How to choose Charterhouse, Shrewsbury, Bromsgrove and Lancing

[Kidgrowup]

hi, we are oversea parents and are now doing research for my DS dto stuy sixth form AL. my DS has the good potential but need some discipline I think, he like tennis lately and travelling.

Our first choice is Charterhouse, but did not find much positive comments in MN, that makes us hesitate. especially there was saying it's weekend only a few left because most are weekly boarders.

Shrewsbury and Bromsgrove are seems great as well but not sure which better, and how they compare with Charterhouse.

Then an agent suggest Lancing to us, the campus looks nice and AL result seems also good.

But besides the AL result of these schools, we would like to know more about the following aspects that cannot be checked from websites :

1. the caring by school,
2. peer culture,
3. how the teachers treat students, will they only focus on bright students, etc.

I post once under the topic "Education", then I find this may be more specific. Please hope can have your help giving us more advice and info.

There are often more pupils school in the sixth form because like your DS more children come from abroad. But Charterhouse and Lancing are ultimately primarily weekly boarding. I know nothing about Bromsgorve and think Shrewsbury is a mixture of day and full boarding.
You need to ask them, not the admissions office but your potential HM. Be specific "so Mr X out of the 12 boys in yr 12 (or whatever) in your house (assuming it's not an exit and or a compulsory weekend in) exactly how many were actually in schools all of last weekend?" It's harder to be vague when you've got to be specific.
Can you not visit them rathe than relying on agents/websites the latter are going to present a Rosie view of the school and are going to claim all is wonderful. All boarding schools will offer good standards of pastoral care, "caring" is very subjective, it very much comes down to the individuals your DS will be in contact with and what the problem is. I found the staff at DS's school exceedingly caring in particular his HM other may tell another story, obviously not all parents but its inevitable that a few would, this would apply to all schools. The "peer culture" is very dependent on your peers on your actual house, yr group and your DS as much as the school.
All schools will want good results from their 6th form pupils (for their league tables) but some might say that in a more selective schools e.g. Charterhouse its harder to shine and lots of effort may be put by the school into their very strong Oxbridge potential pupils because there will be quite a few of them, , and the weaker ones rather than the ones who are doing solidly well.
Hope this helps.

Should have said you really ought ti visit them personally. Websites are exercises in good marketing they are going to be very positive and upbeat. Choosing a school is very personal what one set of parents and their DC like another wouldn't touch with the proverbial a barge pole.

Thanks happy gardening, yes, I think it is good idea for me to directly ask the HM then, as weekend activities is very important to him. When I going through most (if not all) discussion about Charterhouse here. While understand CH expectation is high, I wonder if their encouragement and guidance giving to students are better rather than just let the students to compete amongst themselves. That is also the peer culture I want to know, i.e students are helping each other or arrogant.

Yes, I am thinking to visit the schools but cannot all four, hence would like to get some clue to focus to only 1 or 2 from ;
Charterhouse
Shrewsbury,
Bromsgrove
Lancing

Any other mums know more above schools?

Personally I would have added Rugby to this list. I know students stay in at weekends there.

Many boarding schools have a quiet time on Sunday PM. Most pupils are in lessons till Sat lunch, then games Sat PM and Chapel some time on Sunday. At DS’s school it was prep Sat evening but not all do this. Boarding is very tiring because it’s so full on especially in the beginning and many enjoy doing nothing on Sunday just chilling (including staff).
All schools will offer encouragement and guidance to 6th formers in fact all pupils, but it’s inevitable that there will be some competition amongst themselves as you would in all walks of life when you put people together. You cannot really know how this will be until you meet the other boys in your DS’s year/house. But a good HM will try to encourage healthy competition but try to prevent it from becoming unhealthy and damaging.
Again with regards to peer culture again it very much depends on the other pupils, it’s inevitable that they’ll be arrogant shits in all schools (in both sectors) but my DS who’s boarded nearly all his school life will tell you that most avoid them. IME (I’ve worked in boarding schools) most pupils do try and support their peers.
Lancing and CH are relatively close to each other do you might be able to visit them on the same day, Shrewsbury is quite a distance from them both as is Bromsgrove a I doubt you could get round those 2 in a day. Frankly I’d pick one from CH and Lancing probably the former as it’s the most academic of the 4 and then 1 from Shrewsbury/Bromsgrove I know nothing about the latter so would be drawn to the former just because I’ve heard of it!

We are overseas parents also but were looking for Y9. We discounted the idea of Shrewsbury as it didn't quite score exam levels that we wanted and we wanted co-ed. Visited Lancing and on our tour found it very well organised, the students spoke well of assistance - one girl was in a low maths set and liked how she was helped. Didn't visit or consider the others. We didn't choose Lancing as it was a bit intimidating for my daughter, however, if I were to go into 6th form, personally, I would have loved it. Definitely visit and definitely review their ISI reports.

