Questions related to independent schools

[bbright3n]

Hi everyone! This is my first thread in Mumsnet😝! I am a 17 years old girl from Hong Kong, please forgive my terrible English lol.
I have been suffering from depression and have taken a gap year. I wish to apply for an independent school in UK because I believe that HK's educational system did not suits me. The agency I am consulting gives me a list of schools that would consider my application:

1. Farlington School
2. Sherfield School
3. Royal High School Bath
4. The Mount School
5. Taunton School
6. Truro School
7. Prior Field School
8. New Hall School
9. King's Rochester

10. Burgess Hill School 11. Bruton School Girls She told me that among these schools, New Hall School will be ranked at first if academic results and pastoral care takes the most important part, followed by Royal High School Bath, then Farlington School and Truro School. Another UK independent school expert told me he will put Taunton School in the first place if the boarding ratio are taken as the most important part, followed by New Hall School. He also told me that Royal High School Bath is a good school if I don't care their boarding ratio. However, I have heard that New Hall School gives students a lot of pressure and students have to pray in the chapel if the teachers think they are naughty. May I know anything about these schools? Which school do you think is the best one? May I know if there are any other school that is good, accepts 17 years old pupil applying for lower sixth entry too? I am looking for a school that I could try different co-curricular activities and won't mind me challenge the knowledge they taught(idk if all UK schools accepts students challenging them but HK teachers will get angry if I do so ;( I don't want to go to school that only focuses on preparing for A Level exam (although it is important) but focuses on all-rounded development. Thank you sooooo much for spending time reading my terrible writing. I hope you won't mind giving me suggestions I am really confusing now TAT.

ps I have applied to King's Taunton, West Buckland School and Malvern St James and waiting for results.

You need to decide your priorities (single sex vs coed, high number of full boarders, academic, music, IB/A level, near airport etc) and where in the country you want to be (or have support). Tbh I'm not sure boarding is ideal if you have mh issues as it can be quite a harsh environment so maybe find friends who are already there or have past experience to share. The senior staff at PF were at another school my dc went to a few years' back and are great pastorally but it is a less academic school. Burgess Hill is a very odd choice for your list, students tend to be local and not boarders, definitely not in the league of Royal High Bath or some of the others.

HK students are often out of year but not all schools will accept it or have places for September now. Agents can be very helpful but really need to narrow it down according to your specific criteria.

The Mount is lovely, and the pastoral care is particularly excellent.

Thank you! Those schools said they will consider my application so I believe it will be ok? I want to do A level psychology and politics, but I'm ok with only psychology. I am ok with both single sex and coed and I am ok studying in any city, no matter it is close to airport or not(but I wish I could have a chance to see snow lol).

I see I see. Thank you soooo much!!

I know that the Stephen Perse in Cambridge has boarders from Hong Kong in their Sixth Form. They do A levels and the IB.
Maybe one to check out?

You are coming from a city and a lot of these schools are quite rural- west Buckland in particular.

Can you go some zoom tours?

Taunton school was great when I was there.

ohhhhhhh thank you! I will go and have a check!

I recently reviewed Priors Field and would highly recommend. Check out the reviews for this & most others you're considering in the good schools guide. Good luck!

I believe no :( It seems they don't have such 'service' I can only look at the school if they have a virtual tour(some photos that could turn 360°)but some of them don't have. It seems hard to find out a school with large campus in city. I believe both city and rural area are ok for me.

ohhhhh thank you!! It seems that so many people recommend prior field haha😂

Consider Millfield. Absolutely outstanding pastoral care, with the belief in “shaping the school around the child, where excellence in teaching and coaching comes together with the child at the centre. Our aim is that each individual will discover their own brilliance.”

www.millfieldschool.com

Yes, it is.

You do realise many of those you list are not in or near cities or even large towns? Truro in particularly is several hours by train from
Heathrow. You are likely to need to take at least 3 A levels especially if you hope to go on to a UK university.

Thank you!!! I will take a look!

I do realize that, but I am ok with that. I don't think I'll go back to HK for so many times so that would be fine for me.
One of the reasons I wish to study in UK is it seems to have a higher chance studying in UK universities.

I would not assume you have any "better" chance and you are still assessed as an overseas student. Even full boarding schools have exeat weekends, 3 holiday periods and 3 half term breaks where you either go home or to a UK guardian.

Badminton School in Bristol might be worth a look.

I know about that
I will go to a guardian's home because the quarantine for those going back to HK from UK is too long :(

😱it seems to be a really high ranking school. Thank you for thinking highly of me haha

Hereford Cathedral School takes sixth form boarders and has a decent number of Chinese and HK students (and has taken students who are late starters/re-starters in sixth form). Very beautiful, very rural, part of Britain. A friend's children are there and she speaks highly of it.

Haileybury might suit you in that it's not far from London. They have a great IB programme, lots of extra curricular activities.

Have friends whose children are at New Hall. It does have a good reputation and I’ve been there and the facilities are excellent. However it is a catholic school, with mass, chapel attendance and prayers etc a big part of school life, so if you aren’t keen on that I would say it is not the school for you.

Have you looked at Felsted? They have international boarders.

Woldingham might be another option. Location is leafy but not isolated.

Honestly, there are some great schools but if you've had a tough year, I'm really not sure that coming to a new country into a boarding school and a different school system is going to be the right thing.

Also, when did you turn 17? The pupils in the school year above you (ie the current Y12s) were born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005. For the ones starting sixth form in September and whose year you will be in, 30% of them are still 15 and the rest are 16 - they will have dates of birth between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006. You're likely to be quite a bit older than them which could make settling in harder.

This probably sounds negative which isn't the aim per se. Good luck if this is what you decide to do.