Teddies or Stowe for daughter and son

[toniatoz]

My daughter has conditional places at both Teddies and Stowe and son can't get in to Teddies because it's already full so has a place at Stowe. Logistically it's better to send them to Stowe as have 2 other children to consider (younger and older) so I don't want to spend exeats, 1/2 terms and holidays driving around the country picking up and dropping off. Both will board so pastoral has to be outstanding. Both kids are also sporty and academic enough to cope well. Since we live in Oz at the mo and moving back to UK, does anyone have any new insights/advise on these schools?

Logically two children in the same school is always going to be better. I looked at Stowe and didn't like it, friends there are happy but all have said pastoral care not in a league of its own, on a level you would expect at any good boarding school. Lovely grounds of course, and a rural location lots on here think that's better. I suppose it depends on you children and your home circumstances, we're rural and have been since DS was born he wanted his school to be in a large town city.
St Edwards, the pastoral care is in a league of its own in recent years the school has made this it's USP. I think the sport in generally of a higher standard than Stowe when my DH was a teenager he said St Edwards had a good reputation for sport and sport is very big now, they are certainly the ones to beat in rowing and rugby.
St Edwards is definitely full boarding only no weekly flexi etc with about 15% day children I don't know what Stowes numbers are.
I'm surprised no places for you DS are you on a waiting list?

ok, I'm fascinated at what DH and DS actually stand for?! I've figured out "son and daughter" but anyway....the problem is my son has to move to year 11 as he's in year 10 here and no school wants to take in a new year 11. We're used to rural as we live in Sussex normally. Think Teddies will be perfect for daughter as she also rows and plays water polo. Son plays rugby and cricket for first teams. If I could grovel and get Teddies to take both, our stress would be lifted as we don't want to leave him boarding in Sydney for a year before A levels. I've seen some old threads on Teddies vs Stowe but am interested for new thoughts on this.

Just some thoughts:
Will Stowe take him into yr 11? Will St Edwards definitely talk him into the 6 th form or will he have to apply I understand more apply that there is spaces. Could he go to a crammer type place whilst waiting for the place in the 6 th form to come up?
Is there water polo at St Edwards? There's obviously rowing.
It was because my DS was so "used" to rural that I think he wanted urban, might help in your decision making.
If you like Stowe and they'll take all your children then logically this is the place to choose.
Only one more point. My DS has boarded for nearly 10 years (only two left to go yippee) I have a 1 1/2 hour max one way driving rule ideally less and preferably no M25 between you and the school, we learnt the hard way, any further and you really going to struggle to be part of their lives unless you own a helicopter, (does Stowe have a helipad), list driving as your main hobby and have nothing to do all day.

DH = dear/darling husband
DS= dear/darling son
DD obviously = dear/darling daughter!

love the acronyms!! Must get out into the real world if I didn't know what they were!
Stowe hasn't ruled out taking him into year 11 whereas Teddies has. Heard that there was some mishappenings at Stowes altho I don't know when that was. So just concerned but "DH" is flying over next week to visit a few schools and guess we'll make our choices from there. It's just very hard trying to place 4 kids into schools from the other side of the world at this late stage in the school year! Must put helicopter training on the top of the list then!

I personally don't rate Stowe a friend's DS Had a crap time there, but others will come along and tell you something different. The buildings and grounds are of course fantastic and it's easy to be swayed by them but as someone who loves St Pauls School who aren't or perhaps I should now say weren't exactly renowned for the architectural splendour of their buildings don't think this is what matters. All will have fantastic facilities, lovely children are likely to show you, but try and see through the efficient marketing machines and find the real school underneath.

Send both children to the same school. Logistics triumph minor sports.

The more traditional small prep schools seem to send their boys to Stowe
(after Harrow / Eton etc) rather than St Edwards and certainly the British children I know who have gone there have been from traditional 'country set' families. That may or may not be a positive factor in favour of Stowe for you toniatoz.
I suppose repeating a year ( year 10) is n't an option for your DS if that would enable him to have a place at St Edwards?

Thank you all for helping us out. DH will be there next week visiting schools so hopefully will have something for all the kids. A bit overwhelming having to do an international move in 4 weeks but at least it's the English summer.

Happy I keep hearing that St Ed's pastoral care is in a league of its own but what exactly makes it this ? I am asking genuinely as I know nothing about the school. How does their pastoral care differ from other top boarding schools?