Farnborough Hill

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We’re strongly considering Farnborough Hill for our DD and we’re hoping to get some insight from any fellow MNers who might know it. Apart from looking for general opinions, we have some specific questions about potential costs, specifically whether textbooks and after school prep are included or charged as extras. Can you tell we are new to private education?! Thanks all.

Or any general views welcome too 😊

It's a really lovely school which will really look after your daughter and develop her talents, whatever they may be. It's also just a glorious environment in which to grow up. I'm pretty sure that textbooks and after school prep are free: it's not the sort of school which assumes parents are rolling in money

Thank you for your reply - agree, we didn’t get that vibe at all. It’s lovely to hear positive feedback.

FH is a lovely school which remains ‘wholeheartedly’ dedicated to educating girls. Has had a refresh with the country-esq new uniform, logo and motto bringing the school into modern times. Uniform ties in the napoleonic history with the beautiful setting - if going for a tour make sure you see the view from the library window (makes farnborough seem idilic ) The school allows girls to develop self awareness without coming across cocky. I left there a very different person to the quiet little girl with the oversized striped blazer that entered in lower school. Never met a team of staff so dedicated to their job and always made an effort to establish great relationships with the girls. The catholic ethos is the pulse of the school but most girls are from other or no faith backgrounds so it isn’t pushed onto them. I recall fond memories of racing to the tuck shop at break to get the last freddos, sledging down the hill in the snow, playing with the dogs on the lawns and sometimes even sneaking down to the nuns graveyards when the staff weren’t looking. The online learning was impressive too - school had training for all staff and pupils in Feb 2020 before the pandemic had even properly taken off so there was a seamless transition and even chapel carried on. We always joked about how the sorting of the forms was similar to that of harry potter’s sorting hat as everyone slotted into the right forms and always had a few from the same tree in their form. Sport is of a high enough standard and new Director of Sport is very good. Netball and swim team regularly make national finals) New music suites are beautiful. One thing to tell your DD is get involved in every opportunity even if she doesn’t think she’s good enough, with FH it’s so important to get the whole experience. Heads of Year and pastoral team are excellent and fast acting when things such as subject changes need to be sorted. Textbooks are free - loaned from school and exercise books are now free (nuns used to charge for them at the bookshop). So the only extras to the bill are the trips and school lunches. Prep after school is optional and runs until 6pm most girls used to go and there is breakfast club every morning if you need to drop before 7:55am. The girls are nice, rounded people and much less stressed than the GHS/ tormead lot. Genuinely one of the best schools i’ve seen despite not having a big name.

Wow, thank you so much for the feedback @spicysquirell - I have to say that I’ve never heard anything negative about the school which is amazing, and the ethos seems to match our values perfectly. It’s very helpful to have a first hand account as well.