Is St Edwards Oxford the right boarding school?

[drinkteaandrelax]

Hi, my daughter is in Year 10 and will be soon choosing her sixth form.

We originally were going to stick to state education, but she is super academic and thrives in a working environment- and suggested boarding school.
My DD wants somewhere full-boarding with many societies and a driven community of students- nice boarding too with good weekend activities.

What are your thoughts on Teddies, and are there any boarding schools alike that you recommend? I'd be very appreciative!

[quote drinkteaandrelax]@Orangesarenottheonlyfruit is Canford academic? Does it push its students?[/quote]
It's about as academic as Marlborough with a good spread but it pushes the kids. They're fairly equal but it seems Canford is less flashy and London ish.

Is Canfield truly full boarding? Years ago it certainly wasn’t. By wanting co Ed you are not looking at some of the best schools. There are very academic girls’ schools that are very good.

@PresentingPercy

Is Canfield truly full boarding? Years ago it certainly wasn’t. By wanting co Ed you are not looking at some of the best schools. There are very academic girls’ schools that are very good.

But plenty of co Ed schools that are very academic so if OP wants mixed and full (proper full!) then there are a decent sized handful of choices hitting this brief.

Yes. I know that but a few being suggested are not full boarding. Overseas pupils probably are full boarding but they could be quite a small group. I know Rugby is pretty much full boarding but lots of schools are more flexible in the 6th form. So finding everything you want where dc go home quite a lot isn’t easy. Also very many schools that might give decent bursaries are being discounted. Quite a few schools give scholarships to existing pupils too.,

My friend's son was very academic and thrived at Teddies - went onto Oxbridge. I chatted to him this evening. He found the teaching challenging, and the staff supportive. There is a full mix at Teddies and if you only thrive because of a highly competitive atmosphere then it's probably not for you. However, if you want somewhere with the opportunity to do well academically plus a full range of sports and extra curricular activities he reckons it will suit most people well.

(When we visited him for sporting events we loved the art work on display at the theatre, loved the theatre and music and were bowled over by how incredibly positive the students were.)

Have you looked at Dean Close School in Cheltenham too. It's a while since I visited there, but that had a lovely atmosphere too.

Have a look at Sherborne. The Girls and Boys schools have numerous joint activities, musical,social, drama etc but academically they are separate. The best of both worlds in my opinion.
The schools are based in a beautiful town so plenty of freedom at weekends.

@Notverygrownup Thank you! This has proved very helpful. Although, I have had very mixed responses about Teddies. Some say it is not academic in the slightest, but some say the opposite. I love that my DD could be opened to many societies and opportunities but she really needs to be in a hardworking environment- something much different to a regular state sixth form. Have you got any insights to other schools also?

@Orangesarenottheonlyfruit Do you know anything about Marlborough? Canford isn't appealing to my DD and I, so we are looking at other options.

@leftandaright Oundle is definitely an option. Thank you.
It is pretty much full boarding?

Oundle is definitely a seven day a week boarding school. Home at half terms, holidays and a set number of exeat weekends every year. Rest of the time the children are in school.

Are you absolutely sold on co-ed? Some of the top schools that otherwise fit your brief perfectly are girls only. I used to work in boarding and vowed if I sent my kids they would be going single sex for secondary school .

Anyway:

Are you looking at a particular geographical range? E.g. is Scotland out? Would you consider Wales? Is town/countryside important to you?

Westornbirt has gone co-ed, have you considered them?

Some others that may fit what you're looking for:

Sidcot
Lancing
Culford
Haileybury

Are you looking for a traditional English school or a big international school? Some league table top performers are over 80% international (e.g. Concord College).

It is a bit tricky to find a proper full boarding school these days, or at least a school with decent numbers in on Saturday nights even if not full boarding. Normally I would advise asking directly how many boarders they had in on the last saturday but obviously due to covid etc boarding schools are a bit out of whack!

