Which boarding school? Suggestions please.

[pombal]

We are an expat family who live very rurally up a goat track in the middle of nowhere in Southern Europe.

It’s beautiful and idyllic and the kids love it now but the local International school is crap and far from us, the local schools are even worse.

Thinking somewhat reluctantly about boarding school back in UK from Y9.

DH and I both from comps and know nothing about it.

We have 2 boys - both really good at maths, not sporty.
One good at art and likes drama and music, the other one likes science/nature, being outdoors.

We have family in Sussex and Bristol so would want somewhere south.

Any suggestions from anyone who knows anything about boarding schools?

DH and I have fallen down a rabbit hole looking at websites and prospectuses and can no longer see the wood from the trees.

Hi OP,

Radley sounds a good fit. Rugby only for 1 term, and the lower teams don't do much!! The Drama and Art there is really very impressive. (I think). Lots of out-door stuff, country pursuits, if that's his thing. My ds is into science, and he thinks the teaching is fab. Caters well for the academic boys, and keeps them motivated. Most boys are very busy!
They also organise taxi's / pick ups from London airports. Or there is a train from the village into London. A fair few international pupils there, so flying in and out at the ends of terms is not unusual at all.
Please don't think of Radley as a man-up type place. I'm sure some are like that, but the quiet sensitive boys do well there too.

"Please don’t underestimate how lonely and upsetting it would be for them to be stuck in a different country to their parents at such a young age".
Boarding schools have loads of children form abroad who are perfectly happy and thriving.

Thank you everyone for all the replies.
I never expected such a good response.

1805 Thank you for the info. Can I ask does Radley have a very hothouse feel to it?

Brighton College definitely weekly boarding no Saturday school. Lancing Hurst and Ardingly will be a mix of weekly full and day. Bedales is very much weekly. Wellington again primarily weekly. Ditto Tonbridge.
Ultimately only the big traditional names are so oversubscribed for so long and that they can remain full boarding only.
Many went over to weekly a number of years ago when numbers were down, and now if they are over subscribed its hard to turn the clocks back.

So schools that are really full boarding in the area we are looking at are Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Radley and Sherborne.

Ok that narrows it down, very helpful indeed.

You have there identified 'the big five'. They are really the only full boarding, all boys schools left.

Your right all are currently full boarding. Sherborne won’t be as oversubscribed as the other four in fact it might be slightly undersubscribed most boarding schools are. So it would be a good fall back if your DS’s don’t get a place at one of the others.
Actually you’ve left off Marlborough in Wilts definitely in the area your thinking of excellent links to the M4 but oversubscribed and Christ’s which of course is brilliant for Gatwick.

What you don’t say is how old your DS’s are you need to look carefully at registration dates.
Winchester you can’t register with until you 8 because you choose from the beginning with an HM that you like the look of and feel will be a good match for your DS. I believe Eton and Rafley you can register as early as you like, don’t know about Harrow.

I didn’t even know there was a big 5 :)

DC are 7 and 10. The age of oldest DC prompted this thread as I know we need to get a move on.

It doesn't mean they are the 'best' schools (the best school is the one that suits your DC the most), they are just the major public schools.

Christ’s hospital is definitely fully boarding, it does the IB. the fees are means tested - they do take some full fee payers but not many, so if you can afford other boarding schools this might go against you.

In Bristol there is also Clifton college. It’s not fully boarding but suits a broad ish range of children and academic abilities. It’s coeducational so I don’t know if that puts you off?

Charterhouse 😊

Daisy apparently Charterhouse is mostly weekly boarding.

lowdoor I agree best school is the one which suits DC, am not looking for big names especially but I do think it’s important that at least 50% stay at school during the weekend.

Boarded at Millfield 13-18 and loved it. Know lots of people that went to many of the other schools on this thread too and largely all very happy. Boarding can be a massively rewarding and positive experience for teens. You need to go look around a few though and trust your instincts.

If you want 50% staying in at the weekend and with your choice of locations stick with the "big five" and sling in Marlborough and Christs.
All different schools all will have their supporters and detractors.
If your DS is in the Greek equivalent to yr 6 and your looking for a place for Sept 2020 then you might have missed the boat for Winchester possibly not Eton, and maybe Marlborough and Radley although I think Radley have changed their admissions process in the last few years. .

