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??

Oundle certainly ticks all your boxes - STEM, sport, international students, full range of CCF (not just army!) & proximity to airports! It has/is a fabulous school for us with two DC currently there as full boarders. The fact that there is one day house has been an unexpected bonus as our dc have made lots of friends & contacts nr to school which has proved invaluable for parties etc in the holidays! We love the international feel of Oundle and it has educated our dc beyond the class room in so many ways. Pastoral care has been outstanding. Staff are caring and inspirational. Some mn posters often give Oundle a hard time for being “too big” or “too academic” or “a large amount of day pupils” IME none of this is true but you need to feel and see for yourself. Neither of my dcs are ‘super bright’ but they are getting all the support they need from fabulous teachers. One with a scholarship so they do offer them. Sport great, the ‘new’ Director of Sport really impressive plus whole new sport centre currently being built! The little market town that Oundle is in the heart of, is the icing on the cake!
Other schools- Uppingham - friends with very happy children there. Rugby - similar to Oundle but further from Heathrow. Charterhouse- friend with child from Africa there and he really struggled at first but I believe he is getting on better now, she says she would look elsewhere second time around. Nephew at Marlborough, but they live nearby,fairly happy with it.
If you want to pm, happy to help.

I thought the title said stern
Phew :o

Malvern is day or full boarding with a significant international intake. Saturday school followed by Saturday sport makes it very busy at the weekend - it certainly doesn't empty out.

It offers IB and A Levels, a brand new science centre, a brand new sports complex with swimming pool, and a powerhouse of a Politics/Economics/Business Studies department. Top sets at GCSE often move on to Add Maths, from what I've heard.

In line with other British independent schools, it doesn't really offer what are considered "soft" subjects at GCSE or Sixth Form level, so no computer science or global perspectives.

All schools offer stem subjects including additional maths, including state schools. At a level further maths is usually offered too - but do remember that in Britain young people choose their a levels not their parents. As for schools, my DD's school is stem exclusive but 6th form only, however most do offer full boarding - they should have arrangements for overseas students including placements with families during half term (2 weeks typically) which you can pay for.

Computer Science is not remotely “soft” and is identified in the Russell Group “Informed Choices” information as being a useful A level choice for many STEM degrees. Please don’t confuse it with ICT aka “playing with Office”.

Have you thought at all about Scotland?

St Leonards is a fab school - it sunds like your kids would be more suited to an IGCSE/IB curriculum than A-Levels. It offers more in terms of critical thinking and breadth of topic coverage

Aika79

I'm sure you have your reasons for wanting a boarding school in the UK but some of the best boarding international schools are outside of the UK and in Africa. My kids were in a private school in UK but I transferred them to one of the best private British system schools and they thrived and used to call it home. You cannot put a price on the culture and good weather. South Africa and Kenya have great schools.

DS at Rugby.
School is doing very well academically, your DC would do a full curriculum for the first year then choose, usually 10, GCSE subjects for the next two years. Most pupils do all three separate sciences, you can also do IT.
Sport for boys in the first two years is rugby in the autumn term, hockey in the spring term and cricket in the summer term. In the third year (year 11) pupils can choose different sports including basketball and continue with these sports in the sixth form or choose others. Lots of sporting opportunity.
Rugby is definitely full boarding, school full at weekends and leave-outs roughly one weekend in three.
Lots of children from all over the world, the houses are all mixed up so no one nationality dominates in a house.
PM me if you need to know something specific.