Oxfordshire Buckinghamshire Private Secondary Schools - Pipers Corner/Bloxham?

[JaneS1982]

I am starting to look at secondary options for my daughter for Sep 26 (we live near Thame) and I am hoping to tap into some mumsnet wisdom re private schools in area. She is currently at a small mixed village state primary so we're looking from year 7 onwards.

My daughter makes friends easily, is very creative and artistic (loves drama, art, dt, music). Not that sporty - she's quite young and little for the year. Although is mad about horse riding! She is bright but struggles with reading/maths at school as she has dyslexia (she has support for working memory and processing). She now uses technology in classroom to help her. Wherever we look will need good SEND and dedicated learning support for her to really achieve her potential. And great facilities for art/drama as these are her strengths. Nurturing and pastoral care important. Looking for schools that have a broader academic intake that aren't too selective, are forward thinking and flexible and have great extra curricular offerings. We live in Bucks and she won't be doing the 11+ exams.

Would love her younger sister who is 2 years below to go to same school - they get on great. Academically her sister is flying but doesn't have as much confidence so I feel the same more nurturing school would actually suit both well - they don't do pressure! Both are arty.

We are open to day privates (within around 30 mins drive) or boarding (within ideally an hour's drive). Both my husband and I went to boarding school. Open to girls only or mixed. The two schools (whilst very different!) that are on our radar are Bloxham (boarding - mixed) or Pipers Corner (all girls day). Lord Williams in Thame is the local state secondary.

Would love any guidance on the schools above and/or are we missing anywhere else that would suit!? Would go a bit further afield for right school.

Thanks so much for your help! It's a minefield out there!

Wychwood??

I would have suggested Rye St Anthony. That’s now merging with Headington. It may be worth a look as it might now meet both your girls needs?

Thanks for the suggestion 🙏will take a look x

Do independent schools provide much SEND wise??

Take a look at Queenswood. Ticks every one of your boxes including their personalised learning centre for those who need extra support (including academically gifted which means it’s a hub to support ALL abilities).

Creative subjects are superb with lots on offer at both GCSE and A-level as well as extra curricular. There is an entrance test but it’s no more onerous than Pipers.

They have full, weekly and flexi boarding options. Weekly can just go from Monday morning to Friday evening if that’s what you want - no Saturday morning school, just some sport if your daughter is on a team.

It’s definitely worth a look and they have Saturday open mornings twice a year.

Have you considered Waddesdon? Not private, but really very well regarded.
Have you actually looked at Lord Williams? It’s a good all round school. A lot to be said for having the ease of locality. The sen department is good I understand, and they do well with bright children too!

Ah sounds great will certainly take a look, thanks for heads up! Really helpful x

Some people do Ashfold for year 8 and 9. It’s very nurturing. A nice school

Sorry I meant year 7 and 8…

Will definitely look at Lord Bill's (and Waddeson). Haven't discounted them. The 10 min bus in and out appeals but feel she would thrive perhaps more at a smaller school (with state of art drama and art facilities). And part of me having been to a private school myself would like to do the same for my children. I guess what learning support provision each school provides will be very important in decision making. We are very open minded at this stage and will visit a few on open days this year to get a feel.

She's staying at her village school till end year 6 rather than move her to a prep as she's very happy there and we are getting her private dyslexia support alongside. Her mates will predominantly go on to the Aylesbury Grammars (not an option for her) and Lord Bill's. Whatever happens she'll maintain those local relationships.

Thanks for all the helpful comments, really appreciate it x

I'm guessing located somewhere inbetween Thame and Waddesdon so Oxford schools would be a consideration. D’Overbroecks is rather nice!

Small environment - Wychwood
Art/textiles/photography - Wychwood
Drama - Wychwood
Not necessary "state of the art" facilities, but very good departments.
WW transformed my DC from a school hating pupil to going to university. Can't thank the school enough. I'm a huge fan. (as you can tell!!)

Thanks all for the suggestions! Super helpful. Will take a look at Wychwood and D'Overbroecks. Wychwood - that's recently gone co ed hasn't it? Do we know how that's going? And with Rye/Headington merger will it take on Rye girls wanting to maintain a smaller school?

D'Overbroecks looks interesting, I wonder what their learning support is like? Anyone have any creative daughters with dyslexia currently there?

And does anybody have any experience with Bloxham, if you aren't that sporty?

Thanks!

Queen Anne's in Caversham? My DDs are there and extremely happy. Small school. Excellent drama, dance, music, art etc. Day, flexi, weekly and full boarding options. Great SEND department too (my youngest has dyslexia). I watched my youngest DD in a "MADE" performance last night which was a joint music, art, drama/dance and English project on Greek mythology they had been working on. The whole thing was outstanding, and the performances were so impressive.

@JaneS1982
D’Overbroecks sen and ability to cater for an individual child were absolutely second to none a few years ago when my DS attended. It really looked after individual needs.

Queen Anne’s has a reputation for being quite academic I think. Well, that’s what they were selling on the open day!

@DibbleDooDah on the basis of the girls I know who have gone to QA recently, I wouldn’t say it is that academic.

From what I can see of my DDs' friends, I think QA is an all-rounder school and has girls of varying abilities. There seem to be lots of opportunities for girls to excell in whatever area interests them, whether that's sport, drama, dance, art, music or academics. I'm certainly very happy with it for my DDs.

Interesting about QAs. I went to visit two years ago and queried why the covid year group (current Y10) was so small. I was told that they didn’t want to compromise on academic ability so in the absence of the Chinese students they deliberately only offered to girls above a certain standard. If things have changed then it could be worth a look.

Another one to consider is Heathfield. Small school (about 250 including sixth form), very nurturing and terribly creative school. Has full and weekly boarding. A little shabby in places but a lovely school environment. Very supportive of SEN but also able to meet the needs to the very academic.

I would not recommend Headington/Rye if you will be after a small school because I think it's going to pretty big next year. But if you can overlook the size, it's a good school with lots of great facilities. Their drama department is very good.

Tudor Hall certainly would be worth a look I’d say.

Type Pipers into mumsnet search and you will find a few threads with comments.

Please do search Mumsnet and reach out to ex and current parents of Pipers Corner School. Lovely for younger girls and terrible for teenagers. #piperscorner

Tudor Hall. D’overbroecks great but factor in the Oxford traffic.

@JaneS1982 I think you might like Heathfield. We don’t live far from you. My DD2 went there for 6th form. It’s small so not everything is tip top but its art is amazing. It’s like a big family.

DD also considered Teddies in Oxford and Stowe. As DD had no Send, we didn’t look at that provision nor y7 provision. DD chose Heathfield as it suited her A level ambitions.

Waddesdon School has a tiny catchment. Look at their religious requirements if you are not in catchment. Lots want to go but cannot get in. It’s effectively CofE selective. Locally Lord Williams is liked as it has lower and upper school. Are you in catchment for them?