Best private schools in Cornwall & Devon?

[agp]

Hi there

My husband and I are considering moving to the north coast of cornwall and need to get to grips with the private schools in the area. Can anyone help? We've got three little girls (6 to 1yrs old) and would ideally like them to go to co-ed schools, with the flexibility to board or day (well I'm hoping they go day whilst at prep school!) It's hard to find out which ones are reckoned to be the best... Thanks in advance for any help/ opinions! :)

Amy

Either DP has spiked my stash or I am finally losing it all together, but I just cannot see what any of this stuff has to do with private schools in Devon or Cornwall...

Weird, or what?

It was an old country house - hence the stable blocks. It then became a girls grammar school, expanded quite a bit, and had more building work done and is now a well thought of comprehensive, had more building work done, and more. I haven't been there since my parents left the district 12 years ago when I went and had a last look round for old time's sake. A quick look at google maps show what still look to be the old stables. And it's still wooded there.

This hasn't anything to do with Devon and Cornwall at all, so sorry for highjacking the thread. I was just annoyed that the person who tried to turn it into a state vs private thread opined that all state schools are concrete monstrosities, with no outside space, whereas all independent schools have nice buildings and wonderful grounds.

You are all mad.

Apart from jimjams.

I think this is one of my favourite threads ever. I started following it when it started as I thought it was bonkers then, but then it became even madder.

Some of us do live in Devon. Not the ones with the strident opinions though it has to be said.

So it was an old GRAMMAR SCHOOL. Yes, most old grammar schools were once private schools, hence the buildings.

I went to a far more typical state secondary modern school. It was as were so many - section built of concrete and glass (considered state of the art at the time) in the early 1960's. A portacabin by any other name. It had playing which have been long since built over with housing.

Why do somany threads become another private versus state? Well I guess that is where the main differences in education are whether we like it or not.

Some of us do live in Devon. Not the ones with the strident opinions though it has to be said

Really? That wasnt the impression I got.

Just about all schools built in the sixties, primary, secondary, were concrete and glass. The comprehensive my son went to, which started life as the grammar school, was one such, which also now has very little open space left because it's all been built on. The private school extensions built at the same time are also the same construction, as HappyGardening says further up the thread.

I think it was called CLASP - consortium of local authorities schools project or some such. No doubt it was all inspired by the 1944 Education Act and the post war reconstruction.

It doesn't alter the original statement implying that private schools have nice grounds and state schools don't, (well OK they might if they were grammar schools), which isn't true.

I used to live in Devon, but it was in Exeter, so I can't help with schools at the other end of the County. I can't remember what the independent school buildings were like then ( 5-10 years ago) - I don't particularly remember any architectural gems though.

Sorry for highjacking the thread again - but still some people are enjoying it.

Ah big grounds at Exeter School though..... Although smaller than my middle son's state grammar..... (presuming he gets in, think he has, although the facilities at his second choice (comp) were much better -especially in ICT).

:thread continues in bonkers vein:

I am new to this site so sorry if this is not the right thread to ask but need information on private schools for year 9 onwards for my son who has APD. Been in the state system and a disaster so looking for small, caring school. Does anyone have knowledge of of St John's in Sidmouth, The Park in Yeovil and any other suggestions please? What is wrong with Stover and St Wilfrids?

Exeter school has a pool too. Although it's skanky. Their music block is fabulous though - my kids have done exams there.

@piggy Stover gets poor results. It costs a lot of money but doesn't deliver academically as well as nearish comps and is significantly worse than the grammars. It does offer the other benefits of private schools though (social exclusivity). In exeter its seen as the place to send kids if they aren't bright enough to go to Exeter, Maynard and St Margarets and you don't want them to mix with people who can't afford or do not want to pay for private school.

Thanks for the info MordionAgenos, do you know about St Wilfrids? I think Exeter is going to be too pressurised for him now, he needs a small environment............

Piggy,neither Stover nor wilfreds are near Sidmouth. So why the interest? You asked about East Devon and now you are here asking about S.Devon ( if my geography serves me).

Mordion - which is it, is Stover an under performing school or one which takes in nice but dim kids? Ifthe latter then you cannot expect it to perform like a selective school can you?

As far as I can see from the ft tables Stover still does better than the state comps by half as much again. If they are doing that with nice but dim, then well done to them.

Just letting off steam here. I just thinking , what is that wasmy school being bad rep'd? ( its not FTR).

Piggy, you need to understand the agenda's on this thread. - or you are a wind up?

Sidmouth is in East Devon, St Wilfred's is in East Devon. Stover is South Devon. Your geography is not serving you.

Is the Exeter school pool still outside? It always used to be freezing (but that was 25 years ago).

I have just done a search. It seems Sidmouth is not well served for independent schools. The nearest is St Johns in Sidmouth. Next is a prep called St Peters in Exmouth and then there area scattering of schools mostly selective in Exeter. Otherwise its Blundells in Crediton.

Looking at the map and from what I recall as a lad holidaying around there, its a mighty long 20 miles to many of those schools. Boarding?

From what I can see on the map St. Wilfreds is in the middle of Exeter. Admittedly it looks like a road going across from Sidmouth.

Blundells is in Tiverton, not Crediton. Why are you picking fights with people about schools in parts of the country you don't even live in?

I wuv this thread.

Blundells is in Tiverton, not Crediton. Why are you picking fights with people about schools in parts of the country you don't even live in?

Because I think its awind up and I have been daft enough to have fallen for it along the way and have only just realised.

Yes and Exeter is in East Devon. Stover is just off the A38 at Newton Abbot which is usually regarded as heading into South Devon.

Why do you even care Ronaldo, and why are you looking at maps of private schools in Devon? Hilarious.

Ivybridge is easy as it's in Ivybridge. South Devon. Not east.

Kelly and Mount House are in West Devon. Snort.

I am looking because I am interested in why this area engenders such high feelings from posters ( this is the third thread where a hard bitten argument has gone on about certain schools)

Plymouth is where then? South Devon or West Devon ( because it loolks as if itsequal distance from there toTavistock or Ivybridge) or is it Cornwall :) ( like D Cameron wants all to think - what was it he was going to call the constiuency bridging Cornwall and Plymouth Plymwall? I dont think that was it but whatever)

PS I know Plymouth is in Devon

Plymouth is in south Devon, well it's it's own unitary authority so a different council from the south hams, but definitely south devon, not east west or north. Yep CallMeDave did want to lump it in with Saltash but I don't know what he was going to call it.

Im not sure this area does engender high feelings from most, just pron whatsherface and Xenia who seem fairly scathing of the schools down here. I suspect they only head down this way for the second homes :)

Ron-Piggy has very specific needs for a school,not something you or I know anything about,so why dont you stop trying to pick arguements and wander off and look at your high class portacabins.
Jim jams-Im afraid you have drive into Cornwall to find us,(Ron as I know you are fascinated by the westcountry geography thats just west of England...) We own several houses in the county thanks jim jam but only one home..xenia I understand has an island,location unknown but doubtless Ron will try and locate it.
Devonwall..