Looking for non/mild selective fee paying school with CCF/good sports

[mullers1977]

Hello.
My Son is currently at a private school in Chislehurst - it is rubbish! Teachers leaving in droves, children going haywire - THC and Balloons in the lunch hour, 7 sent home from the year 9 Duke of Edinburgh camp due to sexual activities and no cricket fixtures this year so far! We are looking to move our children ASAP to start next September. My son had such a bad year and has recently been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. We will move him down a year, and he will restart the year on 9 Sept 2024.

We are searching for a lovely new school for him and my daughter (prep). We want an all-through school that offers CCF (he is military-mad, and this would be a great pull for him) and has a great sports ethos.

Somewhere in SOUTH England ...
Surrey
Kent (like sutton valence school but nowhere nearby we like to live atm)
Hampshire
Sussex
Dorset

Thank you

You can search by CCF if that is the primary focus: https://combinedcadetforce.org.uk/find-a-ccf

I'm not sure which year group your DS is in so how much "all through" you need. Do you definitely want DS and DD at the same school at the same time? Would you consider weekly boarding to access somewhere a bit further out of town?

Seaford? Cranleigh/Cranleigh Prep?

A family member has similar diagnoses as your DS and is very sporty, their priorities were excellent learning support and sports and they shortlisted Sherborne, Uppingham, Shiplake, Pangbourne and the Oratory Reading but those are probably too far afield for you.

Caterham would seem to tick all your boxes.

Thank you, that's great - I'll go through these - we looked at Truro school this weekend, so nothing is too far. I'd prefer all through (Looking at year 6 & year 9) but not essential

I have looked on the CCF site and crosschecked schools off a list as state/ academic/also on saturday etc

Our child has adhd and started 1st form/year 7 at Sutton Valence in September previously he was at a local prep school. The difference in him now since he started in September has been nothing short of astonishing I wouldn’t recognise the boy we have now. It took him until about February half term then suddenly we went from the having the kid who did the bare minimum, couldn’t be bothered etc to suddenly the kids who is now so contentious revising for tests without being asked and amazingly coming near or top of the class not something we have experienced before! Going from the boy who was always in trouble to the one who is getting positive isams (their good behaviour system which are emailed home to parents) several times a week.
They also have d of e and brilliant ccf which is compulsory in year 9 and after that they can do a btec in it.
The sport is also fantastic especially for a child with adhd and they really get him where as his prep school didn’t and he has improved immensely. He also loves he can go to the gym several times a week again good way to positively get some energy out.
It is definitely worth the journey can’t recommend it enough.

Wellingborough sprang to mind reading your requirements. Until I got to the end - it’s in Northamptonshire. But putting it out there just in case.

Gordonstoun.

Royal Russell in Croydon? They have amazing grounds, known to be not too selective and are all-through. I don’t know specifically about CCF but there was definitely some sort of army cadets programme in offer.

Stay clear of Farleigh Prep School (Andover), 14 staff have left, they’ve gone from 4 classes to 3 in years 3 and 4. It is a catholic school therefore 10% of the curriculum is RE lessons (3 hrs per week), the children don’t enjoy it.
I went for a visit and it’s not for us.

Truro School is brilliant
Closer to home, Claire's Court should offer what you're looking for

Shiplake
Reading Blue Coat (although not boarding)
Whitgift

Yes it was

Sherborne is basically all through now as the prep, boys' and girls' have merged and have very close links. Prep uses the senior facilities and the senior kids do volunteering work (reading, sports etc) with the prep kids. Obviously, some prep kids do go elsewhere for Y9.

It ticks your boxes.

THANK YOU X

Taunton? All through with CCF and very sporty.

Colfes is close to Chislehurst, has CCF and a very good reputation. Although the fantastic head is retiring so there may be changes.

Sherborne is a good shout. Although it's a boys' school the links with Sherborne Girls are so close it's very popular with families with both DS and DD. CCF and sports are strong and it's a proper broad entry school so has room for the less academic as well as some fairly brilliant boys. And the links with Sherborne prep and Hanford mean that although not 'through' schools there's a really well trodden path from prep to senior and children move up alongside many of their friends.

Hi, I’m wondering if you found a new school you was happy with? I am thinking of moving my daughter unfortunately from the same school and from what you are saying about the 7 sent home dofe I feel this could be the same year group 😬, I can’t fault the teachers in my experience most are really caring and supportive with my daughter but the girls are the worst very nasty and entitled and nothing ever seems to be done to put a stop to their bullying , with a lot of teachers leaving and my daughter having to constantly deal with these nasty girls I can’t see how I can keep her there for another year even if moving her disrupts her GCSEs I’m really worried about the long term effect these children will have on her. I don’t know if you found a decent school? Or have anyone you know with experience with Babington house ? Thank you and sorry to jump on your post !