help?? - independent secondary school (yr9)

[confusedparent2014]

We are new to the UK and are looking at yr 9 entry for our son for september 2015. If geography and money wasn't a stumbling block then where would you go to. My son is academic and sporty and it needs to be in that order. Ideally we are looking South of Midlands. He wants to board hence the geography issue and we have a realistic budget and would expect a scholarship of some sort??????

Most (all?) schools have closed their registrations for September 2015, but if you can pay full price for a boarding place, I think you will still find many schools that can squiggle in a latecomer (I'm assuming when you say scholarship, rather than bursary, you can afford typical fees but would like an honour).

Try Oakham and Uppingham?

Hate to say it but you are probably looking at a late entry now. A lot of schools pre-test in year 6 or 7 then confirm places after Common Entrance exams in June or may have already held their own exams and interviews or will do so in January. Depending on the acceptances of offers which could be due any time between now and March there may be an opportunity to register for a second round of exams before Easter for some, although chances of scholarships at that stage are much lower.

Where is he attending now, do they prepare for Common Entrance papers although even traditional public schools may offer an alternative selection route for those not at CE schools or from overseas. Have you visited any schools or have a particular shortlist ?

Bursery not required and I appreciate the predicament with late entry. My very recent experience is showing that some schools are still taking entries as their entrance exams are not until the new year. Schools that look interesting include sevenoaks, Millfield, Whitgift, but I'm nervous about the academics side as these appear mainly sporty?? I know there are loads more but its a minefield out there

Mmm ... yes, for the schools that people might most want with no restrictions of money or geography you are now (mostly) too late for all but the Scholarship routes.

It would be helpful if you could say where you are coming from. (It might make a difference.) Has he boarded before? If not he will undoubtedly be asked why he thinks he would thrive in a contemporary boarding environment.

Why does he need a scholarship but not a bursary?

I do think you need to consider that your chance of your son getting a scholarship is inversely proportional to the academic level of the school. If you don't need it for the money, he's almost certainly better off going to a better school and not getting a scholarship than one where the academics are poorer and getting one.

Last year Sevenoaks made offers well before Christmas with only scholarship exams in the Spring and traditionally over offer places. Having said that there must have been some movement this term as a child from dc school has just swapped as a day pupil. Not especially sporty, but follows IB in 6th form if that is something you want to consider.

www.sevenoaksschool.org/entry-at-13 . Sorry looks like you are too late.

What about Epsom although situation may be similar as they also close registrations 2 years ahead and pretest in year 6. www.epsomcollege.org.uk/13plus-admissions

Lesser known schools may be more flexible , where are you planning to live?

Malvern College or Monmouth School perhaps

skylark2 my original post is asking for guidance as to where would be the best school to go and simply asking for a widespread opinion. I thought I would start the debate almost as if money and geography was not a barrier and go from there. There are lots of schools we have heard of and even better schools we have not yet heard of hence my post. I am not limited geographically but would prefer the south of england. My reference to the scholarship is that my son is capable of being awarded one whether thats academic or sporty (regardless of its value) therefore I believe he should go for one, wether he is successful or not is irrelevant. I am reluctant to judge a school simply on its glossy prospectus and promises. I simply want the best bang for the buck.

Sadly deserving and getting one awarded are not the same. Bear in mind the other candidates will have been preparing for these papers over a course of years . Unless the school ring fences some specifically for latecomers your chances now are slim. Some schools award scholarships on the basis of performance in the main entrance exams on the day , some on specific scholarship papers sat by invitation , others on Common Academic Scholarship papers. Financially they can be worth very little and even the kudos is not always worthwhile or brings its own pressures. They are also often subject to review and can be withdrawn if performance or behaviour is not meeting the criteria.

