BRISTOL, BATH & BEYOND
Education 2011/12 Making the right choice Which school is best for your child? ● Bac to basics - are A-levels doomed? ● Extra-curricular options ● How special are Special Schools?
Cover edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 11:57:21 AM
p2.indd 1
9/28/2011 12:52:13 PM
introduction
Folio Education Guide 2011/12 Big societies 4 Reading, Welcome writing and You don’t need us to tell you how important it is to get the right education for your child in our fast-changing, increasingly competitive world. Fortunately, the choice at secondary level is broader than ever, with better schools, more qualifications and more flexible learning programmes on offer across the private and public sectors – and inside this guide you’ll find loads of information to help you steer your way through those choices.
There’s far more to school than what goes on in the classroom.
Spoilt for choice 10 Choosing a secondary school for your child? It could be easier than you expected.
Special cases 14 The best of the South West’s Specialist Schools.
Bac to basics 18 More and more state and private schools are offering an alternative to A Levels.
readies 22
Help is at hand for parents paying for their children’s schooling.
News 24 What’s new in the world of education.
Facts & Figures 30 Your guide to some of the West’s best-performing independent schools
Folio Bristol Bristol News & Media, Temple Way, Bristol BS99 7HD. Tel: 0117 942 8491 Folio Bath Bath News & Media, Floor 2, Westpoint, James West Street, Bath BA1 1UN. Tel: 01225 429801 Email editor@foliomagazine.co.uk Editor Dave Higgitt Sub editor Tom Phillips Production Cath Evans Ad manager Becky Davis Ad sales Adam Burrows, Nejla Unal Publications co-ordinator Emma Gorton THIS GUIDE WAS PRODUCED BY VENUE PUBLISHING, PUBLISHERS OF VENUE/FOLIO AND NUMEROUS OTHER FINE MAGAZINES. VISIT WWW.VENUE.CO.UK FOR MORE INFORMATION
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 3
Contents edsupp2011.indd 1
9/28/2011 12:09:04 PM
FEATURE
Big societies There’s far more to school than what goes on in the classroom. Melissa Blease joins the extra-curricular club.
I
n recent years, the social, psychological, and educational benefits of extracurricular activities have been officially endorsed by formal bodies such as the Independent Schools Council and the UK government’s Department for Children, Schools and Families. Countless psychologists and specialist independent researchers agree that a range of opportunities to explore the world around us form a vital component of our formative years, encouraging young adults to socialise, discover hidden talents and develop passions that could become the bedrock of adult career success. Meanwhile, a correlation between extra-curricular involvement and academic achievement has been widely proven. So, if there’s most definitely more to a good school than good exam results alone, where do our new-look school days begin? It’s time to take a tour behind the scenes of the formal curriculum. Oliver Reed, headmaster of Sidcot School in Winscombe, North Somerset, firmly endorses his school’s ethos that one of the best ways to stimulate a child’s imagination and desire to learn is to take them out of the classroom and immerse them in what the world has to offer. To this end, the school offers a diverse variety of extra-curricular activities from day one, resulting in a programme that was highlighted as “excellent” in a recent ISI inspection report. From art, music and biology to scuba diving, a Tanzania project and specialised alternative technology projects, Sidcot aims to nurture skills and talent in areas other than the purely academic while supporting concepts learned in the classroom. Oliver is rightfully proud too of the school’s unique Equestrian Centre, open to both students and the general public alike. Horse riding lessons, a pony club, a dedicated pony club autumn camp and all manner of horse-related events and instruction take place within Sidcot’s glorious grounds, which includes 17 stables, an all-weather arena and a cross-country course on 160 acres of land extending out onto the beautiful Mendip hills. Students are invited to bring their own horses to be looked after by an experienced, knowledgeable equestrian team, who also offer a full livery service and various specialised clinics. Have you got a budding William Fox-Pitt or a Mary King in your family? Jump to it at Sidcot! Next stop, King Edward’s School in Bath. Widely reputed to be one of the finest
Ride on: Sidcot School has its own equestrian centre for pupils and public alike.
“A correlation between extracurricular involvement and academic achievement has been widely proven.”
independent schools in the UK, King Edward’s has a strong reputation for its excellent academic results. but places equal emphasis on developing the many talents of every individual courtesy of a broad, dynamic programme of extra-curricular activities to interest and enrich the lives of all pupils, encouraging them to strive for excellence while acquiring a lifelong passion for knowledge, discovery and adventure. The strength of the school’s music department is reflected in regular public performances, while the school also enjoys an outstanding dramatic tradition, an art department which garnered Centre of Excellence status and an impressive track record of sporting success, with many pupils representing their sport at both regional and national levels. On from all this, a number of different clubs and societies cover a range of interests, helping pupils to develop selfknowledge and a greater understanding of personal strengths in order to decide their future path in life. Each term, a timetable of clubs and societies is included in the school calendar, and a Societies Fair at the beginning of the autumn term offers new pupils the opportunity to find out which activities suit them best. Also in Bath, St Mark’s School’s After School Academy is run by a dedicated, enthusiastic and inspirational team of staff members who aim to
4 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
Extra Curricular Feat edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:10:58 PM
FEATURE
Pupils at King Edward’s School broaden their outlook with an astronomy club and (pictured below) Amnesty International.
