Oxford Prep Schools

[KatyBoots]

We are hoping to move to Oxford from London this summer…not yet decided on an area.
I am looking for prep or ‘all through’ schools for my two DD’s (currently age 3 & 6). They will by then be going into Reception and Year 3.

DS1 has a place at MCS / Abingdon (we will probably go for MCS) and DS2 at Bruern Abbey. I would like to live close to the school I choose for my DD’s - without any commute.

I've heard about Dragon and I know of Headington Rye but not sure of their local reputations or of other options….

I can see why you’d want to avoid adding a commute to your days. Will your Bruern Abbey boy be weekly boarding? Or will he be collected daily, whilst your older son makes his own way home?

Either way, Headington would be slightly easier, logistically as it’s straight down the hill to MCS. The Dragon (setting aside its own very individual character) would be more awkward, and is in a hugely congested (at school run times) pocket of N. Oxford.

I can’t help thinking of the very lovely walk between MCS and Christ Church School - but that would only work for your younger daughter, as they only take girls between Reception and yr 3.

To be honest I don’t think ‘reputation’ is of much use here, until you’ve actually visited individual schools to see how they might suit. The area between The Dragon and Summer Fields is a highly desirable residential area, but some might find it a bit intense. Headington is airier (being higher up) with more room to breathe, even if the houses are on the whole less grand.

Oxford High is an all through school for girls.

Thank you both.

@Veritie I was considering Oxford High also but think I will have missed cut off dates for the 7+ as my older DD is in Year 2. I also didn’t prep her for 7+ (I was too busy with my eldest doing 11+ !) so not sure she’d get in. Is entry very competitive?

My daughter is in Y2 and the year has been undersubscribed so I'd be surprised if there weren't places. Wasn't competitive at Reception entry

@NorWouldTilly thanks so much for all the helpful info.

Yes DS1 will make his own way to school and DS2 will be a day boy at Bruern so will need dropping off / collecting daily ehich is quite a headache as they don’t provide transport. I’ve heard traffic is terrible (although coming from Hampstead I’m not sure it can be worse!) I was considering North Oxford for housing - I thought it might be easier to get up near Bruern from there? Interested in why you say the area is intense?

My kids are used to a fairly competitive London prep school, although tbh part of the attraction of moving is getting away from that! I will definitely visit as many schools as I can.

@Veritie ah ok interesting to know it was undersubscribed - definitely sounds like one to consider then. Have you/ your daughter been happy with the school?

Does DS2 have to get to Bruern Abbey prep or senior site?

MCS has just announced it is going co-ed, in time for your DD2 (when she's yr 3) but not in time for your DD1 I think.

With MCS and Abingdon both going co-ed, Headington and OHS are going to be worried about filling all their spaces in future; I imagine either would be more amenable to late entry to prep than in the past. There's also Manor Prep or Chandlings if you decide on Abingdon for DS1.

I'm not a Dragon fan for girls, but YMMV. Contact them all as soon as possible, and go to see any that would have spaces.

Ha! Coming from Hampstead you may well adore that part of North Oxford. It’s very lovely, but houses around The Dragon must be approaching billionaire, not mere millionaire, territory; so a lot of very, very driven and competitive parents. And the weirdness of the fact academics can’t afford houses there. Headington seems much more down to earth. Summertown too. (It’s a pity you don’t have a Summer Fields shaped child - I’m assuming both your boys are older? - as it’s the happiest place in Oxford. Or was, when I knew it.)

I live in central Oxford, and it’s great having everything within touching distance, but it’s a tremendously crowded little city, and, absent the screaming frustration of traffic in and out, there’s no doubt I had a more relaxed quality of life living in a village a few miles out.

That’s interesting news about the change at MCS …

MCS will be taking girls for the first time in 2027 and into both years 3 and 4 (J1 and J2). So if DD1 is currently in year 2, you could just send all four of them there… (eyes water at the thought of the fees…) Before then, I would send them to one of the many decent but not brilliant state schools. Christ Church is not, imo, a good school and the only people I know with children there haven’t been able to get places elsewhere. If it has to be private, I would pick the Dragon over Headington Rye but not with a great deal of enthusiasm.

We have two DS at MCS and are very, very happy with it. I don’t find it a pushy school at all — in fact, it’s very relaxed in many ways. But I wouldn’t recommend it for a child who was only just scraping through the test. If your DDs are extremely bright, I think it would be an excellent choice.

Even very short commutes in Oxford are a nightmare. My kids take the school bus even though we live only a mile and a half away, because we both work in London. It works very well. Picks them up at five to 8 about 2 mins walk from our house, and then brings them back for half four. Lots of second formers take the bus and would likely be a good choice for DS1 from September. (Mine have actually made some good friends, despite the fact that it’s only a ten minute journey!)

Does Bruern Abbey have a bus? If not, that will be an unbelievable nightmare from anywhere inside Oxford. The congestion charge means that there is (ironically) almost constant congestion and stationary traffic on both Woodstock and Banbury Roads during school commuting times.

