Boarding school options

[user181216]

Looking for possible boarding options for dd’s sixth form in 2024.

Preferably state boarding as independent is too pricey - unless we can get a bursary - but I reckon that’s unlikely. Or Irish independent schools as I’ve heard they’re a bit less. She went on exchange to a Scottish boarding school and loved it. We are going to apply to UWC too.

We are expats and she has a british passport so would qualify for state education. Open to IB or A levels, and co-ed or all girls. Hopefully somewhere with an international feel so she doesn’t feel too out of place, with decent academic results.

I don’t really know anything about this kind of thing so any extra information welcome!

A lot of state boarding schools empty out at weekends and offer flexi/day boarding.

So are you living overseas and want DD to go to school in the UK?

V few schools do full boarding with weekend activities for long distance kids. Many shut down or are 90% empty at weekends which is not fun for those left behind.

State boarding is hard to find.

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Google is your friend here.

Both stare boarding - lots of friends have their children at Gordon's - all rate it highly. Lot of military children attend are there at weekends. The other school is also state and I hear very positive things from there. Both near Heathrow. Good luck with having a look.

RAAS is not particularly academic and has relatively few full boarders. Nearer LGW than Heathrow.

Peter Symonds in Winchester is state boarding sixth form college. It's boarding houses don't empty at the weekends as it is the catchment sixth form for the Falkland Islands.
Another plus is that it put performs the majority of private sixth forms.

Do look at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. Coed in the 6th Form. Keswick is another great option.

I’ve experience of both so please feel free to DM. Both have expat boarders

Impington International College near Cambridge - state school sixth form - not boarding, but long tradition of working with host families. They do IB.