West Country prep schools

[Schoolbore]

Hello! Just canvassing opinions please … Hazlegrove or Sandroyd are favourites - we really liked the heads at both and felt that each school had points which balanced the other. Sandroyd was front runner because it is next to my mother and we loved our tour, but then we went to see Hazlegrove and really liked it too. Our boys will be full boarding starting age 9, they probably both need to catch up a bit academically. Might be worth thinking about SEN as one gets rather distracted. Enthusiastic joiner inners rather than specialists. Wanting a happy school that will add the best value academically and set them up for a bigger senior school. I think the fact that we are finding it hard choose between them means that neither will be wrong, but any thoughts gratefully received.

Two very good schools. I don’t know the Head of Sandroyd but do know Mr Benbow at Hazlegrove who was Deputy Head at my DS’ prep school, and was excellent. The fact he has only recently started at Hazlegrove might mean he is likelier to stay long enough to see your DS through to Y8. If you are torn between the two schools you could think about which would work best for boys, who learn and play differently from girls. It’s also really important to establish numbers of boarders, especially how many are ‘in’ at weekends. You don’t want a school that empties out if your DS are full boarders. Do they offer specialist scholarships? If so enthusiastic but non-expert joiners in might be squeezed out of teams, performances etc. Do they work with ‘broad entry, narrow exit’ ie non-selective entry but gaining places at top senior schools which is a good indicator of added value. And finally, look up sports fixtures when Sandroyd is playing against Hazlegrove, and go watch. You can gauge a lot by how parents, children and teachers behave and interact when they aren’t putting best feet forward for open days, tours etc. Good luck with your deliberations, and lucky boys to have such good options to choose from!

Thank you, that is really useful, and good idea re matches!

I don't know Sandroyd very well but Hazelgrove is in the same trust as Kings Bruton. My friend's children have been very happy at Hazelgrove and will go onto King's. If you have any more queries let me know and I will ask her.

Hazlegrove is great but only if you have a sporty average kid. They do not appreciate a kid with dyslexia or other special needs. Just so you know. and frankly in my mind that is a minus for all parents because god help you if your kids have a wobble ! And that is not just me but ALL

My son is nine and started at Hazlegrove as a full boarder this term, and he is loving it. He is quite sporty, but also has educational needs, and to date the experience has been really positive both academically and socially. It is still early days, but please feel free to ask any questions on here or directly.

I don't know Sandroyd so cannot comment on that.

It's a great schools plus the add on Kings school Bruton. But if you have above average intelligence or needing a school who can build confidence and success in a slightly non-standard more Oxbridge candidate then you do need to look at higher level schools. Hazel grove and kings Bruton are good for average kids.

Thank you, so glad your son is loving it Tachetastic! We actually went for Sandroyd because of the compulsory full boarding in the top two years but since we made our decision, it looks like that is changing…?! Still, I dont think there was a bad decision to be made, they both seem gorgeous schools. And crucially have knowledge of all the senior schools, which is what we were lacking at our local school which is sweet but hadn’t even heard of ISEB.

My average son did great in GCSE's and is predicted to do well in A levels at Kings Bruton.

Knowledge of senior schools and support in preparation for CE is really important.

Our kids used to go to one of the top flight all-through private schools in the South West, and because we were happy at the school we never questioned their approach. It was only later when we needed to move schools that we realised our DD in Year 8 was woefully unprepared. Hopefully now our DS is at Hazlegrove he will be in a better position to choose between senior schools when the time comes.

Is it bad of me to find it amusing that you say both Hazlegrove and King's School Bruton are for academically average kids, but then you misspell both names?

Hazlegrove is definitely not only for average kids.

I would however agree that as senior schools go, King's is not as rigorous academically as some others. I think this is an unusual case where the prep school is stronger than the senior school, unlike most linked schools where it is the other way around.

I think your comment of selecting a rather trite and obvious 'auto correct' error actually proves the point here! So, in this context, yes it is bad ;-) I also knew several parents who selected Hazlegrove as the Prep School for their kids and it excelled in being pedestrian and focussed on the common denominator of middle class aspirations of 'fitting in' and handing in homework on time etc. All the nuturing environment of young Stepford Wives/Partners in the making. But then I come from a highly academic family and my children all went to Oxford (one to Cambridge) and we chose schools who saw 'average' as the enemy of success. Sorry, and I am sure it is a 'safe pair of hands' for most children.

Untrue re Sen support! Maybe in the past but there’s a new Head of LS who has changed things a lot and the new Head’s wife is an Ed Psych… perhaps you’re thinking of a few years ago.