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Secondary education

Dauntseys School, Wiltshire.?

10 replies

Skifit · 03/03/2011 10:05

Does anyone have a senior aged child at Dauntseys?
I am thinking of looking round and jut wondered what you thought about the school.
My Ds would go there in year 9 as I would like him to stay on at his Prep School till year 8.

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editrix · 03/03/2011 18:52

As far as I'm aware they only take boarders in year 9, any child wanting to go as a day pupil has to start in year 7. But if that's not a problem, then it's an excellent school. I don't have a dc there (ds isn't old enough yet), but know many people who do and haven't heard any complaints. People speak very highly of the school and it's been consistently good for many years.

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freshmint · 03/03/2011 18:53

great school. used to live near there and have friends with kids there. better school than marlborough IMO without the insane snobbery. an excellent school that turns out nice interesting kids.
go and have a look!

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Skifit · 03/03/2011 18:53

Yes, I have heard from a few parents at prep school that it is very good. Thanks!

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freshmint · 03/03/2011 19:05

if you look at the range of kids they take in, and the range of kids marlborough take in (MUCH more selective), and then look at the results - dauntseys blow marlborough out of the water

mind you marlborough tries to hide its mediocre results by not publishing them Hmm

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mousehole · 28/03/2011 10:32

I have a ds at Duantsye's - joined in year 7 and its fabulous - he boards but most are day pupils until year 9 when it becomes more 50/50. Really unsnobby - in fact so much so it detracts those that would choose Malborough because of the name - although didn't look at malborough as wasn't interested in it. Excellent teachers who seem to really know their children. At a parents evening one teacher had written notes on ds up to a page & 1/2 of a4 and knew him so well.

Can't recommend it highly enough..

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goinggetstough · 28/03/2011 10:56

Excellent results but note that the school is now more selective on entrance. I have friends with DCs currently there. They are impressed with school overall. However it is quite hard to join a school at 13+ when the majority start at 11. Do check the actual numbers as it would seem that some schools if they have a very talented intake at 11, they may take extra DC at 11 and then there are fewer spaces at 13. I have known a confident pupil at Dauntseys who joined at 13 and found it hard to settle as everyone else had been there already for 2 years.
Dauntseys though does have a junior house that helps as the first 3 years are altogether before moving up to the main school.

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yotty · 28/03/2011 11:17

Curious to know what it would be like if you joined in year 9 as a boarder? My DS is bright but not sporty and would only be able to come for exeats, half terms and holidays, due to distance. Do lots of the boarders go home over the weekend?

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yotty · 28/03/2011 11:17

Sorry should say ' come home for exeats etc'

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goinggetstough · 28/03/2011 12:31

I think boarders can go home after matches, but not sure if there is a limit on how many per term. There are a number of local boarders as feeder schools are both local day and local boarding.
At weekends there are certainly lots of trips etc in year 9 as they are still part of the Lower school. "The Lower School boarders always have a full programme on a Sunday, but all boarding pupils are free to go home if they so wish." - from the school website FAQ.
With regard to overseas boarders my friend has commented on more than one occasion that the boarding house shuts as soon as term ends and there is little flexibility for flights etc. So it might be worth asking about what happens if a flight arrives early in the day when term starts in the evening and again at the end of term. At both my DCs boarding schools they could arrive early the day term started and can leave slightly later if necessary at the end of term (even overnight at one school).

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mousehole · 28/03/2011 13:54

I know a fair few day children who joined in year 3 - they say they prioritise the boarders for places in year 3 and certainly lots of boarders join the manor (junior boarding house) in year 3 but seem to make room for the odd salisbury prep school child (eg chafyn grove or cathedral that might want to day on the bus).

It is quietly academic now - lots of v high achieving scholars but they are great with the more usual kids too.

I imagine it might be a bit difficult joing in y9 as a day child as most of the new entrants then will be boarders and will be bonding together at the manor..and all the other day children have been together for a couple of years already.

you can go home every weekend if you like - some do and some don't - there are always activities on at the weekends. I think its more the year 7 & 8s that might go home more often at weekends as they are effectively still prep boarders.

message me if you need to - happy to answer any more questions..

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