Do either of you need to go to London? If so, I would look at Walton Manor rather than the (dull, amenity-less) area around the Dragon. Much closer to the station and a nicer walk/cycle ride, and great having the Jericho restaurants, cinema etc. With four children you might struggle to find a big enough house, but there are good-sized (3000 sq ft+) houses on Warnborough, Leckford, Farndon etc. roads.

One tip: people in Oxford like to put their houses on the market in the spring. Your best bet is to start looking now. Most of the good ones will be gone by May, and it can be hard to get an offer accepted.

Christ Church is not, imo, a good school and the only people I know with children there haven’t been able to get places elsewhere.

Are you able to say anymore about that? I thought it had pretty good academic credentials.

Have you considered Chandlings or the Manor? People generally seem positive about both.

My son is at Christ Church and thriving. I think the comment was about senior school entry and they’ve got really good results this year. It’s a very small school and suits some people great and less others: it’s a bit old fashioned (in a good way in my opinion), with traditional academics, loads of music, and a really friendly atmosphere.

I know this thread is a bit old but in case you’re still interested. My dd goes to the dragon and I’m certainly not a billionaire, not even a millionaire - there’re loads of different families. It’s a far more nurturing place than other (cheaper) schools in the area.
i know some of the other schools well - don’t worry much about cut off dates, most of them are struggling with numbers and will be happy to accommodate a late admission, just give them a call.
Headington has a bit of a mean girl atmosphere reputation- which really means they’re not great at managing bullying. DM if you need any info

Sadly The Dragon seems to have lost it’s way; before you make any decisions I would check out the school’s finances (particularly The Dragon); they are serving massive debts and are having to make cuts accordingly. There are other wonderful schools in Oxford, I would personally never recommend this school to anyone.

Thanks for all of these helpful replies!

@namezchangez I dont need to go to London, so that’s not an issue.

My girls have offers from both Oxford High Prep and from Headington Rye. @TuttiPops thanks, we are not considering Dragon as we want to avoid 11+ for the girls.

DS1 is going to be in Year 7 at Abingdon (MCS facilities seemed limited and the demographic was not very diverse) and DS2 at Bruern Abbey.

Bit of a logistical nightmare as Bruern offer no help with transport… just wondering in view of all the talk about the terrible traffic which of those two schools would be the most sensible option for my girls?

I need to be able to collect my girls then get out to Bruern Abbey. Luckily Bruern finish quite late in the day, so I’m hopeful traffic will have died down by then! But I also don’t want to saddle DS1 with a very lengthy coach journey home from Abingdon….

Honestly it will be a logistical nightmare to get from Oxford (Oxford High would be on the better side of Oxford) to Chesterton. My DH works in Oxford and leaves at 5.30pm and doesn't normally get home until 6.45pm and we live just under 13 miles away. The traffic doesn't die down for quite some time - don't even get started on the morning commute!! Once you add in the LTNs and the congestion charge, it's not great. I know your girls have places but would you consider The Manor Prep for them in Abingdon? They have an extensive bus network.

I don’t think your plan is feasible day after day, @KatyBoots. It would be hard enough as a one-off.

Aren’t you realistically going to have to employ someone to do at least one of those journeys? (Twice a day.)

And also find a way for as many of your offspring as possible to be self sufficient in terms of travel to and from school. (I recall for a brief time when I was in my teens and my father was away on business, my mother engaged a regular and reliable taxi service to take my sibling to and from their school every day. As otherwise she’d never have been able to get to work on time.) Taxi might be one option - but I would try as hard a you can to establish what help the schools can offer.

Thank you @Knickerbockerglory75 Gosh - it sounds far worse than the traffic in London! I will look into the Manor prep, thanks.

@NorWouldTilly Thank you - yes my eldest will be making his own way to/ from school. I am hoping to keep his coach journey manageable though, as I took 3 buses and had a 1.5 hr commute to secondary school as a child, and wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

Is it really so impossible to collect 2 girls from the same school in Oxford at 3.30pm ish and then get to Chesterton for a pick up at 5pm? I’m starting to worry that Oxford is the most congested city on earth and that I’d have a more relaxing time staying in central london!

I think that would be ok. I collect from OHS and drive to Kidlington and we're usually home by 15.40-15.50. It's worse on days we stay late for clubs as the 1630 pickup turns into not home until 17.00 or even 17.30

Btw, most if not all of these schools have school buses with several routes around Oxford and Oxfordshire

It's not impossible to get to Chesterton by 5, but you will need to get the girls to the car promptly and pack plenty of snack/water and emergency wee options, as the A34 can grind to a halt when there's an accident. It's a very busy route in the afternoons. How will you manage morning drop offs though?

DS1 is going to be in Year 7 at Abingdon (MCS facilities seemed limited and the demographic was not very diverse)

Given that you value facilities, you'll massively prefer Headington over OHS for your girls. Headington's facilities are more significantly better than OHS's - more so than Abingdon's over MCS's. Not sure what diversity measures you're factoring in, though.

As others have said, OHS is very slightly better than Headington for the mammoth commute you plan, but TBH I am not convinced that it is even possible to get them all to school on time in the mornings, though the afternoons may be possible if the girls never do after-school activities and can cope in the car for long periods.

Hello, I know this is an old post but I’d love to hear how you son is getting on at Bruern abbey? My son has been offered a place..