Northern boarding schools.

[XLII]

I've already posted this in secondary education but thought this might get a bit more traffic.

We currently live abroad and are considering sending our DTs (currently in year seven) to school in England with the hope of moving back in the next five years or so. We want them to start in year nine in 2013 so my first question is whether or not we've left it too late? Would it be better to consider entrance at year ten or are we more likely to get offered places in year nine?

Our main concern is that the DC will be close enough to family so that they can visit anytime for sport, music etc. Realistically that means we're looking as far north as Newcastle and as far south as Doncaster. We also have both DC to take into account. DS is very academic whilst DD struggles more with that and is dyslexic. On the other hand DD really excels at music so a school with good options for that is very important. Neither really take sport very seriously although DS enjoys running and basketball (I understant that isn't a very popular sport back in England?). Good facilities is a must as well as the option to go home regularly. Not overly bothered about a high percent of boarders as long as there are local day pupils who can visit/be visited at weekends and leave is flexible enough to have a social life outside of school.

Where would you suggest and have we missed anything off our list of criteria (DS also says an Xbox in the boarding house is important!)?

How about Woodhouse Grove? Great on music for your DD, lots of activities for boarders. Lots of sport but non overly pushy and from what i recall on my look around they had games consoles in the boarding house. My DD is looking at going there as a day pupil.

I think Ashville in Harrogate has boarding too but the others in York seem to be single sex. Don't know any further than that as it's out of my area.

I have friends with a dyslexic kid at Pocklington. They are very happy with the school and recommend it. Her DC are day pupils and board for fun with friends for the occasional night.

For it's not hugely selective intake it gets good results including some to Oxbridge. Music and drama are very well supported too.

www.pocklingtonschool.com/PS/PS_SCHOOL_LIFE/PS_SCHOOL_LIFE_MUSIC/ps_music_home.htm

Timing wise, I think you need to crack on as many of the year 9 entrance schools do pre-selection in year 6 and 7.

I went to Woodhouse Grove. I really didn't enjoy it, but this was a while ago. The boarding mistresses and masters were nice, but we were left to our devices a lot, which meant we got up to a lot we shouldn't have done, and the boarders were mainly forces children, so very lonely and scared for their parents (beginning of Iraq war), and so there was a lot of bullying as a result, but I think you get that at any boarding school. I also know girls from Ashville and it was very severe, not very homely. I wish I had good advice, I feel like a bit of a morbid moaner.

From the website it looks like the Grove has improve the extra curriculars, so that is good!

I think year 9 would be the entrance point to aim for, as I is a standard entrance point for many schools, and would give your DCs a year to settle before the big swing into GCSE preparation in year 10 (also, if it all went horribly wrong you could still seek occasional places at year 10).

You may have missed the boat if a school pre-tests and has made all the offers it can accommodate. But not all schools pre-test anyhow, and in general I'd say they look pretty kindly on those who join the hunt for places latish when there is an external reason (like international house move). But you probably do need to get a wriggle on now. It's nearly the Easter holidays, but you may well find admissions tutors at work during all or part of the break.

I definitely recommend looking at Woodhouse Grove. It caters for dyslexic children and has new facilities for music. The boarding facilities are also very good and they have a lot of acitivities for the boarders. You can shine academically although the intake is quite broad compared with some very selective schools and it has a good reputation for sport.

As well as the usual school inspection the boarding aspect of the school was reviewed separately by the ISI in a recent report and was very well rated. The food is great too.

www.woodhousegrove.co.uk/boarding/default.asp

Thanks for that. Are schools that pre test generally the more academic ones? If that is the case then they would probably not be suitable for DD. Thanks for the replies and I will look into Woodhouse grove. Can you suggest anywhere else?

here

You might go 'yes' or 'yuk', but it might be worth having a look at Ampleforth.

Sorry, meant that to link: Ampleforth.

Others have suggested Ampleforth. It sounds like a good option but my only reservation is that it seems very religious which we are not. Also is it very academic/selective?

Are Ampleforth selective and do they do CE? If they do then I'm shocked at the results. IMO a school charging 18 grand a year before boarding should not have 19% of pupils leaving without 5 GCSEs!

Ampleforth isn't hugely selective.

You cannot get away from its Benedictine character; and recommend you check carefully what this means in practice. Are you Catholic or high church Anglican?

I think you've got an extra digit in there - it's still 9% in 2011 though. And over the last decade it seems there is usually 2-4% who leave without 5 x A*-C.

It asks for 50% for those who come from CE schools, and that's not particularly high.

The thing for you to tuck away in your mind is that they will admit at 14+, especially pupils coming from overseas.

