Radnor House?

[Elibean]

I know nothing about it, apart from their website - but someone mentioned it to me as being a good school not too far away to consider. dd is currently Y4 in state primary, but I'm starting to investigate options!

Any experience, information, advice?

Thanks

[Copthallresident]

Hi Eli

As no one is biting. I have heard only good things around here and of pleased and satisfied parents. Really making an effort to be supportive and pastorally strong as well as having ambitions to compete with the established academic schools. Only thing that would worry me is that it is a business with board of Governors that includes representatives of the venture capital company that invested in it's development but no suggestion that it is profiteering or whatever, probably a silly quibble since all these schools are big businesses. I think there was/is some criticism of Heads of more established schools that they are more MD than Head. Other thing I wonder about is that they use St Mary's for sport, if that will come under pressure once St Richard Reynolds start to make more demands of the facilities.

You see the Head or Deputy saying goodbye to each pupil and parent / carer at the door at pick up time and none of the pupils manifest the playboy bunny / lad culture you may encounter at other academic schools

[Elibean]

Hey Copt

That's encouraging, not least the lack of bunny activity

Part of me is still hoping our local state secondary will rise and shine in time for dd2 to go there, but I do really want her to have options so...

I very much like the idea of good pastoral care and happy kids/parents. Yes, I suppose they are all big businesses. One more to visit then, thank you!

[Elibean]

And I have to admit neither of my dds is remotely sporty, so the pressure on sporting facilities is not a big turn off for us

[changingnameforthispost]

Hi Eli,
I have a child there in yr10 and we are really pleased with the quality of teaching and the calibre of the staff. My DC is enjoying it too, and responding well to their approach.

I've found the staff approchable and easy to get hold of, and they seem to tailor the teaching to suit each pupil and set clear targets.
There is something very special about the location too.

[BlackCrowe]

Lovely school. Head acts like a Head should and absolutely not an MD. DD loves it. It's size means that it lacks some of the swankier facilities to be found at bigger independent schools but it more than makes up for it in teaching, pastoral, intimacy and generally lovely kids.
Beautiful looking school too, inside and out, and location is sensational.

[Elibean]

Thank you both.

We went to look around, and dd1 fell in love with it. I think she liked the 'cosyness' of it's size, and Pope's grotto was a big plus as was playing with bunsen burners in the lab tour

dh and I liked the Head, and the lad who took us round was lovely and very happy there, so it is definitely on The List (which isn't long).

[Elibean]

Should add, my only real concern is the distance - the 33 bus goes almost door to door, but I can imagine, in rush hour, that would take at least an hour.

[Strix]

Might be faster by train?

[Elibean]

Yes, it probably would be!

[ferrerorocher01]

High turnover of staff and replacement staff definitely not of the same calibre.

[offblackeggshell]

ferrerorocher you seem to be on a mission to dig up all the old threads with a mention of Radnor House and make negative comments about the school.

Do you have a particular problem or concern?