Boarding school with emphasis on stem

[Aika79]

My son is currently in Y6. We live in Africa. Hubby and I have been considering boarding options for him in the UK for Y9 in 2021, as good secondary education here is limited. We’ve been to numerous exhibitions and had chats with a number of school representatives. But I’m not convinced, as many of them don’t offer stem subjects at GCSE level. Would anyone here have any suggestions on schools that take science and sports seriously?
We’ve been advised to look at Ardingly, monkton, bradfield, Malvern, rugby, Cheltenham, Wycliffe and Taunton. We’ve also received suggestions of oundle, bromsgrove, Stowe and Charterhouse.
Does anyone here have kids in any of these schools? What are your honest opinions of the schools? We would be seeking full-boarding with minimal exeats. I’m also concerned about racism within boarding houses. Am I overthinking this??

Most big name good boarding schools (some would say not all those you’ve listed are big names) offer a full range of stem subjects physics maths biology maths etc at GCSE and A levels. I personally have never heard of one that doesnt. Malvern I believe is full boarding as is Rugby. Bradfield is basically weekly boarding as is Cheltenham and Wycliffe I’m not sure about Oundle Stowe I think it’s a mix of day and boarding. The others you will have to enquire very carefully remember about ask very specific questions e.g exactly how many children in this house/yr are full boarding schools schools are notoriously very economical with the truth.
Oundle I believe has a good reputation for science and I seem to remember years ago being told very few exeats. I suspect you’ve missed the cut off date for Charterhouse as they ore test in yr 6, you could also look at Kings Canterbury which is also mainly full boarding and Marlborough which is also full boarding but again you might be too late as it pre tests in yr 6.,
Most boarding schools have 10-20% international pupils I don’t think racism is a problem.

What's your budget for fees?

Not sure what you mean by a full range of STEM subjects. Sciences and Maths are universallly taught. Which sports are you interested in , some schools will prioritise rugby, others football, hockey, cricket or swimming etc. Are you looking for an urban or rural setting, access to which airport, family or friend links and so on.

I can add some insight into Oundle. Half of all pupils take Maths as an A level. Its a school with great emphasis on STEM subjects backed up by a phenomenal STEM building which is very inspiring. Sport is also very strong there. They do not bring in big sport scholars at sixth form as some schools do.
There are 7 boys boarding houses each with around 60 boys plus a similar number of full boarding girls. There are then around 200 day pupils located in their own day house. Full boarding at Oundle is fixed. There is NO weekly options. There’s one weekend exeat per term outside of the half term (all schools have half term for a week or two each term). I think it’s one of a handful of proper full boarding schools left. Many boarding schools have an exeat at least three weekly if not offering weekly options so do your research on other schools.
Racism is not an issue at Oundle in line with many British boarding schools. There are approx 15% overseas students at Oundle. Many from Asia but also from Africa. The African boys , particularly, integrate well into school and sporting life.

It’s an academic school so those below average would possibly struggle.

I am not sure I understand what you mean when you say that none of these schools offer STEM at GCSE. All private boarding schools in UK offer maths, chemistry, physics and biology at GCSE. They would not survive if they did not.

Some offer the IGCSE qualification. This is a result of the GCSE having changed so much in recent years. They may move back to GCSE in the future because it has become more rigorous as a result of changes brought in in 2016. But most are waiting to see how it pans out, and for the moment the IGCSE is essentially the same qualification and is treated as such for the purposes of sixth form/university entrance.

All private boarding schools - with the possible exception of Winchester College - place a heavy emphasis on sport. All boys schools are usually stronger at sport because they have larger numbers to pick from.

As an overseas parent you will want a school with FULL boarding where a majority of boarders are in on a Saturday night. Oundle and Rugby are the only ones on your list ( I think!) that tick that box. You could also look at King Edwards Oxford, Marlborough, King‘ Canterbury (all co-ed) ,and Sherborne Boys. Charterhouse and Bradfield definitely empty out on Saturdays and your DC may be left as one of a small group in the house

Most UK boarding schools are fairly international so I do not think racism is a big issue in the boarding houses - though there may be incidents from time to time. They should all have a policy on addressing it.

You need to be careful not to miss the dates for registration and pre tests which sometimes take place in Y6/Y7.

Where are you in Africa?
There are good boarding schools there.
If you are in interested in IB rather than IGSCE there will soon be 2 UWCs - one in Swaziland and one in Tanzania.

Wycliffe has a wide range of international students and offer all stem subjects. It is relatively small compared to the others on the list (DC don't attend, just live close.)

Oundle don’t currently have a preference test but you need to have registered and chosen a house by end of year 6 early year 7 I would say to be sure of a place. It’s highly popular. It no longer offers any scholarships for example.

Leftandaright Oundle is not that academic. A level results are the same as Rugby for % A and A*
I have heard that Cheltenham has a good number of boarders over the weekend, quite a few boarders from Africa especially Kenya and is good for STEM. I personally for an overseas boarder would concentrate on those three for a good mix of sport, academics with a STEM and boarding culture.

Thank you all for your replies.

Fees: haven’t really thought about budget as yet. Guess I’m just looking at the schools first and then will figure out the fees. The school doesn’t have to be a big brand-name, but should offer a well-rounded education.

Sports: looking for swimming and basketball mainly. Though, he may take interest in other sports. Who knows.

