Honest opinion of Felsted school

[mumsworldd]

Hey All 👋

please can you provide your honest take of Felsted school. I was so sold originally, their PR team are great at targeting what parents want, however I’ve got a niggling feeling it’s not a true reflection.

does anyone know much about the school? What’s their approach to individuality? Do they encourage and inspire as they say or is it more focused on creating uniform attitudes.

TYIA

My opinion is years old, but I knew two siblings who went to sixth form there. One then stayed at home for a year whilst she did a course at a nearby college. The other was desperate to go to a local university so he could live at home again. That always struck me as the odd.

About 2 years ago knew a very confident and academic girl who went. Absolutely hated boarding and begged her parents to leave. They dug their heels in. After first year (year 9) she moved to a local day school. She just never settled in. That’s a very unscientific anecdote of 1 child. It may well not have been the school but a child who didn’t like boarding.

I’ve just posted on your other thread about Southend private schools!

my boys went to (and one is still at) Felsted for 6th form. Absolutely wonderful school. I know a little about the prep. My eldest was v close friends with a few pupils who had been there all through prep. I can’t say enough positive things about it. However, our experience is only of the senior school. I would say what the PR team tell you is very much an accurate reflection of how it is. They absolutely treat each child as an individual and did/have done with both our boys who are hugely different. They also encourage and inspire. Do PM me if you want to know anymore.

Not me, but friends have sent their 4 kids there and can’t say enough good things. I’ve always been really impressed when we’ve visited. My friend sent his kids there because of his own incredibly fond memories of it in the 80s.

My husband and I have always said how we are made to feel so welcome when we visit and the teachers cannot do enough for you and your child. The teaching is also the very best we’ve ever encountered. Both boys say they wish they had been there from year 9 which is the first year of senior school. Despite them being very happy at Thorpe Hall, Felsted is in another league.

Another mum told me today that Farlington will close by September because another local large boarding school is attracting a number of their students. Has anyone else heard this? With children at the school this is a real worry and I don’t know what to do.

If we lived closer, Felsted would’ve been our first choice (we didn’t want them to board).

2 of my nephews went there and a 3rd will go next year. All as day pupils. Also our close friend and all of his family went. They lived close so again, were day pupils. I think it’s a fabulous school.

Held in strong regard across independent school circuits. Think VAT rises are making it a challenging landscape. Will be looking to shore up the pupil numbers.

Seen they’ve appointed a new Head. Parents will make up their own mind about this particular personality but beware there’s a tendency to ‘dress up’ the ordinary, gloss
over inconvenient truths and gaslight anyone getting in their way. They will grow the school roll, but the standard- especially behaviour and academic performance- will suffer.

If you like being hoodwinked and lied to, as countless governors and inspectors have experienced before, then you’ll love it! If you like honesty, hard work and scruples perhaps look elsewhere…