Senior Schools South East/Berks?

[amber2]

It's getting to that time of doing registrations forms for DS age 9 - and I can't decide which ones to register for or how many -(this is not assuming he will get into them) weigh up the academics vs the costs vs weekly boarding vs day - (feels far too early to decide if he would like boarding)

Any views on the following please from anyone on the inside ? How many senior schools did you register for? I've heard of folk registering for 6 or 7? is that the norm?:

Wellington
Abingdon
Magdalen College School
Marlborough
Reading Blue Coat
Bradfield

Given that you have quite a wide geographical spread I'm a bit surprised not to see Radley, Charterhouse, Winchester and Eton on your list. Any particular reason?

I think 6 or 7 schools is OTT. It is sensible to keep your options open to see how your DS develops but I would have thought you could cover your bases with 3 or 4 (max). There are some questions you can answer now which will help refine your thinking:

Single sex or co-ed?
A campus school (eg Bradfield) or a school in a town (eg Marlborough)?
Sport? Not all schools offer, say, rowing or football.
Would you send your DS as a day pupil to a mostly boarding school (eg Wellington)?
Would you send your DS to board at a school which also had day pupils?

FWIW we registered with two schools for our DS.

We looked at 6 and registered for 2 as well. The registration fees mount up if you register for too many!

OP, if you put the names of the schools into the search box you'll almost certainly find interesting threads.

If you are looking for 13+ entry you need to rush whatever they tell you, you have time to visit and narrow it down. I know people who went to at least three of the schools on that list and only registered in year 6.

Follow Grovel's advice and narrow it down first....then register, visit etc the ones you've shortlisted. Also consult your prep school. They must have a view on which type of school would suit your DC. There are big differences between the ones you've listed. Also add the others Grovel suggested,plus St Edwards Oxford, as they fit your geographical search, although if you are not already registered at Radley you will probably need to pursue the Warden's list, which your Headmaster will have to sort out. I registered with 4 for each of mine.

you are right - the range is wide and I am thinking of keeping different options open but i need to visit at least 5 or 6 ...and i still have some time to mull it over.

i have notions of the social mix of Eton and Radley that may or may not be misplaced (though both schools are up there in terms of reputation) . i also wish I had more of an idea as to how DS (yr 4) will develop by 13+ ...he may want to do boarding at 13 or he may hate the idea ...also, while he is academic in the sense i.e. if he tries he is right at the top of the class in some subjects but needs pushing or he will just coast ...whether that will change as he matures who knows.

I think yr 4 is too soon to form any judgement about senior school. That's not to say you can't visit schools and register. It depends how you feel about paying multiple registration fees to schools, some of which you will probably never pursue. Go and look at schools before making judgements on social mix etc - they are all selective at some level - firstly ability to pay and secondly academic, some more than others, so your social mix is not going to be broad at any of these schools. At our prep school yr 5 seems to be the year we are encouraged to visit schools and start the dialogue about destination school.