Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Boys boarding prep school for year 7/8 boy in the South East.

33 replies

Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 15:21

I am looking for a new prep school for my son who is in year 7. He has a conditional offer for a super selective boys boarding school in year nine.The school needs to have experience preparing boys for this level of school. A great level of pastoral care is a absolute must.

I would like to hear from parents who have very recent experience. Has anyone changed school at this late stage ? I am happy to receive PM's if mums would prefer.

OP posts:
Sunshine5050 · 07/03/2018 18:12

Feltonfleet in Cobham will have space, they take dc who are between schools. It's not full boarding.

ridinghighinapril · 07/03/2018 18:39

I have no personal experience at that age group but I know Dulwich Prep London has boarding, also has a week or so of boarding for the day pupils in preparation for the independent schools

user1486076969 · 07/03/2018 18:41

Weekly? Full Boarding (do you live abroad)? Which side of London?

Original poster
Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 18:51

Thank you both for replying .I have looked at the website for Feltonfleet, do you have experience of the school ? . It may be a bit difficult as it’s just Monday -Thursday. If it’s the right school we could possibly make it work . Do you know if they prepare boys for Eton / Westminster/ Winchester ?.

I really need first hand advice and a school with the best possible pastoral care .

OP posts:
Original poster
Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 18:56

My son is currently in a boarding school which offers weekly and full boarding. He does both but will be happy to full board. West of London is better for us but the right school is the most important thing.

OP posts:
whatatod0 · 07/03/2018 20:06

St Hughes in Oxfordshire? Is that too far out?

Sunshine5050 · 07/03/2018 21:12

It sounds like you need a top established Prep school like Ludgrove, Sunningdale, Aldro etc. Have you spoken to the house master of the school you ds is moving to at 13 for advice?

underneaththeash · 07/03/2018 21:48

Caldicott?

Could you not just keep him at a day prep and have a tutor if necessary. Most of the day preps in my area send children to Eton/Harrow or Wellington.

Original poster
Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 22:10

I have not spoken to the housemaster at his senior school, as I had hoped to find a new prep school before doing so, he will be expecting him to arrive from his current school. He is at a boarding prep and we don't have a suitable prep school close by.

OP posts:
woodlanddreamer · 07/03/2018 22:14

Caldecot sounds as though it would match

Ridleyxf · 07/03/2018 22:35

I would second Sunningdale as a good choice. If he has a place already then it is just a question of getting him through CE and they are hugely experienced at that. Plus, as a small school they get individual attention. The grounds are also fantastic and allow the boys to be boys in their free time.

Original poster
Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 22:39

Do any of you have experience of the schools mentioned ? I would like my son to start after Easter if possible and I'm afraid we are running out of time.

OP posts:
Original poster
Longislandsound · 07/03/2018 22:47

Thank you Ridleyxf, we have been to Sunningdale to watch matches. Do you think they would accept a boy at this stage?. Is the pastoral care very good, I need to be absolutely sure that my son is been well cared for.

OP posts:
Anniec79 · 08/03/2018 05:42

Might be too far as South West but take a look at Perrott Hill which is on the Somerset/Dorset border. Has strong links with Feltonfleet as it was set up when FF were evacuated there during the war and some of the teachers loved it so much they stayed and set up a new school!! Anyway, i can vouch for their pastoral care as I have two very happy children there - they're both in the prep so not quite looking at senior schools but I know they prepare kids for the best schools - last year Westminster, Marlborough, Bryanston, Stowe, Canford, Sherborne, etc - and also send to Eton, Radley. good luck!

Anniec79 · 08/03/2018 05:43

Also the head of boarding is amazing, the kids love her.

hubby · 08/03/2018 06:42

Does the senior school not have any affiliations with any prep schools?

Ridleyxf · 08/03/2018 08:46

My son left Sunningdale recently. I have no idea if they will have space, but I think I remember the current top year group is quite small, so it is possible they might. I can only suggest you give them a call and ask.

As far as pastoral care is concerned we were always very happy. Given its size all the staff know all the boys very well and we always thought they were very caring. There is always lots for the boys to do to keep them occupied so that they don't get bored/homesick. Finally, although it's primarily a full boarding school there are plenty of Exeats and the school is always full of parents on Wednesdays and Saturdays for matches, so you do get to see them quite frequently. They also have a couple of phones, but our son rarely called, which we took as a good sign!

Mary21 · 08/03/2018 17:00

Horris Hill? Ludgrove? Dragon? Cothill?

Mary21 · 08/03/2018 17:05

www.thepilgrims-school.co.uk/Senior-Schools

peteneras · 08/03/2018 20:46

Papplewick in Ascot - just eight miles away from Eton - feeds Eton with highly prepared boys on a yearly basis including KS's almost every year! Some go to Winchester too. Pastoral care is good though not excellent. Compulsory full boarding in the final years. DS went in for Yr. 6 and stayed for three years until after Yr. 8.

Original poster
Longislandsound · 08/03/2018 21:56

Thank you all, unfortunately the pastoral care at my son's current prep school has let him down. We are now in a difficult situation and I am very wary of sending him to a new prep school unless I know in my heart that he will be well cared for.

I am confident in the level of care he will receive at the senior school which we have chosen for him.His housemaster is a remarkable man by all accounts. Preparing him for this school is going to difficult without the right school.

OP posts:
Zodlebud · 09/03/2018 14:15

Another one to throw into the mix - Lockers Park. It tends to have spaces in years 7/8 as some boys move into local schools at 11. Consistently sends boys to Harrow, Eton, Radley and Winchester College. Great pastoral and amazing match teas. I have girls so no personal experience but know many day boys there who are extremely happy and lovely boys.

Probably not a school on a people’s radar if you’re not from the area but definitely the go to school locally if you are aiming high for 13+.

jellycat1 · 10/03/2018 07:25

My boys are very young but we are aiming for prep boarding from Yr 6 and have done quite a lot of research and spoken to numerous current and past parents of various schools preps in the South East. Upshot is that we've narrowed it down to Papplewick and Sunningdale. Final choice between those two to be made in a few years.

Original poster
Longislandsound · 10/03/2018 10:43

From the emails which I have received over the last few days Sunningdale seems to be a great choice. Cottesmore, also has excellent pastoral care according to current parents. We don’t have any friends who went down the boarding route so we didn’t have the benefit of first hand experience.
Even with that though I don’t think we could have foreseen the situation that we find ourselves in .

OP posts:
sendsummer · 10/03/2018 11:12

OP sounds a horrible situation but the benefit is that your DS can use this last year and a bit of prep school by enlarging his circle of friends including those going to the same senior school.
Cothill has a good reputation as does the Dragon pastorally, Both send lots of boys to Eton (Dragon has a lot going to Winchester as well which is a bonus for the preparation of the earlier exam if relevant to you).
Understandably you don't want to mention the school and problem but don't forget that you need to feel very comfortable with and trust the potential housemaster if there are any places at any school. Even the best school for others will have a situation that may be amplified with poor communication and loss of trust if the parents and housemaster are not on the same wavelength.