support the formal learning of the school’s students and extend opportunities beyond the classroom. The school is rightfully proud of the diversity and frequency of the activities available, which currently include computer, basketball, Latin, science, drama, netball, trampolining, art and gardening clubs on a fascinating list. Similarly, St Gregory’s School enables pupils to pursue individual interests, extend their skills and use their leisure time creatively courtesy of activities including multiple sports-based clubs, art, book, drama and chess clubs, French conversation clubs and a Shakespeare Festival, and pupils are also invited to participate in the Model United Nations Conference( MUN), held every March – phew, it’s enough to make you
wish your own school days weren’t over, isn’t it? And there’s lots more to come. Situated in glorious bucolic surroundings on the edge of Bristol, St Katherine’s School offers students a unique learning environment recently described as “outstanding” by OFSTED. St Katherine’s elective programme allows students to develop new interests, whilst initiatives such as Community Sports Leader Award, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Youth in Action, debating and counselling support allow students to broaden their experiences, develop lifelong skills and gain confidence. At Backwell School – which boasts a strong tradition in games and artsbased activities – students are given a booklet that’s updated twice a year and lists all the
lunchtime and after-school clubs and courses available to them, currently including numerous sport, drama and music sessions alongside Boxercise, climbing, pottery, sailing, textile crafts, tennis and a vegetable growing club. New ideas for extra-curricular clubs are always welcome, and recent additions include zumba, cheerleading and an astronomy club. In Bristol, Clifton High School – founded in 1877 by visionaries with a belief in education for life – has developed into one of the leading schools in the South West. The school actively encourages pupils to believe in themselves and face challenges with confidence, determination and a sense of excitement as they discover their own talents and interests, whether academic, sporting or artistic. From the earliest opportunity, pupils take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities on a programme that extends to embrace cultural exchanges, international expeditions and sports tours, a myriad of societies and debating clubs, and the opportunity to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. A similar dynamic motivates students at Colston’s Girls’ School, where activities on the extra-curricular menu include languages, drama, debating, school choirs and all manner of music- and sportrelated clubs alongside the opportunity to become involved with community service activities, the Young Enterprise Scheme (for budding entrepreneurs) and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, while the flexible extracurricular timetable at Red Maid’s Junior and Senior Schools is reviewed every half term, allowing the girls to find and develop new interests beyond the academic world and mix with other year groups and teachers. Some are run in conjunction with the boys from QEH School, and often they are run by experts from outside the Red Maids’ staff; current activities folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 5
Extra Curricular Feat edsupp2011.indd 3
9/28/2011 12:11:36 PM
Brimsham Green School A Specialist Humanities College Challenges All To Succeed
100% A Level Pass Rate 2011 Sixth Form OPEN EVENING
Incorporating Brimsham Green & Chipping Sodbury Schools
Thursday 20th October 2011 Opportunity to hear both Headteachers & Heads of Sixth at 6.30pm & 7.15pm (please see school website for further details) • Meet & talk with staff and students • Find out about the huge & exciting range of post 16 courses • Examine the extensive range of facilities • Explore UK & overseas travel opportunities
Headteacher: Alun Williams BSc
Visits during the school day are also available by appointment
Broad Lane Yate, Bristol BS37 7LB Telephone: 01454 868888 e-mail: admin@brimsham.com website: www.brimsham.com
6 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
p6.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:51:42 PM
Left: A taste for adventure: Red Maids’ School encourages pupils to develop a wide range of interests outside the class room. BELOW: At Colston’s School pupils do at least one sporting and one non-sporting activity a week.
