Mount Kelly or Millfield Schools

[Stefanelle2]

Hi there. Can anyone give me advice about MK or Millfield Schools. Considering both for swimming and academic children aged 12 and 9. We are currently overseas so looking at lots of areas of UK and schools. Thanks

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

Yep - happy, thriving children obviously don’t exist there 🙄🤣

[Whyaremychildrenmad]

@Oldpeoplesprinting I’m sure she would stay there for half term if she could. But according to tavinbloom I’m not real and my daughter doesn’t exist 😂

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

@Whyaremychildrenmad exactly! Glad your daughter is loving it too - mine can’t wait to go back on Sunday. No problems here at all.

[Whyaremychildrenmad]

Sorry but I have to agree with oldpeople. When we were looking at schools I was really concerned by what tavinbloom had written on past threads. We decided to send our child anyway and they absolutely love it there. She is a swimmer and a boarder so is the type of child so hated by tavinbloom. Our experience is a happy school with happy children and happy parents, both day and boarders. Our decision to ignore the advice of one disgruntled parent was a good one.

[mynameisbrian]

Funny enough Whigift which is London has knocked Millfield off the top spot as the best sports school. It also has boarders.

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

Ah, I give up. My daughter loves it, so I’m happy...that’s all I care about to be honest. Other parents (or ex parents) can be as bitter as they like 🤷‍♀️

[tavinbloom]

Sorry...

Its not my view that teachers are going on strike..thats a fact..
Its not my view that teachers are leaving..thats a fact..
Its not my view that MK is operating a fire and rehire policy..thats a fact..
Etc ..Etc..

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

You’re failing to see that your experience isn’t matched by everyone else’s? Your view is just that - your view. Doesn’t make it fact.

[tavinbloom]

Parent of swimmer (on large scholarship? )says everything fine,ignore the striking teachers,the fire and rehire,the toxic atmosphere, the teachers and children leaving,everything is fine ,nothing to see here...

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

Your experience but certainly not mine - as I said previously, my DD absolutely loves it & I couldn’t be happier with how she’s getting on both academically & with her swimming.

Furthermore, last month I spent a few days at the school for a meet and every single parent I spoke to (& I chatted to a lot, both day & boarding parents) said really positive things - & the atmosphere poolside was fantastic. I was really impressed with the coaching staff in particular, & all the kids I met were polite & helpful & enthusiastic. I was genuinely really impressed & made me even more sure of our decision to send her.
I hope anyone reading this & weighing up their decision whether or not to send their child sees that a current parent of a happy child is perhaps a bit more helpful than an ex-disgruntled parent...!

[tavinbloom]

Beef?,no,the best thing we ever did was remove our daugher,but we live locally ,there are many teachers at the school we know well,parents we know well,although more and more of them have withdrawn or will withdraw children and I really dont like the blatant pr operation ,look at this thread for example,first and only time posters telling everyone how wonderful the school is,every time a thread starts ,you can be certain first time and only time posters will leap on to tell everyone how wonderful the school is..
Angry? No,just sad ..

[onlyfortonight]

I have children at both - swimming and triathlon. DM me and we can chat. Pros and cons, without the politics!

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

@tavinbloom you have proper beef with the school it seems. I assume your kids are no longer there? Why so angry?

[tavinbloom]

The school can afford to keep throwing ever increasing sums at academic(ish) bursary children and some headline swimmers in the hope that both will attract more full fee paying children or it can pay teachers a decent salary and keep in the pension scheme ,it clearly has decided to go for option one..hence the strikes,teachers looking to leave and a toxic atmosphere..

[Jelly123456]

Strike action - yes it’s going ahead as the school is sensible enough to withdraw from the Teachers Pension Scheme(TPS). A totally unfounded bottomless pit paying the pensions of teachers who retired years ago. All private schools will leave at some point, the only question is when. Millfield will do so at some point. I think a few hundred grand each year could be spent better on the salaries of current staff and kids education.
Millfield isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

[vfr66]

The teachers are highly committed and loyal to the school. They just want to keep their existing pension provision (which the school can afford) without the the threat of fire and rehire and remain part of a world class education system.

[tavinbloom]

Thats great,but the local parents I know and indeed the teachers I know are very bothered,the school claims financial reasons for coming out of the pension scheme,that coupled with what seem to be ever increasing amounts being spent on scholarships and bursary provision(,it got them a very rare Oxbridge place this year,so thats good) and the school getting into more and more niche sports,girls football and possibly tennis,both of which will see a need for more scholarships/bursary provision and people are wondering about the future.

[Oldpeoplesprinting]

Not that bothered to be honest - teachers have striked when my DC were at state school too.
I’m really happy with it - clearly you weren’t, which is a shame, but I’m delighted with how my DD is getting on both academically & with her swimming, plus she’s made some really strong friendships & having loads of fun at weekends. Couldn’t ask for more.

[tavinbloom]

Second round of strike action by staff in the very near future,how do you feel about that?

[Dingbatwombat]

My DD is a swimmer at Mount Kelly - it’s been brilliant for her. She is very average academically, but is doing really well & exceeding what we expected from her. Pastoral care is very good, & her swimming (from what little they have done this year) has improved greatly - she did some impressive PBs in the level x meets in December despite having half of last year off. The swim coaching is fantastic - the head coach is excellent & there’s a very positive atmosphere about the whole swim school. The head is very hands on and approachable too.
We are very happy with it. She is a full boarder & there is a lot to do at weekends - it’s a fabulous location & they really make the most of the beaches, moors, rivers etc, plus they get to go into town at weekends.
Didn’t look at Millfield but I have a couple of friends whose DDs go there. It’s more expensive (unless you get a very big scholarship and not the standard 10%) & a lot bigger. It depends what you’re looking for I suppose - we wanted the small school, & loved the location.

[Vaughan32]

Seriously? Millfield of course. Because if you take away the swim programme what does Mount Kelly have left? At 18 your DC might be an Olympian but equally perhaps not a swimmer at all, so it must make sense to look at the whole school not simply one sports programme.
I don't have, never have had and never would have DC at either school so I'm not invested at all in their reputations or popularity- but it just seems a no-brainer unless you are limited by location.

[peonypower]

I went to both - albeit in the 80s/90s

Millfield is by far the better school. And from what I hear of both today, that still stands.

[mumto3bearcubs]

Absolutely agree @tavinbloom! Our child left and I wouldn’t send my Dog to the College.

[Paddlinglikehell]

Do look at Ellesmere, a relative is there on a swimming scholarship and absolutely loves it.
The early starts are hard and it’s a training regime, but with a purpose. However school work remains high.