All-girls schools suggestions for DD!

[violetsareblue11]

So, just as DS2 is starting the pre-tests for senior schools, we are starting to search for a senior school for DD (aged 10). We are aiming for a 13+ entry for her, as I believe we've missed the boat for the 11+ entries. Anyhow, what we're after is an all girls boarding school (does not have to be full boarding, just a high number of boarders) that's very academic, and into the performing arts and all things musical (these are three areas that are DD's strongest). Not too bothered about sports, but a good sports dept would be nice as DD would like to get more involved in team sports when she goes to senior school. She wants the "Malory Towers- St Trinians" experience which she has dreamt of since aged nine so that's the primary reasons we're going for all-girls, along with the fact DH and I are generally very pro-single sex schooling and were both single sex schooled ourselves and loved it. Anyway, atmosphere wise, again, not too fussed, just nowhere too hothousey, a little bit more about bringing out the individual girls IYKWIM. So far we quite like Roedean (but fees are ) We're really struggling to find schools of description above so any recommendations from all the knowledgable MNers out there would be great! Thanks!

Headington?

St Catherine's Bramley? Excellent full or weekly boarding, great sport and academics. Good value all round.

Woldingham, Wycombe Abbey, Benenden ? Don't assume you've missed the boat for 11+ , dc school closes applications after half term. Relatively fewer girls' schools offer a significant 13+ intake.

Sherborne girls, Queenswood. Really you want to be within 90 mins so an indication of which part of the country would be helpful. Concerts, matches, exeats etc.

Downe house, Tudor Hall For the full Malory towers experience plus academics and arts

Eastpoint we're in Kent, but skirting London. Our town has excellent rail links so anywhere in the mid southwest (Somerset, Dorset) is fine and of course anywhere in the South East (Oxfordshire probably being the furthest we could go). Childrens I heard Headington isn't really a boarding school? does it have make day than boarders? Just wondering as I have heard great things about it.

*have boarding and day girls not MAKE oh dear I do hate typos

A friend of mine went to St Swithins (sp?) in Winchester

I just had a quick look at fees & Roedean & Benenden are within £50 of each other. St Swithun's is cheaper but still £9855 a term. Queenswood Is cheaper, they charge more as the girls get older too so they start at £9.6 and then go up. Where does your DDs school recommend?

East DD's prep typically sends girls to Benenden, Kings Canterbury, Wycombe Abbey and some to Downe House and Roedean- they recommended Roedean to us, so that's why I mentioned it in the original post. They also mentioned Wycombe Abbey to us? Don't know anything about the school other that what I read in the GSG...

violet your DD must have just turned 10 since she was 9 in September (from a recent thread unless of course you have another DD). If so and she is in year 6 then she is a year ahead so could she not take the 11+ entry as age-wise she has plenty of time? Starting in year 7 makes it more likely she will have the sort of boarding experience she is hoping for as most of the girls join then and the first 2 years are usually pretty relaxed.
All these schools are about the same fees apart from the mainly weekly boarding schools.

There's a recent thread on Wycombe...sixth form entry but info relevant. I'd try Wycombe and Benenden.

My DD's school has a Year 9 intake, but I think I would much prefer to join in Year 7, both as a parent and a mum! Unless of course you are going for schools that only start at Y9.

Wycombe is the most academic of the girls' boarding schools isn't it? My dd has been to summer camps there & likes the sports facilities. My friends whose daughters were there were very happy with it (academic musical families who have left now).

If you are in Kent, then surely Benenden? Exactly matches the drama/music, academically good but not too hothousy requirements. Is there a reason your DD prep steered you away?

There there's no specific reasons, they just didn't suggest Benenden and so we didn't really think about it. Will defininately read up on it though, didn't Princess Anne go there Also, would really like the heads up on Roedean, looks a lovely school and really suits DD's preference for Malory Towers (in location, anyway). Also will look further into Wycombe Abbey, have just ordered a prospectus!

Of these Queenswood is probably the most theatrical, highly prised in the Good a schools Guide for Drama, and fairly easy for you to get to. Any boarding school is getting on for £10k a term and there are loads of extras for music and drama lessons too. You will need to budget for around £11k a term realistically and most girls go home on a Friday and come back on a Sunday evening except for In weekends.

If you are in Kent then Kings in Canterbury would be the obvious choice. It does AMAZING drama productions says proud DSM. My DSDs loved it there.

Oops...ignore me. Kings is not single sex.

My dd is going to Roedean this September-they do offer scholarships which make the fees easier to swallow! Dd also got a good offer from Brighton College but in the end Roedean won- dd absolutely loves the school, it is Mallory Towers! it's an exciting time to join too as the new Head is ex- Henrietta Barnett, Mr Blond.
Good luck