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Secondary education

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Original poster

Wellington and boys sport

67 replies

timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:11

DS loves playing sport and is quite talented at cricket, hockey and football etc but at 13 (judging by parents height and weight etc ) he really is not going to be a great rugby player. I think it would be wrong to think about sending him to a school where the majority sport is rugby but I cannot find a South East England academic co-ed boarding school that fits the bill. Wellington comes close but i wonder if anyone can advise me on just how rugby orientated it is.

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milkshake3 · 24/01/2012 10:28

How old is your DS? Have you got a place at Wellington? Have you been to see it? What did you think? We thought it had a big rugby culture and that the 1st XV were worshipped...but that could have just been the kids that took us round (on more than one occasion). There must be alternatives....what do you mean by academic? I wouldn't say Wellington is academic vs Winchester or Eton (and their CE passmark bears this out). So are you looking for a school that has a CE passmark of 55-60% or 65-70%. Does your DS like doing anything else - music, drama etc? Sorry for all the questions...might narrow it down a bit though, otherwise you are going to get random school names thrown at you!

Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:38

Son is in year 5 at boys London prep and is close to top of class in all subjects, plays in all first teams at sport ( even rugby at the moment but i feel his lack of height and bulk will eventually work against him ) and is a talented musician so a genuine all rounder BUT he is not really one of the lads and thus i would like to look at a co-ed boarding school as an alternative to Eton etc .

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Colleger · 24/01/2012 10:38

Charterhouse is a big footballing (is that a word?) school but is only co-ed in the sixth form. You need to find a school that allows a pupil to take a minor sport when the Rugby season is. I only know of Eton but I've never researched schools for sport. What about Millfield? You don't have to be a genius to go there and I'm sure they must have options for doing a different sport other than Rugby.

Colleger · 24/01/2012 10:41

I'd consider Winchester if he's not one of the lads. If he wins a music scholarship it may well be that he won't be allowed to play Rugby anyway but I think you may be over thinking this. Kids all have to do something they don't like at times. At least he's relatively good, think of my poor DS1 who doesn't even sub the D teams. He has no choice but to participate in everything. It's good for them!

thebestisyettocome · 24/01/2012 10:42

Size is no bar to being a good player. Public schools play it because there are positions and roles for boys of all shapes and sizes.

In any event does he have to brilliant at rugby in order to flourish at school?

Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:43

Thanks but Winchester is all boys and Charterhouse is only co-ed in the sixth form , is there a truly co-ed academic school out there for non rugby sporty types ?

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Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:47

Would you send a boy who loves sport eg football, hockey, tennis, cricket to a school where the overwhelming sport is rugby? Seems wrong to me .

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milkshake3 · 24/01/2012 10:49

The pre tests for Wellington are year 7. They claim to look for all rounders but my experience is that this year and last year the offers went to the cleverest (several who had no sport, no music...just brains and also had offers from St Pauls, Eton, Charterhouse, KCS, Westminster etc) ....with all rounders only making one of 3 waitlists. The make up of the school will change over time if they pursue this...and maybe their rugby team will get weaker!!

Charterhouse is a good suggestion, but register quickly. I know two children at Millfield and they love it - one is super sporty (why she went there), and the other isn't but is having a great time and the wealth of options available is mindblowing (walking the 10 tors as a minor activity, ski team, sailing, as well as conventional sports, which are coached at the highest levels, as it's Millfield). More South West though....but lots commute back to London on the train together.

Bradfield is a football school too, closer to London. Would you look in Kent? Tonbridge, Kings Canterbury? or how about Marlborough? Do you want full boarding or weekly?

thebestisyettocome · 24/01/2012 10:49

I am really surprised by this. Ime boys who tend to be very good at football, cricket and other sports seem to be very able at rugby as well.

Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:52

Tonbridge all boys, Marlborough too far away to pop down to see son play a match mid week as is Kings Canterbury, Bradfield and Millfield - academic enough ?