@CakesOfVersailles Honestly we have no location preferences.
Westonbirt seems good, I will do some research but I get the impression it is too small. I love the fact 80% of students at Concord are international, but the college itself doesn't look right for my DD.
I think she needs somewhere a bit bigger, which still includes moderately small classes and a bustling amount of societies.

@Zodlebud Oundle seems like a really good choice! I think I'm easing up to the fact it's a slightly bigger school, but as long as there are a great amount of societies and they push/challenge their students- that is great.

The new head at Teddies (starting in Sept) is clearly super bright - an Eton scholar and congratulatory first at Oxford - so you may see an elevation in their academics. Traditionally it has taken in quite a wide intake and added value - we have a not hugely academic DC who will be applying next year so we’re hoping it will retain this breadth but if not, the change might suit you!

Well 88% got A*-B at A level so it’s hardly non academic now. Most people know that there are other academic choices in Oxford so all schools competing for the same very bright DC could be a problem.

Haileybury could be a good option if you want a majority full boarding and plenty on at weekends as the whole
school turn in on Sat - 6th form is close to 90% full boarding.

@Nubbin That’s very interesting. I know 11 boarders at Haileybury across all year groups (albeit only one in the sixth form) and they ALL come home after sport on Saturday, back on Sunday evening. To be fair I am fairly local to the school though as well as the families I know there so it may well be a reflection of that instead of a full picture of the school. Although, they do have a Sunday evening bus service from London, Bucks, Cambridge and Kent which would indicate lots more go home.

Otherwise agree it’s another school that OP should add to the list.

Westonbirt is lovely but not exactly academic. Increasing number of day pupils too.

I agree that Haileybury has an exodus at weekends. A lot of children live locally for a start. I have said above but wherever there is an option to come out on Saturday nights, teenage children will do so. It only takes one to go out and then the rest will follow. If you really want a comprehensive weekend of decent activities then choose a full boarding school where the whole boarding house is there 7 days a week.
I also think if a bursary is essential then you will need to have half a dozen schools in the mix unless your child is so bright (Oxbridge high flier) that schools will fight over her ! It might be that in order to access a full bursary, you will not get to choose just one school but will need many irons in the fire to cover your bases.

We have applied for virtual open mornings for:

Oundle
Rugby
Teddies

Frustratingly, Marlborough isn't doing anything. But we will see.

@drinkteaandrelax They would be the three I would put on my list. I would also contact the bursar and ask for thresholds for bursaries. Some schools (but not all) don’t cover the boarding element of fees. It would also help you understand what kind of financial commitment you might be looking at.

Also, manage your daughters expectations. If you can’t afford it without a scholarship or bursary then make that very clear to her from the outset. I have seen children have their hearts broken by falling in love with a school and be offered a place and then their parents deciding they couldn’t afford it.

Hi,
My DS is in his final year at CH, he has loved it, his 6th form experience although not what was expected was brilliant, he has lots of friends, he’s achieved so much and in a recent conversation said he was really pleased that he went there.

I think you will find lots of schools have an exodus at weekends. Teddies has loads of local pupils for a start. Rugby has lots of local - ish DC and plenty from London. The child that wants everything boarding has to offer does make use of facilities and weekend trips etc. I would talk to the schools about numbers in at weekends. Lots of schools now are doing fixed weekends in school as opposed to exeats twice a term.

Update: we have just attended Rugby Schools Virtual Open Morning, and I have to say- my DD and I are impressed. It seems like a really down to earth school- and I had a conversation about scholarships and they thought my DD should definitely apply for one.
Good things so far.

Charterhouse. Wellington. Any reason why these not in your list OP?

The most academic boarding schools that take girls are Wycombe Abbey and CLC, which are single sex, so you have to balance boys v academics. Charterhouse and Wellington are both more academic and very good mixed boarding. Teddies isn’t really an academic school. It’s a 55% pass mark at CE. To put it in perspective Harrow is 60%, Eton 65%, St. Paul’s was 70%.