A nice school?

[Newgirlandboy]

Hello, we would be so grateful for advice on new schools/areas.

We are moving house and would like to move to an area with a lovely prep school. We would like a co-ed day school, with a real emphasis on happiness, kindness and a gentle/nurturing environment where children can try new things and find what they love. Good results also important! We are not looking for a hard school environment. Ideally no Saturday school!

Looking in either Wiltshire/N Somerset/Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire.

Any school recommendations would be hugely appreciated! It's so hard to tell them apart just from a website.

Thanks

Try the good schools guide

Friends sent DDs to Westonbirt and were happy (was a while ago now, nursery to sixth form, last one leaving soon). It’s a through school but if you move to that area you can bus into Bath/Cheltenham for secondary if needed.

Mixed reviews about Beaudesert. I thought it was great school and would have sent my eldest if we had moved, as they are very outgoing and can hold their own. Otherwise I only know of Richard Pate in Cheltenham (great for getting into grammars).

Stayed in London in the end because of Covid and DCs went to a small state (faith) primary. You could not get a more kind, happy and academically successful school (so don’t discount state, especially if you DC are still pre-school), it’s the main reason we haven’t left yet!

Thank you so much - this is such a helpful response. What have you heard about Beaudesert?

Our children are currently in a state primary but we have been disappointed with it. Maybe it was just bad luck and we should look again at more state primary schools. I'm so glad you got a lovely one!

To be honest, I think you are looking about this in the wrong way. What secondary school education are you looking for? An 11+ transition or 13+? The nearer you are to London, the more choice you tend to have but will you mind ending up moving to a specific area for a specific school, deciding a year down the line that it doesn't work for your DC and having to drive 30 minutes or so each way twice a day to get to the next private school that you do like?
Also bear in mind that the prep school sector is likely to be disproportionately affected by the VAT increase. What provisions do they have now that might be cut? What about in 2yrs time or 5yrs time?

Sorry just seen this.
Nothing bad at BD - just a few comments about some year groups being seen as snobby maybe a bit of low key bullying, then others saying how wonderfully nurturing it is. Like all schools you get lovely years and not so lovely years and teachers who can deal with it and teachers who can't. Honestly I didn't take it too seriously as some parents seem to be more sensitive to the school environment than the children do.
I still thought my eldest would have happily held her own if she had gone there and I was more impressed with the academics than at Westonbirt.
We are still state, in London, and not planning on changing that for primary. Hope it is all working out for you.