Millfield Prep

[SarahIsMe]

Hi all

We are thinking of moving our children (both boys) to Millfield Prep when oldest starts year 7. We will have to move house to accommodate this, so it's a big deal. We are not keen on boarding (just not the right option for us, but understand it works for others).

Oldest is very sporty but youngest less so, he's more musical.

My main questions are:

*Is the move from state primary to Millfield Prep a big jump?

*Do kids from average income households (we r aiming for scholarships and no way could afford the fees) manage ok? Do they get singled out?

*Is there much elitism/toff-ness/arrogance etc...? (Expecting a bit, but hoping most of the kids are nice and well balanced!)

*Are children largely happy there?

*Are day pupils integrated there and treated similarly to the boarders? Do they enjoy it?

*Do non sporty kids fair ok? (our youngest is fairly 'gentle' and while he's fine playing football and mucking in with martial arts and stuff at school, I'd worry he might get bullied as he's not a rugby type guy (yet anyway - he's v young and I don't know what path he'll take as he gets older) and more into playing instruments and singing and drawing (might become a bit geeky)

*I have seen threads from a few years ago on Millfield where it seems to have been somewhat slated/got a bad press. Hoping things have changed!

If anyone knows anything about the swimming provision, would also be keen to hear stories of transition from prep to senior for good swimmers (is the prep ok in how they coach yr7 and 8 swimmers? I know the senior school is good in terms of swim coaching, but no idea how the prep school fairs).

Thank you v v much for your opinions

Thanks mrsmadaevens

"Millfield is not a place for a child who can not afford the fees unless they are extremely well rounded in sports and excel in one"

OP I don't think this poster meant your child will get bullied if they are not super rich - more that unless your child is really toppy top in their sport with serious potential, it is unlikely that they would get enough of a bursary/scholarship to go there - that's if fees were unaffordable any other way.

It's not clear from your posts - if you do the house downsize, can you then afford the fees for both DC? Or would you also need a big bursary? It's the comment about not being able to afford the fees which is causing people to be a bit negative I think.

Tbh if I was only going to be able to afford the fees by moving my family of four to a small flat in Street then I would be loath to let my DC view what I am sure are marvellous facilities - what if they love it and want to go there and then you can't afford it?

Clary - I think we could afford full fees for DS2 if DS1 gets a decent scholarship. I dont mean to sound arrogant on his behalf (because neither of us are), but he is v v good, so I think it is a strong possibility. Ideally if DS2 could also get a bursary it would mean we could live in a decent size house (3 bed house in. Street or Glastonbury). If neither get any fee reduction, we probably couldn't afford it at all if I'm honest, but I'm hoping with even a bit of a reduction for one of them, we could stretch to a flat in street/Glastonbury and hopefully a nice little house.

Daisydoesn't - a bit disappointed to hear that! Rightmove makes street and Glastonbury look lovely!! (Looks a lot nicer than where I am!!) We will be visiting soon. At least I'll be a bit prepared for it not being as idyllic as I thought now you've given us the heads up!

Have you asked the school about bursaries and scholarships then? That would be my first move tbh before I went any further.

Thanks all

I'd be very concerned about the pressure you were putting on DS1. Even if you don't explicitly say to him, 'we moved miles away and sold our valuable house and spent all this money so you could go to this school, you need to make a success of it' he will pick up on it.

DD is (or rather she was before lockdown stopped any decent training time) a regional swimmer and so we have spent many a weekend at Millfield chatting to other swim parents. I was under the impression that even very very good swimmers don't get offered huge scholarships/bursaries. The swim team seems to go through blips in quality (but still very good).

The club swimmers tend to join in year 9 (or when an older sibling joins the senior school) or for 6th form. Swim training at both schools is good for the proper swimmers.

Regionally the main competition is Mount Kelly (school), Plymouth Leander and the City of Bristol and Team Bath AS clubs of clubs.

I think it will be a long school day for a day boy that swims and I can't imagine they would have much free time at the weekends either.

Past prep I am not sure that there are many day kids. It seems a waste.

I teach in Plymouth and can only echo a pp - Plymouth College is fantastic for swimming, and works closely with Plymouth Leander swimming. Plymouth itself as a city is not the prettiest but your money will go much further on a property here.

