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Education

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Original poster

Choice of boarding school for boys

39 replies

Mater20 · 14/02/2017 13:27

We are considering an independent boarding school for 13+ for my son. September 2017. Is it too late to apply for this year? I think there are some schools who are taking the exams May/June this year.
Looking for a well rounded school with good sporting facilities and very good pastoral care, my son needs an environment where he can be challenged to maximise his full potential.
Any thoughts on pastoral care at charter house in Surrey or St Edwards in Oxford? Or any other school?

OP posts:

happygardening · 17/02/2017 10:19

That was our experience at prep where activities were either cancelled or they just kept repeating the same one over and over again there is a limited number of times you can keep visiting the same local castle however interesting. Many of our friends had similiar experiences at other boarding schools. Winchester doesn't offer planned activities on Sundays (except the usual sporting fixtures, and the art gym music and DT dept are open) this is also made clear when you start. I'm not against this the boys lead very busy lives and work very hard and there are activities available at all other times, Sunday afternoon is considered by the boys and staff as a time to do nothing.

thebakerwithboobs · 19/02/2017 10:02

Whereas our experience is the opposite-we are incredibly jealous of the activities ours do at the weekends. My husband was positively green when they nonchalantly told him a few weeks ago that they were off to Twickenham to watch England vs Fiji! As I said earlier, it's horses for courses isn't it, and whatever suits your family. We are too far away to take the boys out every weekend and they would want to miss the activities anyway most weeks, but we do want to be able to take them out for family events and so on. We haven't sent them away, they've chosen it for continuity of their education but it's very important to us that they know they can come home to us when they want to.

Michaelahpurple · 19/02/2017 12:18

Back to OP's question, how academic is your son? You are broadly speaking too late, I would have thought, for any of the conventional process schools, but some of them (Westminster, Winchester, Eton, so presumably some others too) allow boys to sit their scholarship papers even if they don't have a conditional place and so make a late entrance that way.

Might that offer avenues?

happygardening · 19/02/2017 14:25

I'm not sure Winchester do now allow boys to sit the Election (Winchester's scholarship exam) without a place, apparently too many sat it who weren't remotely suitable.

Original poster

Mater20 · 19/02/2017 16:43

I would say he's more of all round type -academics and sporty but more inclined to sport. I would not be considering the likes of Winchester as we ve left it quite late
and it's not likely we will get a place. Probably I might have to approach the less sought schools

OP posts:

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 19/02/2017 17:17

Sherborne is worth considering if it's not too far for you. You would still be able to get a place at this stage.

Original poster

Mater20 · 19/02/2017 20:32

Thanks for that. I will definitely look into it.

OP posts:

Michaelahpurple · 20/02/2017 19:25

I know a boy who did it last year so it does still go on. He got a place, interestingly not in the scholar house, and one who did it at westminster , again not a scholar, which is interesting because they say that if you don't get a scholarship you can't get a "normal" place, but there seems to be more flexibility than is apparent.

Original poster

Mater20 · 20/02/2017 21:15

Mine was offered a conditional offer, although we are applying for sport and music scholarship . Does it mean if he doesn't get the scholarship, he will not be offered a place? Or is it based on how well the child perform in the entrance exam?

OP posts:

Return2blighty · 27/02/2017 01:09

I removed my son from Charterhouse after one year. A lot of bullying. The boys I encountered were rude and arrogant. You may care to know that 6 boys left the school during the same year. I asked for my son to move House as he thought he would be happier. I was told that "this had never happened in the history of Charterhouse and if it is that bad then perhaps it is not the school for him." It wasn't and I regret I did not remove him the day I was spoken to that way. I heard later a young boy was allowed to change House. Probably more to do with losing more fees than the welfare of the boy. Such a shame as the Beaks (teachers) were exceptional.

AnotherNewt · 27/02/2017 06:53

A conditional offer is an offer that is conditional on reaching a certain level in Common Entrance.

I've never come across a school that rescinds conditional offers for offer-holders who are assessed for, but are not awarded, scholarships.

Original poster

Mater20 · 27/02/2017 07:02

Return2brighty
Thanks for the feedback. How long ago did you remove your son?

OP posts:

Hotpinkangel19 · 27/02/2017 07:06

Don't want to be under pressure to pick your son up at the weekend????? Did I just read that?

happygardening · 27/02/2017 07:50

Hotpink people choose full boarding for a variety of reason many may not be in positions to easily pick there DC's up at weekends, distance from school, other commitments being the two most obvious reasons. Therefore they do not want to find that their chosen school is not a full boarding school after all but a weekly boarding school and that their DC is one of only a handful of children in school and they feel "under pressure" to pick them up.
Secondly weekly boarding schools have a completely different atmosphere to full boarding schools.
It doesn't matter which one you choose as long as you choose the one you that works for your DC and you. Most of the parents we know who were unhappy with their DC's school cited this as their reason.

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