Chilton cantelo / bradfield

[stuffedfull]

Any feedback anyone? Considering both for ds to start aged 13, very sporty and bright but v lazy academically so is falling behind at his day school, thinking of weekly boarding because of his passion / need for sport and hope it will allow harder studies .... Would welcome any feedback you might have in these 2 schools. Thanks

OP this thread from last week might be useful to you. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/a1722396-Bradfield-College

Sending your DS to boarding school doesn't mean he will work harder! There may be a general ethos of working hard but remember he will not be overly supervised often working in his room with just a room mate those who don't want to work can find plenty of ways of skiving!
Sports lovers of course can find plenty to distract them do and usually love boarding.

Thanks goin, v useful, I hadn't seen that thread.

Happy - yes totally agree not expecting bording schools to work miracles but for my DS now a 8 hour school day, one hour travel each way plus sports either end of the day and 2 hrs homework is punishing, that's why school work is falling behind. I am hoping a more contained environment might help him, I find the idea of boarding difficult and would only

"I find the idea of boarding difficult"
Hundreds of thread on boarding on MN with the anti boarding brigade happy to regale you with stories of dysfunctional sociopath BIL's and even DH's traumatized by their boarding experience. To put the icing on the cake you can always look up the "boarding school survivors association".
You and your DS need to be comfortable with the idea and believe it is as those of us who send out DC's in the 21 century actually know for the right child it is a positive life changing experience. One of the many reasons we do it is because I didn't want him undertaking a ridiculous commute to school every day. The two schools you mention are in two completely different locations (I've never heard of Chilton Cantelo but looked it up) the first golden rule assuming your in the UK and speaking from personal experience do not be more than 1 1/2 hours one way drive/train away. Secondly and again speaking from personal experience if you want weekly boarding try and find a school where the vast majority are also weekly boarding not a school where the majority are flexi/day children or full boarders. Thirdly you say your DS is sporty do make sure your chosen school actually offers your DS's sports many parent seem to assume that as its and independent school with lots of sporty opportunities that their DS's passion for say golf will automatically be met and then are upset when they discover that they don't have 7 day a week access to an 18 hole golf course or that they can only play rackets 1 afternoon a week for half a term.