6th Form boarding school for Italian academic girl

[Italianmama67]

Hello everyone!
My DD (15 in Dec) would like to study in England for her 6th Form, from Sept. 2016. She's very academic (always very top grades in all subjects), sporty (for pleasure), she likes music (she plays the guitar and sings in a rock band) and art. Active and enthousiastic. She can speak English very fluently, maybe needs to improve the written language.

I hope you can give us some good advice. Already read many threads about this topic, but I'm really confused. She comes from the Italian school system which differs from yours... more subjects, traditional way of teaching and studying and different syllabuses.

We're looking for

• a really full boarding co-ed school
• an academic school, but not too rigid, where she can learn and flourish
• a place with a limited number of EAL (she really WANTS to learn English as a native speaker!!!)
• a place where she can enjoy music and sport for pleasure (for everyone, not only for the excellence)
• don't know wether IB or A-Ls, maybe IB
• with good transport links (she would come home for holidays, mid terms...)
• excellent pastoral care

I really thank you for all the info. you'll give us!

Friends have girls who went to Cheltenham ladies college and they have been vey happy there. Both girls now left 1 4 years ago just finished university and 1 just left , having gap year then Cambridge. If we had the money and the need I would send my dd there. Both girls did IB but A levels also offered. They have tons of friends many if whom are non native English speakers. Other friends have sent girls to Marlborough. Good luck!

I personally wouldn't at this stage say "it must be be coed" or "it must be single sex" find the right school and I don't think it really matters.

Op I have resent the PM I sent 5 days ago. You need to click on My Mumsnet on the top right hand corner of your screen.

Thank you OverTheMill! I've heard that it is a very good school! I will look at it with more attention!

I agree, Happy Gardening, I should consider the school (even though the world co-ed!). I read good things about North Collegiate School. What do you think about?

Sorry if I didn't answer on the private line. I just didn't realise there was one!!!

North London Collegiate is a day school.
Girls boarding schools with good reputations Downe House, Wykeham Abbey Beneden and Cheltenham Ladies College. I'm not that knowledgable about girls school so can't really comment on them apart from lots from DS's prep went to Beneden, all the parents talked very highly of it and I believe it's only full boarding.
You need to draw up a must have list, otherwise you're just going to get overwhelmed, decide what sort of ethos you will be comfortable with, liberal, strict pushy, etc. whether or not it must be a proper full boarding school (if you decide it has to be a proper full boarding school this will significantly reduce your list), and if you want the choice of the IB and A levels this will reduce your list further.
It's useful listening/reading others experience of individual schools and they can answer specific questions but we all want slightly different things. Years ago we were one of five sets of parents from DS's old prep school going on a tour of Eton. We all had the same tour, listened to the same talks, watched the same video about Eton and ate the same cheap biscuits. One set of parents at the end were head over heals in love with it, one liked it but would have liked it whatever they saw or heard (purely snob factor), one set were ambivalent and two sets came away saying they wouldn't send the dog there. We know parents who've looked at my DS's school and don't like it.
You decide what you want and then try and find a school that ticks most of your wish list boxes, no where will tick them all, decide what is an absolute must have e.g. full boarding the IB and then find one that does most of the other things you want as well and feel happy at.

I've been thinking a lot about what you said. My priorities...
I would probably choose a school

with IB
true full boarding or with a good number of students at w-e.s
quite strong in academics
coed
liberal
with a great choice of activities for everyone

I don't think rural/ town really matters if the ethos is positive. I like the 1 and 1/2 driving rule.

I might consider A-Levels and all girls if my ticking boxes choices narrow my list too much.
Therefore my first choices should be

Sevenoaks (too selective)
Charterhouse
Uppingham
St.Edward's (less academic)
Wellington (?)

Am I right? Any else?

Ops! I 've just realised that some of the schools I virtually like are missing because they have A-Levels.....
It's definitely NOT easy!

www.stgeorges.herts.sch.uk/

take a look. very nice school.

I'd be a bit wary of choosing a school for your DD without visiting and seeing for yourself. Some great schools have rubbish websites/marketing materials and vice versa. Also on forums such as this the same info tends to get repeated, but it is just one point of view. Your search seems so wide, geographically, school fee level to school ethos. It's worth sitting back and really thinking about what your DD wants. Maybe employ an educational consultant too who is independent and is not relying on the GSG! Good luck!

