talk to me about state boarding schools please

[MitchyInge]

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

I didn't turn down a place in a state boarder, we turned down a place at Stoneyhurst.

Thanks hocuspontas

I did my A levels at Wymondham College! As a day pupil, it was the local A level centre then many many moons ago. It is very well thought of, then and now.

ohhh...wonder if it still has the nissan huts? ..goes all nostalgic...

Hi

Im a newbie here and my sons just about to do the interview for Royal Alexander for full boarding (hes just 12) Weve done the visit and my son really, really wants to go, he suggested it in the first place-- facilities and general atmosphere seems great and given what we spend overall although its expensive I felt the value add was great for all it offered and the children we saw (and who took us around) seemed happy, bright and busy.

Main reason we are looking at sending is friendship really, hes an only one and most children at his school here in kent live a fair way from the school, and arent available locally at weekends. We also dont have friends with similar age children locally.

Esoteric My DD (almost 14) has been there since september 2008 and loves it there. I have to say I was a little unsure at first but she is so very happy and is doing very well now. she had previously gone to a private school in the UK and then had two years at a British International school in the middle east where she started going downhill. The past few months we've had really positive reports from her teachers and she is the happiest she has been in a very long time. She is currently snowboarding with the school in Austria and has a great time there as well as doing well academically.
Ref cost, I have to say it is great value for money. It is half the price of the school in Sussex that DS1 goes to.

Good luck with your sons interview

We've also been looking at state boarding - it does seem to be a very good deal. I've found the Ofsted reports to be useful (the social care reports about boarding rather than academics). Also The Good Schools Guide has write ups of quite a lot of state boarding schools which have been really good. Our problem is DS is not a genius and could not get into the ones that are grammars.

I think lots of the Nissan huts have gone - only one left fot the chapel IIRC!

My Mum and Dad met at Wymondham and myself and both my brothers boarded there. Both my parents families went there too.

Don't know about the entry criteris. I do know you get priority if your parents went though!

I would really recommend it and I am trying to persuade DH that DS and DD would benefit from it but he's less keen. Mind you, I've got 9 years to work on him...

State boarding schools are absolutely brilliant IME.

Wymondham has an excellent reputation. I have had one or two undergraduates from there are they have done well, and spoken highly of the place.

Also consider Hockerill in Bishops Stortford, as other posters have suggested. It has outstanding languages (bilingual French/English or German/English teaching available. You choose which you fancy and the school teaches the humanities in both languages so the kids are more or less fluent by Year 9 and sit their language GCSEs then). It also has all the trappings of an independent school - stylish blazer-orientated uniform, attractive Victorian buildings clustered around a central grassy area, plays rugby and cricket, uses terminology such as 'prep' and 'refectory', etc. And is the only comprehensive school I know that has its own equestrian society.

Here's Hockerill in all its glory