Talk to me about state boarding for 6th form (girl) please!

[6thformoptions]

Hoping for some advice from current/recent parents - I am a single mum with no support from her dad and the financial reality is now that I can't afford to keep dd at her current school. I did plan but obviously as we weren't sure how quickly VAT was coming in I hadn't managed to save enough but was unaware of this when she started...

So, she is a weekly boarder currently and loves it, albeit at an all girls school. She did struggle in primary state with loud boys which was why we chose single sex and she has really benefitted. I don't think there are any all girls state boarding schools? I suspect the boys doing A Level's won't be as raucous as the ones upturning tables at 6.7.8yo, so I am hoping this won't still be an issue for her.

She is bright but not scholarship level (her school is in top 100 but she is set 2 of 6/7) and quiet until in a group of friends. Teachers say she is a keen learner and never gets into trouble. Not keen on sports. Likes politics and is currently hoping to do politics, computer science and psychology for A Levels, which she will be choosing next year. Her current school offers these but I am struggling to find a state boarding that does alongside the results? As a current boarder she is happy to be away from home so area isn't particularly a problem. She just wants to go to a good school and our area doesn't support these options for girls or get as good results generally as her current school, so we are in a bit of a funk. Any advice would be fantastic, thanks.

I'd look at your local sixth form and college options. A sixth form college will be a world away from a noisy primary school, so maybe although your DD has enjoyed weekly boarding, it's time for a change. Is your daughter Y11 currently and looking to move schools at the end of the coming year? Or has she just done her GCSEs?

Peter Symonds? It’s in Winchester, it’s inclusive, takes kids with 5 grade 4s, but has support for high achievers too, there’s an Oxbridge and med school support system. My dd attends as a day student and loves it. They are the biggest 6th form in the UK, I think boarding supports services children and kids from the Falklands attend there.

Hi OP, take a look at Wymondham College. It is the biggest state boarding school in the country, roughly 50% boarders, and offers all three of those options at A level (Computer Science, Govt and Politics and Psychology).

From personal experience the teaching and pastoral care at WyCol is excellent.

Amazing, thank you all so much - I will look into those now. So much easier to ask on here than trawling though Google and trying to piece it all together!

@Bramshott I have looked at local 6th forms, as I said they are not offering the subject combinations and are in the mid 400's and below nationally for results. There is a boys school that does Computer Science but it selects from it's own GCSE cohort first and only has 10% girls at A Level, so I don't want to hedge our bets, especially for a school that isn't performing as well. She is also quite keen to continue boarding if it means going to a school where she can do her choices and have a good standard of teaching with kids who really want to be there.

Hopefully this way I will still have a few thousand to help her out at Uni!

I've had two DC at state boarding school but both in the North West so may not be suitable for you. I'd say the sixth form is great for weekly boarding but not for full boarding. Both have gone on to top universities.

I was going to suggest Ripon Grammar but they don't do Computer Science, sorry.

Thanks, we are not 100% fixed on the subjects yet but that is the one she is always told she has "natural ability" in - which I actually don't like because it implies she doesn't have to work at it!

We had financial issues and our DD’s school awarded a 25% bursary and we kept them in the loop of how and when we could pay fees and they were very supportive. Our DD was just approaching 6th form too so maybe speaking with her Head or Bursar would be a good first step.

@user1497787065 Thanks for this. I was considering doing this but really I wasn't sure how it would work - when they see say £100k in savings, do they hoover that up and then say, so you only need £60k from us? This is what I imagine. I can't not have any savings at all left, is my worry.

Keswick School, Cumbria

Actually, thinking about it as it was some time ago it was a 6th form award and my DD had to give a short presentation. I’m not even sure if our own circumstances were looked into.

I also worked at a prep school in an admin role and was amazed at what ‘deals’ parents negotiated with the school.

Definitely speak with her current school before looking at other options.

Gordon's School, in Surrey, is state boarding, non-selective and very well rated:

www.gordons.school/

Speak to the school. There are charities which offer support for schools
i know this because when my youngest sibling was at boarding school my parents went through a rough time and couldn’t pay the school fees. Unfortunately they did not speak to the bursar earlier enough in their journey to the depths and so missed the boat for applying to whichever charities the bursar would have recommended.

I also know of some kids who took their missing father to court to make up the shortfall in the school fees their mother was paying. Obvs dad was well enough off to be worth taking to court. If you are in a similar position it is worth considering.

I suppose my worry if I speak to the school is that they won't agree I need some savings! I don't know how it works in detail but as I said I would like to have enough to help with rent if needed or a little runaround car, house repairs, emergency fund. I had aimed to have roughly 30/40k left over after 6th form prior to the VAT but now it's all being swallowed up and I won't be able to afford 6th form without draining the accounts completely as well as needing help for Y13. My income is very low and unlikely to change after health complications last year, unfortunately. It feels inherently better to move to what we can afford than to risk the school draining us completely, but maybe that isn't what they do?

St George's Harpenden? Outstanding a level results this year, and really strong on the pastoral side.

St George's is a great school but I would be wary of sending my DC to board at a school where more than 90% of kids are day pupils. I don't know what the percentage of boarders is in the sixth form.

So basically you want a business (such as a private school is ) to give you a discount on their product. (Education) because you don’t want to spend your savings … but can’t afford the product - or rather , can afford the product , however want it on the cheap so that you can further subsidise your daughters rent and car. ?

I would say , you would be lucky to achieve that as it’s just a teeny bit entitled.

Well, we all want the best for our kids. She is a high achiever who works hard, loves learning and is going to add a good set of grades to their school figures. They might well fill her space with someone who may achieve less, but that's not my concern. I am actually saying I have not asked for a bursary for that exact reason; I can't afford both years of 6th form and am not willing to continue with it if it means we have zero savings for our future and I suspect they'd leave us with none. Not sure how that makes me entitled.

We are thinking wymcol for our daughter. Could you on please? I would love to know your opinion/experience s

Happy for you to DM me if you have any questions.

Before you get to far with an Exit plan. Speak to your current school bursar and ask if they know of any charities or bursaries available for girls like her to stay at the school. Often these will cover 6th form so worth considering

Is the VAT really 30 or 40k?

The VAT is 20% of the VATable costs of the fees so amount of VAT depends on the base level of fees and how much attracts VAT but roughly 20% of previous fees is a good guide, especially as they now have to pay business rates.