talk to me about state boarding schools please

[MitchyInge]

am interested in Wymondham College, how difficult is it to get a place?

no knowledge of that particular one but have experience of two others, Cranbrook in Kent and Royal Alexandra and Albert in Surrey.

DS was twice accepted for one (applied for year 8 and he was accepted but he decided to move abroad with us for a few years) Then applied again for his sixth form but accepted a place at another instead.

DD is now in one of them too. Relatively easy to get her a place. We applied in the November, she had the interview in the February and was offered a place immediately. She joined in year 8 but I understand there are less places in year 9 (as a lot of the local prep schools finish at year 8) and also at age 11.

Hope that helps

Fantastic to hear of this interest; they should many more state boarding schools in the UK as they provide a superior education for teenage children, period.

There is an organisation called the 'state boarding school association' with a useful website that explains many things.

Have heard great things about Wymondham College.

The whole state v private debate is sterile compared with boarders v non-boarders. Aka, an old boy from Eton will have more in common with an old boy from state funded Wymondham that someone from, say, Westminster or St. Pauls (famous day schools).

Boarding rocks.

thanks for replies

have missed boat for yr 7 but am thinking of 8 - we all went to day schools as my dad (sent to school aged not quite 8) found boarding a bit traumatic but daughter's dad has v happy memories boarding from 11

My DS and DD first boarded (just weekly) when aged 12 and 9 respectively.

DD has now been full boarding since September last year (she is 13 now) and DS since this September (aged 16) and they both love it.

Since DD started at her boarding school there has only been one girl who couldn't settle and left

I read the title of this thread as 'skate boarding schools'. Thought it sounded pretty cool!

I reckon DD would love that even more. DS would hate it though!

it's a little way off but not sure she'd settle without her pony - don't know why I thought they'd offer livery too

oooh, you NEED to send her to RAA
(Royal Alexandra and Albert) in Reigate (Surrey) They have stables and livery (DD keeps rattling on and on and on about getting a bloody pony) I got an email last month asking for her joint xmas and birthday present could she have a horse that was for sale, 'only £1,500'!
They have riding lessons after school, do 'horse care' GCSE (yes really!) and apparently (according to DD) if you let the riding school use your pony/horse you get free livery!)

Ask around. We work/live at a boarding school, and although we don't offer livery, there are plenty of girls who do bring their ponies with them. Stables nearby are fairly flexible/do discounts for boarders and where there are several boarders with horses/ponies at the same stables the housemasters/sports staff do tend to arrange lifts/minibuses where necessary.
In fact some of the staff love it as the girls allow us to exercise their pets for them and we don't have the expense of owning

it's a long way from home in Suffolk and not on my income sadly

I need a husband!

wish they had them in Scotland, think DS1 would benefit from abreak from us.

I've very glad that ds (5) won't read this thread. He is desperate for a pony and also knows that he will be going to boarding school at 11. If he knew that there are boarding schools with stables I reckon he'd be begging to go now.

RAA is pretty cheap (compared to other boarding schools) Just under 4K a term

it does look lovely, maybe I could persuade her dad to chip in all some of the fees - I was thinking state because they are practically free of course (under £1k a term I think) but there is a nice independent school not 5 minutes from our house which offers livery too, I think she'd benefit hugely from the structure of boarding . I am really struggling to keep her attendance up at the moment

never having had anything to compare it with I didn't appreciate the differences between state/independent until my first two children went through the state system - I definitely couldn't manage full fees on my income alone though

but the 4k a term is for full board so pretty good when you take that into account.
DS's boarding school is £8,200 per term. AND, it doesn't have a stables

RAA may do bursuries, worth enquiring.

School we live at charge £38k a year, with no livery. £4k is very good.

That's more than Eton! Is it UK or abroad?

willbreakmybones

Are you the spokesperson for the boarding school association

You're very enthusiastic

In the grand scheme of things, who cares if she is MrsS?

She's now provided me with a very useful website.

£38K!

I understood applications to RAAS were very oversubscribed last year. Entry is predominantly 7+ (year 3)and 11+(year 7) and they emphasise that although places will come up in between. Also its intake used to be a high proportion of SEN kids from outer London and Surrey but is shaking off that image now. Many kids day board there so timing works well for working parents (bearing in mind its location in prime commuter belt) and it is increasingly popular. Is Steyning still one ?

Think it is very oversubscriped for day pupils,not so much full boarders.
When we were offered and accepted DD's place they made it very clear (and regularly put it in newsletters) that if you want to transfer from boarding to day pupils there is a long waiting list and you may have to remove your child until a day place becomes available. I'm guessing they do that to stop people sending their DC as boarders for a term or two and then switching to a day pupil.

A friend of mine who also lives abroad made enquiries earlier this year for her DD who would have gone into year 10 and they had space there and another 'friend' who I 'met' on MN lives abroad and her DS started in year 10 in September

That wodul make sense. I'd heard the catchment area is apparently much more limited than it used to be but that is probably day places.

yes, think it is literally on their doorstep. Our UK 'home' is West Sussex but our current home is in the Middle East so no catchment for boarders

I just find the assertion that boarding is the way forward for all teenagers etc etc a bit sweeping

Could you please enlarge?