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Education

7+ Entry to Cheltenham Private Schools

32 replies

mumsfrazzled · 15/05/2009 19:55

We have been thinking about moving to the Cheltenham area for a little while now and
have been thinking about sending our DS to either Richard Pate or St Edwards for year 3 entry. Can anyone tell me if they have had experience of this. Are these schools quite selective. Would we need to tuition for 7+ . Any other opionions on the schools will be gratefully appreciated.

OP posts:

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mumsfrazzled · 16/05/2009 21:38

bump

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mumsfrazzled · 16/05/2009 21:39

bump anyone

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dongles · 16/05/2009 22:02

How about Cheltenham College junior school?

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MerryPonymum · 16/05/2009 22:05

I don't know anything about tutoring for 7+ so hopefully someone else will come in to answer this for you. It's been 12 years since my DD was this age so things may have changed a bit but both are nice schools.

St Edwards is in a lovely location with wonderful facilities and goes all the way to 18 so DS would not have to move at 11 if you so chose. My neighbour's son teaches there. I've know lots of children who went there and all seemed happy. In my day it was known for NOT being very academic/high-pressure - it was more the school for children who wanted a 'broader' education but it could be very different now (I see they got 6 Oxbridge places this year) and I'm sure they do make the best of any high-fliers who come their way in any case.

Richard Pate is a very good school but much smaller and not in quite such a beautiful location. Only goes up to 11 so DS would need to move on. It used to be fiercely academic and probably still is. Gets lots of local scholarships and grammar places. My DD2 won one of the scholarships at 7+ but we preferred Berkhampstead (also worth a look? very happy school with good results, facilities not so good though) and she went on to Pate's Grammar (not really related to Richard Pate - excellent school - and free!)

Dean Close is another very nice independent school (3-18) in the area, well worth looking at? Wonderful facilities/music etc.

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yogabird · 20/05/2010 13:27

Do have a look at Berkhampstead school in Pitville. It is a truly fab and supportive environment where pupils really achieve well. Not pressurised but the vast majority of kids get grammar school places offered and they always get scholarships at 11 as pupils leave. Music and art are excellent there and there's lots of opportunity on the sports field too. My dcs are both starting there in September and have just had a great taster day

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iloverainbows · 20/05/2010 16:31

The daughter of a friend of mine did the 7+ exam and she did coach her at home. The main reason for this was that the exam was taken in October, if I remember correctly, and it included areas that may or many not have been covered on the curriculum. For example division, more times tables and telling the time. I am not sure about the english element. I suspect that you would need to go over a fews thing but if your DS is bright it shouldn't been too much work.

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EvilTwins · 20/05/2010 23:40

St Edwards is having a tough time at the moment - two students have died under tragic circumstances within the last year. Potential bullying issues there.

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yogabird · 21/05/2010 18:06

you surely don't mean the deaths are related to bullying do you?

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EvilTwins · 21/05/2010 22:36

Are you taking the p**s yogabird? Can't tell...

I think that was the suggestion, yes. Dreadful - two young people who took their own lives in pretty horrific ways.

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yogabird · 24/05/2010 20:32

I absolutely am not! I am shocked and horrified and amazed to read this.

I genuinely thought you meant that there was just a bit of a problem and you would reply along the lines of, 'no, of course not, it's just that my friend's ds was unhappy there and so he moved.'

I would have no idea about it since I live outside the area and didn't hear it reported. I would never think to make a joke about something so serious. I would imagine though, that if it were true, that there would've been an investigation and the school's anti-bullying policy would have been revised to reflect its findings.

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themoleman · 15/06/2010 20:05

We have a serious bullying issue at St Edwards against our daughter and would welcome hearing from anyone else experiencing past of present issues.

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prayingforababy · 15/06/2010 23:04

Dean Close and Cheltenham College are better schools than the ones mentioned. Pastoral care at the former is very high. I have three kids at DC and my sister as 1 kid at CC.

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EvilTwins · 16/06/2010 18:06

I live quite close to Dean Close. My DCs don't go there, but I have a friend whose DD is in their pre-prep and she (friend and DD actually) are very happy with it.

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ilikesweeties · 18/06/2010 21:16

themoleman - get out of there now would be my honest advice. You would not be the only one to have had to do this in recent years.