Qualifications: IB and A-Levels. So ideally a school that offers both, as I’m not sure what would suit him. Along with CCF or some form of service/volunteer work, to build character and confidence. It’s not just about academics.

Subjects: so for STEM, I am specifically looking for Add Maths (or further maths. It’s offered here at our British-curriculum school at GCSE); ICT or any computer-science-related subject; of course the usual triple sciences.

I am also looking for subjects like global perspectives, accounting, economics, business studies.

The schools I’ve looked at (eg Wellington college, Haileybury, Tonbridge, westminster..) mostly seem to offer art history, a battalion of languages, something called classics, divinity or religious studies, etc. which is why I said I can’t find a school that has a science/stem-concentrated curriculum.

Location: ideally within 2-hours from Heathrow.

Classics is like ancient history, Greek and Latin btw Op.
Is global perspectives politics?
Is Further Maths nessesary at GCSE? Most schools offer it at A levels.
I’m surprised you can’t find any that offer ICT/computer science at GCSE though.

Sorry that wasn’t very helpful 😂

Very few would offer "global perspectives" whatever that may be! Business Studies maybe but it is often perceived as not academically rigorous or offered as a btec. Add Maths is not a gcse as such and that and FM are sometimes offered only to top sets. ICT/Computer Studies is a subject which has undergone significant change in recent years so while it may not be have been offered previously it may appear as a more regular subject in future. You have to bear in mind that gcse syllabi are undergoing significant change and the private schools have tended to wait for the glitches to be ironed put before adopting those courses.

Most academic boarding schools will not offer ICT, business studies accounting as they are generally considered to be less academic subjects. Further math is done at A level rarely at (I)GCSE) as is economics.
DS2 went to Winchester none of the above were offered except further math and economics at Pre U (A level equivalent). I don't have the actual figures to hand but would say off the top of my head that more of DS2's friends are now doing STEM subjects than art subjects both here at top UK universities or in the US e.g MIT or CAL Tech. This is a school which doesn't even allow computers to be used in the first two years!
If your interested in either the IB or A levels add St Edwards Oxford to your list although they are now offering weekly boarding as well as full.
Just to add I frequently hear good things about Wycliffe but it would not be my choice if I was looking for full boarding. Friends DD is at Cheltenham definitely the vast majority are weekly boarding and I don't hear good things about it.

Perhaps global perspectives is an IGCSE subject, as I've seen it on websites of other schools outside the UK. I have no idea if it would equate to Politics. It just sounds nice, and, I believe, is one of those subjects that requires the students to think out of the box.

On a side note, I know the (I)GCSE are now going to be graded from 9-1. Will they be changing the grading system for A-Levels as well?

I'll look at Oundle, as that name keeps cropping up. As well as Rugby. I'll also check Ardingly and Cheltenham. This is very helpful. Thank you. Please do keep the comments coming, I'm always looking for as much information as possible, to help me make an informed decision. Thanks very much.

It is very difficult for any secondary school in the UK to recruit outstanding Computer Science teachers, the top schools state & private all struggle. Many schools can't offer the subject & universities don't expect A level computer science because of the limited options to study it.

Ok, google tells me that global perspectives is basically an alternative to General Studies or Critical Thinking

So maybe History as an ‘academic’
version of thinking outside of the box is important?

*if

Ardingly is not nearly full boarding - majority would be day, flexi or weekly boarding. What level of sport are you looking for? Swimming schools at high competitive level would be likes of Millfield or Plymouth college but probably no nearer a fit for your criteria otherwise. Basketball is not a mainstream sport in UK, tends to be more of a leisure activity. Sevenoaks and Brighton college might be worth a look although neither are full boarding or the RoundSquare group which tends to have international perspectives and develop a rounded education.

Friends DD is at Cheltenham definitely the vast majority are weekly boarding and I don't hear good things about it.

I’ve heard the opposite from several people with DCs there and friends of my DCs who went there, so a different second or even third hand experience to happygardening. Cheltenham College don’t have weekly boarding but they do have day boarding which is what a lot of the local pupils do and often they choose to spend the week-end boarding. From what I have heard it is very much a full boarding atmosphere.
I think that emphasises shows that parents need to make their own mind up rather than rely on one set of anecdotal experience.

I do agree with the potential irrelevance of further maths or add maths for GCSE pupils in that some very academic schools don’t do it but still teach their pupils well beyond the syllabus. Probably more informative to see how many do and what grades are achieved for maths and further maths A level, (assuming that a boarding school does n’t depend on a large influx of bright very hardworking Asians into the sixth form to boost their grades).

I am amazed you are not looking at the boys boarding schools in South Africa! They are 1/3 of the price. Their pupils can get to university in the uk if you wish. They do the subjects you want. Sport and even more sport is on offer. Michaelhouse and Hilton College spring to mind in KZN.

I am amazed you are not looking at the boys boarding schools in South Africa! They are 1/3 of the price. Their pupils can get to university in the uk if you wish. They do the subjects you want.

Not just South Africa, there are many good schools in Africa. Check out this list.

www.aisa.or.ke/School-Member-Directory

Haileybury.

Millfield does further maths at gcse and I think ticks all your boxes except IB. Definitely does economics at gcse and subjects like business studies.
FWIW sporty African boys (and girls) have always been popular in U.K. boarding schools from what I have seen. They seem to integrate very well.