co-ed senior school recommendations?

[Tarcoughsky]

Can anyone suggest/recommend a lovely co-ed senior school [preferably day] for ds, entry in Year 9? Looking for somewhere that is strongly academic and challenging, but also creative [drama, music] and excellent pastoral care. In South East preferably. We are self employed and thinking of moving, so the right school is the starting point. Will consider private and state, though as year 9 entry, private may be more likely.

North Bridge House Hampstead.

Would you be able to move into London itself?

Which counties of the SE?

sorry, should have said not in London, as can't afford London house prices. But thankyou!

counties: Berkshire, Hampshire, Suffolk, Oxfordshire, Cambridgeshire, W. and E. Sussex, Wiltshire, Somerset, or thereabouts? Actually possibly Germany as well!

Brighton College ?

Charterhouse? Is that coed? Sorry may only be coed 6th fomr

will have a look at those thankyou.

I have heard people speak positively about St Edwards (Teddies) in Oxford.

that's interesting Chaz. Thought it was terribly posh, but don't know it well.

Perse in Cambridge - although if you want year 9 for September you will need to move fast as entrance exams are this Saturday I think.

My DD has just got a scholarship at Teddies. Obviously we haven't got any experience of it yet, but staff came across as being very friendly and approachable. From that I can gather they're well known for their pastoral care. Not quite sure if it's ready yet, but they're having a new music block built and seem really passionate about music also drama and art,. DD sat the entrance exams with quite a lot of others and said they were friendly, chatty just like at her school - no obvious signs of any difference regarding backgrounds.

King's Canterbury - academic school, superb music, drama and art as well as food sport etc. You can get a mansion in Canterbury for the price of a two bed zone 3 flat. 56 minutes from St Pancras.

ah, thankyou Lottie, and Aftershock, yes I must get our skates on.

Lottie, have we missed the Year 9 entry exams? Wonder if it is worth giving them a call.

I have heard of King's Canterbury Meryl [great speech btw] and yes house prices v tempting! Thankyou.

What about Bromsgrove? Bit further north than specified area, but easy to travel around that area.

don't know that area/school at all but will have a look thankyou!

If you want Y9 for Sept for independent you are very late! Bucks has grammar schools but I have no idea if any have vacancies. Aylesbury and North Bucks much cheaper than South Bucks.

Stowe is also North Bucks and takes day pupils.

Most coed boarding schools will have a few day places - but I am sorry they are definitely missing out! It's not the schools as such, in as much as they are treated as equally as possible, it's just that they would be in the minority.
And in the most part, you can't change your mind after a year or two as the day houses are separate.
A lot of solely or mostly day schools would have an intake at 13 though, even if they start at 11.
What areas are you looking at and what sort of ethos of school would you like?

For Wiltshire, try Dauntseys. Not quite my patch, but I know someone who works there and I really like the sound of it.

sorry bojorojo should have clarified - year 9 entry in 2018. Will look up Stowe thankyou [is it v posh again?]

Whisky I guess I want a hard working ethos, but excellent pastoral care and lots of arts...

Haven't heard of Dauntsey's will look it up thankyou Newt.

just to add, don't want anywhere too 'country set' and happiness definitely the most important thing!

My suggestion is Ipswich School in Suffolk. Very friendly, down to earth, co-ed, primarily day school in an area in with relatively affordable house prices (much cheaper than south east). Very strong music department, good teaching and very supportive in pastoral issues. My DS is very academic and he has really enjoyed the education he receives.

Thanks justicewomen, I will look it up. Have fond memories of Suffolk, don't know Ipswich well though.

All private schools outside London and the immediate home counties are 'country set'

are they? all of them?