Abingdon prep

[Newgirlandboy]

Hello, would be grateful for any thoughts on Abingdon prep. Is it gentle and nurturing or more of a hot house environment?

Thank you

If you want nurturing Cokethorpe is much better.

Thank you - will check it out!

Please could I check - as Cokethrope too expensive for us - is Abingdon prep not very nurturing?

My son went there when it was Joscas and Chris was the headmaster and it was lovely. I think it's changed ethos quite a bit since then.

Now Abingdon upper school takes girls I think it might change a bit towards a more forgiving atmosphere. I wouldn't send mine there because there was too much emphasis on the academic side rather than turning out well rounded adults.

They do quite generous bursaries at Cokethorpe if your child is good at something. But yes they've all gone up a bit, not sure I could afford it now.

Best thing is to arrange a visit and see what you think.

A mum I was in contact with recently has removed all 3 of her boys from Abingdon Prep due to bullying of her oldest to the point that they felt it was no longer safe for him to go to school. He has also said that he doesn't want to go to the senior school when the time comes. I have no direct experience of the school myself.

DS went all the way through the prep and now onto the senior school. They don’t cater for SEN in any meaningful way even mild SEN. The boys are robust and sporty. There’s nurturing in the preprep but beyond that very little. At the top of the school the teachers become more male and very old school especially in Maths. The senior school is not a kind place and full of bullying. If you have a robust, academic, very sporty boy they’ll do fine. Otherwise I’d look elsewhere.

Isn’t the new head they’ve appointed a woman? That may make a difference to the culture of the school.

Interestingly the bullying culture at senior school goes back to the late 90s early noughties - I didn't like to say but that was my friends experience too. Her son hated it there.

I do not recognize this description of the senior school at all. Two boys, nwith the school all along, neither is sporty. At least one could be described as an oddball. They have thrived there (and incidentally had many female maths teachers