Name the school

[Onetwomissafew]

For a boy looking for year 9 entry into an independent school (either day or boarding) preferably single sex who is:

academically able but not talented (i.e. not too competitive academic entrance exam although should do reasonably well in Common Entrance)
lives for sport but not 'A' team ability in all sports
musically gifted

Where would you recommend? Don't mind area really just want to see what's out there and where could go esp if boarding.

Sherborne might be worth a look if you want single sex. Very good music department.

For when?

Currently year 4 so year 9 2017. I'll take a look at sherborne.

Charterhouse? Don't know it really and it is a bit unclear how the assessment works as they don't pretest in the same way. Radley? Again not really sure how entrance for this works. Maybe post with names of schools once you have a list e.g Charterhouse was not mentioned very often on here when I looked last year. Whitgift is supposed to be sporty and/or Trinity School which are over near Croydon somewhere and are thought of very highly. Or look at this sort of thing:
www.best-schools.co.uk/league-tables/boys-only-boarding-schools.aspx

Or if you don't mind co-ed you will have a lot more choice. Just had a look through here and Ardingly seems to emerge well and might fit the bill for you. Looking at all these schools' websites it seems that if they have a chapel tradition then you can assume there is a huge amount of music going on, on top of the usual orchestras and bands all schools have. Or thanks to google have just looked at Cheltenham School's website . Wow what a place! Good Luck!

?Harrow (if musically gifted enough to get in), Abingdon . He could always go to a day school with lots of sport and do more music outside school

I was going to say Harrow although it's exceedingly over subscribed but I believe the CE pass Mark is is only 60%. Radley requires very early registration to be guaranteed a place and you're too late but you can get in off the "Warden List" (I think that's what it's called) but it's pretty competitive and you must love rugby to go there.
Why not register for Eton you've nothing to loose loose all who register are pre tested we know quite a few super bright who didn't get in and a few "academically able" who did. Tonbridge as well.

Agree with all suggestions so far and maybe add wellington and marlborough to your list (if you are happy with co-ed). if music is your angle, keep broad (2-3 instruments inc piano and also make sure he's singing in a choir), speak to the music depts directly of your shortlisted schools and pre audition in yr 7 so you have plenty of feedback and guidance before the scholarship audition in yr8. Worked for us!

Get advice from your prep school head who knows your DS.

Good luck.

Stonyhurst? DB's two boys are there and having the time of their lives and I'd say they fitted into those categories you describe for your DS.

This meets your criteria apart from it being co-ed:

www.culford.co.uk/

I have been very impressed so far, enthusiastic, friendly and down to earth teaching staff, superb facilities, massive amount of sport and other extra-curricular things going on, excellent pastoral care and best of all, every student you see there has a smile on their face.

Academically, I think the CE required pass rate is 55%, but it's exam results are still much, much better than all state options and most other independents nearby. This wasn't always the case, but over the last 10 years has really improved it's results in this area.

Lots of children join at 13, so your DS wouldn't be the odd one out.

Thank you for all the suggestions - a number that I hadn't heard of which is exactly what I was after those schools that are ace, but just don't hear all the time.

Eton and Harrow I presumed were ultra competitive to get in, didn't realise there exam was the lower end of the pass mark.

My ds attends a music conservatoire's junior department, so think it will be his music card that he'll be giving to the school, although he's going to have a career as a football player or maybe not !

Etons mark was/is 65% it like Harrow is very over subscribed and candidate are selected at the pre test in yr 6 (yr 7 for Harrow) but most able children should 65% at CE so what have you got to loose by registering him and giving the pre test a go?

Oundle - mixed but fits your other criteria. Not sure how difficult it is to get into compared with comparable schools though.

Dulwich College - excellent for both music and sport, has a lot going on for all levels of ability in both areas (and lots of other extra curricular stuff as well). Takes boarders from year 9. Strong academically but not super-selective (although I believe entry standards may be going up under newish head).

Sounds as though your DS will have lots of possible schools to choose from and with his musical talent they will be keen to have him. However if he also loves sports he is going to be very busy and therefore needs to be in a school that, at whatever academic level he is capable of, he does n't feel stressed keeping up his academic work to the standard of the other boys whilst juggling all his extracurricular balls in the air ( seems appropriate metaphor in his case). I think in senior school it can be a real challenge for high level musicians who also want to play lots of sport and not miss out on other activities to squeeze everything in.