Hi there, I am currently trying to find an independent secondary school for my year five son.
He is very shy; he needs a lot of encouragement and has some SEN but needs a mainstream - but with small class sizes which everyone agrees are essential so he can't do state schools.
So I need a private school that is very pastoral, is either non-selective or has a lower pass rate than the academic hot-houses, and has a small school feel (eg small classes) even if it's got lots of pupils. Day or boarding. From age 11 or 13.
Academically he's never going to get A*s; he might get a couple of As, a couple of Bs, Cs and Ds for example.
Does such a caring and idyllic school exist within a couple of hours of Bournemouth please?
I know about the following, so I am looking for those (perhaps further afield) that I may have missed:
King Edwards Soton - too academic, too boisterous I believe. He won't pass the entrance exam.
Canford - too academic, he won't get in. Too pricey.
Dauntseys - looks good.
Hampshire Collegiate. Possible but I don't know how hard the entrance exam is. It looks quite academic.
Sherbourne - possible
Ballard - possible
Clayesmore - possible
BCS - possible
Bryanston - too expensive
Kings Bruton - have already told me it's not the school for my son!
Milton Abbey - ditto
Millfield - ditto
Are there any mainstream independents that I have missed please?
Many thanks for your help and advice as always.
xx