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Secondary education

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Original poster

Boarding school 6th form

21 replies

almostfinished1514 · 13/12/2015 15:14

Following advice I've been given on a thread, does anyone know of any good 6th forms with boarding that have good scholarships/bursary funds, offer IB and are still accepting applications?
It's for DD in Yr 11 - co-ed or single-sex and preferably within a 1.5-2hour commute to London.
DD has a love for Football and Basketball so if they had one of those sports, it would be a plus.

Also does anyone know anything about Clifton College?
Thanks,

OP posts:
catslife · 13/12/2015 18:08

Clifton college don't offer the IB - just A levels.

Incaseithelps · 13/12/2015 18:18

Not sure about the bursary fund but try Bradfield College, they might consider a late applicant. The problem is that application cycles are mainly finished.

shushpenfold · 13/12/2015 18:21

Try Sherborne Girls...not sure about basketball and football but def do IB and a good school.

bojorojo · 13/12/2015 19:04

Queenswood School (girls) at Brookmans Park, Herts might do. Bursaries are dependent on income/investments. Scholarships are worth nothing.

happygardening · 13/12/2015 19:32

Royal High School Bath? About 2 hours on the train, Monday to Friday only, so your DD could come home at the weekends, primarily 6 th form boarding, and a big intake into the 6 th form, cheaper than many but I can't comment on their bursaries scholarship.
Marlborough offers the IB as does St Edwards but you may be too late, again can't comment on their scholarships/bursaries but I suspect in both cases your DD will have to win the former to be considered for the latter. Few boarding schools offer substantial stand alone bursaries. Marlborough is more selective but has quite a few girls joining their 6 th form.
Chris's Hospital also offers the IB again you might be too late, it's offers very generous bursaries, not everyone's cup of tea, certainly not mine, but those who choose it talk highly of it, I think it is full boarding so maybe not what you want.

Feelingworriednow · 13/12/2015 19:50

Oakham School do a lot of IB. A little further than 2 hours but good links to London. Surrounding area is lovely as well!

Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 13/12/2015 21:02

catslife - I know Clifton College doesn't offer IB, but they have Polack House which provides kosher food and similar things for Jewish pupils there.
Shushpenfold- I like the look of Sherborne, but they've already given out offers.
bojorojo - Queenswood has already passed us (dates) - also I got the impression from a thread I read a while ago on somewhere, that it isn't particularly academic?
happygradening - I actually like the look of Christ's Hospital (dare I say) and I have family relatively near by - but again, we've passed the date.
Feelingworriednow - we've missed the dates for Oakham. They have similar skirts to a school that DD is looking at. But their skirts look much longer.

Why didn't I consider boarding before hand!?

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happygardening · 13/12/2015 21:45

You've nothing to loose if you ring the admissions offices of the schools you are interested in, I suspect many apply for two or three places and some obviously don't get the necessary grades so if your that keen on couple of schools ask to be put to n a waiting list. Don't forget to mention up front that you'll need a bursary.
Good luck.

Dancingdreamer · 13/12/2015 22:27

I think Bromsgrove applications close in January. They do IB. About 2 hrs train or car (on good run from north London). Bromsgrove offer loads of sports including football. Brilliant boarding facilities and lots join in 6th form.

Malvern applications have been allocated but they may take a late application. Think they do IB.

Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 14/12/2015 07:23

Danicingdreamer - I like the look of Bromsgrove, I'll ask DD.
happygardening -I'll try. I doubt that she'd get a bursary for most schools if we applied as a late applicant.
Thanks,

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Pythonesque · 14/12/2015 07:40

Agree there's nothing to lose apart from your time by phoning, and asking to speak to admissions. Have a good, brief, explanation ready as to why you are seeking this move, and why you hadn't thought of it earlier, and see what happens. And be able to answer the question of what your daughter would bring to the school (don't know that you'd be asked that at this stage, but worth having in mind).

bojorojo · 14/12/2015 17:41

I think you should look up the results for Queenswood. Not Wycombe Abbey admittedly, and an academic argument now as dates have passed - although I would still contact them. Often the slightly less academic schools are more likely to want a good candidate. Plenty go to Russell Group Universities from there and, basically, you are wrong about the academics there. It always pays to get up to date info and some of the schools mentioned upthread are way off Queenswood's results. Plenty of girls there have bucket loads of A*s at GCSE. Sport good too, although Hockey is the big winter sport, and an easy commute from London with quite a big Jewish intake. In your position, you need to be open-minded!

Muchtootall · 14/12/2015 21:38

Marlborough don't offer IB any more.

I also think they interview and test in November and make their offers by this time in December - we have been looking at it making application for my DD next year.

Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 14/12/2015 21:39

bojorojo - I checked up A-Level results, and DD's current school does slightly better - there'd be no advantage to going to Queenswood except probably better facilities.
DD is "academic", but she isn't anywhere near the "typical" Wycombe Abbey applicant - at all.
I haven't actually checked the other schools' results - will do
Thanks all,

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Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 14/12/2015 21:42

Just checked, and DD's school seems to do better in general than all the other schools - maybe with exception to the Royal High School and Christ's Hospital
-Thanks again all

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bojorojo · 14/12/2015 23:14

In that case, stay where you are! Nothing else is good enough!

Bashstreetmum · 15/12/2015 18:29

Bromsgrove great school and seems to be on the up big time. DS got a sizable bursary a few years ago end of February. Went for sixth form and had a happy and successful two years.

Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 15/12/2015 21:00

bojorojo - Just found at that DDs on the waiting list for a bursary at an IB day school because other applicants who have been offered a bursary haven't applied.
They only got back to us today about a bursary and we're meant to except by tomorrow - but we'll see.
Bashstreetmum - Thanks. If DD doesn't get a bursary for the school she wants, we'll consider others schools i.e. Bromsgrove, but for now we might just stick with her current school.
Thanks all,

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Incaseithelps · 15/12/2015 21:19

almostfinished a note of caution about IB. Fhere are lots of reasons for an allrounder to fancy IB but if your DD is serious about potentially doing physics and therefore likely to want to do IB higher level maths then a recent thread here pointed out how difficult it was to achieve a 7 for this subject which may impact on competitive university offers.

Original poster
almostfinished1514 · 16/12/2015 21:37

Incaseithelps - We only realised a couple of days ago, that because DD didn't do so well in her maths interview (she was sick on the day of her interview), her place is for SL Maths - she really wants to do HL so we'll talk to them.
She's not a maths genius or anything, but she does well in her current top set class - for the uni course she wants, she'd need 7,6,6 at HL including maths and physics - so it's not as hard as having to get a 7 in maths.
Thanks though -

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