nurturing co-ed boarding schools for a year 7

[hellofuture]

Hi wise mums,

My son is currently 10 and hoping to send him to UK next year for 11+. Pls share some names of nurturing co-ed boarding schools for a year 7. My son isn't the strongest in academic but very friendly and all rounded. Happy to hear all kinds of recommendations. Thank you to everyone to pass by to drop a line!

Prefer either 'through school' or a co-edu senior school (smaller class size preferred)

Hello- one oddity that you may not be aware of is that a lot of the coed secondary boarding schools only start in Year 9. There are some prep schools (Year 8 and below) that offer boarding but they're less common. and increasingly its "Flexi boarding" where children stay a couple of nights a week. The girls's only schools do often start in Year 7 but that doesn't help in this situation. There are a few coed boarding schools that start in Year 7 - Sevenoaks and Charterhouse off the top of my head- hopefully others will be along to advise further. My experience limited to South West - Bryanston might be an option although I can't comment on how many stay at weekends. Canford or Marlborough are others that aren't super academic but rigorous enough (in my opinion, anyway) and offer a good all round experience. If he's very sporty, Millfield might be an option.

The other thing to consider is that if you're sending him from overseas you want a school with a pretty big international contingent or that is a genuine "full boarding" school. You don't want a school that empties out at weekends, as many of them do, although I do have friends whose children board at a school like that and they enjoy the quiet Sunday to catch up with homework and recharge, so possibly depends on the child- but at least choose one that has Saturday school and pm matches so that it is just Sunday that things are quiet.

Also, not quite sure how to put this, but I'm coming from the perspective of having lived in HK for some years. If you are also from that part of the world, your assessment of "not the strongest academically" might be quite different to how they'd be assessed in the UK- i.e some of my HK friends consider 120-125 in UK standardised testing like ISEB "not very academic" whereas in UK that would be considered pretty strong and give you a lot of options.

HTH

Kings wood bath
Bloxham oxon
Cheltenham college
Dean close
Marlborough

Marlborough isn’t easy to get into. Far more fashionable than the others. Why not go to a boarding prep and then co Ed senior school? You would have a lot more choice of senior school.

Marlborough isn’t easy to get into.

Yes I know- DS just got waitlisted . Reason I mentioned it is that it's very popular with expat parents because of the full boarding structure and I think OP intends to continue to live overseas.

What are the boarding preps that are genuine full boarding in years 7&8? Not my area of expertise as my DC are at day school but would be helpful for the OP.

What are the boarding preps that are genuine full boarding in years 7&8? Not my area of expertise as my DC are at day school but would be helpful for the OP.

I'd look at Papplewick, Sunningdale, Ludgrove, Cothill House, Summerfileds,

Look at feeder schools for the ones you like that start a Year 9. E.g. Canford has a reputation for being nurturing www.canford.com/prospective-parents/admissions/feeder-schools

Add Caldicott to that list. Also Swanbourne House near Aylesbury and Winchester House in Brackley. Obviously check if suitable for overseas parents. However they prep for senior schools such as Stowe and Rugby and Caldicott preps for the big names. It’s better than having a limited choice at 11 for a DS. Most senior schools admit at 13.

The OP originally started this thread below and a poster suggested she worked back from secondary options. She is moving to the UK for years 7 and 8 to be with her ds.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/4507601-holmewood-house-windleshan-house-dean-close

So any decent prep would do the job.

Marlborough may not seem academic because they also love the drama students and the music students who may not be so focused on pure academics. However, it certainly supports the academic students brilliantly. I know a number of their students who went to Oxbridge or are bow excelling at PhDs in places like Harvard or MIT. The fight to get in however is fierce. Also whilst it’s an amazing school but I wouldn’t call it nurturing. You have to be a self starter to survive there.

I would suggest looking at Bromsgrove which has all through boarding from year 7 (although mainly international students). It’s an incredibly nurturing school and takes a very broad intake and does the best for all the DCs no matter what their level. Also look at Repton which is smaller and more traditional boarding school than Bromsgrove. It takes DC from 13 but has a separate boarding feeder prep on a site nearby.

Can you say which area you want him in in the U.K.?

Look at Lucton it’s got lots of strings to it’s bow, Brendon too . Bromsgrove is academic with great facilities . Malvern college worth a look too

Wycliffe in Gloucestershire sounds like it would be a really good fit.

(Completely biased as DS goes to Wycliffe and is begging to flexi-board) We live half a mile away though, so I don't think he'll get more than the odd sleepover!

His friend boards though (Yr 7) the parents are overseas.

Isn’t Malvern College 13-18? He would need a feeder prep.

Squishmael You are very close to me! We live in a road with 2 Wycliffe boarding houses in it.

Land0r Ooh that is very close! We are just down the road from the Prep.

Do you know where you want him to go at 13? With the exception of a very small handful of schools, competition for boarding places is not particularly intense if you have a reasonably intelligent, reasonably well behaved child and you can pay. So if he is registered for a school or if you have a school in mind I would ask them for advice on a suitable prep - ideally one from which a lot of children would go on to the secondary so he would have continuity in friendships. Many secondaries have their own linked junior schools
eg Bilton Grange for Rugby, St Mary’s for Stonyhurst, Junior King’s for King’s Canterbury,

If you are undecided on a secondary you should send him to a school that prepares for a range of secondaries and can advise you on the best fit for him. In your circumstances you really want a school with a good contingent of overseas boarders who will be in at the weekends. Windlesham House would be a good bet - many overseas boarders, not academically selective, nurturing and sends to a wide range of schools. Wellesley House is also lovely.

If you have relatives in UK and you plan on you may also want to factor in geography

Sunningdale is small and very nurturing. A good number of boys join in Year 7 to experience boarding before moving to secondary school in Year 9.

@hellofuture you could look at schools that are popular with Diplomatic and Armed Forces families, because that is a fairly good indicator of having a decent number of boarders at weekend. For all-rounders the co-ed all-through schools with lots of Forces children and a reputation for being nurturing would include
Dean Close in Cheltenham,
Taunton School in Somerset,
Clayesmore in Dorset,
Barnard Castle in the North East
Blundell’s in Devon
Monkton Combe near Bath.

I should add I don’t have first hand knowledge of any of these schools but while none of them are household names or academic hothouses, they all have pretty decent reputations and should bring out the best in your DS, who sounds delightful by the way. Good luck in making your choice!

Our large family has moved several times (Europe, Asia, uk), not Armed Forces. I used the consultant service at The Good School Guide, it was less expensive than other school consultants and very personal. The consultants made my search more focused, and ultimately I think provided good support. I have a SEN child & a gifted so my search complicated. For Asia they booked all the appointments for me, in UK was more filtering out unsuitable etc. They have parent feedback which is helpful. Good luck.

Boundary Oak in Hampshire?

Packwood Haugh in Shropshire has a good number of full boarders.

King's Ely in Ely, Cambridgeshire