Bournemouth Private Schools

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Hello all,

First post, so forgive any errors!

We are soon to move to Bournemouth, Canford Cliffs area. Our DD is approaching her second birthday and we are well aware of the need to decide on her schooling. We are happy to pay for her to go private.

There appear to be a range of options in the area. We have viewed Castle Court, which seemed a lovely school with a very engaged head, but are concerned by the daily journey.

Does anyone have recent experience of the schools more locally, such as Bournemouth Collegiate, Talbort Heath School, Buckholme Towers or St. Martins? Or any others we may have missed!

Neither my wife or I have experience of PE, so any advice would be gratefully received!

Canford Cliffs comes under Poole not Bournemouth so that may or may not be relevant to your Daughter's secondary education later on.

Buckholme Towers is a small prep school and has small classes sizes. The teaching is good and it is not far from Candford Cliffs. The vast majority of its eleven year olds pass the 11plus exam and gain entry to the local (state) Poole Grammar Schools _ one for girls and one for boys. They used to prep for Bournemouth Grammar schools too, but now it is a single test for all four.

Talbot Heath is also good, but you are expected to sit CE at eleven and proceed into the senior school their and not exit for Grammar school. Lots of extra curricular activities at TH and holiday club for younger children.

State schools in area for Primary are also good. Opinion is varied on state secondary schools. The Grammar Schools, St Edwards ( faith school) @ Corfe Hills ( really need to live in Broadstone/ Corfe Mullen as they go up for start of year 9 and not year 7 like the rest of Poole schools).

You need to think about what you want to do a secondary school age and work back from there to find a school that suits.

Hi Bugaboo, many thanks for your response!

The Buckholme Towers OFSTED report is truly awful! I would be very upset to be paying for that. Pity, as it looks like a nice school. Having studied their various reports more closely, CC does appear to be the best option, despite the drive.

I think we maybe back in London by the time of secondary school, with the hope that DD might get in somewhere like City of London.

Castle Court is the best school in the area - it's warm, friendly and very family oriented and inclusive. The Headmaster is fantastic. The trouble with some of the smaller private schools in the town centres, like Buckholme Towers, is that they have no sports fields and have to be bussed there. Many many families commute from Canford Cliffs out to Castle Court, it's not a problem. As they get older, there is a minibus there and back twice a day. Some people car share.

Thank you PPR! I agree entirely on CC. They were great to us when we looked round. The school seemed lovely - enthusiastic teachers, lots of space, forward looking and the Head came across very well. My only issues is that, having grown up in central London, walking to/from school was part of the learning process. Being driven about seems a shame! But probably a price worth accepting.

I hear you on walking to school! I imagined that is how my child would get there...seriously, though, the trade off for Castle Court is worth it.

If I can help with advising you in any way about your move...give you some advice on the best areas to look and so on, please message me. We did the same thing 20 years ago, and never regretted it. Part from Selfridges. God I miss Selfridges!!

Dig a bit deeper before you decide on Castle Court. It looks lovely but there are issues with the HM, for example parents have approached him with concerns about the school food (battery eggs being used in school meals and school providing unhealthy snacks), but they feel that their concerns are not being addressed. There is a lot of frustration.

Also, the 3-7 (?) year olds are taught in old tired-looking pre-fab buildings. We were told that new purpose built classrooms would be ready by the time our DC started. That was in 2013 and nothing has changed.

The other popular prep is Dumpton. You wont find anyone with dc at CC to say a good word about it and vice versa but worth looking at. My niece and nephew are at CC and love it. I have friends with dc at Dumpton who also like it.

The motto of Castle Court is 'We have one childhood and it has to be the best' - this is the Head's philosophy and he sees it through.

We think the food is wonderful, all home-made, but of course what matters most is the standard of teaching and the children's happiness - have a look at the latest Ofsted.

I think you have to expect that you will need to do a lot of extra tutoring if you want to go from any Dorset prep to a very selective London day school.

Dorset is laid back and the preps are lovely country all-rounders. There just isn't the hothouse focus that you find in London. Personally I am delighted with this, but I wouldn't think for a moment that my DS could go from his Dorset prep to a London day without a huge amount of extra work (DH has worked in London day schools and major public schools and I am a Primary teacher so I speak with some insight).

Thank you all for your replies.

The compatibility of a Dorset prep with getting into a good London School is one question that had concerned me. We are content with the idea of getting any additional tuition required. My question though would be, is it possible in this area to get the quality/experienced tuition required to make this possible?

I'm not sure it would be that easy TBH, but I'm sure you'll find something if you look hard enough.

After you have spent some time in Dorset you may have a different perspective on the London educational scene anyway.

Talbots Heath is great if you're happy to go girls only - beautiful grounds, great education and lovely ethos, Collegiate is sporty rather than academic and in many years a bit boy heavy, Buckholme is lovely but small so friendship circle can be an issue. It's a real family school and most kids who go love it, especially the less confident ones. Tutoring is rife though so don't set too much store by its 11-plus results. Yarrells has a very good reputation locally. If you don't choose private, the state school options are fantastic (Lilliput for infants and Baden Powell for juniors) and plenty of parents who could easily afford the private option choose state.

Good luck with the move by the way. You won't regret it. In fact you might never go back!

You won't regret it. In fact you might never go back!

^This

OMG I wouldn't choose Yarrells. The headmaster was sacked from his previous school and Yarrells didn't even ask for a reference. Dumpton, Castle Court or Talbot Heath.

Hi! We are in the same situation. Moving to Canford Cliffs from Cheshire in January with my partner and 10 year old daughter. Which school did you go for?
I don't know whether it's best for her to go to a middle school first as she's really worried about moving and then to senior school or do the last 2 terms of junior school and then secondary school. I'd really like a mixed secondary school but don't know which one! Any advice??Thanks Emma

I have had two children at Yarrells and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. The teachers found out what made my children individuals and then supported them to achieve the very best they could. My children then went on to state secondary at Year 9 and it was a good time to transfer. They had developed a great work ethic and Yarrells gave them such confidence to go forward. It is such a warm and happy environment. My eldest is just about to go to the Royal College of Music. Yarrells have just appointed a new Head and she’s got a great reputation, too. I would suggest look around and find the school that fits your child and is going to give them the best opportunities to grow.

I went to see both Yarrells and Buckholme and preferred the smaller Buckholme family feel for my son who starts in their pre-school in Jan. I was looking for somewhere that would offer continuation through to 11+ and on to Grammar and definitely think Buckholme will deliver. Buckholme Towers is now ISA instead of OFSTED and they have addressed all of the areas, which I think means they are up there with everything. Classes are still small, one form entry and it's a really happy school. The pre-school is really popular. Both schools have had recent changes of head. I'm happy with my choice!

Lot of movement at Buckholme at the moment shame as lovely little school but lost a lot of key staff including their head not sure it is still the same place. Class sizes too small I've heard down to 3 in Reception.