I appreciate the comments. Uppingham looked good, so does Malvern

That's a pretty wide ranging question! You might get a more useful range of answers if you could narrow things down a bit by geographical area, single sex or co-ed/ religion/ full or weekly boarding.
You have definitely missed the boat for a number of schools - but vacancies do occur at the last minute so it is worth talking to them even if their web site says deadlines have passed.
If you are looking for academic, sport and boarding south of the midlands, I would look at (in no particular order)
Oundle, Uppingham, Oakham, St Edwards Oxford, Kings Canterbury, Wellington (Co-ed, mainly full boarding I think)
Bradfield, Charterhouse, Sevenoaks,(co-ed, mainly weekly boarding until 6th form)
Tonbridge, Sherborne (single sex -Tonbridge mainly weekly boarding, Sherborne not sure).

I appreciate the wide range of the question it was almost deliberate - sorry. The reason being we are open to all permutations at least for consideration. Ill look over the schools mentioned over the weekend. Out of interest why not Millfield??

thanks by the way, all comments been very helpful and interesting.

I missed Millfield off because you said you wanted academic and sport - in that order. The only Millfield students I know would put the sport before the academics - but I would be the first to acknowledge that they are not necessarily a representative sample. Have a look at their GCSE and A level results and see what you think. Top sets are probably fine.

I would look at Tonbridge and Lancing. But my knowledge is not particularly up to date.

Whitgift is absolutely fine academically but the boarding house is pretty small as it's mainly a day school

The sporting facilities are phenomenal and the standard is very high but the top half of the cohort also do exceptionally well academically - there's a choice of IB or A-levels at sixth form

all useful comments, I'm very grateful

confused some questions. Would you be restrained to full boarding and is your DS is academically strong enough to attempt a scholarship at an academic school or more likely to be in with a chance at a less selective one?
If he is very bright then that opens up possibilities of later applications as a scholarship candidate to schools like Tonbridge (academic and sporty but more weekly boarding), Sevenoaks, Charterhouse etc.
Schools like Bradfield (weekly boarding), Malvern, Cheltenham College are sporty, less selective but will be able to stretch their bright pupils.

Alternatively find a good independent school, day or flexi/weekly boarding, near where you will live and then look at one of the more prestigious schools for a scholarship to 6th form, giving you more time to register and research. If sport is important does he play rugby already for example as that tends to be the higher priority team sport followed by hockey rather than football.

LIZS makes a good point about sports' preference as if for example your DS is a footballer rather than rugby that would eliminate certain schools that major in rugby. Should he be into athletics or tennis rather than cricket or rowing then again some schools will not have particularly good coaching for these. Even at this late application point you don 't want a mismatch for what he enjoys and excels most at.

Posted too soon. Just to continue that the level of coaching within the schools is critical at boarding schools since for a sporty boy who likes winning there will be little time to have regular coaching outside except of course for the very best at regional or national level.

Re scholarship - you know these are for kudos and have no real financial benefit? As an example my DD's scholarship is worth less than £100 per term and this is very typical

Both my dc at independent schools have scholarships but while they're nice to have they are only a few thousand off the fees so don't make a drastic difference to the affordability or otherwise, and as pp have said some are more kudos than cash

Have you spoken to any schools at all yet? Most entrance exams for 2015 will be in January and I suspect you'll have missed the registration dates for the majority. You may be able to register as a late applicant but you'll need to get your skates on. Plus the 13+ exams usually cover more subjects than the standard 11+ English/maths/reasoning so you'd need to get your ds prepared in record time

I believe you can register for a scholarship very late (could be wrong) for both Eton and Win Coll as they will hold their academic scholarship exams in May 2015, both have separate houses for scholars so if he won one he would not be taking someone else's place/bed. I think Harrows scholarship is held Feb/March 2015 that's all I know about it might be worth looking at.
He is going to have to be exceptionally academic for the first two is he at a school that are/will prepare him for a scholarship.
I work with someone who sent her sporty and reasonably academic DD to Milfield they were openly stunned by her fantastic A level results. She has three others there and the bright one (non sporty) is doing exceedingly well. It's frequently written off as not for the academic but the sporty, but this certainly isn't their experience.