What can The Maynard School offer my daughter?

[LocalEditorExeter]

Do you want to find out more about independent schools in Exeter? Have you considered an all-girls education for your daughter?

We often get local Mumsnetters asking about Exeter’s independent schools. It’s one of our most popular discussion topics. So we thought it might be helpful to host a Q&A with The Maynard School - a chance for you to ask questions, almost like a virtual open day.

We have asked a Maynard School alumnus, who is also a parent, to join in the discussion. Someone who understands what it’s like to choose a school for their own child but also knows The Maynard School inside out.

The plan is to hold a live Q&A (date and time tbc) but please post any questions you have now and we’ll try to answer them as soon as we can.

Also, The Maynard is holding an open morning on 24 September. You can find out more and sign up here: www.maynard.co.uk/discovery/

[LocalEditorExeter]

Just an update to say we're no longer holding a 'live Q&A' but there will be an alumnus contributing to this chat and answering any qus over the next few days - so please post away.

[AlmaMartyr]

I went to Maynards :) Loved it, hoping to send DD at some point.

[clioann]

Hi AlmaMartyr - thanks for stopping by - you might be able to help answer questions too!

I'm the editor of Mumsnet Exeter - but wanted to comment personally.

I know a few Maynard girls and they have all done really well and become really confident women.

Do you think it was school that gave you this confidence Alma Martyr?

I envy it!

I went to an all-girls school but then moved to a school that had been all-boys and had turned co-ed. I had pretty low esteem when I was there - and initially felt really embarrassed in front of all the boys. I avoided going to the canteen as much as I could in the early days to avoid being around big groups of boys! But by the time I left I felt a bit more confident (and realised they were just 16 year old boys desperate for some female attention ).

[AlmaMartyr]

Hi Clioann,
Yes, I'd say it gave me lots of confidence. Contrary to what people often think about all girls schools, there wasn't much bullying (in my experience anyway) and most people were really supportive of each other. I quite liked being segregated from boys at 12, when I was becoming quite self conscious. I went to state school until year 7 then transferred over. My DCs are in state school now but I'm very hopeful that DD might be able to go to Maynards at the same age. Most of the Maynard girls I know do have a lot of confidence and I think it does come from a very supportive environment at the right age.

I met DH when I was 16 (he went to Exeter School) so there are opportunities to meet boys too! Most of our best friends are still people we went to school with (32 now).

[clioann]

You might know my friend Helena! She was at Maynard.

I met my DH aged 16 too!! (He was one of the boys I was hiding from in the canteen!)

I think you're right about the supportive environment - it makes such a difference. And also the opportunity to challenge yourself - whether that's drama, music, sport - those things really help you build your confidence.

When I went to university I felt I could achieve anything I put my mind to.

Best of luck with getting your DD to Maynard. I am in denial about secondary school at the moment as still a long way off (my DSs are 4 & 2). My DH and I both went to Blundells and would love to be able to afford private school for our sons. But who knows. We're really happy with the village school for now.

[AlmaMartyr]

I think I probably do know Helena :)

Our local primary is fantastic, and so is the local college so I think we're very lucky whatever happens but as DD is in Year 4 now (eek!) we've had to start thinking about it a bit!

[Creedymum]

Hi AlmaMartyr and clioann,
My eldest dd has just started at The Maynard in Year 9 and is loving it! When I picked her up on Friday afternoon she announced that she wished school was 7 days a week - I couldn't believe it (and nor did I think home life was that boring either!!)! I'm also the alumna who is referred to at the top of this thread, so feel free to ask me anything!

[shouldibescared]

I went to an "all boys school" as the first year intake of girls all the way through. It was a pretty tough experience but I am absolutely convinced that I could not have done the jobs I have gone on to do without that experience. I now have two girls (aged 4 and 6) and I am determined that they will have a co ed education too. I met my DH at an old school reunion and we married in our school chapel. Having that shared history and values has been crucial in our marriage and that is something that a girls' school just can't offer. My 6 year old has many male friends and is on the school football team - she was learning rugby too before she realised she was the only girl!! Learning how to play with boys is just as important as learning equations, to my mind

[shouldibescared]

Oh - and when I was at school, they used to bus in girls from Maynards for our school socials. Complete cattle market! NOT something I would like to see my girls doing...

[AlmaMartyr]

Learning to play with boys definitely important. I'm quite glad my 8yo DD is at a mixed school for now, and she has DS as well so has lots of male friends which is fab. She also does Cubs etc so that's good.

My DH went to the neighbouring school so we do have a shared history - all of our best friends were all friends together at school and we still are. It is helpful in our marriage although obviously lots (most?) don't marry someone from their school days.

Not sure about the social thing - I was never bussed in to any school socials so didn't know this was a thing!

[clioann]

I was bussed in to local boys school!! Highlight of the year - haha!! It was actually pretty innocent when we did it and just good fun (we were still young and very innocent) - but I have heard pretty alarming stories from other schools where this happened.

Creedymum and AlmaMartyr How do Maynard girls mix with boys these days?

I have to say that I struggled to mix with boys, which I put down to my all-girls background (and am a pretty clueless mum of boys having to learn lots on the job!) but I don't think moving to the all-boys school really helped - for some reason our year was very segregated and there weren't great friendships between the boys and girls (shame). I was friends with a small handful of boys and then was pretty intimidated by the rest of them! I think we just had a bad year for this though - the year below seemed to mix much better.

I was really sad to see this kind of segregation happening in my son's pre-school too. There are lots more girls than boys in the class - and it seems that there's only one little girl who hangs out with the boys, all the other girls stick together. Funny how this seems to happen at such a young age.

I am trying hard to make play dates with other little girls too because I want my boys growing up understanding the opposite sex - unlike my husband and I - we were both hopeless at this!

Sorry gone off on a tangent.

Interesting to see the Maynard now has a toddler group for boys and girls!

How do you prevent the opposite sex from becoming an enigma at single sex schools?