Independent selective boarding admissions

[violetshades]

I am going through which schools dd should apply to for selective boarding schools and wondered how important things like how good you are at sports or music or anything really counts towards the admissions for them. Dd is not 'top' of anything but takes part in a lot and is reasonably good. For example she'll be on the A team at school for sports, she's is not the best but is doing ok.

For music she doesn't get the top scores but does 3 instruments for example. Her academics are very secure though. Does she need to be top in everything? I'm assuming she'll be competing for places amongst those who are too in everything. She's more of a try everything and do as well as she can person.

I'm worried that unless she is top in everything we are wasting our time (and money!) applying.

Primarily they will assess on academics. You can apply for music, sports etc scholarships separately if you choose but an allrounder is valued as highly. Occasionally an exceptional talent will override academic potential but unless a school has a particular strength (ie Millfield for sport) there will a minimum entry standard to be met.

Thank you @LIZS we probably would to be applying for any scholarships because dd is not really top in anything in particular other than maybe academics.

Thank you @LIZS dd probably wouldn't be applying for any scholarships because she is not really top in anything in particular other than maybe academics.

Of course you don’t have to be top at everything - it is quite possible to have a whole heap of extra curricular activities that you don’t excel at but you do them because you enjoy them and they make you happy. I have seen children broken by the endless pursuit of excellence in all areas.

Most boarding schools are looking for an aptitude for boarding. Will they be actively involved in everything the school has to offer? Are they self motivated and interested in participating without the parents pushing them. Are they a good team player and able to live and work with others?

I think there are a lot of myths about how difficult it is to get a place at UK boarding schools. IME if your child is reasonably clever, reasonably well behaved and you can pay, you are in. The extra curriculars are a nice to have - but all these schools have B, C and D sports teams so not everyone is a potential national level athlete. Ditto for music.

There are a few more academic schools eg WA, DH, CL for girls. She will either be in the right ball park or not. And if she is not, they will not be the right school for her. No point in tutoring etc.

If she is at a prep they should be able to advise on the best fit for her. But my advice would be not to worry. She sounds like the ideal all rounder to me. You will be welcomed with open arms by most senior schools. It is a buyers market.

Private school marketing is full of attractive children who are at the very top in academics, sport and music. In reality these children are few and far between - something which will become very clear once she starts at senior school.

I agree with RandomThought. Getting into boarding schools is easier than day schools for a start. Less people want to board and only a minority can afford the fees. Boarding schools these days have a lot of overseas desperate for a slice of British life that the pressure is on to secure enough British children (especially girls) to ensure the Britishness carries on.
Don’t sweat it. If your daughter wants to board and can cope with the academic life of the school you’ve chosen, then as long as it’s not an ultra popular selective school, she will get in.

Completely agree, it's a buyers market.

Of course she doesn’t need to be top in every area. Schools are delighted to get academically strong pupils- if they are moderately good- or even just enthusiastic- at arts, sport etc that’s a plus. Why not explore an academic scholarship- or perhaps an all-rounder? Your DD sounds like she would be a prize any school would love to attract, as she will add to the richness of school life as well as doing well in the classroom.