Small Oxford schools for bright kids on spectrum

[Daffsout]

Hi, I would really love some advice. My DS is 11 and we are looking for a senior school, probably in the Oxford area. He is bright (IQ over 130) and does well at school, especially maths and sciences, despite ADHD, dyslexia and ASD diagnosis. I don’t want to put him in a large public school and would much prefer a small, independent mainstream school, with good academic stretch, supportive staff and other, slightly spectrummy, geeky kids (the magic unicorn school). Am looking at D’overbroek and Wynchwood in Oxford - any advice gratefully received.

My child is at the Swan. It’s a state school but with a difference. It’s only 6 years old with great facilities.

There’s a big emphasis on behaviour - so that there is very little class disruption compared to other schools. It’s academically rigorous and outperformed in GCSEs last year.

I believe the pastoral care is very good and there is excellent support all round. Children are all known individually and encouraged to do as well as they possibly can.

Would you consider MCS? Good for bright boys

Thanks so much. Did think about MSC but am worried about a large school being a bit overwhelming, with lots of chaos and very busy schedules. Also they said it was a 3 hour English paper for the entrance exam - he’s dyslexic so that’s his weak point. We live in between Reading and Newbury so it’s going to be a long commute every day anyway and it would need to be very supportive and nurturing. I just get the impression these larger schools switch off when you tell them kids have autistic traits… they go from being super friendly to trying to find reasons why it might not be a good fit. Unless you have experience otherwise …

Thank you so much. It sounds great, but we live quite a long way out of area so wouldn’t fit within catchment area. No appropriate schools near us so think we might have to travel to Oxford (hoping lots of university staff children might be a bit autistic but bright - trying to find where they are hiding!)

@Daffsout , they are in the state system.

Every child? Your comment comes across as quite bitter and is not helpful to the OP.

Try D'Overbroeck's. Pastorally excellent and wide range of academic ability including sending kids to top universities all over the world.

D’oeuverbroecks and Wychwood have a reputation of being good for kids with SEN. Oxford High and MCS are the most academically high achieving schools kids but no idea how SEN children cope there.

Most academics cannot afford private schools unless they come from family money, and there is little genuine choice in Oxford for secondaries so the children of most university staff will just end up at whatever the local catchment school is. Increasingly academics who are young enough to have school age kids can’t afford housing in Oxford and so many live elsewhere and commute in.

Thank you. Very helpful. And I suppose these children are not exactly going to be eligible for bursaries, which is a shame as they have so much potential.

I came on to say D’Overbroecks too - no experience, but anecdotal. Relaxed uniform, teachers known by first names, encourages discussion not just rote learning, etc. There’s also a school further north near Banbury I think that is good for dyslexia (Sibley I think?) but may be too far for you. Good luck!

If you live between Reading and Newbury then Pangbourne College is worth a look

How about Bruern Abbey?

Most children go to state schools op whatever their parents do for a living. Professors only earn around £70k, they aren’t paying for private on that unless they have a consultancy sideline or a tv career!

The other problem is that if your dc is already 11 you need to be looking for who even has space, most people who privately educate at day school will have places for September sorted sitting entrance exams months ago so it’s a case of calling admissions to narrow down to availability then perhaps coming back to here for intel on those!

@Inquiringmum Not literally every single child, but the comment is realistic. The vast, vast majority of those kids are educated in state. I wouldn’t send a child to Wychwood (look up threads that go into more detail about the school’s ethos).

How much do you think academics earn?

Wychwood is terrific. The structure of the school is totally child centric. We are. Parents at the school. Also having an ASD, child who is incredibly bright child … but with a classics focus (not maths / science). He is focused on Oxford when he graduates next year. The deputy head of academics also runs science and is inspirational. I would recommend meeting her before you make your final choice.

As someone with a child who was at d’Overbroecks I’d say treat their claims with caution in relation to what they deliver at 7-11. There are many send kids there but I don’t feel the support was adequate. I also felt many areas of school life were not well resourced or organised. Since it was bought by Nord Anglia I felt a lot about the place changed.

Would you consider a small nurturing prep school for 2 years to give him the chance to mature a bit before venturing into a larger senior environment. My son is at Christ Church Cathedral School which has lots of boys like yours who do really well. New College School is similar though I don’t know it well.

Wychwood. Full stop.
He could try boarding a couple of nights to help with the commute.
The school literally changed my daughters life. (ASD, ADHD, Previous School refuser.) She is now at uni, considering staying on to do a Masters degree.

I can't speak highly enough about the school, even though it has changed a bit since my dd went there, it will always be a very small, child centred, almost tailor made education.
Go and see it.

ps - my dd weekly boarded as she struggled with the transition from home to school. It worked brilliantly for her.

Any views on music and maths at Wychwood? I’ve got a DD with asd and dcd an she loves singing, maths and computers…

@Januaryescape I am a parent and can say the school has been extremely accommodating for my DS (also with ASD) allowing him to focus on the subjects he is deeply passionate about. It paid off as he is now sitting on offers for Edinburgh, UCL and Kings for next September ! I would encourage you to go and see them to discuss as it is more about how you and your DD feel in the school … but in answer to your question the teachers for all the above are terrific

Thanks very much - very happy to hear about the offers! My dd is potentially moving from a school she feels very comfortable in, totally agree that feeling someone has your back is so important.

Most academics at Oxford tend to be lefty leaning, so yes tend to put their children in the state schools. Will be exceptions of course. Bright children with academic, involved parents tend to thrive at state schools.

Academic salaries start at ~ £34,000 (and that's typically after undergraduate, masters, PhD (or DPhil in Oxford) and at least one post-doc, possibly more). So you wouldn't start actually earning that until you're around 27. At the very top of the scale (Professor), you can earn about £80,000, but that would typically be after your kids had started secondary.
House prices in Oxford are also very expensive, and you don't get London weighting.
There will definitely be academics with kids in private schools, but they'll either have high-earning spouses, family money, or be paying fees they can't afford to support neurodivergent children (yes, loads of neurodiversity in academia).
Most academics' kids will be at state.