Any opinions or experiences on these schools in Devon please ?

[Ishani]

Stover school, first choice I think as co ed
St Margarets
The Maynard School

TIA

If a relatively standard cost day school is what you're after but one which has a good reputation, I wouldn't be put off either Exeter or Maynard simply because you don't feel Colyton would suit. I know plenty of children who passed the exam for both Colyton and one of the other two but I also know plenty who passed Exeter/ Maynard but not the 11+, including a couple of girls who took the Maynard exam late, after finding out they didn't have a place at the grammar. I've got nephews and a niece at both Exeter and Maynard and they all seem to have been happy/ done fine.

If not Colyton, which is absolutely amazing, then Exeter School would be our only other choice in Devon; it was our fall back and it's an excellent all round school with sound academic results, great music, sport and extra curricular, and Bob Griffin is a fabulous Headmaster.

Colyton might suit I don't know but the maths paper puts me off, it's not her strong point, but the 11+ paper she didn't pass is different from the one they take there so we'd not stand a chance of getting her ready from scratch and then joining the waiting list by all accounts.
My DD is an A/B student rather than a string of A*'s I think.

So Exeter and Maynard are the top choices ?

My head is spinning lol

Just wanted to say that Blundells has day students my youngest sister is starting in September and there is a real mix of backgrounds that attend there. :)

Queens isnt even the second best school in Taunton,

Some say that Queens is now the fee paying state school of Taunton!

So that's a no to Queens then lol

What year is your DD actually in at present? And there are other DCs?

Ishani you seem to be looking at schools in very different parts of the SW -at least Newton Abbot to Taunton is quite far. How far do you think your DD can travel on a daily basis? Surely geography dictates the school to some extent since you said you weren't in the boarding school bracket....

I can live anywhere so i'm trying to find the school first and then i'll buy a house near to it, DH will be going from Bristol to Cornwall, including Gurnsey and parts of South Wales.
Dorcester hasn't been ruled out either.

DD1 is in year 6 now and yes yes to other DC's, I have a year 2 and year 4 and a baby boy too just to spice things up a bit !

If she is in Y6 then you have a real issue I'd say. There is very little chance of Colyton or indeed any of the state schools at this point. Offers went out on 1 March and they are well into appeals etc now. Sorry. :(

On Dorchester - lovely lovely lovely place. Don't know anything about the schools there. But the travelling for your DH would be horrendous especially Dorchester to Cornwall. That would be a complete killer.

I don't mind so much paying for DD1 to begin with because that is budgeted for, there seems little chance of getting the other two into a outstanding school either so I just have to keep my eyes open for the little one when he goes and save a few pounds there by the looks of it.
I've found two state schools with places - Old Cleev in washford and Danefield middle school but the houses don't look very nice in that area, have you ever come across those at all ?

Thank you to everyone on this thread btw, I don't know where i'd be without your input.

Well, they are in Somerset so no, I don't know anything about them. Devon is a huge county, Somerset not so big but still not tiny. And they are two very different environments. You certainly wouldn't be sending one child to Exeter school and another to a village school in Washford though, unless you have a fully functioning teleport!

A quick glance at the BBC education website might suggest don't touch Danefield with a bargepole but there might be extenuating circumstances for the very poor showing in last year's SATs.

No wonder there's spaces :(

Sorry one more, anybody know Wellington School ? Geographically that looks perfect.

I am an ex Maynard girl myself and know several parents who send their girls there and the girls LOVE it. It has a well deserved reputation and in my opinion as an "Old Girl' and a parent(although my girls don't go there - can't afford it) it produces fantastic results both in academic terms but also in terms of character, ability attitude etc.

Personally I would avoid Stover- again I know several parents who have sent kids and withdrawn them. It is Co-Ed but I believe classes are actually single sex (check with the school- this may have changed but it certainly used to be that way a couple of years ago).

Wellington? Makes Queens look like Eton..

Oh dear :(

Why no to Wellington? I'm not sure about the new head but my years there were v happy (but that some time ago )
ime Wellington turns out very good all rounded people, with good social skills and decent university places.
Is there no way you can go and see some of these places??? Websites don't give you the atmosphere, the feel of it.

Intrigued to know more about the Queens look like Eton comment....

I do have appointments for Taunton and Maynard but they keep you there like it a blooming time share presentation in my experience "selling you" the school so I can honestly only fit in two a day and I'm trying to find a house as well.

Ok,doubtless Ill get flamed but Wellington( like Queens,Kelly, West Buckland,Truro etc) is one of those schools I really wouldnt send any child of mine to,they are almost adequate(on a good day) nothing more and if Im paying I want a lot more than that..
Look at the good prep schools in Devon and Somerset,see which schools the products go to,none of the above(and others) feature highly.

Well said propatia fully support your comments

I think it unlikely that any fee paying school is currently so full that it can't accomodate more pupils. In a buyers' market I'd just head for the best; I doubt that any entrance test will provide a hurdle for your DD since you say that she's reasonably bright which is all that's required.

Surely Maynard covers all bases? They bus in from all over and Exeter seems to be pretty much the hub of your DH's commute.