Radley, Marlborough, Malvern? Other?

[mulv2222]

Ds is in year 6. He is a bright boy, not exceptional, avg cat score 124. He is sporty and will maybe look at getting a sports scholarship. He's not musical although pays the guitar. He is dyslexic. Can cope, middle sets, gets extra time etc and a reader in exams. Ed psych report showed he is actually brighter that we had realised, his dyslexia makes him look average when he is in their words, verbally gifted and top 2%.

Anyhow our head says he would do fine in any environment, Co Ed or boys only as he's very sociable and emotionally intelligent. I have a preference for Co ed as I feel it's a more natural environment and I think he'd have more fun! I want him to get good grades but not at the expense of everything else. I want a rounded education.

Any thoughts on the above schools? Dh went to Radley and loved it. We have family at marlborough and they love it. Malvern a thought as we were impressed with the registrar we meet and it's fairly close.

If your DS is sporty proximity is a big deal if you want to see him play regularly.

Malvern is the furthest away at the moment but may be closest if we move like we intend to. At the moment radley and marlborough are 30 / 40mins and Malvern. 75min. I would drive every week to watch him to any of them.

I do have a dd but she is only year 2 at the moment and so they would cross for 1 year. Ds is adamant that he wants to board and dd doesn't - but then she's only 7 so ages away. Ds wants to go to marlboroughwhich we are quite happy with but I want to make sure we are making the right choice.

If you are year 6 do you have a place at Radley or would you be doing warden's list in year 7? I would check the academic rigour at Marlborough - a lot of girls join their 6th form, so I would want to know the results of their boys and girls who join at 13. I think the new head there is doing a good job clamping down on some of the exuberant behaviour of the past. I have also heard that pastoral care can be patchy.

My DH was at Radley but we didn't send our DS there. My DH wanted DS to go somewhere with "real life" happening around the school. He felt "stir crazy" towards the end of his time at Radley.

So I'd recommend Marlborough (90 minutes from Malvern).

Yes it would have to be wardens list now. We did put him down in year 3 but he was already on quite a long wait list. I'm not sure he'd get in tbh - it seems that unless you are a scholar you don't get in on wardens list. I think it's a great school but I agree it's closeted away.

Marlborough has produced some impressive results for my dn and dn. 3 a at a level for niece and nephew, who they thought might not get in apart from his amazing at sport, got a's and A's at gcse - completely unexpected though he did work hard. I need a school that will make ds work but also give him fun, friends and opportunities.

Would you say that marlborough is preferable to Malvern? Should we look at Stowe? Cheltenham college, rugby, Wellington? We are driveable to all.

definitely go and look at rugby