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??????

HG from what we've heard about Millfield it would be easy for somebody to loose academic focus, both because it is not a priority for many DCs there and also because the support framework for the less motivated DC is a bit patchy. There are certainly some good teachers there.

Lots of options in Sussex & no pre-tests with most if not all.

Ardingly
Hurstpierpoint
Lancing
Bedes
Eastbourne

Not schools as well known as Eton etc, but all have a large number of Boarders & are not far from Gatwick airport. Brighton College may also still have spaces for September 2015. It is super trendy right now so not sure if you'd get a place? Also has less boarders than the others & these mostly go home weekends.
All the above need a pass mark at CE except Bedes which is non selective, but Bedes can suit a motivated academic sporty boy or girl.( Suited DS).

Maybe look at other schools in your chosen area which are not as well known? If your child is going to board then it is vital he has others in house at weekends or he will feel quite isolated.

Entrance exams have either been sat in year 6 or are coming up in January. You have left it very late to apply for year 9, assuming your son is in year 8 now.

Have you managed to contact any of the schools?

They'd have broken up by the time you started this thread, but office staff would probably have been in.

If so, have any said they can consider such a late candidate?

At this late stage, I think you should get in touch with a school placement service, as a decent one will not only be able to advise on best fit but will also know all about late applications and may be able to pull strings on your behalf (am assuming your prep HM is not doing this for you already?).

Also, you may need to differentiate between schools who offer based on the school entrance exam only, and those that do their own test and then give you an offer that is subject to common entrance exam success in the summer. Many of the schools being recommedned on here do the latter. Am assuming your DS is not being prepared for CE?

Maybe you should post a new thread to ask for recommendations for a good placement service provider?

Sorry to have gone under the radar a bit. all good advice and we have been fortunate that some of the schools mentioned will actually accommodate a late application so thats where we are at - fingers crossed and thank you all.

any thoughts on Malvern College?

Hi does anybody have any idea of how competitive the section Francaise admissons at Whitgift is?

My son has interview and sports assessment at Whitgift next week. I think thats a good sign. he says entrance exam was fairly routine.