Sherborne Prep, Leweston or Hazlegrove?

[NeonFrost]

Hi all, we are looking for a school for our 3DDs all academic but not especially sporty. We are looking for an academic school and loved Sherborne Prep. However we have heard they mix U11 and U10s to only get the best girls and their focus is on A team sport at the school. Then C teams have lots of girls who play in rotation. This means my girls would rarely play and not sure they would love a really sporty school.
I’ve heard Haslegrove has a wider mix of children? I would love to know insider thoughts!

I have friends at Sherborne Prep who say the U10 and U11 mix is frustrating and that the school values being sporty above anything else as wants to be ‘known’ for sport. Not a bad thing for sporty kids but Hazlegrove probably more well rounded. Leweston seems to be a bit more down to earth but mine went to Hazlegrove and loved it.

My DS is at Hazlegrove and loves it. My own view is that it is the strongest prep out of those three. It is certainly the biggest, but still has a lovely family feel. I don’t know if it is more mixed than Sherborne. There are sporty kids, clever kids, oddball kids, arty kids and kids that are a combination of all of these. They are all supported and celebrated for their unique talents.

I feel amazingly lucky that we picked Hazlegrove because we very nearly went for Sherborne or Perrott Hill. However the longer we are there and the more I see of other schools the happier I get.

I am not really sure why you would pick Leweston out of those unless it is on your doorstep or you would struggle to afford the fees of the others.

Happy to answer any questions.

Sherborne Prep I have heard that they have shifted focus on to sport and giving out scholarships solely for sport. The issue being it suggests only a select few matter and that has divided the girls. And that’s hard in smaller year group. Hazlegrove is great at making everyone feel valued.

Thank you so much. It sounds like my academic girls aren’t the type of child they really want at Sherborne prep so I will go and look at Hazlegrove. Curious as to why not Leweston? Seems like a stunning school!

Not remotely helpful because my brother is 50 next month but he absolutely adored Hazlegrove! (I went to prep school in Sherborne and was going to be sent to Leweston but my parents had a last minute change of heart..!)

As an actual Sherborne Parent I think it is really unfair to say the Prep is all about sport. My daughters aren’t especially sporty and still love the school. They have both been rewarded in other areas like drama and science and the teachers do everything they can to make everyone feel special. Don’t discount it on the basis of what other parents have heard on the grapevine.

My two boys go to Leweston. It's a lovely school, very down to earth and friendly. They've just opened the riding academy, facilities are great, teachers have all been fantastic, it's a real country school with a community feel. Sport wise it offers alot but isn't the be all and end all, there are so many different activities children can get involved in. My boys are both very happy there, I can't really fault it! Hope that helps and good luck!

Another difference between the schools is their location vis-a-vis senior schools and I don’t think any are better in this respect, just different.

My understanding is that Leweston Prep and Senior School share a campus which means they get to share facilities and they probably have more the feel of an all-through school.

Hazlegrove is a 10 minute drive from King’s Bruton (which is under the same Foundation but is not the only or I would say even the biggest destination school for children leaving), so they do pool resources and have some joint activities, but Hazlegrove very much feels like its own school with its own identity and grounds.

Sherborne Prep is probably somewhere between the two, being on its own campus but in town and a walking distance to both boys and girls senior schools.

As a Sherborne prep parent I’m afraid I have to correct you here. My child is at the school and has no interest in sport. He loves art, drama and basically just being a 9yr old boy! The school has worked wonders for his confidence and he is thriving there. There are sports scholarships available (after yr6) but with no financial incentives - they are mainly to develop those children’s athletic abilities with a view to helping them to go on to achieve sports scholarships at their secondary school.

If you toured Sherborne Prep and loved it for your academic girls then why look elsewhere? Sherborne is a mix of academic, musical, sporty and all rounders. And now, as part of the Sherborne Group, it’s able to offer lots to the children there. I have two at SPS and they couldn’t be happier. They’re pretty much all-rounders, and all the staff really care and know each child.

Also, it’s a very down-to-earth community. If you felt happy when you visited then don’t rule it out based on negative hearsay.

Finally, if you’re worried about your DDs being in the C team, don’t be. All children get opportunities to shine and find what they’re good at and enjoy, and with smaller cohorts than Hazelgrove there’s lots of opportunities to explore and experience and not get ‘pigeon holed’ early.

Thanks so much everyone. I’m going to look at them all. I think one of the things we are looking for is a clear distinction between year groups because two of my girls are August birthdays! It can be challenging if year groups are mixed for sport as we’ve seen at their current school. Luckily leweston, hazlegrove and all hallows that we are going to see have separate teams and actually we feel that reflects the strength of the numbers in each year group and that feels important for us. Thank you for your kind input!

A fellow Hazlegrove parent attended an open day for Leweston senior school last week and commented that the difference in the level of facilities between the schools was a real eye opener. His view is that kids at Hazlegrove don’t know how lucky they are in comparison, and that was comparing Hazlegrove Prep with Leweston senior school. Given I heard this comment over the weekend I thought I would psss it on.

Hi there, my children have just joined Leweston. One is very sporty and one not at all and it caters for both. Slightly less than other schools and better equipped in terms of pastoral and happy parents. Loads arriving for visit week and trying to leave their schools earlier than anticipated. Feel free to message me privately for any questions you may have? Choosing the right school is a minefield and we are so happy we choose Leweston it is very popular!

@NeonFrost Did you reach a decision about a prep school for your DCs?