Stonar verses Westonbirt?

[jasonchilli]

We are trying to decide between Stonar Schol in Whiltshire and Westonbirt in Gloustershire. Its for a girls year 7 with dyslexia but copes well and an academic boy year 8. Would love any opinions. Many Thanks

I have friends with DC at Westonbirt and it very little by way of SEN support. It is a funny place, is scoops up children that haven’t thrived in state / more academic indies. There is the usual spattering of mental health stuff and a fair amount of vaping/smoking/drinking and perhaps more eating disorders than in some environments. Adding boys to the mix has been a muddled affair. It’s a school that doesn’t seem to have found out who it is yet, having gone from a stuffy old style girls to a girl heavy co-Ed that is known for nurture but without good SEN support. Average facilities - no Astro pitch but reasonable swimming pool but they have had no end of troubles with it over the last six months and have to keep cancelling internal and external classes.
How about Kingswood? It has a very good reputation. Or Wycliffe is good for dyslexics.

naaaahhh. Thankyou so much for your informative response. I have looked at both KIngswood and Wycliffe and also look really suitable being coed and great pastoral care with good sens departments also the flexi boarding option which Stonar doesn' t seem to offer...

@jasonchilli Kingswood is much more academic, but I have a friend with a dyslexic child at Wycliffe and they have been very happy - they offer BTECs as well as A level which really suit some dyslexic children.

Don’t know about Westonbirt but Stonar isn’t academic at all, and never has been.

Stonar is fantastic for our bright, dyslexic daughter. Their SEN is outstanding - not just individual lessons each week, but the SEN teachers head into the classroom during 'normal' lessons to see first hand how things are going. We moved from St. Mary's Calne (but that's another, long, story!) and our daughter joined Stonar a year ago, heading into Year 8. Her confidence was rock bottom but Stonar to the rescue! They have scooped her up and she is definitely back on track, happy and doing really well. The not-quite-so-new-now Head of Stonar is really doing great things - academics are on the up, music is great .. for a small school they really are doing great things, and well worth a visit, in my view!
PS I was at Westonbirt in is fuddy duddy all-girls years ... happy place but very different now! Stonar have the girls & boys balance spot on and very well supported.

Hello! Commenting on your old post and wondered if you are still happy with Stonar 2 years on? We are considering the school for our boys.