*Pombal
*
You’re right sorry. It’s where mine are going to go and looks great but we will be having them home at weekends and be living in the county as well as country so it’s a very different thing.

Hadn’t thought about full boarding as different to weekly boarding but I see my error now x

pombal

Re Radley - hothouse.

Not really a hothouse feel, but my academic son is doing very well, and took a couple of GCSE's early. He works hard and gets excellent results. Whether that is because of hothousing, or just being clever and wanting to do well, I don't know. According to ds, there are boys who mess around and don't do much work as well.

We as parents don't feel it's a hothouse - we are lucky to be able to leave our son to it, and he does the work. He has never complained about the workload, and thinks the teaching is excellent.

It looks like you've still (just) got time to look at Radley for overseas entry in 2020 - they have changed to a pre-test for open entry from 2019 with a view, as I understand it, to reducing the proportion coming from early registration. When we've looked around it certainly doesn't feel like a "hothouse" school though it is on our radar for an academic child.

St Edwards used to require day pupils to stay at school till I think 9 pm; last year they reduced that to 6:30pm although that is optional for days when they don't have something on in the evening. Day pupils have a desk/storage space in a boarding house.

Cheltenham College requests that full boarders are in at least 50% of Saturday nights; but of course that doesn't include weekly boarders or day pupils. There is a significant proportion of overseas students. I've a child there who certainly doesn't want to come home much extra because there are plenty of things going on. (admittedly she went there from a choirschool so was used to weekend commitments)

I hope you are able to get some visits organised soon and that you find it helpful - your basic idea sounds a good one. There's almost always a trade-off between home location and education and boarding can help bridge that in a "best of both worlds" way if you can find the right fit.

IME one child hot house is another’s ones easy going environment. Over the years at Winchester I heard parents claim that it was “too pushy” “too academic” “not much fun” or a”hot house”. My DS didn’t find this, in fact I used to wish he did at times as he did the bear minimum when it came to work, he’s definitely in the “mess around and don’t do much work” camp. He also never complained about the “lack of fun” he seemed to be having a great time! This is why it’s important to pick the school that you feel is right for your DSs.
Don’t forget nearly all independent boarding schools will have high expectations of pupils, most parents are rxpectating good results from their pupils. Ive heardsome sime pupiks say that they find there school with a broader intake a “hothouse”.
It’s hard to tell in one visit which is th best fit for your child which is why I think you should try and go and see a school at least twice if you can preferably not on open days which are pretty staged.

Have you considered looking at the state boarding schools? stateboarding.org.uk some really excellent schools and you only pay for the boarding element.

The other thing to consider, if your internet connection is good, is using one of the online high schools/senior schools...

No personal experience but have read in mumsnet from several people who have recommended them (often based in the U.K. And want to get out of bad local school situations).

If it's something that might be of interest it's worth asking on here for recommendations and experiences...

Have you considered looking at the state boarding schools? stateboarding.org.uk some really excellent schools and you only pay for the boarding element

I suggested that earlier on

Sorry RosyWelshCakes I missed it.

Pythonesque and Happy your posts are really helpful and have the sort of inside info we need to hear.

1805 thank you for clarifying about Radley. I’m going to contact them.

Daisy No worries, it’s sounds like a fantastic school and if it was less weekly boarding would be a worth a look.

bunbunny Homeschooling could also be an option but I worry about the social side at 13+.
It’s really an alien concept here so finding other homeschoolers to meet up with would be almost impossible.

sycamore and rosy I didn’t think we would be eligible for state boarding so haven’t looked but will now.

Real life beckons so won’t be able to post again for a while but thank you for all the valuable input.

Happygardening, both Bedales and Wellington are full boarding. Wellington doesn’t offer weekly boarding and although I agree many go home on Saturday evening, it is no means all. They have compulsory closed weekends when everyone is required to be in school.

Eton is going to be a challenge if your names aren’t already down. One of my daughters boyfriend was at Eton until two years ago. He enjoyed it but would have preferred a less pressured, co-ed environment. He managed to avoid most sport by playing golf very well. Wellington is really lovely and retains a great sense of fun.

Sorry RosyWelshCakes I missed it

I was just pleased someone else had mentioned it.