Ashfold School vs. Swanbourne House school

[Foodie68]

I’m looking for options on Ashfold School and Swanbourne House school please.

Both schools seem to have good facilities and small class sizes but it appears that Ashfold is more academic? Good pastoral care is also important so any insight around this would also be useful please.

Thank you!

Can anybody help with my question
please?

I'm not sure about Ashfold to be honest but Swanbourne is a very all round school. There are academic high flyers (incuding a separate academic scholarship class for Year 7 and 8) but it is non selective and there are a large number of academically weak children too. It is very strong in the Arts, has (as all preps do) a lot of focus on sport and specifically teaches team building, leadership and independent learning skills. It moved away from Common Entrance a few years ago and does the PSB (Pre Senior Baccalaureate) which is a more all round, skills based assessment model. It's closely linked to Stowe (not an official prep of Stowe but not far off), along with another prep school in the area, Winchester House. I would worry slightly that Ashfold might be vulnerable with those two competitor preps having the financial backing of Stowe but not necessarily. I think Ashfold is still Common Entrance which might give it the more academic reputation.

Go and see them! I went to both Ashfold and Swanbourne and Swanbourne definitely had the edge in my view. I think people get bogged down in hearsay and whether a school is more academic than another. Both are mixed ability schools so pupils will go to a range of schools. Swanbourne has a scholarship form in years 7 and 8 and they secure a number of scholarships each year plus usually send a few off to Eton/Harrow/radley etc. I would say better facilities at Swanbourne with astros, indoor swimming pool etc. very outsoorsy. Music and drama excellent. It is a happy school full of happy children and you can drop off early for breakfast and pick up 630iish after tea for no extra cost (I hear not so at ashfold but might be wrong).
If your child is academically able they should thrive as there is provision for this. Also if they are average or even struggling academically, the school will get the best out of them. Excellent SEN provision.

Regarding PSB - they are following the same syllabus as CE. The children are assessed all year round which takes the pressure off the intense exam weeks that occur with CE. I think it’s much better and senior schools are more familiar with it so not a bar to gaining a place. In our year which was the first year of PSB there, pupils secured places at Eton, Harrow, Radley, Winchester, Stowe, Downe house, Bloxham, Berkhamsted, Uppingham, Oakham, etc