Reading School vs Colchester Royal Grammar School

[tigeryuan]

What will you choose from these two schools for Year 12 pls? (Boarder)

🙏🏻

They aren't boarding schools.

Apologies, it seems CRGS does board at sixth form.
They are a long way apart. Where will home be?

Reading is weekly boarding. Home will be Swindon.

Reading School is in a urban area, facing the E and A entrance to royal berks hospital (with all the noise from the ambulances). Reading is pretty rough. It's not a particularly shielded, homely place. It's a great opportunity for day students but I couldn't imagine boarding there.

Thx! Good to know that!

Why these 2 schools? The don’t seem obvious choices for boarding especially Colchester if you live in Swindon. What did you like about them? What sort of school are you looking for?

I assume the OP looks for state boarding at a grammar school. Reading School has amazing results, so I can see the theoretical appeal, but I can only really visualise a 6 former, not an 11 year old, in that setting. 6 former would probably enjoy the setting, it's close to Reading university campus. I have no idea about pastoral care and house parents, I only know parents of day students at the school. The obv think it's great.

Sorry about the bad spelling!

Thx for all your advise! Yes, I’m looking for state boarding school.

Reading is a good school which does get amazing results. Everyone I knew from there has gone on to do really well for themselves.
I also looked at Reading for boarding for my son but felt that overall the boarding facilities were not great. It also must be freezing in some of the top dorms in winter! I know it's not meant to be 5* luxury but still...
Also, I grew up around and and went to school in Reading and yeh it's nice the nicest place but I suppose is comparable to many large towns.

Also from Swindon - it's a doable daily journey to Reading.

Results wise, I think Colchester royal grammar is top and has been for many years. It’s a lovely school but academic expectations are extremely high. The town is nice too with plenty to do. I have no idea about that boarding experience though.

The boarding experience*

OP can i ask why you are looking for boarding? That will help determine the choice.

From my experience of having a child boarding i would advise to look very carefully at the boarding facilities. How many children board? What are the boarding staffing levels like? Do they have enough staff at weekends to allow a choice of activities? How many to a bedroom? What are the study facilities available at the weekend?

Also how many do weekly boarding? Will your son miss out on social bonding?

I don't know either school but small schools or schools with small numbers of boarders have a higher risk of sub optimal facilities.

Good luck!

Reading is not “pretty rough”. Bits of it are deprived. Like most places.

Thank you for your valuable comments! :)

If you are in Swindon and looking for state boarding sixth form I would consider looking at Peter Symonds in Winchester. Academic students get excellent grades, not as selective as Reading, but has wider opportunities and I would far rather have my sixth former board in North Winchester than Reading.

Thx for your info, but will only consider reading school or CRGS.

Are you looking at 11plus or 6 form entry? With lockdown eased and we are allowed to travel again I would start with a trip to Reading and Colchester and a drive by inspection. I would also expect that there are virtual tours of the boarding facilities where you can chat to pastoral staff on zoom to get a better impression of pastoral care and facilities. Boarding at Reading school certainly has a more grown up, less luxurious and 'real' feel than say boarding at nearby schools like Orartory, Abingdon or Radley, but for 1/3 of the fees for those schools it could offer a superior education for the right boy.

It’s for sixth form entry. Do wish could visit both schools if situation has improved in the near future.

Is your son currently year 10? The deadline for applications must be a long way away. If i were you i would apply for both, see if get accepted then decide. I would imagine its hard to get in either of them.

DS is in year 11 now. He is lucky to have offer from both schools for sixth form, so have to decide which one to go for. Thx all again!

If you live in Swindon and want a 6th form place, did you know that Marlborough offer some boarding place for state school pupils at 6th form?

How can you have a discussion naming schools on an open forum board? Opportunity for slander and for undermining the competition. Interesting.