Winchester college v canford?

[yotty]

My DS1 is pretty bright but not a genius, not sporty, but loves drama. Can't decide whether he would be better off at Winchester, as he is a bit of a quirky character. Or go to canford and know that he would be in the top 30 percent of the year group, so could feel he could excel in something. Anybody got any thoughts/knowledge of these schools.

I agree with most of what HG says although I'm not sure I a boy is happy at another school they wouldn't be happy at Win Coll. My eldest would be happy anywhere although he'd probably be happier at Eton and Win Coll than other schools.

I assume Canford is a regional option but in that instance I thought Canford v Sherborne was more likely as they have a similar academic intake. Most parents who opt for Winchester tend to look at the other very selective schools or with some parents I know, coed Oundle.

We had our DS down for both Eton (he had passed the test) and Canford until he was twelve and a half. They are both excellent schools of their types and I'm sure that our DS would have been happy at both.

Did DS go to Win or Eton grovel?

Eton. Now at Durham.

Yotty, in our discussion with the Headmaster of Wincoll (takes place after the housemaster's interview and offer of a place), he said in terms that what people spent most of their time doing at the school was talking, about everything. The conversation he had with our DS included but was not limited to: the merits of football/rugger and the use of statistics in sport; the reliability of Wikipedia; what most people talk about in the UK; politics and probity; the similarities between latin and maths and thought systems; the purposes of education including the UK education system and was it too utilitarian - where did DS feel it fell down; a smattering of stuff about religion/theology; is popular music necessarily worse than classical or jazz.

Our DS gave as good as he got in almost all areas and disagreed very vocally on all sorts of issues. He decided not to go (I weep - save for the £££) because he didn't want to board and for him that was the right decision.

If your DS can cope and would positively welcome the above, I'm with happy gardening - it is a truly fantastic school. There are some people who are a little unusual - perhaps I might suggest that some people in college (the scholars' house) are a bit special - am married to one - but there are lots of quirky people at DS's current school too. Happy for you to PM me if that would help.

Spendthrift - sounds completely up my DS's street. Some of the topics you mentioned he might not have an opinion on, but he would happily talk to an adult or a child about the state of the economy, religion( he tells me he is a non believer!), politics, history, science and Formula One. He never stops talking to anyone whose attention he can grab.
I think Winchester is the right place for him. He is really keen to go. Just hope he gets an offer in the Summer, otherwise he will be completely gutted!

One other point at Win Coll the house you choose is crucial some are definately not as good as others. The boys know which ones they are; some don't have a good reputation with them.

If I had sent ds to board it would have been at Canford as it encourages individual sports like rowing and canoeing, as well as team sports. A friend has her dds there, and is very happy with it.

I like the Canford product, have been married to it for 25 years.

+scary*, are you a Dorset girl?

No, born in Devon, grew up in Hants. My dbil is unsurprisingly Canford as well, and his wife evidently likes the product too!

I am really surprised by the bad press Canford is getting on this. We have lots of friends with children there and it is a favourite destination for leavers at our Prep School. The academic results are fantastic - better than Oundle and Rugby most years if you compare on their websites - and there is lots on offer for all abilities. I wouldn't put it in the same category as Sherborne at all - it's much stronger academically.
Winchester is very specific for a certain type of child. We looked at it for our son who is bright and an academic scholar but are going for Canford as it offers so much more. We liked the pupils we met on our visit as well. Marlborough doesn't compare either - we looked there too.
Trust your instincts on this one and don't be swayed!

Yotty has your son sat the WC test yet? Did he get in?

He has not sat the test yet. Going for interview after half term, so keenly reading other threads re interview questions. Just hope he gets in as he is the one that is pushing this. Personally, sometimes I wonder if he quite academically able enough to make the cut. His marks at his current school can be a bit irratic, sometimes in top 3, sometimes not. He certainly has an enquiring mind and I am hoping that he plays down the fact that he is an atheist!

I'd never consider Canford as third tier - it's definitely 'first tier' if you want to categorise schools in this way. I think some on this thread haven't done their homework on what it's really like.

DS is sitting in May. I too am worried that he is not as academic and he too is often in top 3 or makes stupid errors. He's always in top 25% though. I have no idea how to prepare him as Purcell won't and we have very little time to help him as his practice schedule takes up lots of time.

I don't think they care about the atheist bit as long as he doesn't say he refuses to go to chapel!!!

Maria what makes Canford definitely first tier,most interested to know,also what other schools if any in say 100 mile radius are first tier,must admit have always thought of it as a decent provincial school,nothing more,I know it has very strong advocates on here so would love to know why you think its a top tier school.

I don't really like the hierarchy idea - it's all subjective isn't it? However, if asked my view is that the public school 'feel' of a place raises its status - some schools just have this and some don't. Canford's setting is wonderful - you should look at their website. The range of things the children can get involved in in sport, arts etc is enormous. Academic results are important to me - Canford is in the top 50 or so schools in the league tables and the pupils at these types of schools are generally ambitious, bright and confident. At Canford they are all these but most definitely not arrogant which is why I like it. I wouldn't say it was provincial either - I have met quite a few parents from Channel Islands, London and across the South. Perhaps it's changed since you last knew of it.
I think people often associate 'top tier' with 'well known' or 'centuries of history' or even 'socially acceptable'. I think it's a bit sad that they choose a school for their child based on something like that.

At the end of the day, we all make our own choices for our own reasons but it does irritate me that Canford has got such a bad press as somewhere regarded as second or even third rate on this site. It's simply not true.

Even when my son was at a preps in Hampshire and West Berkshire, Canford was the school the pupils went to if they couldn't get in anywhere else - usually one student every 3-4 years. Many parents hadn't even heard of it or knew very little of it. I wouldn't say it is first tier, it may be second. I don't think it's got a bad press just that it would be a big let down if the hopes were for one's child to go to Winchester.

Thanks for that Maria,Im with colleger on this one,dont think Canford has a bad press, its just that in the big wide world it isnt really a school that registers much,its fine but it really isnt a top notch school,We all Im sure have different definitions of top notch,personally I dont include day schools,top tier schools are few and far between,they have an international appeal and lets say less than ten in the country,then we have top provincial schools,be that south east,south west,midlands etc,a case could certainly be made for Canford(had a look at the website,nothing really stood out,dont think excellent grounds make a top tier school,sports results nothing exceptional,academics fine but again,plenty of other schools as good or better,nothing that screams top school) in this but personally I would rate other local ish schools higher and then after the best local/provincial schools we have the vast bulk of private schools,you pays your money....

I suppose there is top tier in terms of fame (?), and then schools renowned for certain strengths - Millfield for example.

In saying that I know people who live a couple of miles from Harrow School and they've never heard of it, and lots who have never heard of Winchester and I'd consider those to be top tier.

Fwiw I would choose Canford over some schools that are supposed to be top tier such as Rugby.

I wonder why Canford would be considered 'a big let down'? What a comment!

Why do you wonder ?Winchester one of the most famous /top schools in the country,Canford along with 90+% of private schools doesnt fit that description.Simple
If

I thought there was a discussion about tiers? I would not lump Canford simply within the 90+% of private schools.

I think we are looking at education from different angles. I just hope your choice lives up to your expectations.

Which would you say are the "top ten with international appeal"? and which are the"top regionals" after that? The "top three" are probably ones that there would be quite a bit of agreement on, but I get a bit lost after that.

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