Mount House

[CornwallMum107]

Does anyone have any views on this school? Its been recommended to us and looks great but useful to have some input from parents. Thanks

Don't think I'm quite a first time poster (although almost), but I'm an OK - left 12 years ago this summer - time flies ;)

I've always been a bit bemused (and surprised) about the roasting Kelly gets on MN. I escaped our local Outstanding comprehensive to go and board full time and loved every second - Newton House under Mr & Mrs H. and proud!

Yes, it isn't the most academic, but it pushed and inspired (and I hope still does) all of its pupils with a wide range of opportunities.

Yes it was (and is) small, but after a weeks trial at Milfield in 'Butleigh?!' it very much appealed to me and was the better fit.

I cherish my memories (Ten Tors RNLI team!, DW, The Adventure Centre, 6th Form Barn Dance....) and the opportunities I got as they were a damn sight better than any of my friends got and know for a fact my results wouldn't have been half as good if I'd of stayed put at the local comp. I just hope my DD has the same opportunities I was luckily enough to have!

I wish everyone involved in the merger at MH and KP / KC all the best in September. Xx

Ps. Do Kelly still have the dodgems at the Founders Ball?

The dodgems still make an appearance.
Good to hear you have happy memories of your time at Kelly,I think youve summed up the problem the majority of MH parents have ,for them it is not a choice between the local comp,(be that outstanding or not) and a "private" school, kelly, for a variety of reasons, just isnt considered a possible secondary destination,and I really cant see that is going to change,the majority of mh parents have extensive knowledge of the options open to them,most have been to good senior schools,they tend not to be first time buyers.
Trust is very important,and many parents now have very serious reservations about how much trust in what is being promised they can have.
Children have been withdrawn across the school and many others are seeing how things go in the first term or so,hopefully things will settle down but the communication with parents has been shocking,that needs to improve,each parent has a red line,for most that seems to be the academics,prep is the method of enabling you to get into the secondary school of your choice,if parents feel that is in anyway at risk they will leave,some have left without knowing what prep dc will go to in september.
Let us hope the head of foundation settles things down and the governors take a back seat.

Kelly College provided an excellent all round education for my daughter who is now reading Law at a top university. Why did she receive all her top uni offers? Perhaps, because of the broadness and diversity of her Personal Statement. They not only want to see a string of A/A* but DOfE, Ten Tors, Sailing, Speech & Drama etc all helped to clinch the deal! A high proportion of her year group also achieved top A level results and went on to top universities. Clearly a school with less than 500 pupils can produce excellence - perhaps that is the reason why they could do it!

All very interesting stuff. My daughter has been extremely happy at Shebbear College, a school which is now seriously punching above its weight and led by a top-rate Headmaster. I have nothing startling to contribute to the Kelly/Mount House debate, but I do know from old that Mount House was widely considered to be the best prep school in the region and I am sorry to hear that it has fallen on difficult times. I know the reputation of Kelly is nothing like as good as it was twenty years ago, but it still has the potential to be a great school again. The new Kelly head sounds excellent and if I were a parent, I would find the prospect of the merger quite exciting. Both schools can learn something from each other and with the right management and support, Mount Kelley has the potential to be a leading light in south-west education. The very best of luck to parents of both schools and to prospective parents, go and take a look. Whilst you are searching around come and see Shebbear as well!

This is my first post.

I am intrigued by the vision of MK becoming "a leading light in south-west education". It's doing well just to survive. Times are tough for all SW private schools and, throughout this enormous thread, I don't feel that the schools are being totally honest with parents about the harsh realities, nor that the new school has a clear grasp of its purpose.

As I understand it, the prep schools have done the only rational thing and merged. It's not clear how they could really prosper, or indeed survive, otherwise; MH's roll was dwindling and KP did not have the resources to update and upgrade its inadequate facilities.

