Best Yorkshire school for quiet, bright but shy girl

[lavendersun]

We are reconsidering our options after my mother's recent health scare, instead of moving further away from them (Upper Wharfedale) we are looking into moving North.

Could be anywhere as work is very flexible and from home.

DD is fairly bright, excels at music, art, English, loves Science, struggles with maths, hates most sports (self confidence thing), excels at swimming - bit early to pigeon hole her I know. Most importantly she is too kind, fairly shy/quiet, doesn't make friends easily, her self confidence away from home is easily squashed.

If we do move it could be fairly soon, within the next six months (in yr 5). We want a school that she can join now and stay at.

I don't know the Yorkshire schools, apart from Leeds Grammar I have no recent experience. Don't think that would be for DD at all but then that is because I only know rugby loving very lively boys there so I could be wrong.

Any ideas for us to think about would be great. We would want to live rurally but not in an isolated place, reasonable transport links close by. Nothing suburban or in town. Doesn't have to be in the Dales, or too close to M&D. We will be entirely led by school choice, wanting to be within 8 miles max.

[JonSnowKnowsNowt]

Harrogate Ladies? I am not in favour of single sex schools but it sounds as if that might be what you're looking for.

Ashville College seems to have good pastoral care, and very all-rounder, but perhaps less academic than you're looking for?

[lavendersun]

Thanks Jon, I will take a look. Oddly her only friendships are with a couple of boys, she finds them less complicated I think.

I don't want anywhere too pushy academically as I am not sure that would suit her, but equally expect her to do fairly well in the long run.

I meant that we would want to live within 8 miles of the school not that we want to be within 8 miles of Upper Wharfedale, wasn't sure that read properly.

Tricky when you don't have any restraints and haven't lived in the county for 30 years.

[AnotherNewt]

Worth having a look at the Quaker School in York, Bootham

[Derbyday]

Richmond House in Leeds. Only goes up to yr 6 though. Very small and friendly.

[JasperDamerel]

Bootham in York? Creative rather than sporty, gentle, nurturing ethos, and although it's in the city centre, York is fairly tiny as far as cities go and you can get quite rural within 8 miles.

[lavendersun]

Thank you, what about The Mount (which I have only just come across)?

Jasper, I used to catch the bus to York on Saturdays as a teenager , those were the days.

I have no idea about where to think about living though as it was so long ago.

I have an aunt just outside Pickering, family in Harrogate and Wharfedale but not with experience of schools other than Harrogate and Leeds Grammar.

Derby, thank you but I would prefer somewhere that she can stay on for Secondary if at all possible so she isn't moving twice.

[OldBeanbagz]

What about Ashville in Harrogate?

Or there's Bradford Grammer & Woodhouse Grove (between Leeds & Bradford) which are both good for music.

[JonSnowKnowsNowt]

st margaret's has a good reputation not sure if that is only secondary though.

[lavendersun]

I don't fancy living between Leeds and Bradford, not sure why but I don't (my grandfather lived near Horsforth so I did used to know it a bit). So not really on my radar.

DH fancies Settle ish area. I know it has a Booths but if Giggleswick is the only option I don't think it would be right for DD. I think the fees are a bit high for us to afford without making sacrifices right now which I don't want to do (Yr 9 onwards plus music, trips, etc., etc..), but I don't think it would suit her from what I have read.

I really like the look of Boothams.

[cathyandclaire]

Wakefield Girls (you wouldn't have to live in Wakefield ) or GSAL is not just for rugby mad boys, also good for music and swimming and strong academically. There's a new female head coming in who is apparently reversing the decision to cut back on some creative arts (drama in particular) so sounds promising.

[OldBeanbagz]

All of the schools have buses so you won't need to live too near to the schools. Certainly most Leeds, Bradford or Harrogate schools will have transport from Ilkley where there's also a Booths.

Doesn't Giggleswick have it's own theatre? Or if that another school i'm thinking of? The school came up in conversation last night as my MIL was telling me that the winner of the BBC pottery programme was a teacher there.

My niece got on well at Wakefield Girls but she was very sporty.

[lavendersun]

We are making a list thanks to Mumsnet. We really don't want to be too far from the school, odd number of 8 miles plucked out of the air.

