Claires Court School Maidenhead

[NewName123]

Does any one have experience of this school please? I am considering it for my DS in September. He didn't pass the dreaded 11+. I understand that the school is non-selective and this can reflect in their exam results. My son is very sporty and I think would benefit from the smaller class sizes.

Several of my friends children went there. None were very bright and it’s quite a cosy school. Not a big hitter academically but there isn’t much choice in the area. What other schools could you get to?

My son and daughter have both attending the Claires Court family of schools since Year 3 and my son has just moved to the Senior Boys campus in Year 7 last September. I have found the school to be great both academically and for those boys who just love sport. They have regular Open Days so it may be worth you looking on their website for further information.

Hi. I have 2 boys at the school. 1 sporty 1 into drama. The school is non-selective which personally I think is a plus point. Been a parent for over 8 years and got nothing but praise for the school. Eldest started reception and now in Senior Boys and the youngest in nursery and now in Junior Boys. And the plan is to stay into six form.

We have friends who have older children that have come out with As and A*s so they do stretch them academically. But they nurture the whole child, children have joined my boys through the years and parents cannot get over how quickly they settle in. It is like one big extended family! They help them to stretch them in their interests and assist with weaknesses.

As to a sporty boy - my eldest absolutely loves it! They have the traditional sports of rugby, football and cricket but they have more opportunities - rowing, sailing and tennis.

Make an appointment to view Senior Boys and see the boys for yourself. X

Everyone I know with children there speaks very highly of it. Being non selective it's not going to get tip top results - in the area the brightest are creamed off by the 11 plus.

My son has just finished 6th Form last year and was at Claires Court from Reception and he did well at the school and is a very well adjusted young man who was taught the key values of the school. It is a school that cares and will listen. I also have a daughter at Senior Girls and she loves the school and takes all opportunities that the school offers. Whether your academic, sporty, artistic or musical you will find something for your children. It is worth you joining the open days and getting a feel for the school. Good luck.

I'm really don't understand why people think of Claires Court as a non-academic school. It's non-selective so if your child is academic then they will be well catered for, if not, the school spends time encouraging them in other areas. I have two sporty daughters at CC Senior Girls who have flourished there.

My son didn't go through CC senior boys as he passed 11+ and so spent his secondary education at a well know boys grammar which I hated as they don't care a jot about the boys, just results. We chose to move him out of the grammar system and he is now flourishing at CC 6th Form!

I get the impression that it is v sporty. I agree - not sure why everyone assumes that it is not academic because it is non-selective. I know of a number of people who have actively decided to send their very bright children to private school instead of the Grammar

Low academic school with the emphasis on being as making as much money as possible so a lot of low quality teachers as money is not spent in recruiting. When your child struggles you are told to hire private tutors at your cost. I know of a lot of parents who are really unhappy but there is so little choice

My son went to the school and has gone off to uni. He always had a good and happy time at school. He did well in academic and sports, and I always thought there are opportunities and different things for everyone. He made lots of friends and many have gone onto uni so I think the results are good. Most of all for me he and all his friends from school are very respectful and pleasant young adults. They post a lot of their stories on their facebook page and have open event dates

The brightest are certainly not all creamed off by the 11plus...a lot of bright children do go elsewhere, and the big tutoring industry we have, means there are a lot of average ability children in grammar now too. I personally know two very bright children, both whom passed the 11+, that are currently at Claire’s court. Also know a boy who left a few years ago, and did very well there. Parents I know speak very highly of the school. This ‘academic school’ misnomer, keeps cropping up. Any school that is non selective, will of course have a greater range of abilities. It doesn’t mean they don’t cater for everyone. I think in that sense, they do very well.

Very bad experience at this school where our not very sporty ethnic minority son was treated very badly
We were treated very badly
Seems they are only interested in making money as mentioned in other feedback
Best avoided - seems that most people only put their kids there because there is not much choice - better to travel!!

I went to this school and I would never send my own children there. The whole experience was just horrible.

I had dyslexia, which wasn't picked up until I was slightly older. I struggled through with my academics and instead of being helped I was treated like the dumb kid in class by the teachers.
I was bullied through my time at this school by the other students (but children can be cruel and I accept this could have happened anywhere) and was always alone, the teachers were fully aware of me crying alone every lunch time but never stepped into ask if everything was ok or tried to sort the issues out.

The worst thing for me was going up to the teachers lounge to hand in coursework and hearing a teacher (sociology) laughing with the others saying "how stupid can you be" about me, she was referring to something specifically to me. There were very few of us in this class, and instead of ever teaching she would sit for the majority of the class and discuss the holiday's the other student had taken recently.

This wasn't the first time I was laughed at by teachers in this school, it was usually in front of the class. If I got a bad result in a test paper the scores would be said loudly when handing them back instead of pulling me aside to discuss any problems.

Unless you are one of the top of the class you were pushed aside and ignored, or worse bullied by the teachers themselves.
It was a horrible experience and one I wouldn't wish on any child, I would move to a new town if this school was my only choice.

Hi, were you in the boys school or the girls? Senior?

@May20 I’m not sure if that question was aimed at me, but just encase it was.
I was at the girls school. And my brother was at CC. We had very similar experiences unfortunately.
I hope that helps.

Thanks Belle82. The question was aimed at you as it seems like you’ve had a really terrible experience at the schools. We’re looking for schools atm and have heard of a similar experience so I wanted to understand if the experience was at junior or at senior too.

Oh sorry I missed that question. We were both there from 11 years and up to 6th form.

Have a look on google. They have recently been in the local news for undesirable reasons, I think Berkshire live. Xx

For balance, my son is at the senior boys school and absolutely loves it. From what I know, the SEN provision is good now and from my own experience, the school community is incredibly strong and supportive. He has some really good friends and the respect between teacher and pupil is immense. I'd also have confidence that they'd sort any bullying out as soon as they heard about it (not that we have had any experience of this thankfully).

Sport is strong but my son doesn't participate at a high level and still feels valued.

@Belle82 when did you go to the school? I'm pretty sure (hope) there will have been changes since you left.

I went there over 10 years ago.
However a friend of ours has just removed their eldest from the school due to similar issues.
I really hope they have changed certain things and it sounds like in the boys school they have.

Her eldest is a girl so that’s all I can comment on from a more current perspective.

Where do you live? Would you consider Windsor Boys'?

Never heard anything but good things about Windsor boys