Mount Kelly

[SwimParent]

We visited Mount Kelly recently and got a really nice feel from the school, also liked that it was quite small. We’re thinking of sending our 2 children 11 & 13 purely for the swimming. I’ve read mixed reviews on here and to be honest I’m not sure what to believe as I’ve also heard very good things about the school, and I’m fully aware people have different experiences and a school may work great for one child and not for another. Our children are average academically, but very strong swimmers (regional and national standard) and want to be somewhere that would get the best of out them. Would be nice to know some current parent opinions of the school and swimming department and the squad your child is in and how much they train.
Thank you

Hi op. My dd was there for 4 years on the swim programme and left a couple of years ago, so relatively recent but not fully up to date.
My advice is not to do it at their age for swimming unless they are incredibly good (winning golds at British, which obviously your 11 yr old is too young for) - it’s a waste of money otherwise. The swimming is great, but most kids at 11/12/13 aren’t going to be the best ones at 16/17/18 when it matters - and if they are, then they would have been good anyway and Mount Kelly wouldn’t help. They are largely successful due to kids moving there in the 6th form from other places. I would wait til then, if they’re still good then it may be worth another look. Otherwise you’re paying a lot of money for not getting the best pool time (the lower squads get the crapper slots), the short course pool (unless this has changed), and also they will never get picked for the Arena league etc which they would in a more regular club. The coaches my Dd had were great, really kind and helpful, she really enjoyed the swimming but ultimately got bored of it and didn’t want stay. They only really care if you’re medalling at British - those going to English nationals are ignored.

swimming aside, certainly when my Dd was there, the school itself was terrible on the pastoral side. Dd had some health issues that were largely ignored, her house mistress was dreadful, there was a lot (and I mean a lot, and we are talking year 10s) of underage sex, drugs, alcohol abuse, 6th formers having cocaine in their rooms etc - I’m sure it’s not particularly limited to MK & maybe happens at all boarding schools but the SLT just didn’t give a shit and basically said we were lying when we brought it up. They brushed it all under the carpet.

She left after her GCSEs with very average results and suspect she would have done better at home as her a levels at our local state school were much better than her GCSEs would have suggested.
my advice is not to bother unless they are really really good and wait til 6th form - it’s just not that good a school and at a younger age the older kids are a corrosive influence and you have no control over it, and the teachers just don’t care.