State Boarding School

[SarahM1980now]

Hi, I'm considering below boarding schools for my child, any suggestion?

• Dallam School, Cumbria
• Sexey’s School, Bruton
• Thomas Adams School, Wem

Following..

Can you demonstrate a 'need for Boarding' which is required for a state boarding school?

Are you armed forces, crown servants, both parents work long /shift hours etc.

Lancaster Royal Grammar School is a state boarding school and is in my opinion an excellent school. The provision during Covid was second to none. However it is not Co-Ed so may not be suitable for your DC.

@Hersetta427 why do they need to demonstrate a need, I've not heard about that before.

@Mumski45

Lancaster Royal Grammar School is a state boarding school and is in my opinion an excellent school. The provision during Covid was second to none. However it is not Co-Ed so may not be suitable for your DC.

@Hersetta427 why do they need to demonstrate a need, I've not heard about that before.

Its on all the admissions criteria for boarding at state boarding schools. Its not just for people who want to board and get that 'on the cheap' compared to private boarding schools. You have to demonstrate that there is a need for boarding.

We have one in our town which is highly sought after and one family we know got a boarding place as both parents are doctors whereas one didn't as although the dad was a high flying lawyer, the Mum was a stay at home parent so they failed the 'need to board' test.

Re boarding need it defines this in the admissions policy.. for us this would be too far from the school to be a day pupil which is the first example on the list... Some children come from Dubai etc..

As far as I am aware there is no such requirement at my Sons's school. I think priority may be given to those with a need but I didn't think it was compulsory to have a "need"

We've got a state boarding school near us, and although priority is given to those with a boarding need, there is no requirement to have a boarding need. AFAIK the majority of pupils are just those who want to board, not those who need to.

I have former colleagues with stay at home wives who children use state boarding school. It doesn't disqualify you (at least not everywhere)

I will be sending my children to Dallam, non boarding as we live close. I have heard nothing but excellent things.

I’m not sure you have to demonstrate ‘need’ either. And if you do I’m not sure how 2 dr parents qualified.
Sexeys in Bruton has a dreadful ofsted. As far as I’m aware it’s a ‘minor’ safeguarding issue and is still a very popular and well regarded school locally.
Have you considered Beechen Cliff in Bath? It only has a small number of boarding places, but it’s an excellent school (it’s an old grammar which has retained its grammar like feel- it’s known as an ‘academic’ comp and keeps the reputation up by with holding some places for allocation on academic merit and through boarding.

I have personal knowledge of one of these schools (DC a day pupil) so message me if I can be of help.

You need to consider weekends. So schools popular with forces children, ard more likely to have others there unless they are weekly boarding, but given the geographical locations, they are not close together. You may find Dallam has lots of weekly boarders because they are more rural so children save going home each night in the week.

This thread is probably now long dead, but I don't think the need for boarding question is a big deal. We prepared a lengthy explanation and it was not even asked about on interview. I think it is a standard requirement they ask for in the event that the boarding provision is over-subscribed, but it rarely is, unless you're targeting a Gordon's or Hockerill.