Horris Hill / Caldicott School

[christo88]

My DS got an offer to Year 4 from Horris Hill and Caldicott, we have to decide which one to choose. I would love to hear from parents who can give some advice, I noticed Horris Hill has changed the ownership recently and there is a new Headmaster, any advice from current parents in school?

Congratulations! What senior school are you targeting as Caldicott sends a chunk to Harrow whilst Horris Hill sends a lot to winchester?

Lots of changes going on at HH including going coed I believe. I'd go for Caldicott for that reason but then I'm pretty set on all boys for mine for prep. Do you have any others on your radar or have you narrowed it down to those two already?

I think both Harrow and Winchester are good schools, I heard Horris Hill is considering changing to co-ed, I am a bit concerned about this. Any comments about Caldicott?

@Legoninjago1

Lots of changes going on at HH including going coed I believe. I'd go for Caldicott for that reason but then I'm pretty set on all boys for mine for prep. Do you have any others on your radar or have you narrowed it down to those two already?

Yes, I want my DS to go to an all-boys school. He went for an assessment in Summer Fields and Pilgrims school, but no news yet.

Had a DS at Caldicott a few years ago. Fab school and I hear the new head is very very good and has continued the good work that Simon Doggart did (Simon Doggart died under a cloud sadly) but I have to say I trusted him 100%.

Caldicott are excellent in guiding parents to the appropriate school which are normally the big private boarding schools. Very few people leave at 11. Its not that sort of school. Have you an eye on a certain senior school?

Is it for weekly boarding? Just wondering as those are all white spread out geographically.

Quite not white

Thanks for your comments on Caldicott, I heard the new head is very good and I just want to hear some more feedback from the parents. I am preparing my DS to go to either Winchester, Harrow, or Eton.

He will go to day school for Year 4 & 5 and will consider boarding in Year 6, geographically is not quite important for us.

Horris Hill have recently advertised for a new Head so the current one isn’t staying.

I’ve only heard good things about the Head at Caldicott and I think it’s probably a more certain bet as a school. HH is tiny and not many small schools do well in this economic uncertainty. X

Caldicott recently introduced flexi boarding which sounds like could be good for you. Didn't the head win one of the best head awards recently too? Tatler maybe. If location flexible have you thought about Papplewick?

Just received an offer from Summer Fields, I think we will go ahead to confirm Summer Fields. We applied to Papplewick, but they are quite full, not even having a chance to go for an assessment. We are definitely not considering Horris Hill if the current new head is going to leave again.

My son is at HH. I could not recommend enough.the school enough. there have been some changes; new head is appointed coming from OPS prior to that an ex Eton Don and house master. There is a lot of infrastructure investment also.
the main point is that the boys are so happy and supportive of each other.
the school does feed some of the too senior schools which is great but the important point is the school is not a hot house. Boys are supportive of each other and individuality is embraced.

Dr Bailey was a stop gap till the permanent head could start.
this was always the plan and was articulated to the parents from the outset.
new head is excellent.

Can’t argue the co-Ed decision. The one thing we are really not pleased about and do consider it a major mistake. Which I think our dissatisfaction is only strengthen by the fact so many people on here are now dismissing the school for that very reason🙄

HH has good investment as it is part of a group - it was acquired in 2021