Cheltenham Ladies College or St. Swithun's

[twenty4seven247]

CLC or St Swithun's... please advice.
We are planning to return to the UK after having been away for 6 years. Our eldest girl is 12, turning 13 end of Aug and we are planning to send her to a boarding school for girls.
St. Swithun's wrote to say they would consider her as a late entry for this Sept as there are places available.
CLC is happy to consider her for Yr9 in 2016.Technically, she'll be held back for a year in CLC because her birthday falls in August. This is at our request. She should, by right, join Yr 9 in 2015 but we are reluctant to send her to a boarding school this year because it all seems too rushed. Sending our eldest there earlier is really for her to be integrated socially as the number of new students coming in at age 13 will be larger than at age 14. We e feel there is a need to secure a place for her before we move back to the UK as a family.
So should it be St. Swithun's in 2015 (yr9) or CLC in 2016 (yr9).

Twenty where are you moving to in the UK? Boarding at St Swithuns is almost all weekly which could be an advantage for you if near enough.
If you are likely to need full boarding due to further moves then CLC would be preferable.
That aside, regarding the age of entrance where would she go until 2016 if you took up CLC? How young is she for her age and academically?

Hi Summerends, she will be 13 end of august this year. At the moment she attends an international school where we are. For her first year or 2 she will have to board full until we move back to UK as a family. Hubby is planning to look for a posting near wherever our girls go to school. We have a younger daughter who is 10. Reason why St Swithun's not keen for her to start yr 9 next yr, preferring her to start in 2015 instead if because they saw her grades and said she's bright so there's no reason to hold her back for a year.

It does seem as though she would be better staying in her year group then.
I think it all comes down to whether you think she can be adequately supported in a school which is principally for weekly boarders in that first year (with the potential plus that she could weekly board when you move back). Winchester is more conviently located for London and south east.

However CLC is a better school for a fulltime boarder and stronger for the boarder extracurricular activities including music and sport.
I think girls coming later as boarders are usually well integrated so if no places for Y9 this year, don't discount asking for a Y10 place in 2016.