Radley College

[JKMA]

I am thinking of sending my son to Radley College. Does anyone have a son going there or knows what the school is like...?

Just wanted to pick up on the pastoral care points. I agree that some of it is good; in fact of all the schools that we looked around, the housemaster of the social that my son was down for was the very best of all of them. BUT - it's absolutely NOT consistent. The son of a friend of mine was badly bullied in his first year and it was reported several times to the HM but nothing really changed; if anything, it went underground. More worryingly, when he eventually left, the mother talked about it with the sub warden who claimed to have no knowledge of it... Just be careful - there is a much more 'robust' culture there and the year groups are more hierarchical.

Also, be wary of what they say re laptops. Again, they may say that they're banned , but lots have them in the first year (so lots of playing COD at all hours of the night with one friend of mine's son!)

But - if your son is up for it, then I really hope he thrives. The quality of teaching is certainly excellent.
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I think any school is a gamble. I know of some sexual bullying incidents at one of the schools frequently mentioned here and there are horror stories everywhere.

Interested to hear that nearly all rooms are singles. The house we were shown around last year had a dorm for 8 or 9 in the first year. Each bed was separated by a curtain but not what our DS called real privacy. Maybe the boarding arrangements differ radically? Boy who showed us round said it was ' fine' but our DS wasn't convinced and it wasn't his first choice so we focused elsewhere. We were shown round by a musician who was very pleasant and down to earth - no arrogance at all. One of our friends had a boy there and praised the place to the heavens, and hes not a man prone to exaggeration so they must do plenty right. Just a case of horses for courses. Lots of DS' friends are off to Radley and our HM speaks highly of it, for the right boy.

Isn't that the key though - to put your trust in your HM to recommend the right school for your dc?

I'm rather horrified by what I've read here. I have always thought Radley would be a very suitable school for ds. However that is based on those old boys I've met alone the way and so is light years out of date on what it would be like now.

Midlifer did the boy you know attend a day prep school or boarding prep school? Do you think that makes a difference, as the country preps around Oxford seem to send a lot of boys to Radley. Just wondering if that is a factor in creating a macho atmosphere given those boys will have been together since they were 8. Also as HG comments, sport is important, so do you think if your boy is not alpha at sport he will be regarded as a second class citizen?

Very good point... All the boys I know who've had problems have come from day schools, generally London and also, have come by themselves (ie mates from prep school)

Whoops - that should be 'ie - no mates from prep school'

There are only ever a maximum of three boys from one prep in a house at Radley. The house we looked round, out of 16 boys they came from 14 different prep schools.

Of course Radley isn't right for every child but there are boys who wouldn't fit comfortably into any school and only a small number leave these schools. It takes a year to settle fully into a school and some boys take longer. I don't think it's a reflection on schools per se but more the child.