Looking for good boarding school for girl - Year 9 in 2013 entry

[chukamchun]

Hello! I'm come from Hong Kong. I'm looking for girl full boarding school which is less Hong Kong and Chinese students for my daughter. I don't want my daughter study with many Hong Kong and Chinese students in UK. I would be grateful if you give me the advice. Million thanks!

Can you give us some more information about your daughter as schools often have particular strengths. Does she enjoy drama, music and sport? I presume as you are abroad it would be good to be near an airport.
I think most girls boarding schools have a number of pupils from China and Hong Kong. Downe House, St Marys, Calne might be a possibility?

Are you looking for a single sex girls' school of a co-ed school which will accept girls? Is there a particular area you're looking in and what proportion of students from hong kong would be too many?

or a co-ed

My daughter currently studying in band 1 (the best in HK) school with top 10% academic result. She likes playiing piano and basketball. As far as I know that many girls boarding school have many Hong Kong and China students such as CLC, Badminton, Headington, etc. Therefore, I did't apply those schools for my daughter. Up to now, I have applied St Catherines and St Swithun's which is less students from HK and China. I really hope I can have a place from St. Catherines or St. Swithun's.

Is she in a Cantonese or English language school?

What is it about St Catherines and St Swithuns that you think will be a good fit for your DD? Would co-ed be acceptable? Do you have any preferences for where in UK the school is?

Sorry to be answering your question with more questions, but without a bit more info it's hard to do more than stick a pin into a list of girls schools.

Hello BringBack1996,

I'm looking for a single sex girls' school. Some friends told me that some popular girls boarding schools are full of Hong Kong and China students in the boarding houses. I don't want my daughter study in UK but talk in Chinese with classmates. Therefore, I apply the boarding school by myself and not through agent in order to prevent the high proportion of students from Hong Kong and China. For the location of school, I prefer Southern.

Hello EdithWeston,

My daughter is currently studying in single sex girls school with english language in HK. For St Catherines and St Swithuns, I learnt from some friends that these are very good schools with less Hong Kong and China students. Apart from this, I want to seek more advice on other good girls boarding school.

St Swithuns I believe has mainly weekly boarders. So lots go home on a Friday leaving the international students there at the weekend. It always used to be that most of these international students came from Hong Kong. It has been 2 years since my friend's DD left though so it would be worth asking the school specifically to get some up to date information as this would result in lots of speaking chinese which you mentioned was not what you wanted.
I mentioned Downe House earlier, they do have some students from Hong Kong but they are actively encouraged to integrate.

You might need to enquire of each school how many international boarders they have, and how many boarders stay most/all weekends, and the nationalities of this who remain (you probably would not want to find your DD in a weekend community that was almost entirely Russian for example, as that would reduce her opportunities for immersion in English language as much as being in a predominantly Chinese community, and without her being able to join in).

It might be worth enquiring at Benenden and Wycombe Abbey, as they are predominantly (entirely?) boarding.

Hello MrsMicawber,

I want my daughter to study in UK because of education system of HK always change and getting worse and worse so that many HK parents let their child to study aboard if they can afford.

Hello goinggetstough,

Thanks for your advice.

I have enquired the admissions of St Swithun's and St Catherines respectively that the number of international boarders in their schools but still not replied yet.

Dear EdithWeston,

Thanks for your advice.

I've got boys so no help there. But have you tried this website or their book www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/ or www.tatler.com/guides/schools-guide/2012

Hi Chukamchun

Would you like your daughter to be able to travel back to HK at half term/end of term. The terms in independent schools are usually 6 weeks between, but some terms can be shorter. I think you should look at joining an agency in HK which specialises in placing girls in UK schools. You will also have to appoint a UK guardian who lives not too far from the school.

This site may be a starting point for you

Dear EdithWeston,

Thanks for your advice.
I have enquired St Mary's Calne, Benenden and Wycombe Abbey, they replied that my applications were too late and no chance to get a place for my daughter.

Also look here

Hello oohermrs,

Thanks for your help.

Have you looked into GDST schools (not sure how many, if any, now take boarders though)? tbh I don't think you will eliminate the Chinese/HK resident pupils altogether.

Dear TheSameButDifferent,

Thanks for your reply.

For guardian, my friends told me that they can introduce their UK guardians for me.

Dear LIZS,

Thanks for your reply.

I'll check the link which you have provided. Thanks you very much.

Looks like only Royal High School in Bath do in the GDST. You may find that you need to register asap for these schools (if not already, as some pretest in year 6/7) then have your dd sit entrance tests before or after Christmas.

Most schools will have already started the selection process, so it's good to have a relatively long list of schools to ring up as some won't have places. Will you be able to organise a trip to the UK to visit some schools? Where do your friends in HK send their children and would they recommend the schools?

It might be worth looking a bit further afield at somewhere like Harrogate Ladies' College as they might be slightly less over subscribed. Likewise Queen Margaret's won't have the level of applicants as the schools mentioned will.

Good luck with your search!

Dear BringBack1996,

I'll orgainse a trip to the UK but the date has not been confirmed yet. My friends recommended the schools to me such as St Catherines, St Swithun's, Badminton, CLC, Headington, St Mary's Calne, Beneden, etc. but I'm interested in St Cat and St Swithun the most. For your suggested schools, I'll take a look as soon as possible. Thank you very much.

OP I've got boys one at a full boarding only boys school but on Sunday many go home; he doesn't as we live just too far away and of the other three in his house/year that stay in 2 are not from the UK. This applies to the other houses years as well. What I'm trying to say is that even at full boarding schools there is usually the option to at least go home on Sundays so your daughter is likely to be left mainly with those not from the UK. A lot depends on how she and those still "left in" school mix, how good her language skills are I suspect will play a significant part and of course how friendly she is. You may be interested to know that my DS spends his Sunday afternoon with a boy from Hong Kong who he likes very much rather than the other boy from the UK.