Swim boarding school

[Movingaround]

Looking for a boarding school with great swimming for an academically able swim obsessed daughter. (Currently year 7)
She's a v strong swimmer but no idea what the choices are outside of Millfield/ Mount Kelly/ Plymouth. Any feedback on any of the options would be brilliant. Thanks
We aren't currently living in the UK hence extra stupidity

You're welcome... The boarding houses feel as close to home as you can get.. I would say one of the best if not in the uk. I've seen other boarding school houses. You can't compare

Well from what I know of the swimmers in Surrey... Traffic is no problem as they are in the pool at 4:30 - 5 ish, usually out about 7? And often off to local schools.
It does though affect the family and require everyone to be committed and make sacrifices.

Oh and what kind of SEN? Is it More House level or specialist or supportive mainstream eg. Duke of Kent or Reeds (even RGS has some boys with SN).

State boarding School in Cornwall. I think it was Queen Elizabeth but not sure . They have surfing lessons in the Summer and are or I heard ocean ater orientated.

Hi movingaround did you get sorted with a school? I am in your same place a year on. I would really appreciate your advice? I’m also researching all the schools mentioned above. I would greatly appreciate anything else you have found out or experienced. Thanks

Hi. We've decided to stay put (in Dubai!) for now. She has such a simple life here I couldn't face the change. I'm still considering Millfield for year 9 but that's the only one that appealed.
My take on it all was (and obviously I could be totally wrong on all of this!)
Mount Kelly- lovely but lots of overseas pupils and a bit too swimming focused and not so academic. Limited other opportunities.
Plymouth- very few boarders especially in the younger years and better to be in the area. Most pupils weekly boarders. Also some commuting to the pool (can't remember details!)
Millfield - outstanding but big and she might get lost a bit and maybe more focused on power swimmers than quieter long distance ones.
Ellesmere - great swimming and stunning location but totally the wrong location for us. Did look great though... again maybe check how many boarders in younger years.
Local swim club - nightmare logistically but nicer to have baby close and be able to manage all the ups and downs of teenaged life.:
So that's all stuff all help really!! I think if we move back it would be Millfield but mostly I'm just planning on not leaving here. If you wanted to design a swim programme it would be the one she's on!

I would suggest visiting the schools and not base your opinions on a few disgruntled ex parents. We looked at many of the above schools and Mount Kelly was our choice. We moved from London and my three children have now been at the school for two years.
We have a new Head and academics are a top priority. Many new initiatives have been introduced. The school is also been redecorated and upgraded.
My one child is on the swimming program and results speak for themselves.
There is so much on offer and location is stunning.

Does it have to be a boarding school? You could look at the best swim clubs in the country for (arguably better) swim training...and fit around school. Guildford City are the national champions, several years running, and have a raft of academic girls day-schools in the area...

Oh...and I can tell you as a 'swim' mum in Surrey that the traffic to training is not really an issue. The many competitions in far-flung corners of the country are a little more of a pain....but all do-able within the swim network. Coaching is first class; expectations are high.

If you are still looking, worth considering Sherborne Girls - they now have an elite swim programme as well.

I hadnt posted in this thread as we removed our daughter from MK because of its general poor standards rather than its swimming but as a new poster has joined to tell us how wonderfull its is I thought Id comment.
I still have many contacts at the school and my daughter is still good friends with several children at the school,the poster is right,the new Head does have new initiatives,hes keen on Rugby ,so hes brought in a Head of sport thats keen on Rugby and a new Rugby coach ,great,the only problem is the school has a very weak fixture list,doesnt have the numbers to put out many teams (-thats what happens when you load the school with swimmers and foreign children-)other local schools have far better rugby programmes,that why MK doesnt play them.so whats the point beyond an excited press release..
The previous Head when he joined all of five or six years ago was keen on Cricket,so he brought in a head of sport that was an ex cricket pro,he got a fixture against Eton and bigged up the cricket,results and fixtures didn't really improve ,he left ,the head of sport left and the boys find very little has changed.
A friends son is in the cricket team and was excited by the fixture against Eton ,less impressed on arriving at Eton to discover they were playing a scratch team that was according to one of the Eton boys a 7th or 8th XI,not that MK admitted this,lots of mention of MK XI v Eton ,but no mention of who they were actually playing..
Im delighted Academics are a top priority they need to be,they are very poor,when the best results at GCSE are in subjects the school doesnt teach(Chinese,German)and the sixth form most popular subject is BTEC sport then you know the school is not academic and maybe update the recent university destinations page,some people might think listing two to Oxford is a bit misleading if those are several years ago..

I would give Millfield a wide berth, they have a big drug problem. The teens can easily pick up a variety of drugs from the dealers in Street (local village). The pastoral care and organisation in the school is shockingly bad too.

@Daynightday

Hi movingaround did you get sorted with a school? I am in your same place a year on. I would really appreciate your advice? I’m also researching all the schools mentioned above. I would greatly appreciate anything else you have found out or experienced. Thanks

Did you make a decision on this? I'm now back looking at the problem again as we may be moving back to UK summer 2021!

One friends dd goes to Mount Kelly. Very happy, impressed with the swimming. Another friend went to Millfield - found she didn't love swimming as much as she though so moved for 6th form. My dd was a swimmer - has just gone to boarding senior school and has been in the pool maybe 4 times. If your dd is serious then definitely make sure you get a proper swimming school and not just one that swims - because really they don't :)

Boys and alcohol are also things she needs to learn about, you can’t just pretend those things don’t exist. Children need to learn about relationships and about the sort of substances (food, drink, drugs) they are going to come in to contact with that they might have difficult relationships with. So yes encourage sport (I am a volunteer sports coach) but don’t let her grow up in a bubble or when she leaves that bubble she will struggle. Why would you not want a teenager to learn about relationships with boys - emotional relationships are so important and will play a huge part in her life. They need to have those first awkward experiences and not be shielded from them.