Oxfordshire prep schools

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Can anyone help? I'm looking for recommendations for prep schools in Oxfordshire for DS (7.5), currently in Year 3. He is doing OK at state primary, but with a view to private secondary education we're thinking of moving him to indy at year 5. He is struggling a bit with the huge class size (33) and can't concentrate or apply himself well enough.
Thanks in advance

Where in Oxfordshire?

Hi. We're between Bicester and Oxford, DH works in Oxford, me in Bicester for now, but travelling would be fine.

Sorry, we are in the SW of the county, would be too far from you.

Dragon School, Oxford
Magdalen College School, Oxford

Dragon is highly oversubscribed and deals with this by giving out places in order of arrival on waiting list (mostly).

MCS is highly oversubscribed and deals with this by taking the brightest few percent of boys.

The Abingdon boys/mixed schools are generally less oversubscribed and therefore easier to get into... the Oxford one's are all a bit crazily full. (Though its worth a try if you love a school).

What are your DS's interests and talents? Then I'll know where to direct you a little better.

You've missed 7+ entry at year 3, so will need to phone schools and see if they have a place available, unless you want to wait for 9+ entry?

Have said on here before Newcollege school in Oxford is absolutely lovely

We got DS into Abingdon at yr4 ok. He is loving it. LOTS of sport.
Would Abingdon be too far?

Cokethorpe?? That's Witney way.

My Dcs went to St. Hugh's, Carswell , nr Faringdon, which is really great - but you'd have to move!!(actually I think it's worth moving for)
Abingdon prep (used to be Josca's) is nice but west of Abingdon, at Frilford, and traffic in Abingdon is always horrendous, but especially at rush hour.
I wouldn't consider a prep school that took more than 20mins (max 30 for a great one)to drive to. Little ones get really tired at the end of a long day, often with sport/clubs/matches after school, you could be picking up at 5, 6 or even later after an away match in the cricket season, or a play rehearsal.
You should also consider where their friends will live, if you drive for 30mins to school, I promise you your DS will become best friends with a boy who lives 30mins in the opposite direction, meaning any party/sleepover/play will mean at least 2 hrs driving for you.
Sorry I can't help with schools in your area, but please, for the above reasons, don't look too far away from home.

DS is at Summer Fields and loves it. He started at 8 but lots of boys join later, so I don't think it is "full". It is good academically but takes boys with a very wide range of abilities and treats every one of them as an important individual. Staff are friendly and unbelievably kind. Lots of sport, music, art, drama etc etc. Also lots of good old-fashioned boys' fun- camping in the woods, messing around in the hay field, train club, conkers.

It is mostly boarding; but the day boys are well-integrated and lots of the boarders are local, so your ds would have friends in the hols. Classes average about 15. School day for day boys is until about 6 M, T, Th, F and until 4 W and Sat

The website is quite informative

Thanks everyone; really useful suggestions. We have been doing the rounds of open days, and I'm looking for personal parent experiences. Soda we have been aiming not to travel too far; one of DS's friends has recently started at Cokethorpe, but starts and ends his day with a 1 hour coach journey - too much at 8, I think. Thanks again