Choosing between Shiplake and Reading Blue coats - can I have your feedback please

[Roxy_Art]

I am choosing between Shiplake and Reading Blue Coats for my girl for the Y7 entry. Could you please provide your feedback/share your thoughts on school if your child goes to any of those schools? My girl loves English, reading, and science and is also sporty (martial arts and horseriding) and artistic (painting). I heard that Shiplake is not very academic, but I really liked the school. Any other suggestions on co-education independent schools around Marlow/Henley/Reading are welcome. Many thanks in advance!

I have a son at RBCS and so far we are very happy. Hot on discipline, strong academic focus, great sports and agree with the previous poster about a more inclusive culture. It's our preferred option for our daughter, yr 7 entry in 2024, as long as there's a large enough cohort of girls to create a true co-ed environment.

Thank you for your feedback! This is our option for our daughter as well, and I hope it will be around a 50:50 ratio of boys and girls in 2024.

I'm not sure 50:50 is likely in 2024 - at the open day last week the head teacher seemed to indicate that would take a couple of years yet. I was hoping 60:40 would be good! On the other hand by 2024 Years 7,8,12 and 13 will all be co-ed which should help the overall feel and new girls joining feeling less like an experiment!

Agreed - as long as single sex girls school exist, which will be for some time yet, then the chances of 50:50 in any coed school is unlikely. Realistically, most schools end up 60:40 at best - which is not at all noticeable.

The girl going to Harvard was also a UK Rower I think, she went on a rowing scholarship.

DD just started Y7 at Shiplake - having the best time. Jumps out of bed every morning and has thrown herself into all being offered - learning the violin (free music tuition for all Y7), started LAMDA lessons, drama club, art club, loads of sport including hockey fixtures, netball tour to Disneyland Paris at Easter, and other activities (archery and cooking in particular). Loads of girls (26 I think) and a good ratio of girls and boys. Has made lots of friends. Days are long so she can get tired but she's done homework by the time she gets home - bonus! No issues with the boys-only yrgroups above. Coed 6th form with Y13 buddy and the older girls have been great. Really friendly environment and real sense of community. Happy to answer any questions.

Recommend sir william borlase grammar (coed) in Marlow.
A big difference between Reading Blue Coats and Shiplake is the start and end times for the day.
I took my girl/boy twins to both Reading Blue Coats and Shiplake - my daughter found Reading Blue Coats too masculine. My son found Shiplake not sporty enough. I think both have issues with boy/girl ratio in 6th form mostly Shiplake.

Well yes if they pass the 11+ then William Borlese is fantastic and you need to be in the catchment…

Shiplake is very sporty..

It's interesting, as I would certainly both RBC and Shiplake are more sporty than SWB. Actually know of a fair amount of people looking to move from SWB due to facilities falling into disrepair (at least compared to the indies, anyway) but also because there isn't enough sport on offer: a football coach recently left for instance, they haven't been able to replace enough coaches and therefore there aren't many teams on offer.
Both Shiplake and RBC are less mixed in Sixth Form, for sure, but that's the (cuurrent, soon to be phased out) nature of boys schools which admit girls for Sixth Form. The girls will always be outnumbered.
As they're both moving to fully co-ed, it will be interesting to see how numbers adjust over time.
For sure, if you'r children are more academic, out of those three SWB and RBC are better. If they're sporty but not academic, Shiplake is the choice. If they're a mixture of academic and sporty, RBC makes sense.

(my apologies if the above is not true about SWB - it is simply what I have heard from friends of friends as I look at options for my children)

Yes not true about SWB - my son has been playing football there for years and I asked him about the coach - the current coach has been there for more than a year....but teachers move so I am not sure why that is OK.
SWBG is more about balance - they have a relatively new gym with associated facilities, they are building a new rowing building on the river, they use off site hockey facilities. Personally, I don't think you can compare a free government school to private schools usually. SWBG subscribes to a special programme for bright learning so do teach in a different way.

Any reason for not considering Reddam House Berkshire? Co-ed, great culture, no toxicity. Curious to know!

Considered a more academic school at the end. Reddam is a beautiful but very old building, and students told us it is very cold in winter because the windows are thin, and they often sit in their coats in class. May I ask what you meant by "toxicity" at other schools - just curious?

@Roxy_Art which school did you end up picking in the end? We are considering shiplake and RBC