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!

Which school are you talking about, many were mentioned on the previous page!

@littlemissprosseco Most of the schools mentioned don’t have a y3 snd y4. So I’m guessing Pipers Corner. Surely you don’t remove dc due to another parent?

Does this refer back to Pipers Corner discussion or refer to another school?

I guess it's Piper Corner too, has ex High March kids from Beaconsfield. Assuming that the parent behaviour was the tangible thing that this mum could put her finger in, the overall bullying culture amongst the girls there is difficult to explain...

@BeeStrudel Quite a few DDs I know went there. Their parents really liked it but that was some years ago now.

I do think some private schools can very much want to keep some parents “on side” at the expense of other dc and their parents. I’ve seen this happen at another school. The uber rich dc parents giving loads of money to the school in effect buy immunity. Dc get away with poor behaviour. Then they bully others and those who are bullied leave. Money talks! Loudly.

A good school is even handed. I cannot say why PC cannot snuff out bullying but schools can be to blame if they don’t take complaints seriously and run a heirarchy of parents and dc.

OP,
Don’t know if you are still wanting information but someone I know has relocated their dyslexic child from Ashfold to Bruern Abbey and can’t rate the difference and positive change highly enough.

@Chocachocalatte Bruern Abbey is for ND children. Of course it’s different from Ashfold. Chalk and cheese. It’s effectively a Sen school.

@TizerorFizz When I say different, I mean the difference in her child. Yes, agreed completely re educational setting.

A suitable child for BA probably would not thrive at Ashfold. It’s not always an easy choice at 4.

My daughter currently goes to Cranford in Moulsford and she’s been very happy there. It’s mixed, small and nurturing. I don’t know about the SEND side but think it’s good. There’s a big bus route, but not sure if it goes from Thame. She’s been there since year 5 and now sixth form.