Bradfield College

10 replies

JMLH · 20/12/2020 06:15

DC has been offered a place for 2022 Y9. Just want to hear any comment on the school. DC is an enthusiastic kid but need a more than little push on academics.

OP posts:

shiningmyshoes · 04/01/2021 18:51

Also keen to hear any views on Bradfield. What's its rep these days?

We've heard it's 'on the up' academically - does this mean on a par with Teddies or Wellington, but a bit below Charterhouse?

flourandeggs · 04/01/2021 19:34

I have friends with children at Bradfield who rave about it - kids all seem happy all rounders who love their school. We sat next to about 30 of them on a plane on the way back from a trip abroad and they were beautifully behaved. I think there is quite a lot of the London party lifestyle for older years if they like that sort of thing - a few of the made in Chelsea cast are Alumini.

Nettleskeins · 05/01/2021 00:35

A friend's son enjoyed four years there from year 10. Now studying academic.sciency subject.at.Bath.
I think it gets progressively more difficult to get in the older you are, so easiest in year 9. Dd didnt get a place when she tried for sixth form although my.friends son assured me she was cleverer than some of his classmates!
He had a great time there.

Nettleskeins · 05/01/2021 00:42

Friend's.son always v busy with.school work. Lots of sport too.
He regretted the Ebacc though, there was too much of a push in that, perhaps reflecting international contingent?? So possibly too much academic.pressure for the highfliers, which.can sometimes backfire for diffident types, whilst motivating the v competitive..

Beachcomber74 · 05/01/2021 08:35

The Times produces a league table of results in Parent Power so if they do Ebacc have a look at GCSE results and make sure you compare like for like and don’t get carried away by their headline results.

Nettleskeins · 05/01/2021 14:18

Results are not that representative of a school within a certain range. An individual is as likely to get 3 As from Bradfield as from Eton. It isn't the teaching or the resources which make the difference in results it is the selection of the cohort..which is self perpetuating.
League tables are really misleading near the middle to top end. Your child gets the results not the school!!!

Shimy · 06/01/2021 18:13

@Nettleskeins

Results are not that representative of a school within a certain range. An individual is as likely to get 3 As from Bradfield as from Eton. It isn't the teaching or the resources which make the difference in results it is the selection of the cohort..which is self perpetuating. League tables are really misleading near the middle to top end. Your child gets the results not the school!!!

THIS 100%.

fanfare111 · 10/05/2021 11:31

lots of good sense in the replies here - also, have you found talkeducation.com ? We've used it and found it really useful - independent reviews, all up to date, easy to search and compare. They like Bradfield, i think.

Coffeealways · 17/05/2021 11:30

I have a niece in Bradfield. She likes it. I didn’t like it much when I visited as found that different buildings are not in a gated school, but are actually part of the Bradfield village so not as secure as I would have expected of a boarding school.

oystercatcher44 · 17/05/2021 11:45

Very much weekly rather than full boarding. Empties out at the weekends. That suits some but not others.

not as secure as I would have expected of a boarding school

I think that the majority of boys and coed boarding schools are scattered around villages and towns rather than occupying a closed campus. Students love that - especially as they get older- as it means they can go into town in their free time as students at day schools would. There are lots of systems in place to keep tabs on younger students.

Flip