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Selective preps for girls South Oxfordshire?

39 replies

plainjayne123 · 08/03/2013 09:37

Are there any? Or where are the nearest, any help much appreciated.

OP posts:
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soda1234 · 08/03/2013 11:52

There are lots of good prep schools in the area, some are single sex, but I can't think of any that would be described as "selective". Is there a particular reason you need a selective school?
Which area in particular are you looking at? Henley and Wantage could both be described as S Oxon, but you wouldn't want to do that trip every day.

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plainjayne123 · 08/03/2013 13:35

From Didcot area. I was thinking of trying out a bursary route, and thought this would be more likely for a bright child if the school selected academically? maybe this is incorrect?

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mistlethrush · 08/03/2013 13:39

Cranford House, The Manor, Abingdon are the two that come to mind.

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plainjayne123 · 08/03/2013 13:41

Thank you, I know of The Manor, I'll have a look at Cranford House

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1805 · 08/03/2013 14:39

Manor, St Helens from year 5, Headington???

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soda1234 · 08/03/2013 21:59

Not sure if Faringdon is too far for you, or if you would consider co-ed, but have a look at St. Hugh's, Carswell, Faringdon. It's a lovely school, and I know they have bursaries available. You could also try Chandlings , Our Lady's, Abingdon, and Oxford High.
I think they will all want bright children. How old is your dd? At 7+ you could probably expect some kind of maths and English tests, any younger than that and I doubt they would test formally. They would probably rely on observation and a report from current school.

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Talkinpeace · 08/03/2013 22:21

DH worked at a prep school today.
He was deeply unimpressed by the kids
"me" "me" "me" - no listening skills, lack of knowledge hidden by bluster, downtrodden teachers who had nothing nice to say about parents out of earshot.
And its a shame that the kids from that school and its ilk will fill the grammars above bright poor kids.
And watching politicians on the telly confirms the long term fear.

OP
Why do you want selective at age 8 : who do you want your child kept away from?

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soda1234 · 08/03/2013 22:39

Where does OP say what age her dd is Talkinpeace?

There are no Grammar schools in Oxfordshire.

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Talkinpeace · 08/03/2013 23:05

soda
in the dark past when schools I went to were defined as pre prep, prep and boarding, prep starts at age 8 - has that changed?

OP
Why do you want selective at age 8 : who do you want your child kept away from?

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soda1234 · 08/03/2013 23:22

Talkinpeace, I don't want to argue, or discourage the op from returning.
Asking about a prep school could mean entry age from 3-13, the op may have a 4 yo or a 10yo.
With most/all schools mentioned having pre-prep and prep on the same site, the schools are generally referred to as "prep schools".
Apart from boys boarding preps like Cothill , I can't think of any "preps" of your description.
OP, feel free to PM me .

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KateShrub · 08/03/2013 23:32

Some schools that are called 'prep schools' take children from the age of 3.

The OP is a school governor, does volunteer work at the school, and so on. I'm not sure it's necessary to make passive aggressive posts about wanting to keep her child away from someone, nor that your husband's experience at a prep school in another county is a useful contribution to this thread.

OP's daughter is in Y2 I believe.

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soda1234 · 08/03/2013 23:47

KateShrub

If the op doesn't want to come back to this thread, I would understand.

Lots of excellent "prep" schools have been mentioned, surely it's worth phoning a few schools and discussing their bursary criteria?

Yr 3 is a very natural time to move into a prep school, she wouldn't be the only new girl. Good luck OP, you have nothing to lose, just make some phone calls.

Remember that to retain their " charitable trust" status, most of these schools must offer bursaries.

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plainjayne123 · 09/03/2013 07:51

Thanks for the replies, there is some useful information there. My dd is yr 2. I think I mentioned above that I thought maybe selective would be better as they would test on ability to award a bursary, but I think they would do that anywhere. What kind of reasons do you give for requesting a bursary, if you have a bright child? I don't want to keep her away from anyone I just want her in a class of less than 30 and in a culture that pushes everyone as much as possible.

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1805 · 09/03/2013 14:35

op - my dd has a bursary at one of the schools mentioned above. Interestingly, she is not mega bright, but is quite creative. We argued the fact that we were convinced she had more to give academically, and that the private school could offer her far more creative opportunities than her state school. We got the bursary amount we needed and she is thriving academically as well now.
Good luck. Go for it. PM me too if you like.

Talkinpeace - are you on the thread you mean to be??

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1805 · 09/03/2013 14:45

I worked at a state school yesterday.

I was deeply unimpressed by the kids
"me" "me" "me" - no listening skills, lack of knowledge hidden by bluster, downtrodden teachers who had nothing nice to say about parents out of earshot
. Also with the kids arrogant disrespect for others and other peoples property.

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1805 · 09/03/2013 14:47

Why didn't that go bold?

Anyway - see how irrelevant and unnecessary comments like that are Talkinpeace?? Every school is different whether private or state.

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Talkinpeace · 09/03/2013 15:08

1805
In private school staff rooms teachers often slag off the parents. Almost never in a state school. He goes to over 100 schools of all types every year.

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1805 · 09/03/2013 15:17

Well I go to lots of state schools and a few private school staff rooms and hear plenty of slagging off of parents in both types of school. You just can't generalise like that.

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1805 · 09/03/2013 15:18

I take it he has visited the schools we are discussing on this thread.

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KateShrub · 09/03/2013 16:28

Perhaps the private school teachers have more contact with parents than the state school teachers.

Perhaps the state school's diversity policy means you could be sacked for making comments about parents.

I'm not sure what this is supposed to prove tbh.

To the OP: my children are at a non-selective prep school, this is common at this age, there is streaming, and most of the top stream will go on to highly selective senior schools, so 'non-selective' doesn't imply low ability.

At senior school level private schools tend to be quite stratified by ability, with a concentration of very bright children at the top private schools, and few such children as yo go down the league tables.

At prep level this isn't an issue though.

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difficultpickle · 10/03/2013 14:08

Talkinpeace is your dh saying out of the 100 schools he visits each year that all the prep schools he visits are like this? How many preps does he visit? I know children at six different preps and none of those fits your dh's description. Maybe we are just exceptionally lucky for the preps we have locally or maybe your dh was just at a very poorly run prep. Money doesn't buy good teaching.

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Talkinpeace · 10/03/2013 15:02

bisjo
Unless you are in the staff room when no parents are present you cannot comment.
He's been doing what he does for 15 years
even Prep school teachers accept the difference - especially those who have worked in private and state
Private school parents - because they directly pay the salaries - treat the staff as skivvies.
State school parents may resent them but do not see the maths
Private school parents all think Tarquin is a future Nobel prize winner
many state school parents do not give a shit.
Fact of life.
Be the exception and make everything better

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1805 · 10/03/2013 15:19

Oh do be quite talkinpeace. Thats rubbish.

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1805 · 10/03/2013 15:21

OP - please do not take any notice of Talkinpeaces' comments. Honestly, schools in South Oxfordshire are really not like that!!

Good luck with dd. Go for it.

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difficultpickle · 10/03/2013 20:47

Talkinpeace I was talking about your dh's description of the pupils he met. I have no idea what goes on in a staff room so of course cannot and did not comment. As I said, I know children at six preps and none of those schools fit your description of pupils. I also don't know any private school parents who treat the staff like 'skivvies'. In fact it is the complete opposite. The many private school parents treat the teaching staff with respect.

It sounds to me as if your dh would be happier doing another job. I'd hate to work in an environment that is as poisonous as you describe, it must be utterly soul destroying for him.

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