Anyone know anything about Dodderhill Girls school in Droitwich?

[ElektraLOL]

My youngest dd is 10 and is in year 5. She has dyspraxia and is also imo mildly on the spectrum. I am very concerned about her going to a massive senior school - I don't think it will be good for her. She is very naive, and doesn't know how to handle social situations well. In fact, she finds them confusing. She doesn't have any behaviour issues though. Her problems are subtle to the untrained eye...

She also struggles with maths, although her (fantastic) primary school teaches her in a maths group and has really helped her make progress.

Given that she is not what most schools would consider academic, I don't know anything about Dodderhill or whether it is any good for children with additional needs.

Any help would be welcome.

Are you aware of the merger with RGS? Although they are saying it won’t impact, I would be concerned about the longer term implications.

Are you also considering Bowbrook? We looked round last year for our son, and although it wasn’t right for him, it was a lovely school that seemed to be great at giving extra support

Yes I am aware of the merger and yes that does concern me. Not least because RGS are a school that will throw a kid out if they aren't doing well enough. I did wonder about Bowbrook as well as they seem to take a lot of children who need extra learning support.

Having Aspergers myself though, I was moved to a girls school when mainstream didn't work out for me. I worry more about her social difficulties in mainstream than anything else. I felt like small class sizes and no distraction of boys would help.

I’ve also just heard there is a new head from September who is currently deputy at the Grange. It may not be a bad thing, but given your concerns it might be better to look at it in the autumn so you could meet her. I would definitely look at Bowbrook too. Hope you can find somewhere that suits your daughter

Oh dear (Re: Dodderhill). That really puts me off. I have another child who sat the entrance for RGS when St Mary's closed and she was offered a place but I knew other families who were kept dangling until the last minute because they were trying to cherry pick the cleverest children at a time when their school had closed suddenly and with all the upheaval (emotional and practical) that that brings. It certainly left a nasty taste in my mouth and we didn't accept the place because of it.

Thanks @Eccle80

Oh no that’s a horrible way to treat children especially in that situation, the St Mary’s closure must have been really difficult for them all with the way it happened so fast. I also went to an open day about 18 months ago at RGS where in the head’s talk he actually said they don’t cherry pick their children!! (That was one thing that put me off as it so clearly isn’t true!)

I have mixed feelings on Dodderhill as I went there myself, but it is very different now. My only experience as a parent there is having children in the nursery and kindergarten, which were great, but the school handled the closure of them very badly.

I can’t think of any other girls’ schools left now in the area

Have you considered Bromsgrove? Although it is a large school, the house system makes it feel much smaller and gives opportunity for more pastoral care. I know of DCs with SEN and health issues and the school has been incredibly supportive of them and their parents are very happy with the school. The pupils stay in prep until 13 and then transfer to seniors. The single sex houses in seniors also give girls a female environment and base which they wouldn’t get in a traditional day school.

Thank you @Dancingdreamer I had heard that Bromsgrove is very selective? Would you disagree then? It may be a bit far for us I think.

No I wouldn’t say Bromsgrove is highly selective. It’s certainly no KEHS Birmingham. It has a large intake so takes a much wider range of abilities than similar schools. It won’t however take a DC that they don’t think they can support properly.

I would also second having a look at Bromsgrove.

Thanks for your opinions. I went to Dodderhill today. Did not like it at all. And it was their open day and not one student was there!!!! Very very odd. The first three people I saw were from RGS and the Dodderhill staff seemed to be in the background. There is already a ‘RGS, Dodderhill’ sign outside. No emphasis on pastoral care or even girls only education 🤨 I’m surprised - I expected more.

Bowbrook I liked much better. Warm, friendly, activities for the children to do as they were looking around. I think my daughter would be more likely to thrive there.

Sounds very strange not to have any children there for an open day, normally schools use pupils to show round at least!

Glad you liked Bowbrook though, I thought it was lovely when we saw it