Independent Schools in Lancashire

[Helenagrace]

We've just started looking at independent schools in Lancashire for ds. We want to transfer him in year 3 so we're looking for a good senior school with a prep department. So far we've identified:

QEGS Blackburn
Stoneyhurst
Bolton (Boys Division)
Kirkham Grammar

The problem is I don't know anyone with children at any of these schools. Does anyone have any experience / advice on any of these schools please?

The first two are rated highly.
No idea about the latter.

Type them into google OFSTED reports it will tell you!

Stoneyhurst is a Catholic independent school. Also takes boarders.

You could also look at Arnold School in Blackpool (co-ed) which also has Junior department and good reputation.

There is also my old school King Edward and Queen Mary school in Lytham St Annes - now co-ed in my day was 2 separate schools.

These schools both used to be better rated than Kirkham grammar but I did leave in the 1980s so am unsure if this is still the case now.

Bolton rugby stonked QEGS every time

Ahem. DH went to Bolton (as did I, but girls' div) and he has very fond memories. He's very bright and it was exactly the sort of environment he needed to push himself and do very well.
However, rumour is that it's become very business focused in the past few years. Also, it always has been a bit of an exam machine. It can sometimes feel like they push you to succeed not for you, but so you don't make them look bad. I suspect a lot of independents are like this though.

Stoneyhurst is a jesuit college - fine if you are that way inclined, but if not i wouldn't bother. we stuffed them at rugby across the board last time we played them.
Know the head of bolton boys - fantastic bloke, great teacher, rapport with kids, popular with staff, etc

We're in lancs and DD has just started yr 7. We examined the schools in great detail - DH enjoys doing stats on exam results.

We have no axe to grind on behalf of any as DD got into LGGS (and if you live near enough and your DS is bright enough when he gets to secondary stage, you will want to look at Lancaster Royal Grammar, the boys school. No-one who got offered a place at the Lancaster grammars in DDs primary turned it down in favour of private. Clitheroe grammar not quite so good but worth remembering if your in that direction).

So, the privates:

QEGS - not very good academically
Stoneyhurst - not good academically and stupidly expensive relative for the others. You pay for the fabulous buildings and grounds. Jesuit, which for some is a pro but in our case definite no-no.

Bolton -excellent. Obv we were looking at girls div but they are both VG. Having the boys and girls taught separately on same site is probably best of both worlds. Might not suit everyone - the mother of one of DDs classmates said she didn't like it because her lad needed somewhere where 'boys can be boys' (he went to Kirkham)

Kirkham - used to be so-so academically, but getting better of late. Very nice atmosphere.

Arnold - hm. Has good reputation, good results but it had financial difficulties and was taken over by the UCST. The headmaster has just left, think the deputy is acting HM. I think they've got problems getting enough people in. DH predicts it will become an academy before much longer, a faith one given UCST influence. Shame.

We didn't really look at KEQMS.

Finally, if you don't want to decide secondary yet, if you want a primary which has good record of getting kids into their choice of secondary, theres Highfield Priory in Preston.

Thanks everyone.

The comments about Stoneyhurst confirmed my suspicions - not for us I think.

Arnold and KEQMS are too far away for us, Kirkham is just about practical. Don't think we'd get a grammar place from our area but I will look into it.

We looked at Westholme boys last weekend as DD is in the girls school. Reading between the lines they seem to aim their brighter boys at Bolton and Kirkham and hope the rest get into QEGS.

Loved the rugby comment! I was all for DD going to Bolton Girls because they play lacrosse but got over-ruled by DH.

aim their brighter boys at Bolton and Kirkham and hope the rest get into QEGS

I'd have expected a junior school to be quite confident of getting an average kid into Kirkham so that sounds a tadge underwhelming TBH . I don't know anything good or bad about Westholme junior boys though, just you might want to probe them a little more

I don't think Westholme Boys is a serious contender for us anyway as they have to go elsewhere at 11 so I figure I might as well go for the elsewhere now on the basis that wherever elsewhere is they won't want their own children failing their own exam.

I'll have another look at the exam results for Kirkham and see how they stand up against Bolton. I wasn't impressed with QEGS results - certainly not worth £9,000 a year!!

On the other hand if you use a good primary which isn't linked to a secondary, then they don't want the child failing any exam so you keep your options more open, IMO.

My DH went to Bolton Boys'. He had a similar experience to Mrs. Chemist's DH - he is very academic and did very well at both A Level and Uni, much of which he attributes to his time at Bolton School.

Bolton School Boys' has a new Head who is very well regarded and a true educationalist who wants the best for his boys (not just an exam machine...) He has received an OBE for his services to physics and I have met him at various meetings (I work in Bolton). I like the way he's taking the school, they do a lot of work with local primaries and comprehensives so the kids at Bolton now get a much more 'all-round' education.

I went to Bolton (Girl's ) and my brother to the Boy's division. I didn't always enjoy it (who does enjoy every minute of school) but even at the time I appreciated how many opportunities there were for extra-curricular activities, trips, music, voluntary work (I used to read with kids at a local primary), sports etc. I didn't mingle with the boys much other than on the bus and in joint societies in the 6th form. I still get the old girl's magazine and am always impressed with the achievements, improvements and sense of community. We were all pushed academically but I was a bit of a geek so I liked that. I have three good friends from school that I'm still in touch with on a regular basis even though I moved away when I was 18.

My brother fitted into the boy's division a million times better, he was very sporty and they loved that, his circle of friends even now (at age 30) is mainly drawn from his BSBD circle. I got the impression they didn't push him that hard academically because he was so good at sport, and it was only later on doing a postgraduate that he really came into his own in that respect.But then again boys tend to mature later so that may just be him.

Anyway we're now 30/32 so times change of course, but my parents don't regret the financial sacrifice and I think we all felt we made the right choice (at age 11) between Kirkham/Westholme/BSGD for me and Kirkham/QEGS/BSBD for my brother.

P.S. I only recently got rid of my lacrosse stick! I took up ice hockey at uni instead...