The alternative to the merger would have just been a mess: look at what happened to St Michael's in Tawstock, which collapsed over the Christmas break in 2011. The St Michael's pupils provided a welcome shot in the arm for West Buckland's junior school. Luckily the West Buckland site was in good shape, because the St Michael's facilities became trapped in an administration muddle and would not have been available to use.

The parallels with MK/ KP seem strong, especially as both North Devon primaries also had noisy coteries of snobbish parents unable to see the wood for the trees. Surely, in Tavistock as in North Devon, there is room for only one strong and progressive private junior school. Parents should forget this tribalism tosh and support the Foundation as it installs strong leadership, with the simple aim of delivering a modern private primary so they don't have to drive into Exeter twice a day.

I suspect 98% of parents don't want or need the school to be a feeder for Winchester, and yet it is the academic averageness of KC which drives many parents to look further afield at senior school time.

The fact is, that between Colyton, Exeter School and the Maynard, there are plenty of senior day schools with stellar academics within reach. MK senior it needs to be a more than simply where Sharon Davies went to school. Looking to North and East Devon, I get the impression that Blundells and West Buckland senior schools are focussing their provision (and competing with one another) around boarders rather than day pupils. It makes sense to me that this what MK senior school should be all about to.

I'd be interested to know if the 50m pool has been abandoned. Any info? Speaking as the parent of a competitive swimmer, it is just bizarre that Devon may end up with two 50m pools located 14 miles apart!!! There are only a couple of dozen in the whole country. I would have thought MK senior school ought to follow Blundells down the great sports facilities/ historic/ outdoorsy-all-round-education route, and not be all about swimming any more.

Having thought about it some more, the focus on boarding at Kelly, West Buck, Blundells etc does not make for a better experience for day pupils, does not attract better teachers, does not enhance the schools' non-boarding facilities, drains resources (to build/ maintain the boarding side) and puts the schools in an ever more financially precarious position. I was swayed by the fact that they all seem to be doing it, but I have changed my mind. I think they're all making the same mistake about pursuing boarders, and it's bonkers!

Kelly has existing boarding facilities. It has just appointed a whizzy new head to up its game, why wouldn't it continue to offer boarding? It might attract a few extra pupils who live too far to go in everyday. It has also traditionally been a school for children of Navy families and it certainly used to be the case that if the Navy was paying the children had to board.

The prep school merger is a different issue altogether. In our time at Mount House the vast majority of parents did want CE preparation for good boarding schools (including 1 or 2 per year who were headed for Eton and Winchester). Mount House's problem is that that market has been badly hit by the recession, and hugely increasing school fees. There are still parents who want this type of education, but there are not enough of them. When DS was in the 6th form there were over 30 children in his year - there were only 12 in the First Form.

You should not assume that the tone of this thread in any way reflects the attitude of the vast majority of parents involved in the school.

There's a big difference between merely offering boarding, for forces kids, and getting caught in an arms race of building expensive new boarding facilities to chase mainly HK and Singapore Chinese. I don't think the latter is great for any Devon school/ day pupils/ staff/ financial stability.

I had a chat with a mum with DCs at one of the three Devon boarding schools I've mentioned, only last night. She recently challenged the Head about the level of day fees, because she had seen that they were considerably higher than at a certain highly regarded day-only school in central Exeter. The Head's completely bizarre response was along the lines that the Governors of the school in Exeter clearly had no grip on financial reality. Meanwhile, the boarding school in question is investing hundreds of thousands of pounds on its boarding side. It just looks upside-down to me. The boarding side should complement the day side, not suck it dry.

Very personally, I also feel that there has been a shift in what Devon private/ prep school parents want, only over the last six or seven years. I'd be keen to know what other local MNers think on this. I hear what IndridCold is saying about Mount House. My recollection is that, ten and more years ago, MH was the prep school springboard within Devon for the top-name (boys) public schools. Maybe my own perceptions have altered as my DCs have progressed through school, but I sense a change in what lots of parents want and this is certainly not just as a result of the financial squeeze. Bluntly: I just sense there are many fewer parents who want to send their DCs up-country to a top-name public school, and it's this change in attitudes which was the undoing of MH.

