Choosing between Bryanston and Oundle

[Strum]

We are choosing schools and we have pared it down to the rather odd duo of
Bryanston and Oundle .. Art is the common excellence and so we are trying to check up on the academic credentials of Bryanston and the pastoral and cultural dimensions of Oundle.

I am your classically conflicted mother .. my boy is very good at art, latin and sciences and smart enough ( but not a natural mathematician or linguist) he's a bit immature and i am obviously looking for school that is supportive but not just a comfortable armchair for five years.

Our impressions of the two school ...

Bryanston
Famously great on art and has a v smart tutor system which helps stop your child disappearing down the cracks - but will it get the best out of my boy in terms of grades and getting him into a decent university ?

Oundle

Declared academic but does it bring boys on or is it just an exam factory with lashings of sport ?

Fine Arts are clearly excellent at Oundle but is there also good music and drama at the school as well .. It felt a bit culture lite.

So the questions we need answered in order to best make our decision are:-

1. How is Oundle on the pastoral side and also whether or not there's a decent cultural dimension there ?
   

1. Re Bryanston ..we need to find out about the academic side and if their system pushes as well as supports.

[Colleger]

Would choose Oundle over Bryanston. It's not an exam factory!

Be aware that Oundle does not have exeats and this may be an issue for you.

[happygardening]

We have friends with DC's at both. All seem happy. Oundle is definitely more academic. One boy we know struggled initially to settle into Oundle he was probably border line for it. In contrast a friends DS whose at Bryanston has settled very quickly they feel the pastural care is very very good.
Where do you live? We board our DS2 and I know from experience that you don't want to be more than 1 1/2 hours away particularly if you planning to watch matches/plays/concerts. Bryanston by the way does have very good transport into London. It also has a reputation for being very liberal but certainly those we know there would not be described as that I suspect thats an old image that they haven't yet shaken off.

[Strum]

Thank you, that's really helpful .. In answer to your question we live in London N6

[grovel]

You might want to think about "town" school (Oundle) versus "country campus"(Bryanston).

My DH was brought up in London. By the end of his time at Radley he was feeling cut off from real life in hundreds of acres of lovely Oxfordshire countryside. Our DS went to Eton where you see the outside world going on around you every day.

Just a thought.

[SilentBoob]

He he - for a minute I thought this was a baby names thread (I was going to vote for Oundle).

[Colleger]

Oundle then based on location and it being a far better school!

[Runoutofideas]

I went to Oundle for 6th Form, 20 yrs ago, and it was the best two years of my life! Academically challenging, but with so much else going on that everyone could find their niche and all interests were equally respected. I don't live locally any more, but if I did then I would send my children there, no question.