Independent Senior/Girls/SEN Dyslexia/Nurturing

[Soleme]

Hi everyone,

DD currently in Year5, diagnosed with dyslexia and prone to get anxious, so I am looking for a suitable independent girl’s day senior school for Year 7 entrance.

I am flexible on location and willing to move for the right school, somewhere along M25 corridor (Not looking for London schools).

At the moment, thinking/considering (not in any particular order):

• Queenswood
• Abbot’s Hill
• Pipers Corner
• St. George’s (Ascot)
• Queen Anne’s (Caversham)
• Manor House (Bookham)
• Prior’s Field (Godalming)

I would really appreciate your experience/feedback on SEN and pastoral provision in these schools.
Any particular school you found particularly great for a dyslexic DD?

Many thanks

I had an excellent experience at St Gabriel's in Newbury, however, for your daughters year it will become co- Ed. However I still wouldn't dismiss it as it does sound a good fit for your daughter, small nurturing with good results.
It is always going to attract the quieter, non-sporty boys as it does not have the space for lots of sports pitches.

I know a teacher at Piper’s who previously spent 30 years in the state sector. They rave about it!

I know the first three on your list (my daughter attends one of them) and all are very good at supporting SEN.

Abbott’s Hill is probably the least academic but they get exceptional results considering their intake. I was a little put off by the fact it only goes to 16 though. Not much of a “girl power” message. Just lots of very lovely, kind girls.

Queenswood has a Personalised Learning Centre to which girls attend for both scheduled sessions but also can just drop in. It’s for ALL girls, those with SEN, the academic scholars and the girl who is just having a one off struggling on a certain aspect of maths. It means that the girls get used to asking for help and support too. I know a dyslexic girl there whose parents chose it because of the SEN support. The most ethnically diverse of the schools - a really good mix of races, religions and nationalities.

Pipers is a very creative school. I asked several times for their breakdown of GCSE results by subject and it was never provided. Makes me wonder what they are hiding. Very much a white middle class school but probably as a result of geographical location than anything else.

All three would be a good bet for your daughter if you are looking purely at SEN support. I would encourage you to visit them - Pipers is having face to face visits from April - and get a feel for them. They all have a very different vibe.

Lonecatwithkitten - thank you for a new suggestion. Newbury might be a bit too far out, but the school sounds lovely.

HelenaJustina - thanks, sounds positive.

Zodlebud - thank you for your feedback. I am really looking forward to visiting the schools, now that the covid rules are getting relaxed. It just has been impossible to get a feel for the schools online.

Ideally, I am looking for a dynamic school with enthusiastic teachers and strong leadership, where children will be stretched and offered great opportunities, while being very supportive and nurturing at the same time. My dd likes sport, drama, music, art and I am looking for a well rounded education for her.

SEN is an extra requirement I have now, while choosing the school with all of the above. I am not looking purely at SEN support, but it is important that the school has knowledgable SEN team, who will understand her needs and are open and able to provide the relevant help.

Manor House seems lovely. I visited the school last year with my then year 5 DD. Very nurturing and friendly. It only goes to 16 though which is the reason we opted out of applying. Have a shy and slightly anxious DD who isn't very academic. I couldn't bare thinking of going through a change of school one more time after 11+... Have you looked into Sutton High? This is where we are sending our DD. Small and friendly. Might not be within the area you are looking..just in case!

Loved Queen Anne's when I visited a couple of years ago. My daughter is quite complex and they were very happy to talk with me about her needs and whether they could meet them. If we had lived closer, I'd have pursued it as I think it would have been a possibility for us.
Prior's Field also nice. Didn't view as when we were looking for a place it was rather last minute and they didn't have one. However, it has a reputation for being supportive.

mumster007 - good point about Manor House going up to 16. I am not looking fo my dd to go through changing school again, so ideally need a school to go until 18.
I just looked at Sutton High... sounds great on the website and it is GDST school. Thanks for your suggestion!

sprongle1 - thanks for sharing your experience. Did you find another suitable school in the end?

Bruton School for Girls. Really happy with it, but we specifically wanted small from a sensory perspective. Very nurturing. Great Dylexia/SEN support. Just thought it might be a bit far from the area you were looking. We cast our net wide as we're looking at weekly boarding as well.

Wouldn't recommend priors field- friend moved her DD after finding it disorganised and feeling that it wasn't really adding value. It let her quiet, lacking in confidence and needing support DD muddle along and there was no real proactive support as others needed it more.

I've heard of a family moving their DDs who struggled in London preps moving to notre dame in cobham. Might be worth a look.

Manor House is super but only goes to 16.

AzureTurtle - that's very useful to know regarding Prior's Field! Thank you!
I'll have a look at Notre Dame.

Do you know about SEN provision at Manor House?

Have you thought about The Royal School, Haslemere? That has a good reputation for SEN and the SENCo sounded really knowledgeable on the phone when we discussed our daughter.

Queen Anne's in Caversham has an excellent SEN department, run by one of most highly qualified specialist teachers in the UK. I have friends whose DDs are v.happy there.

My daughter has Dyslexia and is in Year 5 at Manor House in Bookham. We moved from a very academic school in Wimbledon. She was diagnosed whilst at this school but it was clear that she needed a more individual, nurturing approach. We could see that her confidence was starting to be eroded and didn't get a sense the school was invested in her as an individual who needed a slightly different approach. So, we wanted a smaller class size and an all through school. She had to do an assessment to get in to the school but we had an honest conversation about what she struggled with, and poor spellings or comprehension etc didn't seem to be a blocker. It was refreshing during that assessment process (and ongoing) that there is a drive to ensure she fulfills her potential and Dyslexia needn't be a blocker to success. MH ticked all our boxes. A small class with teachers assistant and individual SEN support (which we pay for). Since joining the school she has grown in confidence and just won a progress prize. She's happy and we are happy. The teachers are offering support to her and us as parents and make recommendations and put processes in place e.g. typing on ipad in class etc. She goes to a Lexia club every week too which is a computer club. I know there are some girls in the school with more severe dyslexia and other learning needs and they seem to be equally happy. We are very happy as a family with the move we made.

The fact Manor House only goes up to 6th Form was not a problem for us. It'll give her the opportunity to move in the direction that is right for her whether that's a more arty/creative college etc.

FYI, our daughter was in a GDST school. We moved her! See previous message.