Stowe School

[FfZzBbGg]

Does anyone have any up to date opinions on Stowe? I understand the school had changed a great deal in the past 5-10 years and it’s proving very hard to find up to date opinions.

I’m looking for a school for my DC who has mild to moderate SEN but is actually quite bright so I’m hoping will be able to fulfil the entry requirements. I really want somewhere with excellent pastoral care and SEN support and robust anti bullying with bags of extra curricular activities for a very energetic child, and a focus on preparing the child for the real world rather than just teaching to the test. I’ve not yet visited but the website seems to indicate it would tick the boxes. Initially i’d be looking for a day place but would switch to boarding later.

What’s the school like nowadays? I’m aware that in the past it was regarded as not especially well run and primarily for the ‘rich but thick’ demographic, but I gather things have changed a lot now and the quality of provision is really excellent? I’d love to hear experiences from current parents?

I'm staggered and taken-aback by the suggestion that "thick" is reserved for children with SEN. DS1 has complex disabilities and attends a special needs school. He is not "thick".

I grew up in Buckinghamshire and at that time Stowe was indeed regarded as a school for the "rich but thick" kids. Not my opinion, I know nothing about the school other than that was what many people called it. Basically it was noted for pupils who got in due to having a lot of money but perhaps lower academic ability than many of the other well known public schools.

I very much doubt they'd ever have offered my son a place there though (not that we could have afforded it) - his special needs mean he can't cope in mainstream. But "thick", he is not.

I think Stowe also had this reputation because until some years ago it had the lowest entry requirements. 45% for CE! i think that changed in 2015 when they upped it to 50% or so but still quite low. So obviously any prep that had dc who weren't going to meet the higher CE grades were automatically sent to Stowe.

By the way, there are many:

Rich kids who aren't very academic
Rick kids who are very academic
Poor kids who aren't academic
Poor kids who are very academic

I hate the words thick and also bright when preceded with a negative, because being non academic does not mean you're not good at some else. Thick suggests the persons brain is not functioning at all. in most cases this is wrong and completely over exaggerated. But those who say it, say it to feel superior about themselves.

Has anyone actually read what I said months ago??? I said I objected to ANY child being called thick! I totally object to children attending any school being labelled as thick and especially hate the notion that somehow that’s ok because it’s linked to being rich! Of course I know SEND children can achieve highly, but I also know children with a low IQ are called “thick”. The fact that this label is freely used in 2017/18 is not acceptable. I clearly state, for those of you who have misunderstood my point, it is not on to call any child “thick” - ok???

Both my DDs went to boarding school. They also spent time in state schools. I am well aware of Private school ethos. I would never have labelled any girl as “thick” at my DDs schools and I suspect one went to a school labelled as suitable for the “thick and rich” according to MN wisdom. It’s an objectionable label and I think it is rude.

Stowe is a fine school and has just reduced its day fees by about £6000 pa. Must be worth a look on that basis!

I think the headline decrease in fees at Stowe would have been more remarkable had they also reduced boarding fees. There is such a minority of students who are day pupils, that it seems more of a publicity stunt.

They obviously want more I guess!

Looks like those day fees are per term not per year. Looked very cheap! And they are an introductory discount www.stowe.co.uk/school/admissions/day-offer/fees

As I said, publicity stunt. If they really wanted to discourage the idea that it is "not over-run by oligarch's sons", they should have dropped boarding fees, and made the decrease in fees permanent, not just for the small number of day students and only as an introductory offer.

I wouldn't send a sensitive child to Stowe. Of the 3 children I know well who are either at Stowe now or have left in the last couple of years: one developed anorexia and still suffers badly with mental health/health issues, one hard working and ambitions for Oxbridge was taunted and interrupted in his studying by very wealthy trust fund boys and one is a swaggering bully with SEN from my sons prep.

Their fees are in line with other boarding schools of a similar type. It’s not possible to drop boarding fees. I believe day fees are going to be around £19,000 pa. That is reasonable. Most people who send children boarding are not ludicrously rich bit many come from well off families or people who have made the money themselves.

I know plenty of children who happily went to Stowe. However they were suited to the school.

Bubbles, I think perhaps you need to re-read your post from months ago.

I accidentally wandered around Stowe so I’d question sending my DCs here. We’re members of the National Trust and the Stowe gardens are open to the public. We clearly saw the athletics track from the official NT route and we walked through the grounds where the students were playing golf and netball. A boy ran past us doing CC training. And then....Stowe House was open for tours so we popped in. I assumed that term had finished as we went into a dining hall. We then were herded into the Library which was full of 13 year old children. I was astonished. OK, we had a tour guide, but we were random members of the public, not prospective parents on an Open Day. Both my DCs were/are at boarding schools but the public facilities are well away from any day-to-day school contact.

I've pm'd you OP

Horrible school particularly for boys. Awful pastoral care - they couldn’t care less about the kids and their futures and kick loads out at end of year 11. Some teachers frankly terrible - my sons history teacher had missed great chunks of the curriculum out which we only discovered with a private tutor helping him revise for GCSE.

It might be that Stowe struggle to get the top teachers because it’s in the middle of nowhere so they’ll hire just about anyone from what we saw and considering the high fees, you’d expect at least standards to be comparable to state schools - it’s worse. Socially good but that’s not down to the school!

My DS spent 3 years at Stowe - wish I’d never sent him there tbh. Don’t waste your money is my advise.

I have two children at Stowe and am really pleased with the school. As another person has said I love that they are viewed as individuals and that the school is looking for what they love and encouraging it. Both my children have SEN and are well supported, there is always something to keep them occupied and they have both made some wonderful friends, all of whom we really like. Pastoral care is excellent and the school have a strong stand on unacceptable behaviours. I would highly recommend it but would definitely recommend an open day and then a private tour to help you decide