Shrewsbury / Moreton Hall / Bromsgrove (weekly) boarding?

[MrPickles73]

DC's prep schools have suggested we throw the net a little wider and consider boarding as well as day schools (atleast to have a look and worry about the fees later via bursary / scholarship).. We will meet with them next term to discuss but I would like to do some research first.

We don't know any of these: Shrewsbury / Moreton Hall / Bromsgrove. Does anyone have any experience? We have a DD and a DS. (I know Moreton is girls only and the others coed). Both of our children are reasonably outgoing, academic and sporty. DS more so in all departments than his sister but a bit lazy. DD is more driven and studious.

Ideally we'd like them to go to the same school but we'd also like the best for each child so willing to compromise if necessary.

I'm guessing that Shrewsbury does not entertain weekly boarding - you are either day or boarding. Does anyone know the % of day / weekly and full boarders for Moreton Hall and Bromsgrove.
Any experience / impressions of these schools good / bad?
Many thanks.

Moreton Hall I believe is now taking boys into year 7 with year 8 to follow.

Year 9 is supposedly going to remain girls only but I often find these types of announcements are followed by the whole school going co-ed. Not necessarily in this case but possible.

I don't have any experience with these schools but I strongly suggest casting the net wide if you need a bursary.

Bromsgrove is a lovely school with great pastoral care. It’s about half and half day and boarding. Most of the boarders are international students who tend to be in school at weekends. They are very flexible, however, about weekly boarding. Be aware that they don’t have exeats like most boarding schools because of the high proportion of overseas boarders.

It’s a very down to earth school with no airs and graces. Despite being hundred of years old because it hasn’t really maintained many archaic traditions and it feels like a modern school with lots of new buildings and a very pristine campus. It’s a great school for sport especially rugby for boys and netball for girls. But it offers so may sports that most DC can find something they love. It will get the best out of a child academically but I wouldn’t describe it as a highly academic school. It will take DC with a wide range of abilities and support all of them. At 6th form they offer IB A levels and BTec so there is something for everyone.

The other school you may want to consider is Repton in Derbyshire. I am not sure if they offer weekly boarding. It’s much smaller than Bromsgrove but also reasonably academic and sporty. However they focus on hockey and football especially and don’t offer rugby.

I have DC at Shrewsbury and have been very happy with the school. You are right, It is either day or boarding with no flexibility. Majority of children board, so lots of activities at weekends. There are regular exeats so a long weekend at home in the middle of every half term.

The girls seem to have integrated well, but while numbers of girls are going up, the school still has more boys than girls, so this might be a consideration for your DD.

The school has a good mix of pupils in terms of academic ability; plenty of sports, but non-sporty kids can do easier options; good music & drama; great pastoral care; a number of international students, but most children are UK based.

It's probably a good idea to arrange a visit to any of the schools you are considering. I think you can get a pretty good feel as to whether the school is right for your DC or not that way. Shrewsbury was actually bottom of the list we had, until we visited.

carrythecan can I ask what other schools you looked at please? Are your children boys? We wouldn't consider full boarding or be able to afford it at shrewsbury. What would you the disadvantages for girls are due to their lower numbers?

I thinkMalvern College now offers a flexible boarding option so that may be worth looking at.

Another thought to look at would be Thomas Adams in Wem for both and Adams Grammar school in Newport. Both are state boarding schools so you only pay for the boarding and not the education.

I'm not sure if they do weekly boarding though.
Adcote School for girls does sporty bursaries.

They are boys. I don't think it's necessarily a disadvantage for the girls being a minority, just a consideration that it might not suit everyone.

We looked at pretty much all the independent schools between Shrewsbury and Chester as we are based in the border.