Day or boarding options close to SW London for chorister's next steps..

[Tuppenyrice]

Hello, I wonder if any of you kind people could help me navigate the murky waters of secondary school choices.. I have a son in yr5, a boarding chorister, he is musical and academically able. We will apply to selective day schools in London, but want alternative options, as they have become notoriously hard to get into. I've got some on my list:

Day:
Kingston grammar
Hampton
St. John's leatherhead
Reeds
Cranleigh

Boarding:
Kings Canterbury
Lancing
Brighton college

He needs somewhere the music is important. Somewhere he will be stretched but not a massive hothouse.
We won't get a bursary but we would need a scholarship to help with fees.
Personally I can't bear the whole private school thing so would prefer somewhere not too flashy and 4x4 heavy.
;)

Can anyone help me?!
Many many thanks if you've read this far and not wanted to slap me.

Is he leaving at the end of year 6 or staying until year 8?
I would think Cranleigh maybe not what you want, and is a boarding school with a number of day pupils. Also its not very accessible unless you live in the right area. (You can't drive down the A3 easily in the mornings from west London.)

Chorister's I know often go to St John's. Where does his choirmaster and present school suggest?

Wrote you a long reply that promptly disappeared.... Thanks for responding.
He will go 13plus which will be 2017.
His current head suggested kings wimbledon for day and kings Canterbury boarding.
He also said he needs space and a school where the music is big rather than not.
We are close to the A3 (Sw London suburbs).

I have a friend with a boy at kings Canterbury. Music and drama are definitely big there. He seems to spend lots of time on singing in various choirs and productions. They put on a whole week of performing arts at the end of the summer term, plus choir tours and plays/musicals throughout the rest of the year.
Don't know anything about kings Wimbledon, other than it is very competitive to get into.

Thank you, Yotty

May not be your thing, but Harrow would be excellent. I do know an ex Chorister there who had a scholarship. Worth looking at if he is a fairly robust boy. Does not suit more sensitive types. If you cannot bear private schools, why do you want your son to go to one?

MillyMolly has a good point, why stick with private if you don't like it.
If he wants to continue music at a high level he could do junior department at RCM or elsewhere on Saturdays which he would n't be able to fit in if he had Saturday lessons
It also sounds as though you need to consider the value of the music awards at the various schools if remittance of fees is important to you.

Because he's in the system and will need a school at 13 and he has a good shot at a scholarship so, despite my reservations, I'm sticking with it.
It's a dilemma, of course, but not worth bashing out here ;)
He's robust, not sensitive.
Thank you for your comments :)

Watching with interest. I have a ds about to start as a boarding chorister and we will be in the same situation 2 years down the line.

Jim isn't has come round so fast - only at the end of form 2!
Been a blast for him though :)

Tuppeny quite a few grammar schools have entry at 13. I don't think scholarships are worth much fee reduction now, ranging from nothing to 10% at least at the more competitive schools. Harrow has got an excellent music department but may be difficult for you to get to. If you are thinking of Kings Canterbury what about Tonbridge School, I think they offer choral scholarships.

Hi Summer I don't know any proper grammar (state) schools that start at 13, they're all 11...
I don't know anything about Tonbridge I will check it out, thanks.
Yes I'm aware that most scholarships aren't worth much financially, for example St. Paul's offer £60!!
I think there must be some that do though, just not the London day schools, sadly.

Music/ choral scholarship at Dulwich College was 20%+ lessons, non means tested. Music is high status and standard and the department is big- happy to talk via pm.

Dulwich and Emmanuel both in my list sorry forgot to post that.

Cranbrook is State and starts at 13. If he is Grammar material you could think of RGS and Reigate Grammar, but I'm not sure if he'd qualify for a Music scholarship. RGS is more academic than St John's, but I didn't think it was that much more than King's Wimbledon.
I have heard good things about King's Canterbury.
For something easier - you could look at St Edward's Witley.
I know boys at Reeds but I don't know much about their music.

I would rule Cranleigh out, especially as a day boy - but if you don't believe me just try driving there. Even if you do it in the middle of the day and then add on a lot of time for the traffic in mornings and evenings; I think it will put you off.

Have you considered King's Ely or is it too far?

Tuppeny Reading School ( definitely a proper grammar school) takes an entry at 13 and has boarders. It is not the only one.

very good music department in Trinity (whitgift)

I second Trinity. Music is v. big there.

Thank you so much, all of you.

Kings Canterbury only offer 10% off their fees to music scholars. Are you sure you wouldn't qualify for a bursary? There are some very bursary knowledgable mumsnetters around it might be worth starting a new thread specifically about bursaries music scholarships.

brighton scholarships and bursaries getting smaller, max £6,000 a year.
Cranleigh only if you want to board, in back end of beyomd and transport links pretty hideous.
Lancing has excellent music
St Johns close their registration lists very early so may need to be quick
Reeds pre test beginning year 7 for yr 9, getting more difficult to get in as attracting those who don't make RGS.

Lancing is high church, smells and bells, that would put me off regardless of how good their music dept is!

Trinity - surely?

Happy - I don't think we would qualify, no.
Re church thing he's already used to all that.
Forago - will def look at trinity. Croydon commute off putting though.
Lancing and Brighton look amazing but expensive, but tbh hoping he will continue to want day school, I just want couple boarding options in case...
Inthename - I have heard this about Reeds, and I'm aware some reg closes sept so I will have to make my mind up ASAP about whether to chuck a few hundred quid around to register...
Thanks again really helpful.
If only they'd actually say in prospectusnhow much their scholarships are worth.....

Frensham Heights - very arty, no uniform, bit alternative but they get decent results