If I like Wellington College, where else might I like?

[ooerrmissus]

Hi

Hoping for some thoughts from people who have been through this before! DS1 currently in Year 5 at small prep, doing well academically, working a good year ahead in maths and english, flying in French, excellent in science. Hates sport. Avoids drama. Is learning piano and drums but nothing special musically. Real computer geek, teaching himself computer coding in his spare time. Has mild Aspergers which mainly affects organisational skills.

We have looked at Wellington, loved it, think it will suit him really well. Lots of tech, (i.e. studying robotics in first two years), IB so flexible study-wise. Boarding but not too full on as he needs downtime.

Head has also suggested Marlborough, does anyone know anything about it? Any other ideas? I'd like to have a back up plan in case he doesn't make WC for whatever reason!

Thanks in advance!

I would not send a non-sporty DS to Wellington. You might like to look at Bradfield?

Why not, if they aren't sporty? I was told that providing pupils do something sports-wise the school were happy? So he could do horse riding for example and not be subjected to hours of rugby, which would be his idea of hell! Have I got that wrong?

Brad field looks interesting though

Marlborough is full boarding or day only. It's a big school and I don't think is particularly suitable for a geeky/computer nerd. It's sporty, I think rugby which is taken very seriously is compulsory in the early years.
Bradfield is a nice happy caring school and it's weekly boarding, a friend described her DS as "geeky" and not very sporty (unlike his brother) so sent him to Bradfield.
Tonbridge is very sporty but also offers a DT scholarship so might be worth looking into to find out how non sporty geeky types are catered for it too is weekly boarding.

You will find that all schools will tell you that non-sporty boys will thrive but I really do think that rugby runs down Wellington's spine.

Ok I was told that by the young pupil who showed me round on the open day but maybe he had swallowed the PR material. I guess the definition of sporty depends on where you are on the sporty scale!

I need to clarify. I'm sure your young pupil was telling you the truth. My point is that successful sportsmen will be more admired by their peers at some schools than at others.

Ok I see what you mean. I'll have to decide how important that is to DS1. Something to think about!

Sport looms large in all boarding schools! I know non sporty children at Rugby. They seem happy there. St Edwards, Oxford might be worth a look. I find the concept of working 'a year above' rather odd. A year above who or what?

Lots of rugby at St Edwards not exactly compulsory as there are other choices; rowing, squash, rowing, rowing, maybe rowing you'd have to find out what the options are but is it really a good choice for the rugby hater?

I could suggest Win Coll where sport is largely optional, many boys don't do any sport and there is no rugby but I'm not convinced it's the right place for a computer geek, the boys aren't even allowed laptops for at least the first year and half!

Hi HG yes I looked at Win Coll, looks absolutely fab in every other respect but the IT. I'm not sure it would be a good fit for him.

It's not just rugby he hates, it's all sports! I don't expect him to be able to do nothing but a very sporty school is not going to work. I think I'm trying to find somewhere with a few more geeks and a few less jocks, probably looking for the impossible.

I'll suggest Teddies, Bradfield and Rugby to the head today and see what he thinks. I looked at Rugby a while ago and can't remember what I thought of it.

There is no formal IT teaching at Win Coll, boys usually by the end of their 2nd year can use lap tops but the school system prevents gaming etc. I just don't see it as the place for a computer geek which is a shame because it would be perfect from a sporting (or not) point of view.
The problem is that boarding schools need to fill the time and making pupils do sport at least three times a week is one of the ways of doing this. The other often compulsory activity is CCF how do you think he'll feel about that?
What about SPS I think there is no main sport, so lots to choose from, ICT is very strong, they never used to have CCF, and they do flexi/weekly boarding. He would have to significantly work on his organisational skills otherwise he'd drown. You might be too late to register. But might be worth looking at.

Clifton Coll?
Blundells?

I happen to know rugby is compulsory at Clifton in the early years.

Have you thought about Sevenoaks School? They do sport but are not a sporty school as such, my son was not that interested and got by but they have very good technology and you can be anyone you want there, there is not a 'type'.

Here is Blundells approach to sport doesn't look very promising from the OPs perspective.
You are going to struggle OP to find a non sporty boarding school.

I can't decide from reading their website whether or not rugby is compulsory at Tonbridge but I have heard that ICT is very strong there.

