Boarding schools which are renowned for art

[musu]

Ds year 4. Very good at art and also very musical (sings, plays two instruments bit lazy practising). He has decided he wants to get an art scholarship to senior school. Financially we would need a bursary (he has a substantial scholarship at prep) or a 50%+ scholarship.

According to ds's prep school head I am supposed to come up with a short list of schools I want to consider for ds and I have to submit that list to school after half term. Ds's list is Winchester, Radley and Eton. All of which I would put at the most ambitious. I need to select one of those and also come up with a middle tier and a reserve.

Ds is very much an individual but does well in a structured setting. He currently does flexiboarding and loves the structure and order that accompanies this. We are in the South East (Home Counties) and I'd consider schools that are within a 2 hour drive (Eton is 15 mins).

I feel a bit at a loss to know where to start. We are going to an Open Day at Winchester next month but only because they do an Open Day for boys in years 3 and 4. I had thought I could visit schools in year 5 and discuss with his prep this time next year so I've been a bit gobsmacked at having to do this so early.

[musu]

Heavens, there are school lists which close in year 5? That seems really early. I haven't come across any that early so far. The earliest ones I've read up on seem to be end of first term of year 6.

[acebaby]

I was thinking of Eton, where you need to register by 10 and 6 months (year 5 for some children?). But people probably need to start open days etc in y5, so parents need to get in gear. Not that this is an issue, judging from the obsessive speculation playground chat at ds's old school

[musu]

You're right. I always think about ds's age but he is young in the year so wouldn't be 10.6 until well into year 6. Phew. I know Eton and Winchester are early but I was wondering if there were others even earlier (excluding Radley where registering ds aged 6 was not early enough to get a place).

I'm planning to have a look at schools in year 5 and then have a heated debate discussion with school on options once I've had a look at the ones I'm interested in.