St Edward's, Oxford (Teddies) for a boarder

[Cocodmackie]

Hello
posting again as looking for advice from parents with children at St Edward’s, Teddies in Oxford. I have read what I can find on other posts. We have an offer from Sherborne boys and waitlisted for Marlborough (first choice) and our prep school said to have a look at Teddies as feedback from Marlborough was DS academically not as strong as those who received offers so worried if we did eventually get offered a place maybe Marlborough isn’t the right school although thought it was all rounders types but apparently super oversubscribed at the moment 🥹 my questions to those who know:

• what is teddies like for those staying weekends? Is there many who stay or just the internationals?
• is it a good school for sport beyond the A team?
• I like the IB my son is smart but perhaps at 10 yrs of age doesn’t push himself or see it as imperative atm
• is the traffic horrific for exeat collection on a Friday?
• any recommendations for all girls senior schools within 40mins for daughter wanting to start year 7

thank you

• [Title edited by MNHQ to make it clear that the OP's talking about the school, not soft toys!]

It’s not all girls, but the Dragon is a fantastic prep school which is next door to Teddies. Some of my family members sent their children to the Dragon for a few years whilst their elder siblings were at Teddies. They then moved up and joined them. It’s definitely worth looking at. It’s a special school. It also has an amazing department if your daughter has any interest in that.

Am I the only one who thought this thread would be about the pros and cons of letting your kid take a cuddly toy with them to boarding school?

Not alone. I came on to say perfectly fine, at least for girls.

Some boys have taken teddy bears to boarding school. I've discovered that Sir John Betjeman took his teddy (who he named Archibald Ormsby-Gore) with him to boarding school, as Archibald helped him cope with feelings of homesickness. Betjeman later took Archibald with him to Oxford, where he became the inspiration for Aloysius, Sebastian Flyte's teddy bear in 'Brideshead Revisited'.

I opened the thread hoping for photos of some teddies

Thank you. What do you mean when you say has an “amazing department” do you mean a specific department? Guessing a typo.
daughter is at a great prep now in Dorset so wouldn’t really make much sense moving her before a natural change such as year 7 but good to know for my youngest. Need to find a girls senior starting year seven near Teddies perhaps, boarding.. 🤔🤔

Same!!!!

Haha sorry. If it’s any consolation my two at prep boarding take soooo many cuddles in, even my son in year 6

Sorry, that should have said art department! You can certainly join in year 7 or at least you used to be able to.

Children really don’t stay in for weekends at Teddies unless they are international or have something in particular happening that weekend. Most families seem to live within an hour. Not a good choice if not able to go home.

Teddies is a nice school but I'd give it a swerve if you are looking for full boarding.
The Sherborne Boys / Sherborne Girls combo works very well and I'd say probably a much better boarding experience.
We were advised against Marlborough for DS as our prep Head said the girls there are so formidable they would eat him alive! I'd be inclined to avoid the psychodrama that would inevitably come with the Wales children if they go there, poor kids!

Thank you that’s helpful. I quite like Sherborne boys but it’s along way west for us which although doesn’t matter too much boarding, I would like to go down for matches an obviously exeat collection and my son does like to come out at weekends perhaps every second one. Sherborne did bother me how far the fields are away from the main school given my son loves his sport. But the boarding houses look nice with their outside gardens. I’ll go have a look at Teddies. Thank you

I thought the same. Why do so many people dumb down our language?

That's tricky, @Cocodmackie .Which direction are you from Oxford? If you are north then Oundle or Rugby could work well (but he won't go home fortnightly). If you want other people's children to be around at weekends you might have to choose a school where your children are also going to be in at weekends. I guess if you want a half-to-full boarding experience you could look for a school that is relaxed about whether boarders head home at weekends but that is also popular with military families who are less likely to be local (I think Teddies ticks that box).
Be prepared that as he progresses in senior school he might choose to spend more weekends in- especially if he has the fleshpots of Oxford on his doorstep- and be happier to travel independently, which is a game-changer.

Hi there thank you for the information.
we are military and move around a lot. Would need cover weekends unless close enough for weekend collection but like to have that option I guess rather than strict only home at term end. We wouldn’t ever be north but likely around London Home Counties way. We are waitlisted with Marlborough and have an offer at Sherborne but it just is so far away from future jobs and I think I said the fields being 15 mins walk away from the main school puts me off as I’m sure my son will forgot something and didn’t like the idea him walking around town in the dark

thank you that is helpful

I'm guessing you might not have seen the junior pitches at Marlborough- they are a by-word for inaccessibility and gradient. Pack an extra coat if you go there for matches.

Your son will walk around town in the dark with any of these options, @Cocodmackie , whether between school facilities and boarding houses, or at weekends. The only way to avoid this is to choose a campus style school like Radley.

It's really hard to envisage their teenage selves when they are in prep and going through senior school admissions. But in no time they'll be six feet tall, wearing size 12 trainers and sporting an embarrassing haircut. Middle aged professionals will step into the road when they meet on the pavement. They will have facial hair and sing baritone. They will learn to self-administer and make sure they pack what they need in their sports bag- or manage without.

haha you are right indeed. It is hard to imagine and crazy you have to apply so far in advance. I didn’t realise that about Marlborough junior pitches. I do like a campus style but like the idea of being in town too for something to do when older. Thank you for your help, such hard decisions

It sure how I’ve dubbed down the language. The school is known as Teddies being St Edward’s and there are many St Edward’s in the country but haha I can see how it was misunderstood to mean soft toys 🧸

I thought the same

I think you’re going to have to decide which is more important to you: either having lots of boarders in for company on the weekends your DC is at school OR having the flexibility to have frequent weekends out from school. Then it will be easier to narrow it down.

Thank you yes so hard as we move locations every two years so could be close for some time then could be even abroad. Makes it tough but thank you.

Yes, and I was going to say it's fine!

That's really interesting, thank you!

If you want pitches on site then I’d look at Canford. Exeat every third weekend but the children are permitted 2 extra weekends a term. It doesn’t empty out. We are abroad and our son is year 9 at Canford boarding. There is no weekly boarding.

he’s having a blast (was at a day school for prep so this is his first boarding experience) and says that so far whilst most people do take their extra two weekends a term (at least at this age) they don’t all take them at the same time so always plenty of friends in school. And anyway they aren’t free to go until 5pm Saturday so they’re only away 24 hours!

feel free to ask any questions.

It’s on a beautiful big campus of 200 acres with all the pitches, golf course etc with there. My son walks to the local village on a Sunday sometimes with friends to refill tuck boxes (altho there is a tuck shop on site I think they like to get out for a stroll)