Would prefer to live in Upper Wharfedale to Ilkley tbh.

Yes, Giggleswick does have a theatre but the fees are fairly high £22k a year plus music and other things so £26K plus a year. I would have to be very convinced to commit to that for the next 8 years (and I might have to work more which I don't really want to do!).

[cathyandclaire]

St Peter's (York) is good too..but a loooong way from Settle!

[lavendersun]

That is half of the problem though Cathy, we can go more or less anywhere we want to!

Obviously I have more views than I thought I had earlier. I don't want to be West or SW of Leeds, don't mind the area around York but would prefer hills.

Dh would prefer further north but I grew up fairly remotely and I am not sure.

Then there is the schools factor. DH likes the look of Giggleswick, I think the fees are too high, definitely too high without changing something, which is possible, I just don't know whether I want to when there are perfectly reasonable options for just over half of the cost.

[MsMargaretHale]

Why not move to Ilkley and use state schools? Lots of good primaries and Ilkley grammar results on on a par with many private schools.

[lavendersun]

I want a very balanced sort of place too, not sure that Giggleswick would be it, we are fairly ordinary folk and not seeking anywhere with an exclusive feel just a nurturing environment to help a quiet child to blossom and pursue the things she excels at.

The boarder ratio at Giggleswick is very high.

[lavendersun]

I don't want to move to Ilkey Ms.

[OldBeanbagz]

What about Skipton Girls? Is it possible to get in there?

[lavendersun]

Not sure Old, we had always planned on her going to a small independent secondary as, DH in particular, thinks she will fall down the cracks in most bigger state schools.

Independent is very affordable, I am just baulking at Giggleswick prices (but DH is not).

We would still prefer just the one school move which means independent it is - we are going to need to arrange some visits in the New Year, maybe in Feb (a date we can start to make firm plans work wise).

I do like the look of Boothams and The Mount, maybe it doesn't afford the best of my location wishes but we have said we will choose where to live depending on the best school.

DH has asked me to think about whether I would consider Cumbria if we agreed on a school there - still not a bad journey to M&D.

I have got some friends near Pendle Hill, maybe I will look at schools there too.

[cathyandclaire]

Do bear in mind that if you do live very rurally and travel to school you may find yourself driving DD here there and everywhere to parties and extracurricular stuff we live pretty rurally ( nothing compared to Upper Wharfedale though ) and I used to do around 500miles a week just taxiing the kids around, I was OK with it usually but it's something to consider.

[lavendersun]

I do that now cathy! 60 miles round trip to music school, 30 miles twice a week to swimming, 20 to cubs, etc., etc.. We live fairly rurally now!

I am always amazed when my car service light appears as I work from home in the main!

[lavendersun]

Must add that that is one of the reasons I though 8 miles sounded good , we are cyclists, good cycling distance (even if you add a bit on for quieter roads) in the warmer months.

I grew up 1 mile from a tiny hamlet and 16 miles from a town, apart from living in London I have always lived fairly rurally.

I am seeking decent transport links, DH is not so worried about it, in his typical, everything will be perfect way - anyone else married to an eternal optimist?

[puglife]

Skipton Girls' is very academic. Not much focus on extra curricular activities.. Giggleswick is complete opposite, and there is lots of sport/art/drama. Even as a day pupil you stay there all day (for tea and prep) so that would be something to consider.. If your daughter would like that.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

we are fairly ordinary folk and not seeking anywhere with an exclusive feel

Sorry to state (ha!) the obvious, but private schools are exclusive! They exclude people who can't afford them - that's their whole point! If a private education is what you want, fine - but I don't know any that seek to mask (or indeed would wish to) the fact that their intake is wealthy and exclusive!

[lavendersun]

Not always wealthy and exclusive seek, many people sacrifice things to send their children to an independent school and the children who we knew at DD's first school were very ordinary.

Yes, we have enough cash to do it but we wouldn't if we went on lots of expensive foreign jaunts instead of camping and drove flash cars.

So we are not wealthy and not seeking anywhere with an exclusive feel.

Anyway, this thread is about school recommendations so please don't jump on it for an argument.