I have DC at Clayesmore and DP has 2x DC at Bryanston. All with dyslexia and SEN.
Bryanston is extremely communicative regarding academic matters, allowing parents to monitor progress weekly. Pastoral also seems on the ball. Bryanston is a much larger school and therefore has more subject choices, and more sporting facilities. Popular with London and international celeb types seeking a decent school without the apparent stuffiness of the traditional elite public schools. The Head looks about 12 and wears inappropriately tight trousers. They can be a bit too prejudiced in their SEN selection, and I was delighted that one of the children proved them wrong by smashing everything academically.
Clayesmore is much smaller, with a more restricted choice of subjects, and fewer facilities, sports, and afterschool clubs. Although the staff are largely fantastic, the system has failed DC on a few occasion, such as a lack of candid advice on subject choices, and not providing SEN-compliant exam conditions despite being explicitly asked to do this. Too many chiefs, and not enough gluing it all together. The day-to-day academic communication with parents is adequate but way behind the system operated by Bryanston.
Clayesmore has a fluffy touch, which is fine, but too frequently applied in my opinion. For example, the annual School Walk (a casual ramble up the nearest ancient hill fort) was cancelled because the sun was judged to be too hot. It wasn't. A couple of years before it was cancelled due to rain.
Last year the thriving CCF program was suddenly cancelled after 75+? years. A decision that upset a lot of children who took a lot out of the CCF, in particular the opportunity to partake in subsidised CCF courses, cheap access to DofE, camping, exciting activities, first aid, community service, Flying, Leadership etc. All either free, or heavily discounted by the MoD. Representations from parents were largely ignored, and the abruptness of this short-sighted and ignorant decision caused a lot of upset to both parents and children, who woke up expecting to do a much loved activity, and were told by school to hand in their uniforms, and not contact the CCF adult staff on the matter. In it's place there is increasing over-reliance on the LEX activity and development program which sounds great but is a bit limp truth be told.
Last month parents were informed that Clayesmore had been acquired by Inspired Learning Group, who will no doubt be looking for a return on their investment.
Good luck with your choice.
NB None of our children are unhappy.