16+ entry Wellington College Berkshire

[OhLaDiDaDiDa]

Dd Y10 goes to a very good state school and it has brought out her more academic side. She is aiming for a clean sweep of eleven 9s at gcse )though might fall short in English lit and RE) and this is without any tutoring or help from me or my dh.

We did know that she is bright, but she didn’t want to push herself to attempt tests for our local super selective at 11 or 13 (Kendrick’s in Reading).

We have house moved and improved our financial position since dd started secondary and she fancies a change but the only place that really draws her attention is Wellington College. We can afford it. But I know it is so competitive and not sure if it’s really worth it and “full of toffs”?

Dd reads very seriously and obsessively - especially STEM and history - at age15 she is tackling books I wouldn’t have dreamed of until sixth form. She is debating medicine / biology / experimental psychology for a degree so A levels probably maths + further maths, biology and either chemistry or psychology depending on how she feels next term.

However Wellington College also offers IBacc (hope I spelled that right) alternative to A levels which is interesting her.

Any experience of 16+ entry to Wellington College - is it even worth attempting the CAT4? Do you suggest preparing for it if so? (Dd is extremely good at NVR tests so a few days prep would probably be enough?)

Would it be a “hard landing” for an otherwise ordinary and happy state girl school with dozens of friends to find herself at an indie like this in y12?

I know nothing about Wellington college but going to an independent school may disadvantage her for entry to some universities, which would be a bit of a shame as she’s clearly achieved well without the educational advantages they offer.

She clearly doesn’t need a selective independent school for academic stretch, as she knows how to provide that for herself. You have to decide whether she’d benefit from the other side of attending a boarding school: the wealth of extracurricular opportunities, smart social events etc. If she’d throw herself into those then go for it, if not then you will be paying for a lot of things she isn’t participating in. We did the opposite: moved one of our children from a very academic school where he got straight 9s to a large sixth form college. He needed to be somewhere that offered more independence. It’s been a real success.

@Genevieva Yeah the pity is that she really wanted to go to Farnborough 6th but sadly we are not in catchment (0.2miles outside a crow-flies catchment area that is very likely to kick in if it stays oversubscribed as it has been for the past few years (sooooo much house building + Hong Kong immigration is really high where we live + DD’s year is a bulge year for birth rate = absurdly high numbers of teens looking to do A levels!)

Her current school is fine, but she is literally on her own hunting down books to read and a bit bored of GCSEs tbh. She is such a happy-go-lucky girl and I don’t want to wreck that. It’s so hard to know what to do!

I was thinking Wellington would provide novelty and challenge - socially a bit out of her comfort zone, academically stronger peer group, excellent facilities and teaching, great support for university applications etc. She is ready to fly - not really tied or dependent on mum and dad any more.

I’m not really worried about whether it would damage her chances of going to a RG university. She will put the effort in to get where she wants to go, and if it doesn’t work out she’ll make the best of her second Or third choice

If you looking for boarding and not day pupil at Wellington College, check out Brighton College as their pupils are top performing or Westminster. Register for Open days.

Thank you @HawaiiWake my dd would be the type to enjoy boarding. Definitely worth considering. Dh probably would look at me like I’d lost my marbles if I suggested it though - think he’s more of a worrier than me!

How about state boarding - there are several in Surrey and about 20 throughout the country.