South West boarding for DS

[Doloresvivamarie]

We are looking at schools for DS and have pretty much narrowed it down to Winchester College or Sherborne Boys (possibly Canford, however DS would prefer all boys, but still a consideration).

I know Winchester is difficult to get into but he is bright boy and it would be worth him having a shot at it. I like the fact that sport is not the be all and end all there and that would suit him. It looks like a fabulous place.(However, a friend says Winchester is now just for the super super bright, which I must say sounds a little overwhelming. if that is true, I wouldn't put him forward).

I like Sherborne, but slight concern it would not suit a non sporty child. No real reason for saying this other than the only boys I know who are at the school are very sporty!!

We are looking for full boarding ( or at least definitely not weekly boarding) and a school with excellent pastoral care and excellent academics. My DS would like a school where there are lots of opportunities to try new things.

And....are we crazy to listen to him that he wants all boys? I suspect a good dose of the influence of girls at Canford might be good for him!

Any thoughts?

Winchester is a wonderful school. Not just for the super-bright - if his prep school is recommending it, then he should be fine. Full boarding schools do tend to involve a lot of sport as they need to keep the pupils occupied and work off their energy, but you are right in that it is not the be-all and end-all at Winchester. In my (mildly controversial) view, Winchester and Westminster are the only schools where being clever is cooler than being sporty.
I wouldn't worry about the single sex issue. All-boys' schools make a big effort these days to ensure that the boys get to interact with local girls' schools (and not just in a school disco, who-can-snog-the-most-girls way), and I think a lot of teenagers find it easier to grow into their own identities without the constant pressure of needing to be 'cool' with the opposite sex.
Nothing wrong with Sherborne, but Winchester is in a different league.

There is no compulsory sport at Winchester after a couple of terms, this I suspect is pretty unique. There are super bright there of course but bright as we'll although I believe the the school is deliberately trying to attract more of the super bright especially from outside of the UK, one of the ways it's doing this is by increasingly sending boys to the Ivies this is all part of the heads vision for the school.
We know some at Sherbourne sport is very important as it will be at most boarding schools. Rubgy at an all boys school is likely to be very serious and possibly compulsory for the earlier years, from my experience if your DS doesn't like standing on a rugby pitch three times a week come hell or pissing rain/wind high water it can be pretty miserable especially when you settling into a new school.
I'm in two minds (unusual for me) about coed versus single sex. There is no doubt that boys learn differently from girls and that schools like winchester know and understand boys, the camerarderie between the boys is very strong, IMO much stronger than it would be at a coed school I like this. The loyality that exists between the boys it phenomenal. Mother is also probably right that in a single sex environment it's easier to grow into their own identities, On the other hand life is coed, and I strongly suspect many of the boys wish it was coed!
I'm personally don't think Winchester do make a big effort to ensure that "boys interact with local girls schools", my DS plays local girls schools in his chosen sport and in the three years he's been there gone on 2-3 of jollys to girls schools. As far as I understand a lot of organising these things is the responsibility of an older boy in house, so as so often is the case at Wincherster this may vary from house to house yr to yr.

Why not live with your child rather than putting him in a boarding school. Just a thought. Then you as a parent could give pastoral care. ?

Why Kablooger hijack a thread with your own prejudices? You know nothing about the OP or her family situation so you comment at best looks petty and ridiculous and at worse unpleasant and spiteful.
If you want to contribute to the general boarding school debate the is another thread you could do this on.

Kablogger - give me a break!!

Dolores if you are choosing a backup school for Winchester I would choose the one that your DS is most likely to develop into himself (as HG says) than fix on single sex as a preference. Although it is a positive to hear the different perspectives and approaches from both boys and girls in lessons, I think co-ed education works best for the confident, less self conscious.

Socially, whether boys' or coed, go for the school which does not feel as though non-sporty boys are regarded as second class citizens by the majority of pupils. If your DS is into drama that may be as 'cool' as being sporty in some otherwise sporty schools.

From what I've been told by friends with DC's at Canford, it's a very good school but not a full boarding school like a Winchester. Like it's near neighbour Bryanston it has compulsory weekends in but otherwise it's a weekly boarding school.

Ive read somewhere that the head wishes to address this but he's swimming against the general tide and desire by both parents and children for weekly/flexi boarding, so may struggle. It's unsurprising that that few remaining true full boarding only schools are the very big names, with an international reputation, they're very over subscribed and usually with pretty impressive results as well.

Doloresvivamarie, our DS boards at Canford and we live globally so need full boarding. There are a number of overseas parents who also keep a base in the UK so welcome FB with the flexibility when required for UK trips. In terms of 2013/14 for Shell year boys' houses, Franklin and School House have tended to have more boys leave after saturday matches whereas Monteacute and Court have been full for Sunday breakfast and brunch: my measure of FB!

Thanks for all your comments, very useful. It's not easy choosing a school.

Happy - one of your comments really made me think and I shall look at some other schools.

Thanks