6th form boarding DD

[m123m]

DD is currently at millfield y10 but struggled a bit with friendships so is potentially moving for 6th form.

Spoke to an agent for some recommendations

DD is relatively sporty (enjoys mostly football/netball) but also academic. Is happy to speak to anyone but can be overly nice towards children who don't reciprocate.

We are mostly international but have family in North London so weekly boarding is always an option.

We have been recommended ;
Haileybury, Oakham, Bradfield, st joes Ipswich + others she has thought of teddies/hurtwood house

All very different schools but not sure yet, Millfield is really good with facilities/opportunity but hasn't felt so great for friends + is very diverse (good amount of POC/international students)

Any advice?

Make sure you find a school that has a large intake at 6th form so she is joining as part of a new cohort and not as a just a handful of dd trying to fit in with those who have been together for many years.

Uppingham school is co-Ed and admits 30-35 girls into sixth form every year ( in addition to those who have been there from fourth form so if your DD went there she would not be one of a few new girls . Very good sport, art and drama . Uppingham is a full boarding school so no danger of the houses emptying at the weekends . Might be worth a look

Queenswood in Hertfordshire.

Look at Queenswood in south Hertfordshire. Lots go from North London. Sporty school with plenty going on. It’s a girls’ school but has quite a few join for 6th form. In many schools it can be difficult to fit in. My DD1 went there and it’s handy for London as they are more independent in the 6th form. It is weekly boarding - more or less. Girls can stay in if they wish. They key to making friends is joining in. Don’t just study in your room. Queenswood is better than Haileybury for girls. In my opinion. Do have a look at it.

DD2 changed school for 6th form (subjects offered) and was one of a handful who joined. A few might be wedded to their friends but most are happy to take new girls into their friendship groups.

If she looks round a new school, judge how she’s viewed. I remember DD being given a very obvious “look over” by girls at St Edwards. Ditto at Stowe. Bradfield seemed chaotic to us. Head very late to address prospective parents and they were very disorganised about DD applying for a dance scholarship. I would hope they have improved. They have produced Made in Chelsea alumni though. Oakham is remote. My DDs liked being within reach of London.

Great minds @TizerorFizz !

@Tartanshores

When we looked at Uppingham all the new 6th form girls were put in an old house together. It was them and us right from the start. My DD wasn’t keen. We knew a couple of girls there and they found some 6th form boys rather judgemental about new girls. Unflattering nicknames and scores out of 10 etc. I’m never entirely sure co Ed makes sense at times.

@Twilightstarbright
It is the obvious choice! Much better than some of the others mentioned by OP.

Sounds good!
Any info on how uppingham is with overseas students / money (e.g children who prioritise that)

Tizerorfizz
I can only speak as a parent of DC who went to Uppingham ( don’t think your DD chose it in the end?)
My DC were very happy there .
And, of course, different schools suit different children. Some are very happy at co-Ed , others at single sex , horses for courses and all that.
My neices went to well known single sex schools - comments were made there about appearance etc It is not restricted to co-Ed schools.
Comments etc by pupils about other pupils are not restricted to boys about girls, girls about girls, boys about boys or girls about boys.
I would suggest asking schools ( and pupils ) how these incidents are handled - their answers may help you decide whether you want to continue considering them as a school for your child

Marlborough has a big intake of girls at 6th form and because they have mixed houses that are boys houses that take girls in the 6th form, they tend to integrate well. They definitely offer netball but not sure about football.

If you don’t mind a vibrant, largely international 6th form boarding house, then have a look at Bromsgrove. It’s a sporty school with amazing netball and 2 girls’ football teams. Half the pupils are local day students and half are boarders, mainly international. They have a big intake in 6th form who mainly go directly into the dedicated 6th form house. They have no exeats which suits international families well.

I would also look at Repton which is also a sporty school but smaller and I don’t think they have a big 6th form intake but I may be wrong.

@Tartanshores
No. DD didn’t go to Uppingham. I don’t know if your DC were there from 13, but we were appalled at the house for new 6th form girls. Hopefully it’s been refurbished but DD didn’t want to be a separate newbie in the shit house. . Yes, girls can be judgemental of other girls but DD didn’t fancy being ranked out of 10 by boys. Or being called names. There was a culture problem there and hopefully it’s not like that now.

I’m not derailing this thread - as I say, I can only speak as a parent of DC there. All very happy. I cannot comment on hearsay .
It is good your DD found / chose a school where she was happy ( I assume this was a few years ago now?) .
That is all we , as parents/ guardians want, for our children to be happy at their school.
Thankfully there are many schools , with different strengths to cater for the many different individuals who want/ need to be educated - single sex/ co-Ed, musical , sporty , arty , all rounders , academic etc - there is a school out there for them and hopefully they find the one that is the best fit for them .
OP - will not continue posting as don’t want to derail your thread , but Good Luck with your search, and may your DD be happy where she chooses to go .

Thank you xx
will look further into uppingham

@Tartanshores
Not hearsay. DD1 had female friends there who joined for 6th form and met others at university. It had a fairly well documented problem with some boys. We didn’t like the “them and us” boarding and decided it didn’t work. I would like to think it’s now changed bug it didn’t feel welcoming.

Also came to recommend Bromsgrove.

Wells Cathedral School?