Which is the best boarding school?

[AnnaGriffiths]

My DS and DD (both 15, they're twins) are going to start sixth form boarding in 2015, at the moment we have a horribly long list of schools and are finding it really difficult to choose. We want a schools which offers IB or A levels (not necessarily both) but we aren't so keen on pre-U courses.
DD and DS are both bright and enjoy sports and music. DD also really likes art and DS loves tennis and is very good at it too.
Location isn't very important but I think DD would prefer something in a country setting rather than in a city, DS doesn't care. They want to go to the same school together so it would have to be co-ed.
Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

Actually, I think Turner now boys only anyway as girls moved out to the new Ivy House. I have DS there at the moment (but not in Turner, obv!).

Framey - Hereford Cathedral no longer has boarders, sadly

Ardingly is nice.

happygardening - I didn't really mean a school 'like Marlborough' in that way. I just thought that a school with co-ed boarding might not allow much interaction between boys and girls in the boarding house.

DD and DS have been going to separate schools but have now decided they want to go to the same school, I think I should let them and I doubt they'll stick to each other and find it hard to make friends.

OP are you in danger of worrying about a non issue? All the coed boarding schools I've ever looked at have allowed boys in girls house during the day and vice versa, most children at boarding school also go off the school campus to shops etc especially those based in towns/cities. Activities like CCF/DoE and their associated weekends away etc are usually taken up by both boys and girls and of course they're together in lessons and their associated out of school activities exchanges, trips abroad etc.

Oh really Badger what a shame! My brother was a housemaster there in the 1990s...

As already said in coed boarding they schools do allow girls and boys to interact how can they stop it? The pupils significantly out number the staff at even the best schools are campuses are often very large.

Co-ed and tennis? Culford or Wymondham College.

"All the coed boarding schools I've ever looked at have allowed boys in girls house during the day and vice versa."

Really? In all the coed boarding schools I know this is strictly forbidden. In fact boys are generally not allowed in other boys houses except with specific permission.

There is plenty of mixing of sexes in most schools though, particularly in the sixth form, but if for instance your twins want to work together during prep you need to check out individual schools as arrangements vary enormously.

Hmmm reddidi your right that doesn't read well. What I should have said was that all the coed. Boarding schools I've ever looked at have allowed girls/boys in their houses at certain times of the day e.g. during free time etc, not all day every day.
Maybe we've just looked at the more liberal ones!

Blundells in Tiverton has a mixed boarding house for the final year of 6th form

I'd second Merrylegs. Wymondham College. All the houses are mixed- girls' and boys' sides. Big new 6th form house. They don't do IB though, just A levels. Lots going on. New Head starts September, apparently hot on results. Don't know much more about him.

Rendcomb College, near Cirencester, has mixed boarding for sixth form - has had since 1971. Two separate wings of a purpose built house divided by a common room in the middle.

I'd recommend Kings Canterbury- it's an amazing school with a well thought of sixth form and we are seriously considering for DS2. It's academic, artistic and sporty- and has stunning architecture and some fabulous facilities! Also would recommend Uppingham School, Sedbergh School and Wells Cathedral School. All the schools above are very sporty and/or very musical, and all do A-Levels, I'm not sure about IB however.

I second the vote for King's Canterbury. Strong academics, loads of extra-curricular provision and excellent sporting facilities too.