DC has fallen in love with Boarding?

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

DC has fallen in love with Boarding?

Post by sherry_d »

I know most of you would never consider Boarding but I have some strange DD maybe? She has absolutely fallen in love with Boarding and her mind has got so fixated upon it that nothing I say makes an more sense.

The school is Benenden and I had almost written it off on the basis of that its really wealthy kids there but my daughter insisted we should see it after she read the brochures and she thought boarding seemed cool.

Now my DD doesnt think she should go to any other school than this, it wasnt my first choice school initially but its really growing in me. We have seen other boarding and day school but she thinks this is really the one.

Anyway its early days and we wouldnt even afford it unless we get a huge bursary. Mom will probably have the final say but its very hard to ignore your child's feeling especially when she feels really strongly but then again she can only go if we get a bursary so its not a 'realistic' option that I want her to get too excited about. However no amount of explaining is helping.

Also does anyone know how hard it is to get in? Didnt get the feeling it was too difficulty? They do common entrance but because DD is in state school she has to do their own exams.
Impossible is Nothing.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Well I certainly wouldn't try and dissuade you from sending her to Benenden! :wink: Now that she is interested in boarding I think you should look round the other boarding schools in your area. Some may be more generous burary wise and it will open her eyes to whats out there.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

Tipsy - the problems is we have been to see 3 of the local ones I can think of and its really this one that she has set her eyes on. I have send you a pm :D
Impossible is Nothing.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

Well in fairness if you are only looking fairly local then I'm not surprised she prefers Benenden.Does she qualify for the Trust Award Programme or is she currently at prep school?
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

T.i.p.s.y wrote:Does she qualify for the Trust Award Programme?
Thats the one I am eyeing :roll:

She qualifies as she is at a state school
Impossible is Nothing.
zvrk
Posts: 107
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 10:02 am

Post by zvrk »

Dear sherry_d,do not worry, your daugter won't be the only 'poor' child.
Benenden has a fair share of girls from local state primaries, they have started giving scholarships (some 100%) to girls from local primaries who couldn't afford it and are talented/academic.
I go there regurarly(my son goes to swiming lessons there) and see girls having fun, playing tennis. We also see girls in our local church, they seem to be very chatty,full of life.
solimum
Posts: 1420
Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Post by solimum »

Well I stayed there thirty years ago for a Kent Music orchestra course and the beds were very lumpy! Lots of sheep around too

I'm sure it's improved since then......
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Post by sherry_d »

Thanks Zcrk for the feedback on the school. It seems they are trying really hard to get more local children in the school. The school also run a 2 day wekend preview later in the year. More like a boarding taster to see if the child likes it. So hopefully that will give her a general feeling for boarding and then help in deciding if she wants boarding.
solimum wrote:Well I stayed there thirty years ago for a Kent Music orchestra course and the beds were very lumpy!
That made me laugh Solimum, but a few weeks ago I read an isi or ofsted report for a school, cant remember which school that was and they mentioned in the past 2 years the school had invested in new mattresses. I wondered what they were sleeping on before?
Impossible is Nothing.
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