Private schools in Cheshire

[Meixo]

I'm strongly thinking of moving DD to private for secondary. I'm either thinking of the Grange, Abbeygate college or Queens school. She's very artistic strong at maths but has dyslexia , she struggles with spelling. Can anyone recommend a choice out of these?

In my possibly outdated experience Queens potentially wouldn't let your DD through the door and the Grange will ask you to leave if your DD doesn't keep the schools academic scores up no matter what other skills they have.

Abbeygate used to be weighted for Sport, music and art but then started to compete with Kings and Queens and lost that side.

Some really excellent teachers but their learning support centre was dire, apologies if it's different now but quite frankly during DD's time dire was being generous.

Would you consider Ellesmere?

Queen's has a fantastic reputation. I have friends with girls currently there and there seems to be good provision for dyslexia etc (I think King's also does, but have no close experience of them). Queen's is a very academic school, and has great results, as does the Grange. Don't know about Abbeygate at all. My friend's girls are very happy at Queen's and love the atmosphere; it doesn't seem to be a hothouse in any way but it definitely gets good results. I would seriously consider it.

As with @stayathomegardener the Grange will get rid of you if you aren't going to pass. Horrendous bullying at Queens if you don't fit in. Kings is really academic and not not on any SEN provision.
Abbey Gate is more down to earth but is trying to play catch up. I would go for that one if I had to

There are many great state school in the area depending where you live.

I would strongly recomend going to see the Grange and having a chat with the Head and other staff. It is a fantastic school and there are many students with dyslexia who are thriving there. The SEN/pastoral support is excellent. Yes, they look for strong academics, but they also have strong Art, graphics, drama & music departments and encourage students in these areas. Go to the open day in September and try a taster day where your DD can go for the day and get a feel for the school. The new Head is lovely and if they think your DD will fit in and get the most out of the schook they will tell you.

I’d definitely include King’s in your mix - as pp has said Queens is great if your dd fits in but I’ve heard of some girls finding by the environment hard. King’s is a bigger school (as it’s coed for a start) so easier to find your tribe. Both schools vg academically. Kings definite the favourite for sixth form - shiny new sixth form centre has just opened.

Where do you live?

I would just go state so long as it offers her a full complement of GCSEs (some schools are limiting GCSEs due to a shortage of funding) bearing in mind universities prefer quality over quantity anyway. Private is a waste of money UNLESS you can find a non-selective school that shows genuine high levels of progress and they are few and far between, otherwise they just take bright kids, do very little with them, and produce decent grades matching what they would have achieved in a state school with your support. But worse, your children may be overlooked or rather have to work even harder to prove to some universities why they should take them over a state school child that got the same grades, not that this is a bad thing but you are not buying a better education or a ticket to a russell group unviversity anymore, the average day private schools no longer have any strings to pull like they once did. Maybe children can make valuable social connections and have a peer group that makes them feel the need to aim high in life, there is that. It is not really worth the money anymore for anything else, it is not a guarantee of social mobility, a house deposit is probably a bigger guarantee of that. A close relative's child has dyslexia and attends an non selective private in an area with many failing state schools, the school shows incredible progress for SEN pupils with 95% achieving at least a level 5 and 68% a level 7 or above in core subjects. They have small classes and lots of one on one tuition with excellent teacher to pupil ratios but also the very supportive parents that care about their children maximising their potential comes into it here as it does anywhere.

Depending on where you are based, you might want to consider Cransley, Beech Hall and Alderley Edge. All have great reputations for supporting kids with dyslexia.

I found this thread really useful and I wondered if anybody knows which entrance exam is used by The Grange for Y7 entry please? It used to be CEM Select but that is not used any longer. I heard it was ISEB now but I'm not convinced it is! Thank you.

Hi! Just wondering did you get any further with this please? I'm looking for my daughter. Thanks x

Would dispute Kings as being academic. Their PR team would have you believe it was but their exam results aren't great and the onward destinations are average. Maybe one a year for Oxbridge - some years none.

Alderley Edge is less academic, but can be toxic.