Swimming Academy Schools

[Sleepsoon7]

Does anyone have any current info on Millfield, Kelly, Plymouth or Ellesmere. One of my DCs is an able swimmer (National level) and very keen to board at a school with a specialist swimming programme. Currently at state Grammar and considered academic as well as sporty. We would be looking at sport / academic scholarships for 13plus being part of the "squeezed middle classes". Any info on the schools, pastoral care, swimming programmes, academic standards, typical content of scholarship exams gratefully received!!

We personally would never, EVER recommend Millfield to any parents with sporty offspring. Ever! They may have incredible facilities but if the coaching staff are not even remotely interested in the athletes then what is the point. Millfield also seem to make a habit of making false promises and empty promises to parents about what they do as part of their swimming programme - these 'promises' never ever materialise in our experience. And the issue is soley due to the senor management not seeing your offspring as a person with potential. They are just interested in 'numbers' and taking school fees. This is obviously based on our experiences and our own opinions - and those of quite a few other parents that have vented their anger at being treated badly by Millfield. One father said he felt that Millfield had 'taken him for a very expensive ride' over the years and was very sad that his daughter had totally missed out on opportunities that she was more than capable of acheiving. Academically Millfiled is excellent - teachers are very dedicated to their students. We have not come across any useless teachers at all. More than happy with the academic side of things. Have heard very good things about school in Suffolk. St Felix's (I think). Small swim programme. But acheiving good results. Very nuturing. Excellent pastoral care.

We looked into this a while back when ds was still keen - as far as I can remember scholarships are worked out as a percentage depending on how far inside national times your ds is - to get a decent scholarship your ds would need to be well inside the NQT and even then it's still only about 50% off the ginormous boarding fees so you'd still need to find at least £15k a year. At Plymouth College swimmers are expected to go back to their home club most weekends so you'd need to factor in the time and cost of travelling plus squad fees

The other thing to bear in mind is, would you want your ds to be there if you took swimming out of the equation? A friend's ds went to Millfield for sixth form a few years back and had given up swimming by the end of his first term there

'Scholarships' at Millfield do not seem to be worked out with any remote logical or factual based calculations. The overall theme of 'scholarships' at Millfield seems to be more based on what size is the parents bank account and do they actually need a 'scholarship' financially. As far as we have observed, Millfield 'scholarships' are not based on actual ability, talent or acheivment as a lot of very talented national level students (across many different sports) simply do not have 'scholarships', and an awful lot of county level only students do have 'scholarships'. Without meaning to be rude or disrepectful to students who have 'only' achieved county level. Pls don't shoot me down! County level is far more than I personnally could ever achieve! Am only referring to it in respect of 'scholarships'.

Have you looked at Culford, near Bury St Edmunds? They offer swimming scholarships.

To answer a questiion: sports scholars don't need to pass a scholarship exam. They do need to fulfill the ordinary entrance criteria (exam/interview) but the key assessment is made on sporting CV and a taster/coaching/assessment day, where skills in main sport will be shown off, but also you can expect wider fitness tests and good participation/attitude to other sports.

Do you want single sex or coed? Any parts of the country you prefer (visits/exeats etc)?

It sounds like your ds wants to go to a 'proper' swimming school, not just one that offers scholarships for a variety of sports, including swimming

Based on the ESSA secondary relay results in recent years basically that means Plymouth College, Millfield, Kelly, Bedes, St Olaves, Whitgift, with the most consistent two performers being Plymouth College and Millfield