On the BBC website it says 81% got 5 A*-C, will check again though. Is it hard to get 50% in CE (DC are not coming from a CE schools so will that be achievable?).
We are not religious at all ourselves and it seems religion is a big part of the school day. Are there many non RC families?

50% at CE is not difficult if you're familiar with the syllabus, but I wouldn't recommend sitting it without a lot of swotting. French and Latin are compulsory, so if you're somewhere where those aren't taught, you'll need to HE or tutor.

Of course some schools may waive the CE requirement if you're coming from abroad, but you need to establish that now. Your children will probably have to sit an exam of some sort even if CE isn't required.

It does say that on the BBC website - contradicting what is on the school website. Something to ask them about, if you do have a look.

Will definitely ask about that, although I suspect what it is is that the BBC criteria includes english and maths whilst I assume the results on the website don't. I'm also a bit confused as it appears that not every student sits english (I'm only thinking that as more students sat maths and 'Christian Theology').

At the moment DC don't do latin but are very good french speakers (we are in a french speaking area). At schools where CE is taken is there any alternative for those coming from overseas/state schools?

You might want to try the virtual tour at St Peter's, York. According to BBC, it gets 100% A*-C. It has its own entrance exam; most join at 13+, but they'll consider ad hoc entries at any time.

Strong sports reputation, but actually good all round. They have links to the Minster for extra-curricular music, as well as teaching all orchestral instruments. The children I've known who've thrived there have been outgoing and either sporty or arty. I don't know about their dyslexia support.

I do know people who have had DC at St Peter's who had a miserable time. Lots of stuck up parents apparently and a bit of an exam factory. On the learning support page it basically says that SEN children will stuggle to keep up without extra support, or as they put it "At St Peter?s, pupils follow a demanding academic curriculum. In such an environment it is essential that Learning Support is appropriate". Not my kind of place I don't think. When we're in England next we will look around but I think there must be nicer places! York is good location wise though.

I think you might find it worthwhile to try via an educational consultant to help you narrow a short-list to manageable length for you to visit when you are here.

Giggleswick - all round nice school which can cater well for different sorts, both stretch and support. They put a lot of thought and effort into maintaining a full boarding environment for those who have parents overseas.

Sedbergh? I can only say this is a very strong rugby and sporty school but you should probably add it to your list and have a look. Has a famous cross-country run.

I would imagine both would be fairly flexible about taking applications for 2013 but suggest you contact as soon as possible. Also, you will find out a great deal about schools from the friendliness and helpfulness (or not) of the way they deal with your enquiries!

My DD is current year 8 and about to sit common entrance for entry to senior school into year 9.

From our experience so far I can tell you the following. Its not gospel across the board but its what we have found in MOST senior schools we have considered:

Year 9 is a fairly natural intake time. Alot of senior schools either start at year 9 and those that start at year 7 also have an intake into year 9. Several schools we have looked at with regards to Yr 9 entry (that start yr7) have special integration programmes/trips/schedules arranged to ensure all new yr9s settle in ok with the existing peers in their year group.

Most children enter into Yr9 through the Common Entrance Examinations sat in early June in year 8. Most if not all children sitting CE have been prepped for it through their prep schools. Usually, the examination week takes place at the current prep school BUT most senior schools can and will make arrangements for the exams to be sat at thier school if neccessary.

Most schools we have looked at also say that they also have their own entrance examination papers for entry into year 9 by those pupils not currently in a preparatory school/being prepared for CE or from overseas. These examinations are usually taken earlier in the school year - typically in the Spring term but varies from school to school.

Most senior school require candidates to attend an interview with key members of staff Head of school, head of year etc etc.

If your children are gifted in any area academic, sports, arts, dance, Music, sport etc etc. Then they may wish to sit scholarship papers. Again these are usually sat in the spring term. With regards to scholarships in specific areas such as Art for example: the candidate will be expected to bring a portfolio of thier art work and talk about it at length and then usually spend a day or an afternoon taking part in an art excercise/assessment at the school.

You will find by looking at most schools websites under Admissions alot of useful info about their admissions procedure. The schools have registrars or admissions staff who are there to answer all the questions you have so ask away and explain your circumstances, they will advise you accordingly.

I would suggest you get intouch with schools and start to look now really as some schools have lists that close once full. Also, if you are avroad, you are going to need time to come to the UK and have a look around and sometimes one visit is not enough. We sometimes found we liked the school side lots but were not so keen on the boarding house etc or vice versa. So please do start looking now.

You may find these websites helpful in your search for schools
www.isc.co.uk/
www.isbi.com/isbi-searchform.asp
www.gabbitas.co.uk/
www.sbsa.org.uk/

Good luck and let us know how you get on.