

Thank you as I never considered Rugby but I’ll have a look. Some friends have children at Shrewsbury which I think is not too far from Rubgy. Can I ask what you thought of Marlborough in comparison to Rugby? Thank you

As I posted about a few years ago, my two DS were headed to Winchester but we pulled out at the last minute (contracts signed and deposits paid) over- amongst other things- the announcement of co-ed. Not to revive debates about that decision, we did wonder whether Sherborne (which was our back-up plan) would be academically stretching enough given its broad entry.
Having talked this over with DS, their view is that there are enough very smart boys to create an academic elite in each subject area, and they have found the quality of teaching to be very high. Both are Scholars, and they have had additional academic enrichment and challenge to support Oxbridge applications, with teachers going above and beyond to identify opportunities for interest and stretch beyond the curriculum.
The issue to be aware of is that, because the school is not highly selective, an academically bright boy could become complacent and pitch themselves lower than they need to. Sherborne parents don't tend to be very sharp-elbowed and there isn't much obvious hustle about getting primed for Oxbridge or Ivy League. But if you want those, they are available.
As it is, I'm happy both DS have flourished academically, and have also done those co-curricular activities that can be squeezed out from the most academic schools. And they have learned to get along with housemates of various levels of ability, just as their sport or music specialist friends have played and sung alongside my only moderately capable boys.

This is correct. Sherborne Boys and Girls are very definitely full boarding with no emptying out at weekends.

Don't send him somewhere 5 hours away. It's a pain if you want to watch a match at the weekend.

We are abroad a lot and move homes every 2 yrs due to hubbies job so not sure where we will be hence the need for boarding. But yes I was hoping for a school closer to London or more “central”. With strong boarding for that very reason but it’s hard to find

Have you considered Bromsgrove. Strong boarding element, I don’t know the exact figures. Very sport, particularly rugby and hockey for boys. Good academic results but not a hot-house.

This isn't very full boarding from limited knowledge.

You're pretty limited nowadays for that full boarding experience where it's fun 7 days a week unfortunately and majority of school are full boarders.

To answer vis a vis Rugby and Marlborough. Marlborough education quality is, imo, on par with Rugby. I like Marlborough dont get me wrong but the popularity is due to the (supposed) social cache of the school, not because it's some educational and pastoral utopia. Rugby is more down to earth, day students a larger percentage compared to full boarders. Towns are pretty far apart in style, Rugby is a Midlands industrial town and very victorian school. Marlborough feels more Georgian, cute and wealthy rural wiltshire market town.

My family considered them too.