Marlborough waitlist - is there any chance a space will come up?

[Cocodmackie]

Hello my son has been offered a place at Sherborne boys for 2028 entry and waitlist for Marlborough College. Marlborough is our number 1 choice but wondering if it’s even worth waiting? Don’t give you a rank as to where your child sits and the likelihood of even getting a place. Anyone have any advice please. I think I need to look at some other boarding schools as Sherborne logistically isn’t ideal for us. Many thanks

Yes, I'm sure any school would take him for the cachet regardless of whether he technically met the entrance requirements or not. It's probably more a question of whether his parents would actually want him at a school like Eton if he's not quite up to it intellectually. That's the great unknown - how clever/confident George actually is. Going by the history of the Royals, he's probably average or slightly above, which might make the likes of Eton and Wellington a tricky fit.

His father William did well enough at Eton. Sarah Chatto's sons also attended Eton. So there have been members of the royal family who have coped and even thrived there. So you assertion that royals aren't bright enough for Eton or Wellington is rather a prejudiced exaggeration.

Schools like Eton and Harrow have upped their academic pressure since then. They have a far higher intake now of wealthy Indians, Chinese, Singaporeans, etc. and their work ethic is intense. William fared well enough back then but I am not sure he would have enjoyed the experience quite as much if he had attended Eton today. This recent article touches on the issue https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/13/private-schools-are-bribing-the-british-to-come-back/

Gift link: https://archive.vn/e9haa

I know students accepted to Wellington. It is a lovely school but as far I can tell certainly isn't seen as in the same level of academics as an Eton (or Winchester, or Westminster or Tonbridge, for example).

JulietteHasAGun · Today 17:06
Does anyone think he actually needs to pass entrance tests? Do people think Harry passed the tests for Eton? He got in

As AlertMentor said, given the circumstances surely it was reasonable to allow Harry to go to Eton with his brother and near his family, even if he wasn’t academically up to it.
Yes, I know lots of people suffer the loss of a parent but very few have it played out in minute detail - some of it very unpleasant - across the world for weeks on end.

So you assertion that royals aren't bright enough for Eton or Wellington is rather a prejudiced exaggeration.

I agree, though it’s a popular mumsnet view that the Royals are all thick. Having said that, it’s also a popular view on here that all Etonians are thick 😂.

It was appropriate of Eton to allow Harry to attend but at the end of the day, I suspect he would have been much happier at a smaller, more gentle, less academic school.

Good point, I’d forgotten at what stage of education his mum died.

William did okay (although still below par by Eton standards) but his brother struggled badly.

And Eton has become significantly more intellectually rigorous since the 90s.

We will never know what might have happened if Diana had not died. It was her father and brother who had attended Eton previously and she would want her boys to follow in their footsteps. On the other hand I do recall some speculation in the year before she died that they were considering an alternative for Harry. I believe that parents should aim for the school that is the best fit for each child even if it means they attend different places.

Definitely. I think William and Katherine seem more likely to really think about where is the best fit for their individual child rather than just go somewhere as that’s expected or following in family footsteps. It might be Eton, might not be. They will know best.

My only addition to this conversation is the security element. Having recently visited Oundle, I’d say it would be incredibly difficult to provide a safe, paparazzi free environment for a royal given it is so spread out within the town. Very hard to maintain any privacy there. I am guessing they went to visit Oundle to show the public they are looking further afield and less “typical” school for royals. I would think Price George would go somewhere more private, secure. Just guessing obviously

and honestly who really cares lol. My thread was really about the waitlist at Marlborough and whether people one the waitlist ever get full offers 🤣🤣

Grammarly is a lot cheaper than these schools and would really help some of you.

They may have been looking at Oundle for Princess Charlotte.