Finding an top sports boarding school (especially football)

[jharringford]

My DS is a very sporty boy (especially in football, not rugby) and also quite bright and hard-working. The fact is that we want a top boarding school with a good football program and also high academic standard.
We are thinking about Harrow or Winchester.

Apart from Millfield do you have any recomendations?

Thank you

You need a largish boys school with a variety of sports. Eton boys play football. The bigger the school, the more sport options.

Are you pushing for football in case he wants a career in it? Or just because he enjoys it?
If it's for the career route he needs to be accepted into an academy ideally.
I think you'll find the "best" boarding school push rugby

Can't believe I am joining in this thread. My interest is in football rather than the exclusivity of the school but Brentwood is an independent which does lots of football. Don't know if one can board there.

The Redknapps and the Lampards went there, should they be to your standards ;)

Dulwich might be worth a look - Several football players/managers sons there

Shrewsbury and Repton are both boarding schools that are. strong at football especially Repton (although obviously not at football academy level). Repton won the ESFA cup last year. They have a more mixed cohort at entry and their results reflect this but from what I hear they provide what is needed academically for their more academic students.

BogglesGoggles Oakham doesn't seam to have a very good football program

Ardingly results are bright?

And does anyone know how is Millfield academically?

Hi OP, you mentioned that your DS's fellow pupils go on to schools including Stowe? Your DS could go into top sets there and get his football, by the sound of the article below?
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/04/28/stowe-school-asks-premiership-football-scouts-help-find-privileged/

LIZS But I think that for football is not the best choice

Motorcyclemptiness thanks for the advice

SPS would certainly meet your criteria for a top academic school and it has boarding although not the traditional model but could suit depending on your location. Although I suspect your DS would need to be more than”quite bright” to get in there.

So we are between:
Millfield
Ardingly
Charterhouse
Bradfield
Repton
Brentwood
Epsom

which one would you chose

For academics with recreational football then Eton. For football and prestigious boarding Charterhouse. For high level sport coaching and decent academics then

And for the previous poster who said that Whitgift weren’t that great at sport, I think about 5 of their students are currently in England U18, U21 or England hockey teams.

Millfield is weird academically- some v bright on big scholarships, some v sporty on big scholarships, some v rich...

One guy I know was offered 2 sports scholarships and an academic scholarship to Millfield and turned it down (Rugby - now plays for Scotland) after visiting because not academic enough but equally I know a vet or two who went to Millfield no issues - perhaps science is better than humanities at A-levels.

Facilities are amazing but would say that child would need to be right personality to get on, some I know thrived, some left after a term despite big scholarships.

Brentwood kids seemed to do well academically as far as I know - decent numbers from my (small) sport ended up at Cambridge.

Not sure if Brentwood are that amazing at football, other schools that are similarly predominantly day schools are doing better in national competitions.
Assuming you need full boarding? Could you visit Millfield, Repton and Charterhouse? They are very different schools and it may be a much clearer choice from your visit.

Repton is a very 'down to earth' all-round school. Well worth a look.

Be aware that many many boys your sons age will already be playing academy football. At our prep (known for their football programme), ALL of the A team train with professional clubs and have been since the age of 7.

As a result you should check not only does the school have a great football programme but also do they have several teams. It’s all very well having a great reputation for football but if there’s only one team at each age group then your son might not be good enough to make it.

One of the schools mentioned in an earlier list (which isn’t on your list) has an amazing reputation for sport. The reality there though is that if you’re not A team material then opportunities for you to play are slim to none.

Most boarding schools will play rugby in the winter term, hockey in the spring term and cricket in the summer term. Football is an extra activity. You could send your son to one of the top schools but they won’t arrange the fixtures at the same level that they will for one of the main sports.

DS attended a prep school where there was a stunningly brilliant football player. He (the other boy) is now at the local comp where he can finish school at 4pm and train after school and at the weekends. He is currently signed up for a premier league junior team. Don’t forget the impact that Saturday school has on the weekend.

Until recently send, Brentwood had an amazing reputation for football : you can't just go on this season! They did used to do two terms of football, although DH says they have dropped this back to one now. Not sure why. Possibly to seem more elite.

I know nothing about football and have zero interest but if I was in your position unless my DS was extraordinarily talented and I gather from comments on here already in some kind of academy I would not be choosing a school just because of football.
There are so many as important or IMO more important factors to consider:

1. Do you want full boarding or weekly? If you want full boarding then that knocks out quite a few of those you’ve listed.
2. Where do you live? If you’re international then I guess it doesn’t really matter but if you’re in the UK then I would strongly suggest that the max distance between you and the school is 1 1/2 hours ideally less (I’m talking from personal experience). If your looking at weekly boarding I personally would want that to be under an hours one way unless you own a helicopter, list driving on your CV as your number 1 passion and in life have nothing else to do all day or by a miracle have found a school with an effortless commute.
3. The general ethos feeling of the school. Although over the last 10-15 years schools have become increasingly homogenised all their websites now read the same but there are smaller differences that can make make or break how you and your DS feel about the school. Do you want struct with lots of rules versus liberal, ridiculous outdated uniform versus laid back and fairly scruffy, all will claim to have excellent pastoral care but some may have a man up culture others will be more gentle, you say “top” boarding school what do you mean by this? Big name or top results? Coed or SS? Rural or town based? Lots of meaningless ritual? Do you like the general atmosphere at the school, does it feel right for your DS and you (not anyone else). Years ago I was with a group of parents visiting a very well known school, we all had the same tour listened to the same talks ate the same biscuits at the end 2 couldn’t wait to fill in the registration form 2 of us wouldn’t have sent the dog there and two were ambivalent. Ditto Winchester I know parents who’ve gone to there open day and didn’t like it.

When you visit the school do ask very specific questions about football. I’ve know idea what you should ask because as I’ve said I don’t anything about football but I used to ride seriously if I was looking for a school with horse riding (which many schools now offer) I would be asking about the trainers, the amount of times your DS can train and compete the level of those he would be training with where and who they are currently competing with and how successful are they, how often do outside trainers come in and who are they? Do they have a track record of success, every school will have a year where by fluke they produce an excellent team be it rowing rugby or football but if your looking for excellence is it consistent year in year out? Also is it just the A team or the first team or whatever you call them who get a lot thrown at them; professional coaches an elite sports programme physio sports psychologist dietetic advise etc or all enthusiastic good players, and if it’s only the top team how hard is it to get into? Finally talk to your prep school head you are paying your fees for his advise he should hopefully have some idea as to which school would suit your DS.

I was just thinking the same as happygardning. A few very good options there so perhaps it'd be easier to narrow it down by thinking coed or single sex, location etc.

Thank you all, Any consderation about Epson?

Epsom is very rugby focussed