Girls Boarding Schools in Southern England

[Bridgelondon]

We're looking for a suitable girl's boarding school for our child, she will be staring Yr9 (2015). we have looked at St Catherine's School in Bramley, Guildford. Roedean in Brighton, Hendington near Oxford. We want a School that we can access from London easily and can provide our child with a rounded education but without the bitchiness. All of them seem quite good on inspection, but it's hard to tell how the girls get along day to day and when we ask about bullying, they all firmly say their school doesn't have bullies?
Does any one have any insight on these schools or can recommend any others?

St swithins winchester

Benenden

if looking for less bitchyness, would you not consider a mixed sex school? I do find boys useful to dilute that intense girl thing :)
if so would highly recommend Brighton College.

When I was at school in Brighton we all thought that Roedean looked rather too like Coldiz.... sorry not helpful I know. I too would second Brighton College.

My sister boarded at The Towers in Sussex many moons ago. She loved it, I was very jealous that my dad left the army before I could go!

Healthfield, Ascot - lovely.

Godolphin Salisbury. Easy from London, lovely atmosphere.

The a Royal High School in Bath is great.

Tudor Hall is another Oxfordshire great.

No school has zero bullying, but I'd say there is as little of it at Tudor as its possible to have.

It's a scruffy, country education, which can lead to great things but will definitely provide great fun.

Mayfield Sussex?

I can reassure you about Roedean to the extent of my knowledge. Our daughter goes there and she is adamant that she has encountered no bullying and that she isn't aware of any. Also that if she did there are good channels to sort it out and that girls view it as something which is bad and should be reported. Since she is pretty outspoken about such matters I do take that as confirmation rather than her not being aware of what constitutes bullying. Same really for bitchiness ie she would recognise it, talk about it and really it just doesn't seem like it is that sort of environment. My own perception is that the girls seem a nice bunch and pretty kind to each other. Most importantly also, the houses are reported to be (and also my impression) cosy places where even the younger girls can feel at home, whether using the kitchen facilities or lounging about in the common rooms. I contrast that with a visit we did to Benenden where it appeared that, at least in the house we visited, the younger girls were only permitted to sit on the hard chairs in the house common room because the older girls reserved the 'privilege' of sofas for themselves (no, we couldn't quite believe it either). You will have seen the swish refurbishments they are doing but more importantly the school has a nice ethos, there is genuine concern and care for the girls and the house and teaching staff are overwhelming good and dedicated. Re Brighton College which has been mentioned, I can only say that I found the admissions office so offhand on an initial enquiry that I myself wouldn't look there if you were to be looking for co-ed boarding convenient for London - there are a lot of good co-ed 13+ co-ed choices convenient for London.

St Cats is excellent and very handy for london. Good academics too. Some of the suggestions here are much less academic, which is fine, but you need to be clear what you are after in that respect. Rodean has extremely high levels of international students - some would feel too high

Luckley House in Wokingham? Strong in arts, music etc as well as academic side