Yes, it's true. I need to go and visit..... But need also to have a short list.... I can't wander around and around The UK. The only way to understand the ethos is talking on here, eat Marmite and reflecting on your experiences which I know to be personal, so one-sided..... Thank you Slummiemummie, I agree I might find a consultant ...... But he too would give me his personal opinion, after all. Do you know some independent ones? I contacted Gabbitas, but it's so expensive!!!

Thanks Leekandpotato for your suggestion. Do you have first hand experience?

In the list I wrote above I probably wouldn't keep Wellington and St. Andrews. I' prefer Kings Canterbury and Oakham, maybe Oundle or Rugby. All A-levels... I'm intrigued also by some others, which I can't exactly perceive, the ones you suggested to me.
Again too many!

Go on searching and selecting ......

Oakham does IB - and gets some of the best results in the country.

Oh yes! Thanks! I was wrong! Happy to realise that!

Can I just correct a previous poster? Malvern College is full boarding, not weekly, although it does have a minority of day pupils. It has a big, very international sixth form and offers A Levels and IB.

It is also co-ed and academically strong - pupils apply to UK and international (including American) universities with success at Oxbridge and Ivy League. A huge choice of activities as well.

Thank you PolarBear! Malvern is one of the schools I like!

LeBearPolarthe lady I met in the tedious queue in The waitrose cafe last year had a son there who was standing next to her (on early Sunday morning) she told it was weekly boarding in fact we discussed the pros and cons all weekly versus full boarding!! Do you have a DC there? Or was she just delusional?

Don't want to out myself but can assure you Malvern College is definitely full boarding with some day pupils. The day pupils can sometimes board if they need to stay late in school (on an ad hoc basis) but the majority of pupils are there all the time.

Italianmama you seem to be going round in circles probably because you don't want to miss any school that may be potentially right for your DD. TBH there are enough good schools in the south east nearish Heathrow and Gatwick for you to start your initial visits. Some schools like Cheltenham Ladies will offer an interview as a pre-assessment which could help you get an idea of how well your DD might fare in a competitive entrance.

I would start off by visiting Sevenoaks, Charterhouse, St Edwards and Cheltenham Ladies as they all do IB. Perhaps send Sevenoaks an example of an English essay that your DD has done. She sounds very bright so the only potential stumbling block for the most competitive schools would be her written English and it would be useful to get some idea of that before you put her through lots of entrance tests. Charterhouse does have the disadvantage of being more weekly boarding but would still be worth a visit.
You can then consider Oakham and Malvern if necessary at a later stage if you don't like St Edwards.
I would eliminate schools that do A level only (with the possible exception of Westminster if she has a chance) as it sounds as though your DD is better suited to IB.

Summerends, you must be reading in my mind!!!
I'm not very pragmatic. I need a plan. And yours seems very well organised.
A few questions:
I don't know much of St. Edward's, except that it has an excellent pastoral care. I'm reading the ISI report which says that most pupils come from within a 2-hour radius of the school. Could it empty at week ends?

Does someone know how many taking IB / A-Levels? 685 pupils from 13 to 18. Might the number of IB students be small?

I've read that it's less academic than others. Is it true? And what does it exactly mean? That the workload is lighter or that the teaching is not so pushing, or....?

I really thank you for your answers!
Have a nice week end!

It doesn't seem less academic in reality! Students need to have A in their chosen subjects and A A and B in their past exams!

The Good Schools Guide says to consider the number of EAL students, 10-15 % being a good proportion, more would slow lessons down. My dd is a foreigner too... What do you think? How many EAL students are there in St. Edwards?

Italianmama I only know of St Edwards second hand. It has a wide ability range (which is why it is less academic) which means that it will have a not insignificant number of pupils that need to be continually motivated and pushed but will also have some very bright pupils. A number if the very bright will be directed to IB but compared to established IB schools the numbers may be smaller.
At this stage, if you are unsure whether it is worth a visit compared to Malvern or Oakham, you could email St Edwards directly with your questions

Thanks, Summerends!
You're right. I'm writing down all my questions, to clarify to myself first what is important to know.
Have a nice week end!

Thanks. Let us know what your impression of these schools are. It will be interesting to hear your and DD's perspective.

:-):-):-) I think I need to reflect a while about it.... Now it's all very messy, but the info and the suggestions here on MN are so useful and helpful that I have a better focus on the situation. A more detailed picture that I couldn't have had otherwise!
I really thank ALL of you!
And sorry for my Itanglish!!!
XXX