Any recommendations on some 16+ coed boarding schools?

[Corgi1234]

Hello all,
My DD is planning on changing into a new school to start her sixth form because she absolutely hated her current school. Unfortunately I am not able to attend open days and neither can my DD as she is an international student and we don't live in the UK, so it would be very helpful to hear some opinions and recommendations from other parents who has their kids in these schools.
DD and I have found a few schools that we quite liked:
Westminster
Brighton
Wellington
Oundle
Epsom
City of London Freemen's
Charterhouse

DD is academically decent but she doesn't really excel in anything else. She is also quite active and plans on doing Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths for her A Levels, so she's kinda a STEM kid. She will also be a full boarder.

Moreover, Oundle and Wellington require DD to complete a UKiset examination since her first language isn't English. So im not quite sure whether that is worth it.

Thank you so much in advance

Ours loved Wellington, despite joining late. Great fun, lots of encouragement for individuality, good academics but not sole focus. Not snobby at all. The IB at Wellington suited ours.

Would you be able to indicate if her current school is single sex or mixed and where in the U.K. she is currently based and spends her half terms etc.

What has attracted you to Westminster as it's very difficult to get into, ie is she a confident out going dd who would be fine being in the minority as a boarder and not day pupil?

CLFs, Westminster and Brighton are highly academic. Charterhouse is not yet fully coed.

@LemonRoses That's wonderful news to hear about Wellington . Do you mind telling me what year did your kids join Wellington (just for reference)? And also why does charterhouse put you off? Is the head of sixth really terrible?

@Skatingpark97

Would you be able to indicate if her current school is single sex or mixed and where in the U.K. she is currently based and spends her half terms etc.

What has attracted you to Westminster as it's very difficult to get into, ie is she a confident out going dd who would be fine being in the minority as a boarder and not day pupil?

DD is currently studying in Queen Ethelburga's near York. It's a coed school and she spends her half terms in either derby or portsmouth but she would like to go to a school near london.

DD and I are attracted to Westminster because of the geographical location and also of the impressive A level results. Unfortunately, DD is a rather weird and shy child and is very unconfident so I would say the chances of her getting into westminster are slim

Oakham?

Hurtwood house?

Have you though of other places in the country. State boarding...Ripon Grammar. Cost is just the boarding fees, as education is LA provided.

Www.Ripon grammar.co.uk.

@blossomgates no sorry. I don't think DD can apply to state schools since she is not UK resident and she doesn't have a UK passport.

I would consider getting some external help from an agent who can meet your dd and understand what she wants from a school that she isn't getting from her current school - probably a new set of friends etc.
It's tough going into a 6th form at a school like Epsom where some of the girls have been together since they were aged 11 and so many of the dc are day students.
6th form isn't have long if you take into account the last term being just exams.

Have a look at King's Canterbury

Bradfield College?

What does your dd hate about QE (I have been considering it for one of my DDs)?

Brighton College sixth form gets rave reviews from everyone I know whose kids are there. However it would be a case of whether the academics were the right fit. If Brighton is a bit much then she certainly won’t get into Westminster though, in which case Bradfield or St Edward’s Oxford could be perfect.

I also came on to say Oakham. Not a million miles from London. Amazing facilities. Very nurturing school. Believe they have quite a large intake into 6th form now.

@pyjamarama

Living fairly locally, I would 'google' QE for more information via the news. I know there are issues posting about QE on here.

Canford in Dorset?

Eastbourne College!

Lord Wandsworth College? Not to far from a Wellington.

just talked to my DD and she said that she would like to join a more academically selective sixth form. Moreover, she would also like to go to a school with less international boarders as there are more than 50% of international boarders in QE

I'm not a salesperson for Welly - but they don't have a large number of international borders. Some, but not the majority and individuals rather than a large cohort from one country.

@Corgi1234

just talked to my DD and she said that she would like to join a more academically selective sixth form. Moreover, she would also like to go to a school with less international boarders as there are more than 50% of international boarders in QE

That is actually what I was thinking about the schools you listed earlier. Westminster and Brighton College are definitely the strongest academically. There is still a big difference among the rest.

I assume that she is in Year 10. And most schools have their application closed in Oct/Nov. Her predicted GCSE grades will be important, especially for schools that do not have entrance exams.

Also, there are some nice schools in areas like Oxford/Cambridge, which are either co-ed or boys' school taking girls at the sixth form.

Just remembered Winchester is going co-ed. Very strong academically so might be an option.