OP a slightly going against the grain POV.
The most important is that he is in a school where he feels comfortable with his set of talents and not a second class citizen or alienated because he dislikes sport.
However for real computer geeks they tend to do it themselves anyway and IT / computer science teaching lags behind what they try out themselves. If I had that sort of DS I would probable want him to develop other important directions, away from his beloved computer, especially as these schools have very long holidays with plenty of time to indulge his passion.

I suppose I am saying that don't discount Winchester as there are plenty of similar boys to your DS and I don't get the impression that restraining their 'computer geekiness' to their own time has held them back in that regard.

Sevenoaks as suggested might well be worth a look as well.

As I said, it is very difficult to find a school without compulsory sport. It is always part of the curriculum so how does any child avoid it? Apart from at Winchester and obviously not all sport haters go there! Sometimes you just have to do what you don't like but what you do like about a school outweighs the sport situation.

My DD1 went to a very sporty school, and we knew she was pretty useless at sport, but the teaching, drama, music and other aspects of the school more than made up for having to do a bit of sport every week. There are always other non sporty children in a school, always. No non sporty boy plays sport with the hench boys - it is just not safe! St Edwards definitely has non sporty boys. Rugby definitely does. I would see if the whole school fits your DS, OP, not just one aspect of it. Also, does the school celebrate other forms of success? Eg Maths Olympiad, Music, Drama, Art, keeping your room tidy, joining in with House activities.... There are lots of aspects to school life that can be celebrated in addition to sport. Good luck

If he's as bright as he sounds, have you considered Westminster? No rugby and probably less focus on sports than most boarding schools (and yes, it's mainly a day school but the ethos is that of a boarding school. Won't work if you need more than weekly boarding though). They have a wide choice of less traditional sports - table tennis, rock climbing, badminton, gym fitness, yoga... Maybe he could find something to enjoy, which would benefit his long-term health too.

OP, if Win Coll looks fab to you except for the IT, I wonder whether, like us earlier, you may have ruled out Eton based on reputation without proper consideration? They do have compulsory sport, unlike Winchester, but there is plenty of choice and rugby is never compulsory. Football is the alternative in the autumn; in DS's view that is far less objectionable. Own room supports need for down time. They all have laptops from day 1, though I don't know what there is in the way of robotics etc. as that isn't DS's passion. I do know they are starting to offer Computer Science GCSE (i.e. the one that actually does some proper computer science rather than learning to use Microsoft products). Worth considering if you haven't?

Thanks everyone. Some good ideas there.

I don't expect him to avoid all sport for 5 years, much as he would like to, but as PP said if a school only values the sporty kids it's probably not going to be right for him. DS1 recently did very well in a national science competition and the boost this has given him, and the respect he now gets from his peers, has been lovely to see. Previously he was a bit written off (by the other kids, not by school) because he isn't in the sporty gang. So somewhere that gets involved in that sort of thing would be great.

Sorry cross post there. Westminster I have looked at but since we are up north it wouldn't be practical. Eton I did look at and will look again; I know the own room was a definite plus!

Pity about Westminster as their approach to sports really works. Its time tabled two afternoons a week but with a huge choice. Lots of non-sporty kids, and Westminster tends to attract the less sporty, find "their" sport and the school excels in things like rock climbing and fencing. Sporty kids then stand out and have an easier passage into a first team than they would elsewhere, with the resulting qudos. Every so often they get a good crop of hockey players, footballers or rowers and have a winning team or boat, which will be publicised more than in a school used to sucess. They also encourage participation through lots of house competition in different sports, with the house netball cup being particuarly fought over. (Rules require at least two girls in a team!) Plus their new gym is open in the evenings so day pupils too will meet up there after homework in the library.

Sixth form now seems to have more full boarders, and the lure of a good Sunday brunch will encourage some of the day pupils in to hang out with friends, but as you say its weekly boarding till then. I understand they are working hard to improve their computing offer. Previously computer geeks got together in some form of computer club, but the school apparently recognises the need for something higher level and more rigourous. The school is very used to AS and disorganisation and have good SN support.

There are several exeat weekends in any given term, and Westminster is well placed for most train stations. Would a mix of you coming down or him returning home with perhaps a couple of weekends of staying with friends work?