Ashdown House

[Sandybay]

I'm considering boarding school for DS and some one recommended Ashdown House. Does anyone have any experience with this school? What is the academic standard there? Many thanks.

[lovelazysundays]

Ashdown House is a lovely, family school with a full weekend programme for boarders. Unlike lots of prep schools, the emphasis is still firmly on full boarding which is SO important if you're sending DS away to school for the first time. The classes are small and they seem to win scholarships every year, most recently academic scholarships to Uppingham and Beneden. It has a good track record of CE results too and feeds to Eton, Harrow, Benenden, Malborough, Kings Canterbury etc. Strong sports, arts and music too. I would recommend that you visit and perhaps arrange a boarding taster. Good luck finding somewhere that fits the bill!

[Copthallresident]

There is another thread further down the education topic that includes feedback on Ashdown House.

[withep]

Please be careful if you are deciding on any of the schools under the Cothill Trust umbrella.
We are a small independent school in Brighton that was aquired by the Cothill Trust, which took over the running of the school in Sept 2012.

They have now decided to close the school and sell off the assets, leaving 150 children to find alternative arrangements and they are not helping in the search for new schools. The reason for this is that the cothill trust is not viable anymore and the schools under the Cothill Trust banner are hanging on by a thread - it looks as though other schools within the trust could be up for closure in the not to distant future.

[Mutteroo]

Withep, I know the school you are talking about & while its a shame the school is closing, I feel it's unfair to predict other schools within the trust may be in danger of closing. An Exeter girls school which is part of the Woodard group, is closing this year but that doesn't mean all Woodard schools are vulnerable.

I feel for the parents, pupils & staff of any school that closes as been there, done that written the book etc., Just feel its wrong to make presumptions about other schools and create problems where there are none.

[rabbitstew]

Why would the Cothill Trust take on the running of a new school in September 2012 if all the schools in the Cothill Trust were doing badly?

[withep]

The last 4 years of accounts show the trust have made a loss. In acquiring our school they hope to asset strip it. A charity taking over another charity is not a bad idea if they are willing to make a go of it, but just to close it after 10 months and kick 150 pupils out is crap. They need the money to prop up the other schools, but they haven't been able to sell it yet! It's not rocket science.

[lovelazysundays]

Whilst the closure of the school is very sad, it is not an uncommon fate. The Cothill Trust isn't accountable and its other schools are successful and thriving.

[Tingo]

This school appears to be under investigation by the Crown Prosecution Agency - pee doh file - scare. Check their website. For more info.

[Dorianlpg2]

This is shameful!

www.sinclairslaw.co.uk/news/success-for-parents-in-important-disability-discrimination-appeal/

[Masterblaster2]

This is shameful!
The powers of the trust....

www.sinclairslaw.co.uk/news/success-for-parents-in-important-disability-discrimination-appeal/

[sunshine11]

Gosh amazing that two people would post the same thing on the same date some six years after the thread went dormant. Some might even think someone had a grudge!!