Bluntly: I just sense there are many fewer parents who want to send their DCs up-country to a top-name public school, and it's this change in attitudes which was the undoing of MH.

That was exactly my point, and the reason is a mixture of financial reasons and fewer people wanting boarding. Bearing in mind that most of the parents I spoke to had children who were already boarding at Mount House (even if was only a few nights a week) that implies that it was more a question of finance.

Several parents have said to me that while they could afford the fees (these are not people on the bread line) but that boarding fees had now reached a level where they would have to make sacrifices in other aspects of life (holidays and so forth) that they no longer considered it worthwhile. I have seen articles in the press bemoaning the fact that middle-class British families are being priced out of the boarding school market, and that wealthy foreign parents might then lose interest in buying a British education if there are hardly any British children in the school.

There is still a demand for boarding from ex-pat and foreign families, of course, although I do agree with you that spending a lot of money to attract them down to Devon (if that is what they are doing) seems a bit over-ambitious, as those people are looking for schools easily commutable to the big international airports.

I don't know if Kelly are spending lots of money on new boarding facilities, but I do that our friends who sent their DS to Exeter had to withdraw him after a year because it was simply too far to go every day, even though they all loved the school.

A fellow ex MH parent told me about this thread which may be dead now (probably just as well) but I just wanted to express my amazement at the level of unpleasantness and vitriol that has been displayed over the past few months. I have had 2 children at MH. One left this summer at 13 and the other we moved at the end of yr 5. We decided that the new school wasn't going to be right for us as we were worried about the possible changes to CE provision and how the boarding was going to continue. However, even though we have left MH/MK and are therefore among the 'dissenting parents', I have nothing but positivity about the merger, and fail to understand the unpleasant comments that have been made about it. The school in it's new incarnation wasn't right for us, but that doesn't mean it won't be great and work for many others. I hope this post (from a first timer... oh my!) will show that even those who have made the decision to leave aren't narrow minded snobs who don't wish the merger and both schools a happy future jointly. Oh and ps, Propartria, despite your very opinionated posts your don't appear to be able to spell or use correct punctuation. Always best to check that before you go on the attack I would have thought...

PP has at least mastered the its/it's issue.

What Kelly offers that is worth £30,000 p.a. more than Tavistock College, or indeed £30 p.a. more, is an enduring mystery.

Clearly spoken by someone who has not experienced education at Tavistock College, where most of the pupils will not have mastered the its/it's issue either.

My child was so happy at mount house and had a amazing education. This is including sport(where she now plays for her region, because of he excellent coaching) the art, (she took and got her art all rounder scholarship to a excellent secondary school) but also the drama (where she passed her grade 6 with discount ion) I would highly recommend mount house to anyone as it is an amazing school hat is good at everything. I am not sure about Kelly and the merger but I know that the mount house side of it will be great. My child was so happy at mount house, the teachers, and all staff helped her through it and she really got the most out of it! The boarding was also spectacular, my child never cam Rhine tired but also never said that a moment of it was Boring. There will always be people there to support your child if you do send her/him there if it is anything like mount house was. Again, I agree that some of the previous comments was unsatisfactory an that everyone should approach this change with an open mind.
To finally say, if it is at all like mount house I would most curtain lot send your child there, it was an amazon school.

hi Does Anyone know how the merger is going and what the children think about day school and boarding? thanks

Hi,

I would also like further information on this please if anyone has it? We are considering Mount Kelly for entry September 15. Thank you!

Hi. Personally, I feel the merger has gone as well as can be expected. There were always going to be the parents who willed it to fail from the start, but some have left early on, and there seems to be a lovely atmosphere there now. The children are getting on like they have been friends for ever, in fact, my child's best friend has been made since the merger. Come and see the school for yourselves, they will make you feel very welcome, and I can certainly recommend the boarding.

i am ashamed that some adults have a worse opinion than some children. i dont get what propatrias talk about old KC having bad profits when MH will have probs shut down with 1-2 years. as far as i am concerned the mergers is going great and it seems its only propatria who is having issues.

