Sixth form - Boarding - Hong Kong - urgent :(

[marlowrose]

For two DDs, we are looking for Boarding school Sixth Form. Would be very happy if there was a large Chinese or Hong Kong contingent, so they feel at home. Both predicted A*s for A levels, but also need some neurodiverse support (dyspraxia). No preference for co-ed or not, private or not, or the location. Ideally this is for urgent entry this September, should you know of any places still admitting, but it would be possible for us to defer for a year. Any ideas please.

The thing is there are so many private boarding schools I could name! Which ones have you tried?

I think your first port of call is which ones have spaces for September in the relevant years.
You will need a Private school I imagine, do you have a preference for location? I know a good one in Yorkshire that always used to have a high proportion of Chinese Students

Durham School. They've a lot of Asian students who board. No idea about if it's suitable though.

Try looking/Googling for a Private School Consultant to help you with finding places.

You may have to pay a fee.

read the GoodSchoolsGuide (you subscribe for £10 or so). it lists all the possible schools and reviews them.

Thank you. Here is a list we have so far but these are friends-of-friends ideas, nothing concrete & we are feeling rather overwhelmed by it.

Gresham’s, Norfolk
Roedean
Malvern
Cheltenham Ladies College
The Leys School, Cambridge
Whitgift
Westminster School

I'd draw up a list of requirements..
Big Asian contingent
Academic
Excellent SEN or pastoral support.

Then... Single sex or Co Ed, rural or urban, proximity to airport for travel.
What other things do your girls like? Sport, music, drama..
Close to other family?
Nurturing or are they robust..

Once you have a list go to the good schools guide or better still an education consultant.. I think the good schools guide does have a consultancy.

Those are mostly very well known schools, would be surprised if they had spaces for September (but no harm in giving them a ring).

Good advice above is to get the Good School Guide and a consultant.

Any geographical preference at all? Family over here, airports, etc?

The Wychwood School in Oxford is very small, but ticks all those boxes. It's single sex, maybe half of the boarders are Chinese/from Hong Kong, good SEN. Probably have space, certainly for boarders.

If you want them in for September that will restrict your options.
Out of left field but Ryde School on the Isle of Wight has a significant Chinese population and are likely to be able to accommodate late entry. They are a non selective school but plenty get top grades there and the pastoral care is very good. They also offer the IB and IBCP.
The sixth form boarding facilities are new I believe.

Whitgift is all boys so that’s one off the list….

Thank you very much

This is definitely a situation where I would get an educational consultant in.

If you're only looking at sixth form, then it might be worth looking at some of the private sixth form colleges, not just 11-18/13-18 schools. I suspect they're more likely to have spaces, and certainly the one I worked in had a very large Chinese contingent.

Hurtwood House would meet your criteria - only 6th form so everyone is new, large Chinese cohort. However it is the most expensive school in the country (£15k per term)

My friends daughter was at Wells and there were lots of Chinese students.

Dauntseys in Wiltshire

Fetters College Edinburgh

Concord - v popular with East Asian parents, v academic, not sure about SEN

I think you will struggle now to get places at the big name schools that you've listed. Are they both going into y13?

Do you want a relatively easy airport journey too?

I'd highly recommend Wychwood in Oxford - they may well have space for Sept too if you act fast.

West Buckland School in Devon

Years ago my family used the educational consultant Gabbitas gabbitas.com/school-search/#!/sixthform

they may be able to advise properly on what schools would suit your girls?

Try Ruth Benny at Top Schools, she places loads of Hong Kong kids and can help with options and where there are slots. www.topschools.asia/admissions