Whatever you decide, don't forget the fees don't cover everything! Many clubs may cost extra as do music lessons, school trips, overnight stays for sporting events, textbooks are sometimes added on, and the initial biggy - uniform. Don't know about Millfield specifically but you can add in a few hundred per term at least ime. Not trying to put you off but it's a factor when working out what you can / can't afford.

Glad that was helpful, OP. By research, I mean having a good look at the schools that I and other posters have suggested as well as Millfield.

I have to say that I agree that moving the whole family for the sake of DS’s swimming seems like a massive risk at this time, although I’m sure he’s as good as you say. Surely other things have to take precedence, even if he has the potential to become an Olympian? I have taught a number of GB swimmers across my 3 schools and none of them have been swimming schools as such.

Plymouth College has an excellent all round reputation but I wouldn’t want to live in Plymouth! Maybe East Cornwall?

I’m biased as I’m a musician myself, but I would say that finding a good school for your other child’s music may have more lasting influence on their future life?

Why not find a great school in a lovely area where you’d like to live and where DS can pursue his swimming outside school?

Remember that these are difficult times doe independent schools and the bursary pot may not be quite as generous as usual. Lots of schools have had to bail out their own families due to Covid. Also, as many parents feel let down by state schools’ remote learning, uptake for places is very high at the moment - my own school has 20% more pupils due to sit the 11+ in a few weeks than last year.

I don’t want to out myself on here by being too specific about schools but happy to answer questions by PM of helpful.

If he's very good, as you say, then surely his current club have suggested what steps are needed now in order for him to meet his potential? That's what mine did.

You'd be better off moving somewhere with an Olympic sized pool and early opening to facilitate training before and after school. (I believe Portsmouth/Plymouth, sorry can't remember which has this facility) Putting them in a school without fees will allow you to afford his training costs, specialist clothing, diet, travel to competitions etc. How will you fund these if you'd be struggling to meet school costs? You'll also feel less stressed when he misses school for training/events, because you'd not be paying for something he's not receiving.

It sounds as though Wells would be a far better fit for your youngest.

Prep/pre-prep schools really do not offer much in the way of bursaries at all- of course they all proclaim the assistance they provide, but often it goes to families already in the school whose parents have had a change in circumstances. Occasionally they're used to attract a pupil the school wants for the kudos of having them.

Hi OP, we don’t have DC at Millfield, but did look at it recently and have done lots of research.

The first thing I would say is NEVER move house for a school. We moved 18m ago, and whilst there were some other reasons, sending DC to a specific school was one of them. The school has been a disaster and now we are looking to move schools again, which was absolutely not our plan and really doesn’t fit with where we have bought a house and got jobs.

As PP have said Glasto and street are not lovely places to live. They are run down and glasto really is an alternative lifestyle anti-Vaxer hangout.

Millfield is def a boarding school which just about accommodates day pupils- and this is indicated in the fees as it’s not much more to board than be a day pupil. The day pupils are put in their own separate house, so don’t mix much with the boarders.

A previous parent told us that at Millfield ‘PJ’ doesn’t stand for pyjamas, but private jet and a previous teacher (who also said he’d never send his kids there) said that tennis was frequently interrupted at the weekends by the regular landing/taking off of helicopters from the adjacent helipad. Our kids were at a London prep, but this is a whole other level of wealth.

Also as pp have said be careful about moving a child for a sport. One of our DC plays a team sport at regional level (which was one of the reasons we looked). If DC is still good by yr9 we may look again (despite everything I’ve said above), but so many children drop out or get injured and can’t continue, I wouldn’t hang your coat on that peg early.
Good luck in your decision making.

You'd be better off moving somewhere with an Olympic sized pool and early opening to facilitate training before and after school.

This, plus a great club/coach.

Someone mentioned Truro School upthread. Great school but not for swimming

Hope it works out OP.

I have an ExH went to Millifield - he left in the late 90's so was a while ago. I on the other hand went to a Community College. He had an innate confidence that came with going to a top public school. In his words they were educated to be leaders, there was no question that they would not be be. He told me that if your parents were major donors to the school you were virtually untouchable no matter what you did.
He was also an arrogant fucker who thought he was humble as he had gone away to India to find himself.
But these are my prejudices that come with dealing with him and his friends for the last 10 years.
It gives your kids a great start in life but be aware if you are going to be struggling at all to keep them up with other pupils financially.

