Christ's Hospital, Cheltenham College, Dean Close & Bishop's Stortford

[jannywsc]

My DS now is almost 13 years old from overseas and planning to study Year 9 in UK by Sep 2016. He like swimming, playing piano, drawing, singing, playing badminton. I got no idea of the four college above. Please advise which college familiar with what sport and subject as my DS's dream university is Imperial College.

I think it is very unlikely anyone here will have knowledge of all 4 of these schools. I am curious how you arrived at this list. However I imagine they would all provide a good education which would enable a very bright student to go to Imperial.

My children were at CH - youngest still is and it's a great school. However since competition to get in is fierce and fees are determined by parent's ability to pay with the difference being made up by the Foundation, there are rarely places available. That's not to say that there wouldn't be, but you'll need to act fast. I would advise contacting the school as soon as possible.

Boys play rugby, football and cricket at CH depending on the time of year. There is a gym and a swimming pool which can be accessed by pupils. They are also expected to run. Badminton can be played in spare time.

The key to success for any child coming to the UK to study is the quality of their written and spoken English. Doing either A levels or IB in English is taxing if it isn't your first language. The progress of all children at CH is reported to parents every three weeks with grades given for effort and ability. Teachers and House Masters closely monitor academic progress, but also take great care to look at behaviour, ability to get on with others in House and willingness to join in House activities.

I'm assuming that your son wishes to study at Imperial because he is interested in sciences. No school can guarantee acceptance at any UK university. Good luck.

Badminton tends to be a recreational sport so if you are looking for a high level you might need to look at sportier schools like Dartmouth College, Kelly College or Millfield which have specialist swimming programmes or contact the UK association for suggestions.

CH is a good all rounder school,if not highly academic and the reputation of others you mention is similar. CH very convenient for Gatwick airport. Tbh you are leaving it quite late to register, many 13+ candidates will be taking their entrance tests this term/January or already have conditional places based on earlier pre tests. Have you visited any of your shortlist, what other criteria do you have?

Actually, my son going to have entrance test of Shrewsbury in mid-November this year. I don't know whether he could pass it or not, therefore I think being safe I better choose some other choice as well. Three of those schools would come to Hong Kong for choosing the right candidates this weekend, I would like hear if someone's DS/DD study in those school (especially whose also from overseas) give me some advice on those school. My DS do have so much interest in Car or plane engineering.

1. Do they have any induction course before they start at school?
2. Does anyone eldest would help the new coming boys/girls?
3. Are there any personal tutor for academic guidance to them?

janny I think one of the main factors you need to consider (after knowing about CH's uniqueness with uniform and tradition) is which of these schools are nearest to a suitable guardian that you have in mind. The guardian will play a major part in your DS's life and you should n't underestimate what a difference this will make to your DS's happiness.
Of the two schools in Cheltenham (neither of which are selective academically) DC is more of a magnet for musical, theatre and arty types but is very strong at hockey as a sport.
CC attracts more sporty pupils (especially for rugby) and may do better for helping with the badminton.
They will both have academic tutors and house tutors for pastoral care and I suppose as a town it is reasonably well placed for work experience in aeronautical engineering.

CH is very experienced in helping students settle in, be accepted etc. Their pastoral care is excellent.

If you are full paying as an overseas student if they have a place and your ds is academic enough they will give him a place. They do have a fair amount of overseas and full fee paying students - they aren't all on bursaries!

No idea about badminton as it wasn't something my dc were interested in!

Odd mixIMO?
CH is full boarding and ?some day pupils, DC and CC will have a few full boarders but it will mainly be flexi weekly boarders so in my opinion not suitable if you're overseas. I've never heard of Bishop Stortford so can't comment but in reality there are very few full boarding schools. I never think of Shrewsbury as being very selective so if your DS can't get in there I doubt he'd get into CH which I always think of as more academic and very oversubscribed for the reason mentioned above. What about St Edwards Oxford? Its full boarding, it does an introduction weekend for potential pupils, but you might have missed it for you DS's age group, offers a broad education, sport art music and drama it has good EFL if you need it and known to have good pastoral care.

Bishops Stortford college is a fab college and I think a bit cheaper than some of the bigger names mentioned here. Great location, good facilities, lovely children.

No one is doubting that Bishop Stortford is or isn't a fab college. However, it is not a full boarding school. According to their last boarding inspection there are only 67 full boarders, 21 weekly and 71 flexi boarders. IMO the large amount of the latter two categories would put me off as that number of flexi boarders especially can be unsettling for the full boarders as it can mean boarding is treated like a glorified sleep over rather than a home from home.
I am not sure of the boy/girl ratio so if equal there may be 6 boys and 6 girls full boarding although I expect that the boarding numbers may be top heavy in the sixth form prior to university.

going I never said anyone was doubting anything. I'm was simply answering the OP that I know of Bishops Stortford and it's a good a very good school, is that okay with you ?

CH is very open to full paying boarders these days which if you are an overseas student they will have to pay full fees. If the ds is academic enough and they have a space they will take them.

Those who go on music scholarship positions don't take the academic selection tests just need to be of required standard to cope in an academic school.

There are quite a few full boarders at CC and an increasing number of overseas boarders. It is probably more like Shrewsbury with enough going on at weekends. I think DC has less full boarders.

I met with CH today, they were quite open in their discussions; even went as far as saying they are taking more overseas students now to help with funds. I understand that in the past they were quite generous with bursaries and help for home-grown DCs, but in the current economic environment, they are having to seek $$$ from overseas to continue the good cause.