Charterhouse good school going coed in a few years but has girls in sixth form now. Both Charterhouse and Lancing empty at weekends which is difficult for overseas boarders though they may enjoy some peace and quite if they are older. Not so good if they are younger. Bromsgrove mainly day students but stays open all term so exeats not a problem for any overseas boarders. Still have four boarding houses and about 8 day houses so you see the ratio. Shrewsbury now coed with four girls houses and 7 or 8 boys houses. Mainly full boarding with approx 650 full time boarders and 150 max day boarders. Weekends very full. A lot of Pre U courses in sixth form. Charterhouse and Shrewsbury considered as one of the 7/8 original public schools alongside Eton Harrow Winchester Westminster can't remember the rest so very traditional but also forward thinking if this is what you are looking for. Know people with children in all four schools and all happy.

Bromsgrove mainly day students
Most pupils in pre-prep and prep will be day students but Wiki says that there are "940 in the Senior School, of whom 60% are male and 40% female, 60% boarding and 40% day." The ISI report (2016) says that most boarders are full boarders.

Charterhouse and Shrewsbury considered as one of the 7/8 original public schools
Bromsgrove (est 1553) was one of the 14 founding members of the HMC..

Thanks so much for all your advice which I don't think I can come across just by looking at their websites. it is definitely right that some concerns are really dependent on individual child.

finding a school for DS, especially for a oversee parent, really a big project!

Be careful ISI definition of full boarding actually includes weekly boarding!! DS’s prep ISI report said 70% full boarders in reality 10 out of 150. What it means is on any weekend they can full board if they want too but of course must don’t.
Frankly I couldn’t care less if a school is original public school or 700 years old IMO totally meaningless it’s what it’s like now that counts.

This is not about you Happy. Someone is asking for information. It may matter to some people. 'Frankly I couldn't care less' is not a helpful or welcome start to any opinion.

When you’re choosing a school from what I suspect is the other side of the world is it relevant if a school is 1553 and was a founding member of the HMC?
Why would you base your choice on this? In my extensive experience of choosing a boarding school if you want it to turn out well you base your choice on what is a good fit for your DC and you not on their past history which had no relevance to today and I’m speaking as someone whose DS went to a school which claims to have the longest unbroken record of any U.K. school. Charming as it is it didn’t influence my choice in any way.

It may just be a piece of a puzzle rather than the only thing someone would base their decision on. If you are from overseas knowing a school has a long history may offer some comfort, another starting point. I didn't suggest at all that anyone should base their decision on this just merely providing additional information to what was already out there. Isn't this the reason for this thread. No one is scoring points here just offering information which I don't expect to be judged so negatively by.

I think you're over sensitive Bashstreetmum I'm not trying to score points or judge anyone negatively I've offered my opinion and advise on how to choose a school that's all.
I'm actually genuinely interested as to why you think that it is some sort of comfort to know a school is a founder member of the HMC or 400+ years old, and that why either should be "starting point"? I have lots of people PM me about choosing schools and its not a factor I've ever considered.

I can assure you that I am not an over sensitive person. Perhaps you are unaware of how your opinions may present when writing. I am wondering if you have lived overseas.

I would agree with the comment above about visiting them all with your child. What suits one child does not suit another. Charterhouse has had a lot of issues - poor head who has now left, but offers a lot in terms of pastoral care and is near London for flights, trains etc. Lancing is very good from what i have heard. Know nothing about Bromsgrove or Shrewsbury. Sherborne is good if you are looking for boarding.

Bromsgrove is mainly day and weekly boarding. However they have a large house for new 6th form boarders - many of whom are international. I can imagine this would be quite sociable and the students wouldn't have the feeling of the house emptying even if the rest of the school does.

I suggest looking at Marlborough also. They don't seem to deal with agents, so a direct approach to the school may be better. Also second the suggestion of Rugby.

"Be careful ISI definition of full boarding actually includes weekly boarding!! DS’s prep ISI report said 70% full boarders in reality 10 out of 150. What it means is on any weekend they can full board if they want too but of course must don’t."

OP is talking about sixth form. SF pupils have a very different profile from Prep pupils.

Wiki says of Bromsgrove "As well as British students, there are more than three hundred from 49 different countries, especially Russia, Germany, China and Hong Kong". I suppose these pupils could be popping back for the weekend.

Pastoral Care of Shrewsbury School?
We’re parents in Hong Kong and our DS is going to join the sixth form this year. Wish to know more about the School pastoral Care in helping international pupil to join in. Tks!

Don't know the other schools but the boarding houses at Shrewsbury are definitely full and active on weekends. Totally co-ed and has various choices of course in sixth form to suit different students. Overseas students seem to mix in fairly well, rather than keep to their cultural bubbles.

I agree with BubblesBuddy and would definitely add Rugby to your list. Proper full boarding absolutely does not empty out at a weekend. And in our experience excellent caring staff.

I was surprised not to see Rugby on the list too. Also is it a girl? I would have Harrow on the list (and assume Eton and Winchester out due to difficulty of passing the exam to get in?)