Help me find a (boarding?) school for my DD

[pollyannagoestotown]

She wants a school full of bright / brightish but keen kids who want to learn and are respectful to the teachers. Wants to be a good all rounder, rather than focussing on just one thing.

Doesn't mind co-ed or single sex BUT doesn't like classrooms where class clowns dominate / very gobby boys who think girls shouldn't do x or y and won't shut up. Is good friends with the hard working, sporty, musical kind of boys, so isn't boys in general.

Wants to do design and technology, sport and music (orchestral/ choral) as well as academics. Is keen on languages / science / maths / history / geography.

Hoping for lacrosse as well as other sports - wants to be able to potentially be on a team in more than one, if is good enough. Hopefully at a school where field B & C teams and encourage everyone to get stuck in.

We can afford the fees, but don't want a school where the extras mount up dramatically and kids are expected to go on lots of v expensive trips, or feel left out if they don't.

Ideally within very easy striking distance of London or 2 hours ish of N Yorkshire or near the A1.

So far looked at:
Wycombe (she really liked but I had concern about alot of boarders going home at weekends, and sheer wealth of some parents - housemistress implied most parents didn't think anything of £10-20k of extras !!!)
Leeds Grammar (fab facilities, language block etc but the corridors and sheer din in locker area meant she didn't like it as much as others)
Uppingham (went to schools music day and loved it)
Queen Margarets (loved atmosphere, but don't think there are enough really bright kids there - her ideal school is probably a more academic version of QM)

Already know Harrogate Ladies College and not interested in that one.

Considering looking at Bootham, Oundle (current school suggestion of northern boarding school), Sevenoaks.

Sorry for such a long post - but pretty sure I won't be drip feeding!!!

Are you taking the piss?

Have a look at www.ashfordschool.co.uk. Fits your description and only 38min by train from St Pancras.

Thanks Aussie - hadn't heard of that one.

Lacrosse will limit things, not sure Sevenoaks play it for example. Benenden or St Catherine's Bramley perhaps?

Full boarding (in Sat night possibly allowed home Sunday during day but back Sunday evening), weekly, or flexi or do you not mind?
That the most important question.
My DS has boarded for 10 years he's currently at one of the most famous boarding school in the UK and with one of the highest fees and I'm reliably informed by someone in the know some of the richest parents. Our extra have never exceeded £900 per term (once) and that was including a trip abroad and the cost of his IGCSE's, they rarely exceed £500 generally £350 a £400 is average and this include school health insurance etc trips to the theatre and we pay for everything; text books, pens and every piece of paper. The most expensive school trip a I think I've ever seen was £2k and the boys were expected to raise this money themselves not by getting their parents to stump it up. We know lots parents with kids at boarding school many are unbelievably wealthy none I know are paying 10-20k in extras (I can't even imagine what would cost that sort of money) most would have a heart attack at the prospect.
Our school offers a variety of trips but few are very expensive average I guess £700 often less, unlike DS1 state comp where a friends DC was "selected" to go on a trip to China for two weeks at a mere £3500! Most trips aren't compulsory although foreign language exchanges etc are certainly beneficial.

Haileybury? Queenswood?

If you go back to look at Uppingham, arrange to see Oakham as well. More of a mix of boarding/flexi/day, but enough of a living-in community that it works.

Repton? No lacrosse though, I don't think.

You might look at Mayfield. Catholic, but not very.

Takes a wide range but has a strong track record particuarly in STEM subjects. Very good at pottery and choral, but sport is also important. (Its appeal to some is very strong horse riding.) However hockey rather than lacrosse.

If you are interested in a specific sport you might look at who does well in inter-school competition, national schools trophys or supplies county or national teams and then work back and see which of these schools meet other criteria.

www.englishlacrosse.co.uk/schedule-results/

The above links to the U19 lacrosse schools championships. In addition to the schools mentioned above there is also St Swithuns and Downe House. The former though having many weekly boarders. Both of these schools have/have had girls that play for the England team and regional teams.

Roedean? Too far south?

Currently introducing lacrosse and very good on girls' cricket.

Q.M. all the way. Both my girls went there and did well.Really good atmosphere and they do get some very good results.Academic hothouses are not always the way forward. If your daughter is a 'bright' spark then she should flourish and achieve wherever she goes,and Q.M. is very well respected for sports (especially lax) and art and music. A lovely place to grow up.

With your DDs interest in Design & Technology and academic excellence then your current school are probably spot on with their recommendation for Oundle. The new Science. D&T/Maths centre at Oundle is very impressive and worth a look but you need to register 2yrs in advance usually! Def worth a visit!!
Uppingham also popular choice but pre-test at 10yrs so you may have missed the boat; Oakham a lot of day/flexi and empties out a bit too much for our liking at w/e. Heard very good things about QM but girls tend to look for something else at 6th form i.e. co-ed!! Ampleforth?? Lovely school if you can cope with the catholic side of it!!

Queenswood - north London but don't know much about it.
Hope that helps a bit!

Have you looked at Sedbergh? Good sports including lacrosse and good all round school. Academics good and improving all the time under current head.

We looked for similar for Dd for sixth form. Have you looked at Rugby or St Peter's? They're ones you haven't mentioned. Not sure about lacrosse though.

Hi everyone! Just wondering if anyone has any information to share regarding preferred houses at Stowe. I've heard they vary greatly and wondered if anyone could make any recommendations on the stronger houses for my son. Many thanks

St Catherine's Bramley?
Academic, quite traditional, brand new sports facilities, very good lacrosse, house activities are very much everyone has a go, within 2 hours from London, boarding, quite old school but lots of down to earth parents

Queenswood: I havent had much to do with it for years, but it's very close London and it seems to produce mostly happy, educated and contented kids there. Great sports facilities too :)

St Peters in York? I know nothing about it but met some students on the train once heading back to school and was struck by how intelligent and polite they were.

Fettes? 3 hours from N Yorks, easy connections to London...

Hotchicksing my DS is at Stowe (loves it btw) - the only way to choose a house is to go and look around them and to chat with the staff, then let your DS decide…. They are all nice and the school offers great pastoral care, so there is no wrong choice IMHO

I was going to recommend Bootham before I'd even got to the end of your thread.

I have experience of a LOT of boarding schools. I was a marketing manager at an independent school and spend virtually every weekend between Sept and Dec each year trawling round many, many schools.

DM me for more information xx