Dean Close, Cheltenham College, Richard Pates and Berkhampsted are all very good schools, although RP and Berkhampsted both only go up to y6. Afaik none of them are ridiculously competitive as most tend to have been there from reception so it would likely be a case of which have places available.

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gingers75 · 04/10/2011 22:27

I have had a terrible experience with St Edwards. Themoleman - would love to hear from you.

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Colleger · 04/10/2011 23:23

I know lots of people who have taken kids put of Berko and moved them to Dean Close. Regardig selectivity: none are so they let any ability in. Tests are merely for setting.

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LCR1973 · 26/01/2013 23:08

Looking at Deans Close for our DC but worried about the entrance exam, has anyone got any advice.

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marksmith1496 · 17/12/2013 21:08

Ive had children at both Berkhampstead and CC, and I have to say the later is far superior, the facilities at Berky are very limited, especially if your child is sporty. Also they dont tend to push the children that hard until the 11+ exams come around. CC are very keen to develop the children as people rather than just the 11+ exam. Also the range and depth of after school clubs at CC are amazing. Unfortunately, I certainly wouldnt recommend berky

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Amy1304 · 18/12/2013 19:14

Hi,
Can someone let me know what Devonshire Prep 7+ involves.

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Flake999 · 01/09/2016 19:28

As a happy SES and SEPS parent I feel the need to bring this up to date.. My kids have been at both schools right through from kindergarten. All still thriving and happy with outstanding pastoral care and peers encouraged to support and care for each other. Staff are incredibly caring and encouraging. Any niggles are acted upon immediately. My brood are doing very well academically and more importantly turning into well rounded, polite and caring individuals. All the children that I have met on play dates etc have been similarly decent souls

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PinkFlufff · 10/09/2016 02:16

I went to St Edwards. Horrible school, appalling pastoral care, polar opposite of the lovely independent school I had come from.

Was accused of bullying someone when I'd done no such thing, was actually badly bullied myself. A teacher called Mr Williams (who was recently in the news regarding alleged child abuse at a different school - Google it) terrified me & hauled me into his office to tell me off for bullying this girl, turns out he was a friend of the family or something & that's why he'd paid so much attention to the bullying claims. Had problems with other teachers too. When I heard two pupils had taken their lives I actually wrote a diary entry talking about it all & said I could well believe they were pushed to such extreme action. Obviously there were other things wrong too but I'm sure the school didn't help if my experience is anything to go by.

Year 10 was complete hell for me. When study leave started in May of year 11 I felt hugely relieved.

Oh! Also, I was an A* pupil in English at my other school but when I went to St Ed's they put me in bottom set for no reason I could ever work out & I was so bored & upset, huge knock to my confidence. Thankfully I was finally moved into the correct set after the Summer exams and got As for English Lang & Lit GCSE. Other things like that happened too but I won't go on.

Such a strange school.

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Flake999 · 10/09/2016 08:24

Sorry that you had a bad experience pink fluff.
I must, however, say that schools do change! The staff you mention have long left the school, about 15 years ago I think.
As a parent with kids there now , and a parent there since 2006, I am really happy with the caring and nurturing environment. My kids feel really supported and valued.
It is tough when you have a bad time at schooI but I would hate for prospective parents to be put off by events from the past that in no way reflect the school today.

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PinkFlufff · 10/09/2016 17:18

And I would hate for prospective parents to send their children there & for their children to suffer the way I did. Those suicides were far less than 15 years ago, more like 5/6 years. Do you work for the school or something? Are you genuinely a parent of children who attend the school? You seem to be on all the threads where the school is mentioned defending it. I notice others have a poor opinion of St. Ed's too. You may have had a positive experience but others have not.

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Flake999 · 12/09/2016 12:19

And I thought this was a friendly forum!! Please do not insinuate that I am not even a parent, that is unfair..It is possible for people to have a different point of view to yours that is honest and quite simply well intentioned. Prospective parents please do have a look and form your own opinions.

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PinkFlufff · 15/09/2016 22:30

Prospective parents, I implore you to consider all other private schools in the area, thankfully there's such a wealth of independent schools that there's no need to consider a school that will deliver sub par education with a bullying problem to boot. I attended Ribston Hall, Denmark Road High School & Kings School, all three were infinitely better despite the first two being state run and non fee paying!