I sincerely hope that you are not a MH pupil or that, if you are, you are not representative of the general student body.

Oh dear. As a genuine prospective parent, I find all of this rather disturbing. My 2dc's are currently at a prep where they are extremely happy, but we are looking to move to the Yelverton area in the summer. We have a showround booked for next week, Dd going into year 4 in September and ds going into reception... should we bother?
How is it really going? If we do cancel, I will probably highlight this thread as a reason, so please, convince me otherwise.
I was really looking forward to this move and now I'm somewhat worried. Blundells seems the only real alternative, but I do find it a little 'empty'- hard to explain, but was looking for a more family orientated atmosphere. My childhood memories of playing against Kelly were always rather warm and the match teas were delicious.

Has the merger really been that disastrous and the parents this bitter?
Propatria in particular just sounds like someone I'd dread running into in the playground. What an obnoxious over opinionated bully!

Dear Mrs Full House..I think it is safe to say that this thread probably portrays the very worst of the merger (Propatria..need i say more..but she isnt there anymore) Come and have a look at a glorious school in a glorious setting. read the latest ISI Report on the Mount Kelly website and feel for yourself. There have been a few bumps but only to be expected with two very distinct schools merging. I have two children there . Good Luck

We drove past yesterday and had a sneaky peek up the drive and I have to say, we got goosebumps. Baring in mind the sun was glorious and all of the 4 children in the car had fallen asleep and it was the first peaceful moment since Sennen, but it looked glorious. I was so disappointed to stumble upon this today.
Our current prep goes to year 8, so 7&8 go over to the senior school?
I have no issues with this as we have 3 dc's 8, 4 and 7 months, so would rather they all went through from nursery to a levels in the same school to aid continuity, ease of travel and also to instill a love of the school in our dc's. We're the kind of family who will throw out all in, so it has to feel like 'the one'! I know I'm making it sound a little like a marriage, but a school can support and shape your child for life, so in a sense, it is a very similar commitment!

Thank you so much Devonlass for responding. Have just ring the Dh in a pickle. I love the dc's current prep, and will be very sad to leave so this move has to be just right.

Mount Kelly Prep now goes to the end of year 8 ..the ISI report will however give you a flavour of the whole school and how its progressing. Yelverton and Tavistock and all around are fabulous..whatever the weather (although I agree the sunshine and quite children do add to the sense of calm and peace)
My boy grumbles when I pick him up as he never seems to want to come home.
look around and trust your instinct..

I will, thank you so much. House shopping, School shopping and leaving a very loved life is all getting a little emotional! I quite honestly imagined the worst when I read this thread.
I will post after the showround to give an honest appraisal from an outsiders point of view, as any prospective parents reading this will be horrified and ridiculous infighting and bitchiness in such a public forum can do such damage to a school. Had I not already been excited by the school, there is no way I would consider even looking around.

This thread was the third item on a Google search for Mount Kelly (beyond the school website of course) I just really hope things have settled.

On another note- girls sport? Other than swimming, how is it? At our current prep they are very secondary to the boys. It doesn't bother me now, but dd is very sporty and it may bother me later. Do they have a decent fixture list?

Definitely do not postpone your look around, I agree with Devonlass that this thread seemed to bring all the most bitter people out of the woodwork, none of whom I recognised or identified with.

My DS left several years ago, but had the most idyllic education there you can imagine. Many of the staff from the old regime stayed on, and even some of those who retired at the time of the merger are still in contact with the school and still make a contribution. This is combined with the injection of some new blood, which is good too.

The recent report indicates that all the positive aspects of life at the school have been preserved, and IMO for a school to adapt to a change in circumstances is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Ultimately you may decide that it isn't the right school, but please make that judgement after visiting the school, and not from this horrible thread. I, for one, would love you to report back your impressions!

Mrs Full House -not sure as I have boys but from what i see ....the girls give the boys a good run for their money when sports is concerned.