11 Plus Exams Forum

It looks like I may need to board my eldest in the UK from September. What are the chances of finding him a place in a mixed sex boarding school at this point? He has sat 6 or 7 IGCSE's at his current school and was predicted Bs.

I would only consider co-ed, he has had behavioural issues in the past and is underachieving academically although last year there was a real turn around in attitude but he would need an environment where he doesn't feel too pressured and where he could still achieve the required high grades for University entry, currently he is thinking medical but realistically I think a respected English and media course would suit better if he continues to get his act together. He also has dysgraphia and probably dyslexia but loves English and is a prolific reader.

Any recommendations?

I suspect that there are quite a few places going for 6th form boarding as there is quite a bit of movement at this stage (though to be honest they have been dealing with applications since earlier in the year and some very popular schools may not be able to help).

Only problem with your comment about not feeling pressured but achieving high grades is that to do that they really have to hit the ground running with changing school etc, not always a lot of academic settling in time, though better TBH since they stopped the January AS modules.

Whereabouts in the country are you thinking of? or can it be anywhere - urban - rural? ? Have you looked at anywhere yet?

Leighton park school in Reading?

Re-pressure it would be more when he is not in the classroom, he will need a school with an ethos of dealing with children who are not straightforward shall we say. Re lessons he was very frustrated in his current school when the pace of some lessons was slow and he would resort to reading his kindle in history lessons to fill the time and stop himself causing trouble. So much better than the body art of previous years .

Location isn't an issue, we have no idea where we could end up hence last minute panic to find a boarding option.

I don't know where to start to be honest my husband went to one but it was all boys so a definite no no.

Ripon Grammar, a state boarding school with a grammar education. You only pay for board and lodging - but be quick!

hmm - going to be tricky to see what places are really like a this time of year as most have shut up shop for the summer - though some will be running summer courses and staff will still be around - just thinking of Sedbergh and Giggleswick near here.

Sibford School near Banbury, Oxfordshire - very strong on dyslexic support and has a fantastic Quaker ethos - cannot commend the head enough - lovely man and a very nuturing school - usually has spaces for boarding.

St. David's College in Llandudno Wales used to have a dyslexic specialism and is co-ed - I had heard that it had embraced alternative stuff as well as academic - used to know the school well when it was single sex.

Cranbrook in Kent would be worth looking at lovely co-ed boarding / day school.

These 2 sprung to mind.
http://www.wycliffe.co.uk/learning_support-/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://senior.rydalpenrhos.com/academic ... nal_needs/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I am an Old Penrhosian but Penrhos amalgamated with Rydal a long time ago so it is now Co ed. I know parents with 2 children go through Wycliffe one with dyslexia and both at Uni now.

I suspect there will be a lot of staff about on 21 August too - GCSE results day, they could also have a clearer picture of spaces then. But nothing to stop you makinf contact ASAP in the hope people are still about on Monday and that they will respond.