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Westonbirt vs local secondary?

1 reply

thefoxandthewolf · 27/09/2023 14:29

We are thinking of re-locating from the US to Nailsworth area. We have friends there, have spent a lot of time looking around the area, originally from London, love the walking and access to Bristol / Bath / London / Heathrow. We have two children, 13 and 9, who have been at a Steiner School, not because of philosophy, because of size, location, mix of student background and it being the lesser of two extremes - the public (state run) school at one end the private at the other. We have received a small amount of money to send our children to an (inexpensive) private school should we wish. We toured Westonbirt and really liked it, not because it was "impressive" but more because it felt charming in a tired sort of way. Everyone was very friendly. There were lots of large open windows looking out to green space. It reminded us all of their current school. Our children are good all-rounders. Our DD is the older, 13, and very into friends which will be hard to leave behind but she needs more friends, current school is very small and friend group is not meeting her needs (15 in her class, one class per year). She is very motivated to work, loves to dance, is great at art and writing. She is sensitive to large crowds, loud noises and busy places....hence the lean towards the atmosphere of Westonbirt rather than a large comp. I went to a London comp, husband went to an American private quaker school. I'm not looking for pushy academics but I would like them to be challenged and supported. We also toured Wycliffe, Stroud High and King Edwards School Bath. Any up to date thoughts on Westonbirt versus local secondary would be most, most, most gratefully received?!

OP posts:
Mymidlifegoesbung · 27/09/2023 21:15

Sorry I haven't heard anything about Westonbirt either way. For your older daughter you might not find it easy to get into Stroud High as the eleven plus entry makes it pretty full. I have two kids at glos grammars, and friends at Stroud High have done v well there. I would say with the grammars it might be the polar opposite to Steiner - we did Steiner nursery and grammars are v focused on being high achieving. My kids are v happy in grammar and I would say self-motivated rather than pushed by school, as are all their friends, and really thriving. With Stroud it has a kind of mixed sixth form with the boys' school but there is also the option of moving to other sixth forms so really only single sex for short time.

Another option could be Kathryn Lady Berkeley if grammar doesn't suit - v well thought of by teachers I know. I know people in Minchinhampton area that went there but not up-to-date on catchment. Could Beaudesert be option for younger child? It is quite posh though (Princess Anne sent kids there) - impression it is quite old money (friend said most of her daughter's friends were from v welathy divorced families weirdly). Kids I know who went to Wycliffe all did really well - impression is more middle class and less posh than some of the indies. You could also look at Cheltenham schools as many bus in - Ladies College do day pupils from 13plus - there has been issue with too many Mandarin speakers in boarding houses but prob wouldn't impact day girls. Cheltenham College seems less favoured by local girls - many seem to move from prep for secondary.

Nailsworth is lovely btw - hope the move works well.

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