St Edwards Oxford

[geegee19]

Does anyone have any knowledge or experience of St Edwards Oxford?

[handcream]

I have a friend who sends her DS (who is in his GCSE year),its co-ed and I did look around myself.

They are full boarding but boys are allowed out into the town (and so they should be!) Its in vibrant Oxford so really nice city.

She is really pleased with it.

Seems popular with the arty crowd as well.

[KathySeldon]

Day pupils have to stay at school until 9pm, then they go home.
Very expensive.
Reputed to be not as academic as MCS or Abingdon.
Thats about all I know really.

[happygardening]

"Reputed not to be as academic as MCS or Abingdon"
Kathy few would refute this, academic results aren't as good because it's not as selective although the bright appear to be well supported and seem to do well. Many parents at St Edwards are not just after top exam results, the school has an excellent sporting record for example they were second at Henley last year, drama is strong and pastoral care is generally accepted by prep school heads to be in a league of its own.
It's horses for courses.

[handcream]

Its no more expensive that other boarding schools at circa 32k.

Academic results thank goodness are not the only thing that parents are looking for.

The one big benefit is that they are literally in the middle of Oxford and opposed to the middle of nowhere.

[geegee19]

What about their LSU department? And music?

[KathySeldon]

Day fees are more due to the longer days.

[ballylee]

According to head of DS's prep school it has the best pastoral care ...

[happygardening]

Learning support is very good lots of children with dyslexia etc.
If I wanted to know how god a music dept any school had I'd ring up and find out about future up and coming concerts, how many they hold, who's playing etc and also find out how many orchestras, wind bands, quartets etc they had and also what the required level is to play in any of these. A friends DD is at a very nice girls school and barely anyone is above grade 5 she's grade 8 and loves it she gets lots of opportunities to play solos etc and it's not overly serious and 1 concert a year. In contrast a boy was I was talking at DS's school who's grade 8 in three instruments says "everyone is grade 8" and he's only to likely to play a solo in a concerto because his instrument is very rare, the school has 20-30 concerts a term.
As I always say if it matters ask.

[Peanutsandwine]

happygardening I've seen you say that a lot about teddies being in a "league of it's own" and I always, always just raise my eyebrows. Unless it's changed a LOT, then it really isn't, whatever some prep school heads who have been wooed think.
We lived there, and we've subsequently lived at other boarding public schools and now my DH is a head of one.
It's fine. It's a good school. But a "cut above" it really isn't!
I was in Oxford recently at a massive feeder prep school there, and still teddies' brightest pupils seem to be the day school sixth form girls from Oxford who are super bright, musical, talented, amazing and all round brilliant girls.
Really, I have often noticed you mention the pastoral care and I wonder where it comes from? Because there are a load of other boarding schools who are doing it just as well, if not better!

[happygardening]

Peanuts when I say "league of its own" I'm only commenting on the pastoral care which I happen to know about and I'm also able to compare it with standards of pastoral care at other well known schools in the area and nationally. I can't comment on the teaching, your comment that the brightest children are day girls or results whether they are good or bad in relation to their intake etc.
From talking to prep school heads as part of my job and as a mother with a DS who was at a prep school they too believe that the pastoral care is in a league of its own. Maybe you know differently about this specific issue?

[Peanutsandwine]

happy gardening I'd say my experience in this area is fairly extensive and I just do not see what you obviously hear.

Regardless, it's still a great school. If we still lived there, I'd send the DCs. But I wouldn't necessarily choose it with free choice over all national schools and I certainly wouldn't choose it based solely on pastoral care. I have lived in that school. And I've lived in many others. It's a great school. But no, I'd not say it is in any way a league of it's own in terms of pastoral care.

[geegee19]

wow ! this is very interesting ..I suppose all these experiences of a school are subjective what is one persons poison is anothers medicine...it is all helpful though the good and the bad no school is perfect...

[happygardening]

Your right geegee we all have different views and experiences. A thread last yr about my DS's school was exactly the same; another parent at his school hadn't a good word for the place, unrecognisable from our experiences there criticisms and experiences we're completely contrary to ours. We know a complete horror story about another well known boarding school yet recently someone posted on MN about how wonderful it is. But isn't this the same in so many walks of life. My mother was in our local hospital on a ward that most people locally view as hell on earth but we were frankly amazed at how wonderful and caring the staff were to both my mother and us as a family. It just shows you that we have to do our own research and form opinions.

[handcream]

I do agree about poison's and medicine...Some people comment about boarding schools saying kids are damaged for life and some think that privates are the work of the devil.


Someone on MN doesnt believe in grammar schools at all yet got her child to sit the 11+ and appealed when her other child didnt get in. They claim they cannot move from Kent etc etc. That is probably the worst example. If you dont believe in grammar's/privates etc dont try and trash/destroy them (and then secretly send your child to them).

Various government MP's and ministers do this time and time again. Yes, I am talking about you Diane Abbott.