Rugby School, Bablake, Kings High & Princethorpe

[JuliaDpink]

Hello,

Does anyone have any recent/current experience of Rugby School, Princethorpe, Bablake or Kings High in Warwick please? We're currently researching secondary schools for our daughter who is in year 5.

Thanks

Family members have a child at Rugby School in the day house. The experience has been brilliant and they have certainly not been aware of any recent safeguarding issues . The range of opportunities is amazing without the school being an academic hot house. It is a long day but the day house is great - students have studies, lounges etc and an incredible amount of tutorial and pastorial support. Teaching excellent and they really know the kids. Patents invited to loads of events which works for day pupils especially. All kids get the chance to take part in sports matches - loads of teams so not just for the elite.
They had a child at Princethorpe and did not find the pastoral care to be especially good - the child witnessed quite a lot of low level bullying, a lack of diversity and a very strong Catholic ethos despite large numbers of children not being so ( compulsory eucharist, compulsory religious education at GCSE, limited sex education etc). Very good on sport for those who are strongly into it.
King Henry has a relatively new Head and school has good results and facilities. It benefits from a broader social and ethnic mix and kids do not have to be super brainy to flourish. Less 'elitist' than many private schools so perhaps better preparation for post school world. Hope that helps. Good luck!

@Pash01 - wrong thread??

The price difference between Princethorpe and Rugby is considerable!!

Thanks so much for the information @DeepTiger. That's really helpful. I was hoping someone would be able to share something like this about being at Rugby as a day student. That sounds very positive. Was your family member's child at a feeder school first? My daughter would need a school for years 7 and 8 if she was to get a place there.

Thanks so much @BangingOn. I didn't know about the Bablake pre-admission test or the Princethorpe podcast. That's really helpful. I'll check them both out.

Thanks @Blueuggboots, that's really great to know. I liked Princethorpe a lot when I visited so I'm pleased to know this about your experience.

@Blueuggboots, yes it's a substantial difference in fees isn't it? This is one of the things I've been trying to understand. Why is there this difference in fees? What does Rugby School give children that Princethorpe doesn't? Or are you simply paying for a brand name? The A Level results are better at Rugby than they are at Princethorpe but if they are more selective in the first place then arguably the teaching isn't better. They have just taken more academically able children who are therefore inevitably going to achieve higher grades in exams...

VERY weird skirts!

@JuliaDpink - it's definitely a snobbery thing!!! I used to live in rugby (admittedly 20 years ago) and the rugby school kids used to strut around the town like they owned it.....

And yet Rugby is a pretty dire town these days.

It’s always been a bit dire hasn’t it? My mum lived in Rugby 25 years ago and i thought it was a hole then.

One of the things I love about Princethorpe is their acceptance of slightly quirky kids. My son is autistic but very bright academically and he was turned down by King Henry's and wasn't even diagnosed at that point (age 4). Princethorpe have been brilliant with him and have worked really hard to understand him and work with his quirkiness.

Worse now @magicalmrmistoffelees They killed the town when they built the retail park. I don't go there often but I worked there for many years in the 00s/10s. It was always rough but now it's just dead on its arse and a pretty poor town.

My (2) DD's who attended Kings were extremely happy there- achieved well academically and excelled in sports and the arts. Personally though, my (less academic) DC who attended Princethorpe had an amazingly good experience and was able to achieve equally good results by being well understood. The staff at Princethorpe seem to want to be there,and give their all. I'm not a Catholic and saw no issue with their ethos which was pretty open minded (certainly re same sex relationships and abortion).
The old headteacher (still involved pastorally) was a housemaster at Rugby and will be very clear if he see's Rugby as a better fit for your DD. If you are considering
boarding,Tudor Hall may be an option over Bloxham?

Hi there
The child was at a local state school prior to Rugby. Bilton Grange, the prep school in Dunchurch is now linked to Rugby School but is not a feeder as such. Children arrive at Rugby from a range of private and state schools and approx 10- 15% from overseas. It is worth noting that the school offers a range of scholarships and also Foundation awards (bursaries) for local kids within 20 miles of the school whose parents would not otherwise afford full fees ( day houses).