A. Look at the fees for the prep, work out how many years of prep you would need to pay for in total

B. Do the same for senior school but add in an increase of 10% a year

C. Write that total figure down. Add 2000 a year for each child for uniform, trips, other extras. Ask yourself if you can truly afford it out of your taxed income. A scholarship (if you get it) might be 5 or 10% (for one child). (Bursaries and scholarships are very different things).

From what you have said you would be mad to consider Millfield (sorry). It will stretch you (break) you financially. Absolutely not worth it.

Hi OP, I went to Millfield seniors fresh from a not terribly good state school. This was many years ago and not prep so possibly not helpful to you but...

Back then there were a range of incomes at the school from 'private jet' money to children of hospital consultants, company directors etc to scholarship kids. While I wasn't picked on, I did get sneered at for being on a "scholarship" (even though I wasn't - my parents paid all the fees). I simply didn't have that private school "polish" and some kids came to their own (incorrect) conclusions about my family's finances.

But in general because I had personality, was talented in a sport and could stand up for myself it was ok.

The focus on sports - but in particular swimming - was first rate and many from prep on seniors swimming team as I recall.

I also had day pupil friends, even though I was a border.

Hope helpful - if somewhat out of date.

Thanks twolittlebears and julestherabbit - v helpful.

Thanks everyone else too. I am changing my mind!! Think we'll visit, get the finances properly all worked out after discussions with the school re: scholarships etc.. and keep thinking!

After this thread I am slowly going off the idea!! But we have a bit of time, so no rush to make out minds up yet,

Thanks all

The thing about young pre-pubescent swimmers is that their "potential" isn't usually obvious until a few years' later. Kids develop at different paces.

If you are already at a good club with National swimmers, why not ask the coaches for some ideas (or look at the kids and their clubs selected for the National and Regional Pathways) to identify the "feeder" clubs.

FWIW I think Millfield usually split their pool into 2x25m for most of their training. City of Wells and Street (and possibly other clubs) hire it to train in too. While I remember, there certainly used to be a fleet of minibuses/coaches to collect kids from quite a wide radius of the school if you didn't want to live in Glastonbury or Street.

Thanks madcats

I was about to say the same as Madcats. A 9 or 10 year old swimmer may go on to be an Olympic champion, but a huge majority quit at secondary level. Swimming performance is very dependent on his size to, so unless both parents are 6 foot plus, I wouldn't be making any major decisions on the back of being a good club swimmer at primary level.

I used to house share with a former Millfield swimmer. She was an amazingly good swimmer (we’d go to the pool together and she’d be finishing her fourth length when I was pootling to the end of my first - I’m a very slow swimmer but even so!). I remember her saying though that at Millfield there were so many phenomenal swimmers that her own swimming capability was considered rather average. It actually put her off swimming a bit. She did talk very positively about her time at Millfield though - she was a boarder there, still had tonnes of Millfield friends years after leaving, and had been very happy as a pupil there.

We are in a slighlty different position but have just submitted a sport scholarship application for DD to join Millfield for 6th form in Sept 2021. We have done this as it's what DD wants, but DH and I have reservations due to hearing so many negative stories. We do however know of many past and present pupils who have been/are very happy there which is why we let her apply.

Re scholarhips, the maximum awarded is usually 15% but this can be topped up by a means tested bursary. Our DD may be awarded a scholarship but unless she's awarded a significant bursary there is no way she can attend.

We didn't let her apply for year 9 entry even though she wanted to as we wanted to make sure that she was serious avout her sport as she matured into adulthood. There are no guarantees a scholarship awarded lower down the school is honoured if the childs performance drops/if they become injured.

Good luck with your decision - it's hard to make decisions when you're not able to visit easily.

Thanks card1gan, good luck and all the best to your DD

I have an acquaintance who’s youngest boards at Millfield Senior School. They’ve been good with his dyslexia from what she says - they’ve never expected him to be an academic genius but he seems a decent, polite, sporty kid from what I observed. I doubt he or definitely his family would be in the least snobbish or care where anyone was from - having said that, a child who lived in a small flat in a not very nice area might feel some disparity and discomfort going to stay with them in London as they are very well off.

I understand wanting to get your child into a school with a talent (and DD2 got a musical place at an out of area State) but selling your house, moving somewhere smaller and potentially grottier, pinning your hope on scholarships .. just too many ‘what ifs’ for me I think. The jobs you did find in the new area might not pay as much as you currently earn either. I just think I’d look at rather less drastic, life altering options first. Good luck!