Public day schools in Oxfordshire or Devon

[CosyJammies]

We're considering moving back to the uk after a long time living abroad, and we're looking at either Devon or Oxfordshire. Are there any good private day schools in these areas? I'd prefer mostly day rather than mostly boarding with some day pupils. Are these kind of day schools at risk of closure with the new VAT rules?

Well, yes, there are loads, but you may need to narrow down your search criteria a bit! Oxfordshire alone has plenty of independent day schools, but it depends where in the county you want to be....?

take a look at Muddy Stilletos, there's a nice easy beginners guide as it were to private schools for each county, you can search by girls / boys / day / boarding etc

@CosyJammies

If you're looking in that direction, would Millfield be a consideration?

It's Somerset, rather than Devon, but it might be one you could look at.

www.millfieldschool.com/

Millfield is predominantly boarding- OP wants predominantly day.

@CosyJammies what sort of school are you looking for- in terms of v academically selective vs not, sports focused or not etc. and do you want Co-Ed or single sex.

Co-ed would be great as my daughter will go eventually, but I'm happy with single sex too. My son isn't sporty but I'd like him to try lots of sports to see if he finds one he enjoys...he's very bright but quite a gentle child, so I don't think a tough competitive school would suit him. He plays piano, and while he can be perfectly confident he sometimes becomes very anxious, which is why I'm looking for day over boarding. The option for weekly boarding would be nice but for now he wouldn't board. I don't know Oxfordshire at all, it's not my neck of the woods! It's a good central location given how scattered our family is.

Stover School in Devon might tick a lot of those boxes. All the kids I know there are day pupils.

Lots of day/ predominantly day schools in Oxfordshire

Boys - Magdalin, Abingdon (going co-ed)
Girls Oxford High, Headington, St Helen's and St Katherine's,
Coed - Cranford, D'overbroeck's, Our Lady Abingdon, Wychwood, Cokethorpe

Cranford is a very nurturing school. My children are happy there

In Devon, Exeter School (not sure if it's now fully co-Ed or just for Sixth Form) and the Maynard for bright girls.

Depending whereabouts in Oxfordshire you want to be, right on the southern Oxfordshire/Berkshire border, but just into Berkshire, I hear good things about Reading Blue Coat.

Maynards in Exeter. Very happy memories. And Wychwood in Oxford - superb.

Our Lady's in Abingdon is co-ed, and we're very happy.
Abingdon Boys is going co-ex next year I believe.

Exeter School is well regarded, co-ed and takes mainly day pupils. Maynard also has a good reputation, but doesn’t take boys.

You'll have more choices of good schools in Oxfordshire but your house budget will go much further in Devon, if that's a consideration. You could look at Blundell's in Tiverton- it has a strong local (day) following with a reduced fee for families living with a certain radius of the school. Exeter School is well regarded locally, but otherwise I wouldn't say there's great strength in depth here. There are lots of very good schools around Oxford, but 'Devon is Hevon' as the car park graffiti in Exeter puts it.