Why is Horris Hill School closing after the recent ownership changes?

[CosCobb]

I have just heard that Horris Hill School is closing, does anyone know why? I am a past parent, it was such a toxic place when my DS attended under the old regime but I thought things had since Forfar bought it in 2021.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/private-school/5206131-forfar-education-finborough-school?reply=144246855&utm_campaign=reply&utm_medium=share

@CosCobb DS was there under the old regime as you put it ,he left over six years ago .I don’t know anything about the school today but I am live with the consequence of sending my DS there every day. He passed away last year and I know he is smiling down on hearing this news. I will never forgive them .

I am so sorry @Lilacwispers I hope you find peace, I cannot begin to imagine what you are pain of what you are going through 💐 Sending much love xx

@CosCobb when we moved from London to Wiltshire 4 years ago I couldn’t find and strong academic pre prep schools , we were registered with Horris Hill along with several others , to enter at 8 +.
Horris Hill was not my first choice but when I heard they were opening a day school in Newbury I was going to drive my son back and forth , we went for an interview and met with the headmaster , my son has Autism and ADHD he is incredibly bright they had absolutely lots of places available, they only had 8 boys in the whole of year 3 !
I received an email at midnight to say they were sorry but they didn’t feel they could give him the care he needed they didn’t have enough staff !!!! They were going by his diagnosis letter at the age of 4 !
since then my son was excepted in an all boys prep boarding school he has been given a very healthy bursary , he has got into all of his public schools so far ! So let’s say they missed out on. We only wanted to go there until he went to his boarding school but they didn’t know that !

Hi @Tobstar106 , you probably went to see the school under the current ownership. My DS was at the school before Forfar took over, it was a dreadful place, they usually had someone from Winchester as part of the governing body at that point ,a school with expertise at cover up. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was the school visitor (I kid you not!). A good friend of his was also on the governing body.

So many of the teachers enjoyed humiliating boys, it was a disgusting place which will no doubt have life long effects on many boys who attended. Many of them are still teaching today but not at Horris Hill.

@CosCobb do you mind if I privately message you ?

Of course not @Tobstar106

I meant of course you can @Tobstar106

@CosCobb I guessed that 🤗

Hi all,

Former pupil here. I was not anticipating the school closing, but having reflected on my experience I came to the conclusion that the signs were there. Having read some of these comments I am rather surprised at the experiences that other kids have gone through. I didn't experience any toxic or abusive behaviour from staff. Although that might perhaps be due to me being at the school in recent years. I did get to experience the school both before and after the Forfar takeover, and must admit that the quality of the school went down significantly in the years I was there. While some of the teachers were rather shouty and perhaps mean, I wouldn't say that there was a toxic atmosphere.

DS left in 2018 , the school had a very toxic atmosphere. Some of the teachers were very mean individuals who enjoyed taunting boys others just looked the other way..
.

They were a bit more careful if your parents lived close to the school but for boys who were from overseas it was a miserable place to be. The experience has led me to believe that boasting at this age or even later on should no longer exist.

I read that the school one particularly unpleasant teacher went on to has also closed so perhaps that will eventually happen. It had a bunch of twisted individuals who were obviously drawn to the environment and felt comfortable behaving as they did. It was a cruel place in 2018.

I, in fact, joined in 2018, and was very much an overseas pupil. Perhaps I was too young to recognise or acknowledge that there was a toxic atmosphere with cruel teachers, but I felt safe and comfortable with my teachers.

That said, I am in no way suggesting that your experiences are untrue or anything of the sort.

Would you mind specifying which teachers were particularly unpleasant, perhaps on a Dm?

We have moved on @ZippyWasp as I am sure you have,I won’t be naming the teachers that will be for my son do one day if he wishes.

You must be still at school and yet requesting DM’s of teachers names on Munsnet , that’s a little odd in my opinion . It would be very clear to you who the teachers were if you were at student of Horris Hill in 2018.

I was eight at the time, and so was rather naive, which meant I did not pick up on the aforementioned atmosphere. Only today I found out that the school is closing, and started to search for reasons why. I therefore stumbled upon a rabbit hole of claims and experiences, and merely wanted to consolidate your experience with mine. I was asking what teachers were unpleasant, and if you don't want to say that is completely fine.

And only today did I make an account; to comment on this thread.