Non-stuffy boarding school

[Natwood9]

Hello- having looked around Rugby and Uppingham, we found both a little on the traditional side. Looking ideally for a school like Stowe , perhaps slightly more focus on academics and ideally opportunity to play football. Any suggestions? Bradfield ?

Sevenoaks is very modern.

Charterhouse?

Kimbolton?

Dauntseys? Wycliffe? Neither very academic but more so than Stowe.

In that part of the country, is there any particular reason why you haven't already looked at Oakham?

Christs Hospital
Bedales
Wellington
Sherbourne

Wellington
Warwick

Canford

Thanks all. I think other than charterhouse these are rugby rather than football schools. I appreciate the suggestions. charter house is a bit far and boy heavy for us I think.

I have a boy and a girl.

Beades, maybe Beadles

St Bede's?

Bradfield if you want football.

Thank you. I think we are narrowed down to visit Repton and Bradfield. How do these schools compare broadly? They are opposite directions but in case anyone knows both!

Bromsgrove

Shrewsbury is great for football and strong academically.

@Natwood9 I was about to say Repton sounds like it ticks all the things on your list. Much more academic than Stowe (not super selective though) and it's a football school. They pride themselves on being "grounded".

Differences between Repton and Bradfield…
There are a LOT of other schools near Bradfield: with 25 miles you’ve got Wellington, Eton, Pangbourne, Teddies, Abingdon, Radley, Reading, Marlborough, Shiplake, Bedales etc. There is a lot of choice and academic boys tend to go elsewhere (sorry if this is harsh). It’s also on the M4 corridor so families are more London/finance oriented.

Repton doesn’t have local competition. It is the only public school in two counties and there are some super academic kids there. Also more local day children from country/farming families.

Would be interested to know what you think after you’ve visited.

Non stuffy? Pop them in a comprehensive

Canford? It's not really a rugby school I don't think.

I went to stowe and millfield and my brother went to Rugby school.
Millfield excells at all sports however I'd say Bradfield's elite football programme tops pretty much all UK schools for football.

Main winter sport at Canford is rugby but if that’s not a deal breaker I agree it’s worth looking at. I think it’s underrated.

Thanks all, that’s a really good point about competition with Bradfield. I’ll let you know once I’ve visited Repton. I would prefer a day option (Stowe) but both are keen to board and the boy is football mad and not keen on rugby so that rules out a lot of schools!

Wycliffe do a lot of different sports so not just rugby based.

Benenden for the girl? Super sporty at all levels. Academic but not crazy pressure. I went and I would go again! X