comment on boy boarding school

beastiebistro

回覆 seabird6623 的帖子

I don't know you son's academic ability so I'm just going to give you my opinion based on a desire for traditional boarding experience. This has nothing to do with the schools' results or ranking (if that's more important for you, then you'll have to rearrange the order).

Of the list, I would say Uppingham gives the most authentic traditional boarding experience. I even still uses the house dining system which fosters a great house spirit and a lot of pastoral care is done during and immediately after the meals.

Abingdon, Whitgift have too few boarders to give an authentic boarding experience.
BC is a super selective academic hothouse with lots of HK/mainland students. students won't be able to enjoy the other aspects of boarding life at leisure.
Epsom/Caterham again filled with HK/mainland students and lowish boarding numbers meaning that your son would be facing lots of fellow Asians at night and over the weekends. Would you consider that authentic boarding?
Bromsgrove has a little higher number of boarders (about 50%) but again quite popular with HK/China students. The fact that it's been pushed a lot this year by agents in HK makes me wonder if there will be yet more HK/mainlanders.

If you are looking for an authentic boarding experience, you really only have one choice from this list. I don't know which year entry you are aiming for, if it's for 2022 and beyond, I would look further. I would ask about schools like Oundle, Rugby, Repton, Shrewsbury, etc.

c9chun

How about Radley?

beastiebistro

回覆 c9chun 的帖子

Radley is excellent It is one of the four famous remaining all boys all boarding school in the UK (Eton, Harrow, Winchester and Radley). Traditionally Eton wanted the all rounders, Winchester the intellectuals, Harrow and Radley the sportsmen but nowadays, they all produce all rounders with slightly different leanings. Radley used to have more "old money" type but they have "modernised" their mix a bit.

If you are looking for an authentic, traditional, full boarding school, Radley definitely should be a choice. The question usually is if you want all boys.

twhkleung

回覆 beastiebistro 的帖子

Could you give me any advice?
Our situation is that.
- boy
- academic is ok, but definitely not the top 10%, even not top 20% (overall). However, if just measure the STEM subjects, the result is quite good indeed.
- strong interest in STEM with very good academic result, and obtained internal/external awards each yr
- no talent in music nor sport
- apply for 6th form in 2021
- plan to select subjects in A-level - Math, Further Math, Physics, and Computing Sci

Our expectation
- authentic traditional boarding experience (but 2 years only. hence, we know cant expect too much)
- target to study in the top university (hope so) in EE, CS, or AI.
- truely English speaking environment (hope less non-English native speaking boarder)

Our finding
- good exam result schools normally have a lot of Chinese (especially, mainland Chinese students as they are good in examination usually)

Agent suggestions
- Abingdon
- Whitgift
- Dulwich
- Freeman
- Ley
- Norwich
- Caterham
- and many

We finally decide to try
- Dulwich
- Caterham
- Tonbridge (but this one seems very difficult)

After reading your post, and visit the respective schools' websites, I have interest in Radley. But just not sure if it is suitable and if my son can reach their required standard.

Could you give me some comments? Thanks a lot!!!

beastiebistro

回覆 twhkleung 的帖子

I'm more than happy to give you my opinion. See if you find it useful.

I think your general observation is correct. The schools with the best results are usually packed with Mainland or HK students. If you want an authentic traditional boarding experience, those are not for you. But it is a give and take process, they do pretty much ensure that your child will do quite well. (of course there are still students who fail at such institutes every year which nobody seems to talk about.)

For the agent suggestion list,
- Abingdon/Whitgift/Freeman/Dulwich even Caterham have too small a boarding population to give your child a proper boarding experience. Caterham also has a high HK/Chinese student population.
- Norwich if I'm not mistaken is basically a day school so you'd have to arrange for homestay. That is not boarding at all.


To be honest, I'm not sure your agent has taken into account your desire for an authentic boarding experience.

I think Tonbridge is definitely worth a try. Radley is good but does not focus on STEM subjects. If you are confident, you can try my son's school, Winchester college. These would definitely give him an authentic boarding school experience. I would also suggest you try Rugby school, my alma mater for an authentic, full boarding experience. Academically Rugby is more balanced across the board but STEM is not bad. Or maybe Charterhouse or Oundle.


I think whether a child gets into a top university ultimately depends on himself RATHER than the school he goes to but of the list, Winchester, Tonbridge probably gives him the best academic rigour for a top university
the other four (Radley, Rugby, Oundle and Charterhouse) are also good but perhaps just slightly less rigorous academically.

This is of course just my opinion. I hope it helps you a little. Feel free to discuss.