Winchester, Westminster, or Eton?

[PGWo]

Our son is currently at prep school. He will be starting secondary school in two years. He is a very intelligent child who consistently gets good marks, and his favourite recreation is reading. He is indifferent to sport. Thus, we thought a school that is unashamedly academic would be best for him. The head has recommended Winchester or Westminster. They both sound great, but our son is worried that Winchester is too connected to Oxford, and he is leaning towards Cambridge. As for Westminster, apparently they only have boarding throughout the week, which is an issue for us because I live and work on the continent.
Even though Eton is not as academic, a relative suggested looking into having our son sit for the King's Scholar test. I know it is very hard.
For anyone who knows, how is the lifestyle different for the scholars and commoners in these three schools?

[Ilovewhippets]

Bugaboo - first, she lives abroad so she needs a boarding school and second, at the moment in UK parents who can afford it or can get a bursary have the choice of private education - which she has chosen for her son.
Do you ask that question to every poster who asks for advice on private schools?

[colehawlins]

Well this cheered me up considerably. Thanks OP

[PCohle]

A ten year old "leaning towards Cambridge" is hilarious.

I think you need to worry a lot more about properly researching schools and a lot less about universities, at this stage.

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

"For anyone who knows, how is the lifestyle different for the scholars and commoners in these three schools?"

Is this a wind-up?

Completely off thread. But the blond thread is 2014, that means that statesmom junior should now be finishing at Westminster. Please update us statesmom. I loved that thread.

[sendsummer]

OP if you are needing a full boarding school because of being overseas I agree that at your DS’s age Westminster would not be suitable although it is the most academic.
There is preference for Oxford or Cambridge from either Winchester or Eton from what I hear also both schools have very academically inclined boys and get a very good percentage achieving the highest exam grades in sixth form. I would take your DS on a visit to both and take it from there as to the application. I would never advise overthinking the choice before there actually is a choice because of equal preference from visits and successful pretests

[sendsummer]

Also if you want to explore yourself the academic results look for the relevant information on each of the schools’ site, it will be the most accurate information.

[sendsummer]

There is -no- preference for Oxford or Cambridge.
Is it you or your DS who is concerned about this?

[GeorgeTheBleeder]

But apparently Westminster was recommended by the prep head - while in full possession of the fact of the OP living outside the UK ...

[PGWo]

We've visited a total of seven schools, including the three I mentioned.

[PGWo]

I was born and raised in Belgium, but am a British subject.

[AlaskanOilBaron]

I feel pretty certain you're too late across the board for any of these schools, although they probably have non-UK entry points that are more permissive.

The Kings Scholarship is supremely challenging, check out Maths B and General 1, 2 on their website.

As for your son's preference for Cambridge - do yourself a favour and never speak of this again.

[PGWo]

To clarify, I am not pressuring my son to go anywhere. He wants to go to Cambridge, which is why he is hesitant towards Winchester.
I'm not especially well-informed on the history of these schools, as I am an immigrant to the UK. So I'm just taking the master's word for everything.

[AlaskanOilBaron]

Are you considering Eton entry by way of your son sitting the scholarship without a confirmed place?

[AlaskanOilBaron]

To clarify, I am not pressuring my son to go anywhere. He wants to go to Cambridge, which is why he is hesitant towards Winchester.

But surely you can see that he wants to go to Cambridge because... you visited Cambridge?

[PGWo]

We're not late; I've talked to all the schools. He's not twelve yet; I was rounding up.

[shaddywaddy]

Has it occurred to him/you that he might not get into Cambridge?

[AlaskanOilBaron]

OK. I feel pretty certain that my son already had sat the Eton and Winchester exam by this time in year six, he certainly sat the Westminster exam in November of year 6, but perhaps things have changed.

Good luck anyway.

[Stopyourhavering64]

My Ds has a friend who is at Cambridge...and shock horror went to the local comp!

[AlaskanOilBaron]

Anyway, I think Eton would be a tough place if you have no interest in sport. Your son as you describe him sounds like a textbook Westminster or Winchester kid, the latter given your logistical constraints.

My oldest is at Westminster and they seem to have a shedload of overseas borders so I'm a bit confused about the previous comments about this not being suitable (but my son doesn't board so I couldn't really say). He's not sporty at all but has fallen into a musical crowd, they also read all the expected books e.g. Nausea/The Castle and sit around discussing these with their guitars and so on.

My youngest is a future Etonian and reads way less in favour of rugby, but is obsessed with maths and science.

[GeorgeTheBleeder]

OP as your son is at a prep school, why:

do you not mention any pre-tests taken at the appropriate time?

has your prep head suggested Westminster when it is clearly unsuitable?

Also, if you have visited the senior schools, why:

do you quote your child's misunderstanding of how the schools operate as fact? Your comment about Winchester is incorrect. Your comment about Eton is strange and irrelevant. Your apparent reliance on a child's perception of facts, and your question on the difference in lifestyle of scholars and others seems odd given that such matters could have been clarified on any school visit. Or, before that, during the briefest conversation with your prep head.

Of course it may be that your son has only lately joined the prep - too late for early discussion and pre-tests?

I don't feel able to offer help because nothing you have said so far corresponds to anything I know about the schools in question.

[PGWo]

I've told him many a time that even the brightest kids often get rejected from even less selective schools.

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

For old MNers - I did an advanced search on statesmom. She was back in 2017 asking where to buy the Eton uniform! I am beyond gobsmacked.

[PGWo]

Well good for them. We want to send our son to a boarding school, and he wants to attend one.

[PGWo]

I'm not stating it as fact. My son perceives Winchester as being connected to Oxford, and that makes him reluctant to go (although it is his favourite so far). My spouse and I don't think they're directly allocated.
He's started school in England late because English is his second language.
I've asked these questions in the schools, but I see nothing to lose by asking them here.

[Gingercat1223]

OP, if you have the time to follow the Oxbridge threads on the Higher Education section on MN you will see the quite harrowing journey parents of dc in the private education sector have been on this year. There is great Governmental pressure on Oxbridge & possibly now Durham to widen their intake of students, each year they have to prove to the Government how they have extended their reach across the UK. Offers are contextual which means they look at a range of factors before making an offer. In the next few years the private sector will turn more to the US for uni options. If you really want Cambridge a good state school is the straighter path to follow.