Yes, fees are more expensive than Princethorpe and Bablake and King Henry but you are comparing very different things . The latter are day schools that end extra curricular at 6pm and are open Monday - Friday . At Rugby 80% of students are full boarders . There are two day houses- one for girls /boys which are open 6 days a week from 7am -10pm - and on Sunday if there are activities on.This means the day students can, if they wish, have breakfast and supper at school and take part in a wide range of activities well into the evening or just chill out with friends in the day house. Staff work incredibly long hours but have longer holidays and a weekends off between each half term. There is a strong house ethos but youngsters mix across the houses in classes, sport, music, drama etc.
Rugby is not an academic hot house and their slogan in whole person, whole point.
Yes, there are some very academic kids but overall a pretty wide range of abilities and they work hard to ensure that kids can find something at which they excel. Overall they work hard and play hard .
Rugby is not ' a dump' . It is a former thriving Industrial town that has had little to replace its lost industries. Hence the centre is run down as is the case with many Towns. Lots of lovely villages/areas once away from the Town and many decent people who live there. Rugby School is well rooted in the community re involvement with local schools /arts etc. and not being in a rareified isolated rural environment is no bad thing for those kids who have huge social advantages or a well developed sense of entitlement !. School is part of the Town and my relatives prefer that to a school stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Different schools suit different families and youngsters and everyone has their own experience and perspective. Best to go and look around your options, weigh up what's important and what you want from a school and where you and your youngster feels they will be happy. Good luck .

Princethorpe certainly doesn't want to loose kids to Rugby School even if it would suit them - why on earth would they ? The new head has been at Princethorpe for 2 years and has no links with Rugby as he came ftom outside the area.
As l said different people have different experiences and want different things from a school and it is a privilege to have choice that many others don't. For my relative, Princethorpe wasn't great and clearly their child was in a different class to the other poster as he was fed a very conservative line re abortion, divorce and the role of Catholicism. They preferred somewhere more culturally diverse, less geographically isolated more integrated into the local community and more academic . It's not about better or worse- just different offerings with all schools doing their best for the children

@DeepTiger, thank you for sharing that information. I really appreciate it. I will go and look at Bilton Grange as well as Rugby School based on this. Thank you for explaining the difference in fees. That actually makes a great deal more sense to me now. I hadn't been aware of the length of the days there etc. I think I really need to go and see it for myself.

@LocalHobo It's great to hear from someone who has had children at a couple of these schools, thank you. It's fantastic that your child achieved well at Princethorpe due to being well understood. That's a big tick.

Thanks for the Tudor Hall suggestion. It's just a bit too far away for a day place and I don't think boarding is an option for my daughter. I went to boarding school for a year and really didn't enjoy it. I know lots of children do enjoy it but I had a pretty bad experience which is hard to overcome in terms of my thinking about schools for my own daughter now.

@Blueuggboots I love love love that you say Princethorpe accepts and supports quirky children. My daughter is probably no more quirky than the average 9 year old girl but I feel strongly that children ought to be accepted for who they are. I think all children benefit from being in a tolerant and accepting school culture.

@JuliaDpink you're absolutely right about boarding, I boarded (a school similar to Rugby) and loved it, but I’m not sure my child would and if you don’t love it it’s a recipe for disaster.

Definitely look around all of the schools and you will get a feel for them quickly. They also host offer holder events after the exams so you have time to make an informed decision once you hold a place, which I think gives you another perspective.

We are within the Princethorpe foundation already and have never found the Catholic element too overt. Our Head also recommends schools outside the foundation if he thinks a child might suit single sex rather than co-ed better, but that’s not the sort of conversation you’re going to get on an open day.

For context, Princethorpe have reduced fees to offset 15% of the VAT, Bablake have offset 5% but were slightly cheaper to start with.

Rugby is great for boarders but for day students it’s incredibly hard as the days are sooo long. Many after lesson activities are compulsory for day pupils so this has a big impact on family time. This came to me from an ex-Rugby pupil who left in Year 10. They are academically gifted but the long day was too long.

Kings in incredibly competitive. If your DD is very bright then she will be fine but if she’s just bright then she may struggle. I think Kingsley isn’t a bad alternative - run by Warwick Foundation (oversees Kings as well) and I think is for pupils who aren’t as academic or who require a bit more of a pastoral focus.

Henry’s used to have a bit of a drugs issue (so close to the train station and dealers came in from local areas) but not sure now. Bablake has been regarded as being for the more “quirky kids” but don’t know much about it.

Princethorpe has a head who has been there a year (the old head still oversees it) and he’s improved behaviour that’s pleased parents but not necessarily the kids. Full ability spectrum from the pupils and the catholic aspect isn’t pushed too much AFAIK.

Someone mentioned Arnold Lodge. It’s a small school like Kingsley and has a strong pastoral focus.

In your shoes, I’d want to have a walk around each school and attend all open days too. If possible, arrange for taster days too.

@Wishihadanalgorithm It was me that mentioned Arnold Lodge. My friend's children transferred there from another school and absolutely thrived (as they needed that extra pastoral support that the school offers).

@Pamelaaaaarrr, thank you for mentioning Arnold Lodge. I will go and look at it.

Where my DDs boarded, the day girls were called day boarders. They get most of what the boarders get and it is a long day but working families don’t get much weekday family time anyway. Where there are two professional parents, day boarding is seen as beneficial for everyone. Prep is done, dc are fed and clubs are attended. However parents must buy into this. School comes first and your diary revolves around school. We did this as boarding parents for years. Rugby expects similar. This is what you pay for.