Can anyone recommend an excellent co-ed independent day school outside of London?

[WelliBob]

Hi, we live in an area where there are excellent senior schools available both grammars and independents. However, the best ones are all single sex and I really want co-ed. DH works a lot from home so we’d happily move for the right school. I have a geeky academic son, an academically gifted Daughter who is also very sporty and another daughter who is average academically (maybe slightly above not a high achiever) However this daughter is superb at sport. I want somewhere they can all go to school together. Somewhere sporty for the girls but also high achieving academically for DS and DD1. Any ideas?

Brighton college?

Thanks Derek, I’ll take a look. I thought BC was a boarding school so I hadn’t thought to look at it.

Only 30% boarding

Thanks. I’ll take a look but I’m keen on a day school atmosphere.

St John’s Leatherhead

Most boarding schools have a high proportion of day students these days due to eye watering boarding fees and/or changed attitudes to boarding

Haileybury.

Has both day and boarding although a large proportion of boarders are weekly only.

Thanks ladies. I’d rather a school without boarders as I’m looking for an ethos and resources that’s geared towards day pupils. I’m looking for something vibrant, selective and co-ed but with lots of excellent sporting and music facilities. We have schools like that locally but they are single sex which I really don’t want. I’m looking for something like Alleyn’s in London but not London.

Portsmouth Grammar , Nottingham High, king Edward vi Southampton,
Leicester Grammar, Perse Cambridge.Quite a lot of cities have a good coed indie

Reigate Grammar?

www.reigategrammar.org

Bedford Modern School

Thank you so much. Portsmouth looks interesting and probably the sort of thing I’m looking for. Reigate isn’t for us as I’m trying to escape Surrey/outer London.

I’ll have a look at Bedford too.

St Peter's in York.

Bristol grammar school? (Independent not grammar!) we moved to Bristol from west London a 9 years ago for DH job and adore it, both DS will be going, we loved the school and everyone we know who's children attend only have good things to say! It's a very academic school which sounds like it fits your needs. There is also clifton college on the co-ed side of things but not as academic.

Colyton grammar for the top two and woodroffe for the third

Kimbolton School? I'm looking there at the moment (in the Prep rather than Senior School). It's well known for sports and music/drama. I personally was unimpressed with facilities and location at Bedford Modern but horses for courses!!

Are you looking for any specific sports?

www.perse.co.uk

in Cambridge

Any chance of reconsidering your views on single sex schooling? There are lots of advantages, and the main disadvantage, if a child doesn't have siblings of the other sex and lives with one parent don't apply in your situation? Not goadily,
but the solution might be much simpler than you're envisioning!

The Upper school for The Perse has an intake in year 7 and in year 9 (as well as the odd in-year admissions as places become available).

It was ranked 2nd for A level results last year with 89% A/A and generally gets around 94% A/A (or equivalent 9-8) at gcse.

It also competes in Nationals for many sports including hockey and rugby as well as other with a good programme of extra-curricular.

Is it because you don’t want single sex or just the logistics of having them in the same place you want co-ed?

If it’s the latter then look at Berkhamsted. Co-ed Prep, single sex 11-16 and back to co-ed for sixth form. Separate campuses five minutes walk away but they share facilities, trips, theatre events, music etc.

Oakham School - co-ed and not hugely overpopulated with boarders, in the same way that Oundle and Uppingham are. Very academic and very sporty.

And Rutland is a brilliant part of the world.

www.oakham.rutland.sch.uk/

Try the pair of Abingdon and St Helen & St Katharine. They are boys and girls schools but are only down the road from each other and share facilities, buses, some subjects, many drama productions etc. You get the resourcing to provide subjects and extra-curricular provision a bit more tailored to each kids' needs, but logistically they are in the same place. Both are excellent academically, strong on sports and outstanding in music. It is "together" enough! My DD will start SHSK in September and get the same bus as her elder brother at Abingdon.

St Peters York has boarders but then again York came top in the Sunday Times best place to live yesterday.

Grammar School at Leeds is another good option & interestingly although co-ed they teach boys and girls separately age 11-16 but not below and above. I would live towards Harewood it's beautiful countryside.