Moving 'up North' - school help needed!

[justchilling]

Just been informed we are to be relocated to Yorkshire early next year - am ok about the move but panicked about school for my dd as in the South entrance lists are closed about 2 years before entry for the good schools!! Can anyone recommend any good (ideally) weekly boarding schools within an hours travel of West Yorkshire (don't know exactly where yet and school could influence that!!) that hasn't closed its lists?? - would like the usual good academics, sport etc - she'll be going into year 9 in Sept 2014 - have tried to do searches but don't seem to be getting anywhere - really need to start organising visits etc - should say don't mind going up, down or sideways in the country just would like to be near enough to go to sports / events etc - aargh!!

[Dustylaw]

Is Giggleswick too far - it's about an hour from Leeds?

[OnFoot]

Ackworth?

[justchilling]

Hi - will be looking to live between Leeds and Bradford as I want to stay in Countryside - Thanks for suggetions will look at websites!!

[beccaab]

Woodhouse Grove in Apperley Bridge which is between Leeds and Bradford?

[iseenodust]

For all girls people like The Mount in York - Quaker school. Drive from Leeds very easy.

[Loshad]

Queen Margarets
The mount
Queen Marys
Harrogate Ladies, though the excellent head is leaving this summer.

all girls only

mixed
Ashville
Giggleswick
St Peters (no idea if list closed)
would avoid Ackworth - very small, not much academic stretching (report from friend)
Woody Grove, desperately blingy
QE - say no more.

[Loshad]

or Barney if prepared to drive a little further.
There's not much countryside between Leeds and Bradford by the way

[DowntonTrout]

Giggleswick and, sedburgh, but both are full boarding rather than weekly. They have Saturday school.

Ackworth has weekly boarders. Also Rishworth, although the boarding community there is on the wain.

QM in York. You could look at QE (and it looks impressive at first...beware!)

[umbrellahead]

There are three boarding schools actually in York - St Peter's, The Mount and Bootham. I would reckon that St. Peter's is most likely to be full for Y9 entrance as they do CE, although that could be wrong. All have a good weekly boarding community, although the Mount is a lot small than the co-ed schools.

As already mentioned, there are also a lot in Yorkshire as a whole - not sure if anyone has said Ampleforth or Pocklington.

I would suggest searching for threads on QE, but they seem to disappear pretty quickly!

[iseenodust]

Agree with Loshad, between Leeds & Bradford not the most beautiful area. North Leeds much more countryside.

[justchilling]

Many thanks to everyone - have a busy evening ahead - iseenodust and Loshad - oh no really?? was going on maps - we are going to drive up next week and have a look around the area so maybe we will drive a bit further!! We are in Bucks at the moment so am expecting a bit of a change!!

[iseenodust]

Put something about what you want on a property thread and we'll stalk you to over there may be able to help. There's a northern reputation for friendly to uphold.

[xylem8]

If you don't mind a state school with boarding ,i have heard that Ripon Grammar now do a Y9 intake as well as Y7

[chrome100]

Avoid Queen Ethelburgas - just do a search on Mumsnet for past discussions and you'll see why!

Sedbergh is quite far - about a couple of hours once you've negotiated windy Yorkshire roads

[Xenia]

If it doesn't have to be weekly boarding and can be day private Leeds Grammar (186th on league tables) (possibly the best?) I have not checked the results of all the others but schools like Sedbergh are about 816th so not that great unless your child is particularly academically challenged.
Giggleswick 706th...s o you can see the pattern - the boarding ones for not very birhgt chidlren and results are poor. Leeds Grammar, day school, miles ahead (and probably cheaper)
Even the state school Ripon Grammar is about the same as Leeds Grammar (187th) in league tables.
If you come from Bucks you will be used to the good state grammars there and good day independent schools there.

[Northernlurker]

If I had my pick and the money to match I would be looking at Bootham and the Mount in York because I love the Quaker philosophy behind the schools. Both are easily walkable from the station too.

[mistlethrush]

Why boarding Justchilling?

Agreed - not much countryside between Bradford and Leeds... plenty around though - and north of either / both of them is good.

[Dustylaw]

Re Harrogate Ladies, I can say that the new head (currently deputy head at Roedean) is excellent.

[yorkshirebound]

Hi chilling, we are heading to yorks too. Mine are younger but will probably be going to the harrogate ladies college prep which I was very impressed by. Hlc has lovely facilities. Apparently local reputation is that it is not v academic (although one parent told me they were choosing queen ethelburgas instead on that basis so ). I know that the governors and teaching leads have great ambitions for the school though so I would expect it to keep and improve on high standards.

Re countryside, if you go north from leeds instead of west to Bradford the land in between Leeds and harrogate is very pretty. It's even nicer over towards York but then you'd have a longer drive. Good luck!

[HumpheadWrasse]

I second bootham or the mount in York as good schools. Is your heart set on private? If you want countryside near Bradford/Leeds I'd consider Skipton - the state grammars there provide very high quality education.

[OldBeanbagz]

I have friends with DD's at Queen Margarets (weekly boarding) and they love it. In fact one friend moved to be closer to the school but her daughter doesn't want to be a day pupil - she loves the boarding that much.

I know that Woodhouse Grove (mentioned above) take children mid-year so you probably wouldn't have problems getting your DD into Y9.

[justchilling]

Wow thank you all so much for these replies - will have a drive round Leeds - Harrogate area I think.
mistlethrush - regarding why boarding - my older dd's boarded in Canterbury and really enjoyed the whole thing - also means that we can be more flexible with where we live in that I don't have to drive over every day! Am looking at websites of all schools mentioned so thank you all again!! Xenia - yes you are right - we are spoilt for schools and I know their reputations so its been a bit easy so far!!