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Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 10:56

Oh and by the way he is able at rugby BUT with parents both 5 ft, 5 and a boy who at age 9 has the waist size of a 4 year old, i think that at 13 his lack of bulk will mean that he will struggle to get in any of the higher ranking teams at rugby which is hard to take if you love sport and it forms a large part of your life. How many short, slim rugby players do you see ?

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goinggetstough · 24/01/2012 10:56

Bradfield is co ed, no rugby but football I believe. Academics maybe similar to Wellington. Good for weekly boarding but not lots full boarding.
Colleger mentioned Millfield. Rugby is not compulsory and there are numerous sports you can choose from. Cricket and football have strong teams. Plus they got 5 Oxbridge places this year. Not amazing by other schools standards but considering their wide intake of ability..... Academics are heavily streamed from year 9.

Colleger · 24/01/2012 11:01

It's only one term of Rugby and usually in the Spring term which is the shortest. Hmm I know a boy, the smallest boy I've ever seen with parents well below 5'5" and he was in the 1st XV at public school!

My point about Winchester is that it sounds more suitable than Eton based on how you described your son.

pinkhebe · 24/01/2012 11:03

My son is at Christ's Hospital (possibly not your thing) but he's also tiny. They do have to play rugby in the lower school (he's in the C team Grin) but it's not the only sport they play, football, tennis, cricket, fives, swimming etc

propatria · 24/01/2012 11:07

The whole point of Rugby is that it has positions for all shapes and sizes,sound like you have a budding scrum half in the familly,having said that I wouldnt send any child of mine to Wellington.

Colleger · 24/01/2012 11:08

I think it's very unhealthy to want to put your child in activities where they are only top.

Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 11:14

Colleger i disagree, not only is he not top as you put it merely good but i personally believe school should be enjoyable and thus it seems best to find one where he is going to play the sports he loves , an academic school will provide more than enough activities to challenge . How miserable to go somewhere where you struggle just to prove a point

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Colleger · 24/01/2012 11:45

Are you being serious? You think you will make your child happy by micromanaging his day so that he never fails or has moments of boredom. You will produce a very unfulfilled and dissatisfied adult if that is the case.

It's a game of Rugby, for one term - get over it!

If you'd read any of my previous posts you'd have known that I wouldn't send a child anywhere just to prove a point but unless you design a perfect school for your child then he is going to have moments when he needs to rub along doing things that don't inspire him.

milkshake3 · 24/01/2012 11:51

Sorry Timmy but I think Colleger is right. We all have to do things in life we don't want to do. It is good for you. He's only in year 5 and in his prep school A team. A lot of boys who go to boarding school will be bigger than him but won't have played A, B or C team prep school rugby and they will just get on with it.

Looks like your criteria will really narrow down your choices which is a shame as there are some fantastic schools out there. Go and quizz schools like Bradfield about their academics. They aren't in the same league as the top academic schools (Winchester etc), but shouldn't be as their selection criteria is very different. But does each child fulfil their potential and if your son is destined for the top grades is the teaching good enough for him to get them there?

vixsatis · 24/01/2012 11:55

Funny point on which to choose a school

oohermrs · 24/01/2012 11:59

My DS's go to Bedford School yes last term it was all about rugby but those boys not into rugby did other things, squash, swimming, badminton, fencing, golf etc. Same this term is hockey. My youngest DS doesn't play hockey so he does rowing and football. As the Head says no 2 boys are the same so they don't treat them like that!

Also rugby these days is not necessarily all about build, speed is a huge factor in a game.

milkshake3 · 24/01/2012 12:08

Timmy. What about Sevenoaks, Ardingly, Lancing, Haileybury, Cranleigh or Brighton College?

Original poster
timmytoes · 24/01/2012 12:09

My original question was is there an academic, sporty, south East based , co-ed school where the overwhelming ethos is not just hero worship of the rugby boys. Lets forget all the frightful stuff about what is good for you or not and doing things we don't want in life. I would like some positive suggestions please so i can visit the school and form my own view for my own DS, not a lecture in how to raise my DS.

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bruxeur · 24/01/2012 12:15

Ooh boy, this could get fun.

milkshake3 · 24/01/2012 12:15

I listed 6 schools just before your last post (at 12.08). Any of them any good?