best school for dance, drama, art, textiles, academics and tri lingual girls

[shs69]

Hello mums,
we moved from abroad (excuse my poor Emglish!) to find a good school where our 2 daughters could find a well all rounded education.
We landed last minute at Millfield Prep 3 years ago (too long to explain why) and the girls discovered plenty of new activities.
They were perfectly tri-lingual; too advanced in French they were excluded from French lessons; they promised private tuition at the beginning but when we asked for them they said they don't have enough teachers to do it!! I did not expect such a behaviour from such a school. Very hard indeed to find a native French speaker in Somerset next to Glastonbury... this is why we trusted the school at the beginning when they offered it coming from the school.. and now we are stuck...
My daughter will go to the Senior next year so we got in contact with them but although reassuring and kind we feel they are not really prepared to give private tuition and we feel they are procrastinating...
So we are considering to move. In the meanwhile my eldest Daughter has proved to be academic and very gifted in dance, Art and Drama. She is not very sporty, she likes sport but she don't really like competing.
I am not English and I can only guess through websites and school visits, so I would like desperately to talk to someone that has had to make similar decisions about a similar range of subjects or to someone that can suggest the right school for my daughter.
We are deciding again last minute because we are not happy with many things and her being in y 8 we will find difficult to enter, I have just started ooking last week and phoned, although some schools have invited us for some visit after seeing her results in Academics, Art and Dance.
First question: when I was phoning in most of the high profile school they told me they had no places till 6th form but then when I sent my daughter's reports most of them were ready to offer y 10 entry. Will I have any chance with a gifted daughter to enter next September in y 9 after a visit to the school or is better not to insist?
We have found Whycombe Abbey, Cheltenam Ladies, Sevenoaks, Sherborne Girls, Roedean and I am looking forward to seeing Brighton College. Hurtwood House seems to be very nice but just for the 6th Form.
Any other school I should consider for entry y 9 in September 2018?
We want a top school that can take care of French for native speakers.
Some of this schools can offer only from y 10 but maybe id my daughter can obtain some scholarship from the previous school the other can reconsider her? I don't really know how UK private schools works on this matter...
Many thanks in advance if you can give me your advice.

Year 9 is a more typical entry point than y10 as gcse courses will already be underway but often fewer places than at year 7 entry. However many schools now pretest in year 6 or 7 then make offers conditional on CE for year 9 entry so you may well be too late for Sevenoaks for example. Woldingham might be worth a look if you are considering single sex. Are you assuming boarding?

Thank you Lizs. I did not know Woldingham, I have no idea if it is better single sex or not, I am looking at the quality of the teaching first and to match my daughter's interests. I prefer her to be a day pupil but open to oarding later on or if there is no choice.
I can't find information about Art, Drama, Dance on Woldingham website and I can't see any photo of art class, dance facilities etc...

Have you tried Kings Canterbury?

here

I know of one pupil strong on performing arts (regular dance/drama performance group in London) who then moved to Hurtwood House for 6th form. Iirc Carey Mulligan is a former pupil. It certainly has an arts/academic reputation locally. If you really want a vocational education you could consider Bedes , Arts Educational, Hammond or Tring but you may find you sacrifice academics. Brit School has year 10 entry too.

theres about 3 french schools in london

What about Oundle? But it may be too far north for you?

Only suggested Kings on basis of French language. Not sure about dance/drama - think it may be more traditionally academic - worth having a look though?

thank you very much to everybody for your answers.
we don't mind the location but preferably not far from an airport that connect us easily with home in South of France.
I will only move if I find the perfect school for her; dance, drama and Art seems to be very high Level at Brighton College, this school had 3rd place on the league tables for A levels... any advice about Whycombe Abbey?

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/advice The GSG offer a consultancy service and may be worth contacting

Abbott’s Bromley School & International College. Girls on the dance course can opt to drop sport if they wish.

Queenswood, Herts. Fabulous drama and dance and their art studios blew me away. Great academics. Down to earth girls and 50% boarding with a decent proportion of international girls but no so much that it feels like it takes over. I have a DD who loves sport but perhaps lacks in talent. The school has a sport for all policy - girls compete at the highest level but also just for fun.

Wycombe Abbey not my cup of tea. Very competitive and a lot of emphasis on “the hierarchy” I.e. the girls lower down the school are at the mercy of those higher up. Only got that from an open day though but didn’t lie well.

I would have thought only the Lycees will really be able to stretch a native French speaker.

Can you not stay at Millfield as it is close to home and employ a tutor for French, if it is mainly the French that is the problem?

Sevenoaks? Academic and popular with the London French. They deliberately aim to recruit a mix of nationalities, especially for sixth form.

Wycombe probably suits the bright and confident. Quietly confident is fine. A brilliant school for the right child, but it needs to feel right.

Brighton College sounds perfect for your dd tbh, my ds is also very into drama and art, loves to dance but not naturally gifted and he is most likely going to go there at 11+. The open days's are extraordinary and really demonstrate the drama and dance at BC. Personally think there are better schools for art (Alleyn's in London amazing at art and drama, not sure about dance) but BC have a decent department.

Crenshaw Heights and Bedakes both strong in the arts, both quite alternative though so you need to visit and research to see if you like the vibe

Frensham Heights and Bedales —wish MN had an edit button—

Two more for you to consider Bryanston, which is strong on drama and music, and Canford. I would also recommend the GSG schools finding service.

Unfortunately British schools are just not that hot on languages, even the most expensive ones! However, some of them have native speaking teachers in the department.

I know many girls who are native speakers / bi/tri lingual.
They go to language classes out of school, taking GCSE typically in yr9. Then take an additional new language in school with their year group.

What about Wellington College? Strong academics, good dance and drama and close to London for airports. I have no idea about French but given its location I can’t imagine any problems getting a French tutor.

CLC ( when I was there moons ago) had too set French almost entirely native French speakers and would fit your bill too. Why don't you go & have a look.

Sorry too set

Give up top set!

ACS International School in Cobham. Does IB and has a native speakers’ French class (my daughter was in it) and you can do the bilingual IB diploma. Excellent for theatre and art, and fabulous sports facilities.