Best Private Schools Leicestershire

kaela100 · 2024-11-19T11:33:56+00:00

Hi, can anyone tell me what the best private day schools in Leicestershire are? We're an Indian family and we have moved temporarily to the city centre with a view to move to a more permanent place in Leicestershire later. My children are 4 and 3 - they're in a private nursery at the moment but my elder one will be turning 5 next May and I've been told we need to get her into school by then.

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TubeScreamer · 04/12/2024 14:21

Tried to send you a detailed PM but it keeps going wrong, so apologies that you have many messages each of half a sentence!!!
I have had 2 children at Loughborough Grammar (one still there) having first been to Fairfield (the prep school that feeds into LGS). Fairfield was excellent. I would struggle to recommend LGS itself at the moment. The teaching is mostly excellent but the leadership and governance is awful. There have been 5 changes of Head in 5 years. Each new Head promises to change things and to improve communications with parents (awful) but it always proves to be empty promises.
My son and his friends joke about how many more headteachers they might have before they leave the school.

ZiaMcnab · 04/12/2024 14:31

My nephew goes to Brooke Priory in Oakham and they've been totally wonderful, it's a lovely (co-ed, as I don't know if you have sons or daughters) little school in a very nice part of the world. Bit of a schlep from Leicester city centre, but if you're thinking of moving into the countryside, East Leicestershire is beautiful and then it would be an easy journey.
I've also heard good things about Leicester Grammer School, which is just outside the centre of Leicester (in Great Glen) and they have a junior school that starts at age 3.

ETA: Leicester Grammer is also co-ed all the way through. Loughborough Grammer is boys only, but there is a sister school (Loughborough High) and Fairfield is co-ed. I wouldn't recommend any of those schools personally, having attended Fairfield myself and having friends who went to both Grammer and High, but that was all about 1000 years ago, so you should make your own judgement about those!

Tillow4ever · 04/12/2024 16:05

I live in Rutland (Leicestershire) and we have some excellent schools here but I should warn you in advance it's a very "white" area (that seriously needs a lot more diversity in my opinion - but I wouldn't want you or your children to feel uncomfortable if you came to take a look and found that to be the situation).

Brooke Priory is the only private primary school in Oakham. It is excellent from what I understand - but if you were looking at Oakham, I'd consider using the state primary schools as they are all excellent here. For secondary education there is Oakham School and Uppingham School - 2 exceptional private schools. That said, the state secondary school in Oakham is very, very good IF your children are very bright/academic and well behaved - I mention this purely so you know there are good options here should you not be able to continue with private education for any reason.

I believe our county has the top A level results in the country. Around 40% of results were an A or higher this year!

Good luck in your search - feel free to pm me to talk about the general area if you're interested. I'd be happy to meet you in person as well if you end up in this area.

Original poster

kaela100 · 06/12/2024 10:30

Thank you all. We have since applied to Leicester Grammar Junior school. I think it will be the best fit because the other private schools seem very 'white'. We might review this in a few years.

OP posts:

Tillow4ever · 06/12/2024 12:44

I understand that - it’s really tricky. The only way to get more diversity is if more people of different backgrounds start to apply and join - but no one wants their child/children to feel like the odd one out and risk bullying for their skin colour.

I hate the world sometimes - I wish you didn’t even have to consider this when choosing a school. I hope your children get on well at the one you’ve picked though.

Original poster

kaela100 · 09/12/2024 12:52

Tillow4ever · 06/12/2024 12:44

I understand that - it’s really tricky. The only way to get more diversity is if more people of different backgrounds start to apply and join - but no one wants their child/children to feel like the odd one out and risk bullying for their skin colour.

I hate the world sometimes - I wish you didn’t even have to consider this when choosing a school. I hope your children get on well at the one you’ve picked though.

Edited

Same. I actually really love Oakham school for secondary and we were considering Brooke Priory but it just didn't feel right. My daughters aren't just Indian in looks we're quite involved in our cultural / religious practices too and needed somewhere with other Hindu children. Leicester Grammar seems to have a lot of children from our local temple / nursery which was a clincher but I'm not as keen on the secondary school.

OP posts:

Tillow4ever · 09/12/2024 12:58

kaela100 · 09/12/2024 12:52

Same. I actually really love Oakham school for secondary and we were considering Brooke Priory but it just didn't feel right. My daughters aren't just Indian in looks we're quite involved in our cultural / religious practices too and needed somewhere with other Hindu children. Leicester Grammar seems to have a lot of children from our local temple / nursery which was a clincher but I'm not as keen on the secondary school.

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If you ever end up over Oakham way, feel free to reach out to me! It is a lovely place, and I’d be happy to show you around!

NottsNora · 09/12/2024 13:05

Also came on here to say Leicester Grammar. DS used to play them at Rugby and it has an excellent reputation. The only drawback is the car park can become a bit of a bottle neck.

AreYouMeOrWhat · 09/12/2024 13:05

TubeScreamer · 04/12/2024 14:21

Tried to send you a detailed PM but it keeps going wrong, so apologies that you have many messages each of half a sentence!!!
I have had 2 children at Loughborough Grammar (one still there) having first been to Fairfield (the prep school that feeds into LGS). Fairfield was excellent. I would struggle to recommend LGS itself at the moment. The teaching is mostly excellent but the leadership and governance is awful. There have been 5 changes of Head in 5 years. Each new Head promises to change things and to improve communications with parents (awful) but it always proves to be empty promises.
My son and his friends joke about how many more headteachers they might have before they leave the school.

I went to Loughborough High School (which was and I think still is an excellent all-girls school).

I did wonder what was going on at LGS when there was yet another change of head recently (and the last one didn't have a teaching background). What's the story/gossip there?

I don't think LGS was ever as good as LHS and certainly the attitudes my brother had after 7 years there were not pleasant.

NottsNora · 09/12/2024 13:10

And don’t bother with Stoneygate.

easternenergizer · 17/12/2024 22:41

Uppingham now take day pupils in their own house! It's a nice school, I'd check it out.

Shin1980 · 23/06/2025 16:23

Hi sorry to jump on this thread so late in the day but was interested to hear your perspectives re Catmose College?

We have recently gained a spot for year 8 and year 9 - moving our boys from Loughborough Grammar. We live quite away so didn't think wed get a place .. our boys are indian heritage and have adapt well to different environments very quickly so we are not overly concerned - i dont see this being a issue for them but would be very keen to hear thoughts on Catmose from experience.