Secondary Girl Boarding Schools

[Fivechildrenandamenagarie]

I am looking for a secondary school for DD. For 2017 13+ entry.
She is bright, friendly, artistic, strong willed and strong minded child.
We are south west based.
Any comments on the following school?

St Mary's Calne
St Mary's Shaftesbury
Cheltenham ladies college
Badminton

Day not Fay who ever she is!

Bryanston is basically a weekly boarding school friends have just removed their DC because of this.

I know it is a very diverse list.
I went to a Quaker school, though not in this country, and loved the ethos. I stumbled across Sidcot (I had not heard of it) I am quite curious and open minded. I liked going to a smaller school but DH went to a large school and he sees a value in that.

Nieces, nephews and cousins went to both Bryanston and Marlborough.
I'm not sure about either esp Marlborough I don't think it served my bright cousin well but I need to rule them out.

I suppose I feel the more schools we go and see the more we will work out what we like and and what we are looking for in a school.

I have so many children all with very different personalities that even though it would be much more convenient to have them all in one place, I'm not sure that would be the best thing for them.

Frankly I think the more you look at the more confused you'll become. Where does your prep school head recommend? Are you looking for boarding for all of you children? I would be aiming for one school for all of them unless you've got some really really different individuals.
We only looked at three schools for DS2, four for DS1 neither were going to be happy in each other's schools as they are completely different and DS1 would not have got a place at the sort of school we were looking at for DS2.
You need to decide what sort of ethos you're looking for, a Quaker ethos is admirable or do you want somewhere more pushy. Ethos is important and often difficult to work out. DS2's school is surprisingly liberal that suits us as we're slack liberal parents, but your not allowed to pick them up a day early at the end of term etc, frankly it doesn't bother me, but it might bother some, friends with DC's at other schools tells me about things that go on that would drive me up the wall particularly in relation to uniform (my particular loathing) but it's doesn't bother them. Do exam results/Uni/academi matter more than anything else when the chips are down or do you have other priorities? Perhaps regular Scheidiphones lessons are more important. If you have super bright DC's do you want super selective? Is there any particular sport your DC's and you want or don't want rugby is increasingly becoming an issue. What about extra curricular activities I listened to a mum telling me her DS is a mad keen basketball player but the particular school she choose doesn't offer it and a term later she's moaning about it! She like many just assumed they would. Do you want full boarding or weekly, surely your location will partly decide this? Proper full boarding is not that common now a days. Do you have good public transport links? Would this make your life easier if your DC's could get home by train on exeats/Saturday/Sundays etc I know it would make mine a million times better! Could you drive to two different weekly boarding schools every Saturday and back on Sunday evening? Do you realistically have the time to do this? We've couple of friends with DC's at weekly boarding they hadn't really grasped the fact that the schools were basically weekly boarding and moan about having to pick their DC's up every weekend. Do you want a big name, e.g. Marlborough often with matching fees stunning facilities or somewhere less well known and cheaper. Where does your prep traditionally send pupils too? What age are you DC's we only looked at three schools because they pre tested at 11+ if he'd not been offered a place at the two we eventually chosen them we would have looked at other but we felt there was no point in looking at less selective schools until we knew if would be necessary. Frankly I'd forget single sex or coed issue for the moment and decide exactly what you want and what would work for you.

Thank you Happy. That is a very useful mind focusing post.
I am going to mull over options and logistics. Check out the train routes.

DD is yr 6. She has only just started at prep school so I am sure the head will advise in due course, esp when I quiz him.

Re St Marys Calne, I fear the Head lacks leadership skills, and out of her depth. She doesn't talk or mingle with parents at school events and seems to lack confidence for this- unlike the previous Head who made it her job to talk to every parent. Not sure whether the school is trying to become a 'socialist' school, but from Head's talks, employment of so many teachers from the state sector, and encouragement of so many girls on assisted places this is the message. Good if you may be looking for a fee paying state run school.

Teachers from state schools?

Don't want to derail the thread but where do you think qualified teachers train, Bb?

The assisted places scheme went donkeys years ago, btw.

Bbmmas16 lots of excellent teachers from the state system are being recruited in top positions in the better independent schools. CLC for example has a new head of sixth form from the state sector. The assisted place pupils may well bring the academic standards up as well as benefiting the community as a whole. Without knowing St Mary's Calne, your remark makes me feel more admiration for the headmistress than otherwise. I hope that your social attitude is not prevalent there

I'm quite local to several mentioned. If I had a DD & was considering independents I'd go for Sherborne.

The observation and point being made is that St Mary's Calne it is not a typical private school. It seems to have a socialist philosophy. 'Employment of so many teachers from state sector' just making point that it may not be typical of most well known private schools, but was certainly not intended to have a dig at state school teachers. Assisted places are called bursary places now - grey hair gives it away. Anyway, in response to the question for any comments on St Mary's Calne, Leadership appears to be an issue right now, and as before good if looking for a fee paying state school. This begs the question, since so many good state schools, not sure it would be my choice.
Crossandcrosser- agree about Sherborne.

Does anyone else have information about Westonbirt potentially closing? We are moving to Stroud and it's our first choice for the prep and then presumably the senior school so it's a bit of a concern. We really liked it and would probably go for it anyway for now but any information would be gratefully recieved!!

Re: St Mary's Calne and Leadership.
It seems to me that some parents fear change at the top. Personally I think it is a good thing! It's refreshing ; so difficult though to prove onself and make changes as a woman in a top girls' private school where the former head was so well liked!
Having two girls in the school who are happy and thriving I recommend it highly. My girls board and do not need any tutoring simply because all their teachers make themselves available for any extra help they might require. They also have some inspirational teachers who come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
I find the new head has a healthy attitude to building confidence in young women and she has made great yet discrete improvements to ensure that more girls enjoy the sciences at A level. I do not buy the previous person's comment that the new(ish) head doesn't mingle!
Schools always loose pupils after GCSE's for a variety of reasons. It's natural for some pupils to outgrow their school and want a change for the Sixth Form.
As a product of the state sector myself and with children who have been to a Girl's private day school, son at a top boarding school I see that no school is perfect. My feeling is that a girl can pack in sport, music drama all to a very high level
and still manage to produce excellent results in a healthy and happy environment at St Mary's.
In my experience, the tutor system works very well at St Mary's Calne. The girls see their personal tutor 1:1 every week and discuss academic and personal issues. I am frequently in touch by email with my daughters' personal tutors and feel heartened that they know my girls so well and are able to help to support them with any issue.
As a boarding school parent I do not expect the school to do it all- I'm still a pretty hands on parent and take an interest in what my girls study and try to attend concerts and sports' fixtures.
Btw Eton does have teachers who have come from the state sector too!