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Original poster

Senior Private school needed or agency help

107 replies

RoxyMilo · 27/11/2023 19:40

I am desperately in need of a pastorally good senior school (year 9). We were at an amazing prep school and currently at a private school which has no sense of community, no sense of pride and my child is so lonely as they all knew each other from the junior school. The school have been told and don't care. Is it possible to find a private senior school which is pastorally amazing and where there is that family feeling or am I looking for something that doesn't exist. Definitely not Uppingham, Oakham, Stamford or Oundle. 2 hours from those schools would be amazing but for the perfect and right school maybe further. Shiplake don't do Latin so is a no ! Happy to consider an agency but not Gabbitas as they were so condescending !! Thank you !!**

OP posts:
Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 18:02

@chickenpieandchips you most definitely have to be a certain character so as not to get lost in huge class sizes. I'm not interested in results. I'm interested in the experience which you definitely don't get at State school and you can't board in all state schools.

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EmmaGrundyForPM · 30/11/2023 18:04

RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 17:56

@LadeOde it's nothing about believing, it is experience. Never mind when we see them coming out of school at home time.

It's not experience. You're making huge value judgements based on seeing some children coming out of school.

Also, why are you referring to your child as "we"? Very strange.

Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 18:04

@pumpkintart yes we did as we have family near there. Thank you

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Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 18:06

@EmmaGrundyForPM you definitely don't speak for me or my experience or my friends experience in the state system. We are a family and act as such. It is weird you find that weird. Not that we need to justify ourselves to you.

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Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 18:08

@FourLastSongs we have many friends at Harpur Trust schools and the children are not that happy. Thank you though.

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FourLastSongs · 30/11/2023 18:16

Good luck. I think that you may need it.

ElizaBennetts · 30/11/2023 18:32

@RoxyMilo Are you looking for a boarding place for your DS?

XelaM · 30/11/2023 18:42

RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 18:02

@chickenpieandchips you most definitely have to be a certain character so as not to get lost in huge class sizes. I'm not interested in results. I'm interested in the experience which you definitely don't get at State school and you can't board in all state schools.

Yes you can. Just as an example - Royal Alexandra and Albert. It has ponies and more beautiful grounds than most private schools. It’s a state day and boarding school

GHSP · 30/11/2023 19:09

Bruern Abbey senior? Would provide excellent support on the maths

Soma · 30/11/2023 19:31

@RoxyMilo as already mentioned, I think Royal Hospital School in Suffolk would be a good fit. They also have small group sessions for students who need extra support.

tennissquare · 30/11/2023 19:49

Yes I agree, if it's a ds then Bruern Abbey senior may be the answer.

Another76543 · 30/11/2023 20:14

Out of interest, why have you ruled out Oakham, Uppingham, Stamford and Oundle? They’re all fairly different schools and most children would fit in well in one of those. Is there a reason you want your DC to board? Perhaps a day place might be worth thinking about for a quieter child?

chickenpieandchips · 30/11/2023 20:33

What about all the children that don't have a choice as to whether they can get lost or not in a state school.
There are so many people at a state school that you will find your tribe.
I'm not here to change your mind re school, but your view. I'm worried with your opinion that when your DS gets to uni he won't want mix with the horrific state school bunch.
Ps the kids that were on the most drugs at uni were the public school ones.

Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 21:24

@Another76543 Oundle is too pushy academically, same as Uppingham, Oakham wouldn't support the EP and Stamford has just gone co Ed in September and it's a mess at the moment. We have friends at all of these !

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Original poster
RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 21:27

@GHSP I just looked it up. We were at a Bellevue school before and it was terrible. Soulless!

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Another76543 · 30/11/2023 21:29

RoxyMilo · 30/11/2023 21:24

@Another76543 Oundle is too pushy academically, same as Uppingham, Oakham wouldn't support the EP and Stamford has just gone co Ed in September and it's a mess at the moment. We have friends at all of these !

I’d agree that Oundle and Uppingham are academic. I‘m surprised that Oakham couldn’t help though - they’re known as being quite good with those who might need a bit of extra help. Stamford - yes I think it might take a while to settle down. I’ve heard good things about Greshams.

tennissquare · 30/11/2023 21:37

@RoxyMilo , I was also a parent at a Bellevue school, they own a handful of schools so I don't think you can make generalisations. Bruern Abbey is an incredibly expensive boys prep and new senior school set in beautiful ground with a traditional uniform etc.

TheSquareMile · 30/11/2023 21:54

Are you looking for a place for a boy or a girl, RM and is this to start next autumn?

Has he/she expressed any preferences re his/her next school?

ChaoticCrumble · 30/11/2023 22:03

I don’t know anything about the private sector but locally to me there is St Chris in Letchworth, north Herts, which focuses more on the pastoral side (veggie food tho!)

ChaoticCrumble · 30/11/2023 22:04

(It is a private school that offers weekly boarding)

ManyATrueWord · 30/11/2023 22:07

Kings Ely? O e of the Cambridge ones like Heritage?

muminherts · 30/11/2023 22:15

I was coming on to say St Christopher Letchworth. Good results, very good SEND support, could weekly or flexi board, only 50 mins from Peterborough. Happy kind kids and bullying not tolerated.

muminherts · 30/11/2023 22:16

If you want to use a consultant, I recommend the SEN team from the Good Schools Guide and Charlotte was fantastic.

Strawberrycocktail · 30/11/2023 23:09

Epsom college? Not small but has matrons in the boarding houses, claims good pastoral care and I believe it offers quite a lot of extra learning support where needed/requested (charged for as extra). I am saying this not as a parent with inside knowledge but from having toured the school as a prospective parent a few years ago now so you would need to investigate the current situation. Regarding the slow processing in maths, if it is quite bad wouldn't your DC qualify for extra time in exams (with aid of an ed psych report?). That would potentially compensate for the slow processing. It is not necessarily something you can change but extra support in maths should be quite commonplace in schools and if your DC did well enough in Common Entrance then they may only need the extra support most schools already offer plus extra time in their maths exams. It is not a good reflection of the private school system if many of these schools are seeing your DC as having needs that are too complex for them!

ChaoticCrumble · 18/12/2023 16:03

How did you get on OP? @RoxyMilo