My eldest just left, joined in year 9 from another local prep school. He doesn’t have SEND and is very well behaved, not a single negative behaviour mark in 5 years, as a 6th former he was a prefect and mentor. He was there on an academic scholarship and got excellent gcse and a level results. He’s now at his first choice uni. He made some lovely friends who are also hard working, well mannered, confident young people. He was involved in music, drama, mentoring younger year groups in maths and football and charity work. He did not encounter bullying but that is a matter of luck. There was some staff turn over in his gcse years in some subjects. New head started relatively recently that ds really rated.
They rarely attended mass, there is a family mass every so often (before school), we never attended. In 5 years, I attended once, the leavers mass. The majority of pupils are not catholic though there is a catholic ethos, so long as you are respectful. I have experience of other indies in the area and there is as much religion in all of them. Ds rarely encountered the brothers. I would say a holistic approach.
It has been going co-ed over the last few years. As with other indies, the increase in fees will be affecting numbers. If you’re from the area you’ll know that there are good state schools as well as other indies, I’d imagine those families in year 6 will be very much considering their options. My youngest just left another local indie and a large number of her year group have joined the school for 6th form.