Shebbear College or Kelly College anyone?

[sohia]

Hi,
Has anyone any experience of either Shebbear College or Kelly College? Would they care to share?

Thanks.

Shebbear! I grew up just up the road from there it is a long way from Newton Abbott! Friends whose children went there were pleased with it nice happy not bustingly academic and very unpretentious primarily local day children (parents are farmers etc) nearly all boarders foreign!

I dont live in Newton Abbot. I just send my DC's there. I live just outside of Plymouth. Thank you .

Plymouth to Shebbear is not exactly up the road either in fact both Newton Abbot and Plymouth are over 40 miles away. I haven't done the journey for years but I remember it taking a bloody long time when I was a child, I seemed to recall that its lots of narrow country lanes especially once you left Dartmoor (and that could be a problem in the winter) and are north west of Hatherleigh I wouldn't want to do it every day and there f..k all to do around there so you cant hang around and wait for them to finish school! Mind you in my day the school (although most were boarders boys I think) provided good minibus links to all the villages but not I suspect Plymouth! Its a lovely area used to be really the back of the back of the beyond and real Devon people speaking with the an almost incomprehensible west Devon North Cornish accent/language which I believe has now almost died out. I would move back there tomorrow but DH thinks its too remote!

You wont send a child to a school in Exeter as its too far but you are asking about Shebbear?
I wouldnt waste my money on either of them but you may be different.

What about Mount House?

My DD is too old for Mount House. Thanks.

Shebbear is close to me and it takes me at least an hour and a half over the moors to get to Plymouth, that's before rush hour. happygardening is right, after Hatherleigh it's Devon roads and no rushing them.

happygardening - where?! I grew up next door in Buckland Filleigh, and there were only about 10 children there....

Sohia, my dad and uncle went to Shebbear but their experience 50 years ago is irrelevent! My brother was a boarder there in the late 80's/early 90's for several years. Possibly marginally more relevent! He enjoyed it, the pastoral care was generally very good, academically so-so but lots of commited staff and loads of extra-curricular stuff.

If she is 13+ I would go for weekly boarding if I lived where you live. Maybe Badminton or Sherborne Girls.

Thanks.

dilbertina Black Torrington the children from Buckland Filiegh Prep now gone I believe used to come and ride at the riding school I used to work at as a kid. I seem to remember Buckland Filliegh had a sweet little church. It's not changed that much went back a few years ago although many of the real old fashioned Devon people with their beautiful but almost incomprehensible accents/ vocabulary have now died and of course many of he tiny farms have now sadly gone its still very peaceful and remote. Even Holsworthy looked little changed.

happygardening Ah yes, I know Black Torrington! Buckland House Prep school was incorporated into Shebbear College many years ago. The Manor House itself is privately owned - you can rent it out if you fancy being lady of the manor for a week! I went to Shebbear Primary school, but because we lived so close we were allowed to use the facilities at Buckland House during the school holidays. It was fantastic to be able to use Tennis Court, Pool and boats on lake etc.

Buckland Filleigh Church is lovely - my gran is there! Haven't been back to the area for many years, but look back with much fondness - glad to hear it hasn't changed too much!

I too look back with great fondness some of my happiest memories and the most beautiful unspoilt countryside. Both my grand parents are in Black Torrington church they had to dig a hole in the granite I think and which is sadly very over grown in places and also equally as sadly few families in the village now I suspect Buckland Filliegh would be the same all pensioners. Shame but inevitable i suppose about Buckland House I seem to remember they were primarily diplomats children and they wore Navy blue Guernsey jumpers it all looked very exiting and famous five through my eyes!
Sorry OP for hijacking the thread but it's nice to reminisce people from that part of West Devon are few and far between!

They are the kind of schoiols that I think most parents would love their DC's to go to, if they were state schools. They are not the kind of schools that you pay for. They lack refinement.

Kelly - good if your sporty yet it lacks a sports hall....
Shebbear - miles from anywhere in eth middle of now where. OK if you like that sort of thing. A few families locally send their little darlings there at 7 having used the village school as a pre prep- it annoys me.