range from flourishing drama, sports and music clubs to writer’s workshops, a Mandarin club and a philosophy society, and a notice board in the Dining Hall displays regularly updated information. Meanwhile, from the very first day at Colston’s School, a rich, varied and stimulating programme of extra-curricular activities offers each child the opportunity to develop individual talents and skills. Every student is required to attend a minimum of one sporting and one non-sporting activity per week, but most pupils become involved in many more than this. In the sixth form, the Colston’s Enrichment Programme activities prepare and inform young adults embarking on life’s great adventure – and it all begins at Colston’s. The penultimate stop on our whistlestop tour though the fascinating world of extra-curricular activities takes us to Badminton School, where the academic day is structured to allow girls to participate in their chosen clubs and societies at lunchtime, teatime, during prep and after school. The schedule currently features skating, modern languages, driving lessons, photography and dry skiing amongst many other options including the Duke Of
Edinburgh’s Award; the many clubs and societies include public speaking, computing, swing band and a book club and worldwide activities offer opportunities to participate in global conferences, art appreciation trips and modern language, arts- and history-related exchanges. Last but most certainly not least, we arrive at Westonbirt School, where pupils are presented with every opportunity to enjoy existing hobbies and develop new interests via a busy programme of extra-curricular activities. Alongside ‘The Big Four’ (art, drama, music and sport), all kinds of options are exceedingly well represented, from cheerleading to fencing, cookery to swimming, and polo to wakeboarding, taking in debating, ballet, charity work, a film club, Leith’s Cookery Course, Young Enterprise, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and much, much more along the way. These days, life begins at school. CONTACTS Backwell School Station Rd, Backwell, BS48 3BX. Tel: 01275 463371; web: www.backwellschool.net Badminton School Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3BA. Tel: 0117 905 5200; web: www.badminton.bristol. sch.uk Clifton High School College Rd, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3JD. Tel: 0117 973 0201; web: www.cliftonhigh.bristol. sch.uk Colston’s Girl’s School Cheltenham Rd, Bristol, BS6 5RD. Tel: 0117 942 4328; web: www.colstonsgirls.bristol. sch.uk Colston’s School Stapleton, Bristol, BS16 1BJ. Tel: 0117 965 5207; web: www.colstons.bristol.sch.uk King Edward’s: Senior School, Bath, BA2 6HU. Tel: 01225 464313; Junior School, North Rd, Bath, BA2 6JA. Tel: 01225 463218; web: www.kesbath.com Red Maids’: Junior School, Grange Court Rd, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 4DP. Tel: 0117 962 9451; Senior School, Westbury Rd, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3AW. Tel: 0117 962 2641; web: www.redmaids. bristol.sch.uk Sidcot School Winscombe, North Somerset, BS25 1PD. Tel: 01934 843102; web: www.sidcot.org.uk St Gregory’s School Combe Hay Lane, Odd Down, Bath, BA2 8PA. Tel: 01225 832873; web: www. st-gregorys.bathnes.sch.uk St Katherine’s School Ham Green, North Somerset, BS20 0HU. Tel: 01275 373737; web: www. st-katherines.n-somerset.sch.uk St Mark’s School Baytree Rd, Larkhall, Bath, BA1 6ND. Tel: 01225 312661; web: www.st-marks.bathnes.sch.uk Westonbirt School Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QG. Tel: 01666 880333; web: www.westonbirt.gloucs.sch.uk
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 7
Extra Curricular Feat edsupp2011.indd 5
9/28/2011 12:12:20 PM
profile
technology and media arts specialist
Nailsea School
N
ailsea School is a Technology and Media Arts Specialist School, with a clear focus on raising standards through the vehicle of critical skills. This is facilitated by developing ICT and media skills among students and staff, and via the range and depth
of media resources available. The Year 7 transition curriculum is based around this model, embedding critical skills into learning at every level. Based on the experiential cycle, students get opportunities to practise reasoning, problem-solving and enquiry skills through ‘challenges’ with a meaningful context, which help them to make connections in their learning so that deep learning occurs. Utilising techniques such as ‘gallery’, ‘carousel’ and ‘the fox tool’, students can communicate their learning to others. Nailsea’s specialism is integral to this curriculum approach. “Flexibility and access to technology were critical aspects of the vision for our new school
build,” says Specialised Learning Assistant Head Trudy Jones. “Students are given choice over where they work (in class, breakout spaces, groups, alone) to achieve their learning outcomes. Media facilitates student outcomes by providing a vehicle for demonstrating their learning, and technology is so widespread that students can access all their work at any time.” Nailsea School – truly at the heart of its community – prides itself on its inclusiveness and success with students of all backgrounds and abilities. With wide access to technology in a media-rich environment, students can demonstrate their understanding of industrystandard software and are
Nailsea School Mizzymead Rd, Nailsea, Bristol BS48 2HN Tel: 01275 852251 Email: nailsch@ nailsea.n-somerset.sch.uk Web: www.nailseaschool.com
supported by industry expertise in media and technology via the Designers in Residence programme. Students engage in exciting extra- and crosscurricular learning opportunities, and value their opportunity to develop as independent, confident learners.
8 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
p8.indd 8
9/28/2011 12:55:43 PM
p9.indd 1
9/28/2011 12:56:25 PM
FEATURE
Spoilt for choice
Choosing a secondary school for your child? Stressed out yet? There’s no need to be. With a little research and planning, you could well find the process is easier than you expected, writes Eugene Byrne.
W
hen it comes to choosing a secondary school, the most basic decision is whether or not you want to consider paying for your child’s education. To some people, this is a no-brainer, because private schooling (assuming the apple of your eye gets through the entrance exams) can potentially add all sorts of value. Bristol and Bath have a wide choice of private schools, all of which achieve excellent exam results and add a load of little hidden extras from increased social confidence to future contacts. Obviously we could quote any number of private school heads and PRs outlining the advantages, but you know already what they are. This is a decision for you and your bank balance, but it’s worth saying that all the private schools have their own unique character (and fees!), and most can offer scholarships if your child has a particular talent. If you think you might be able to afford it, it’s worth looking into. Of course around 93% of the UK’s secondary school pupils are in state schools, and this is where making choices appears more complicated. But it’s all good news. Local schools’ 2011 GCSE results look as though they’re going to be the best ever. If you’re tempted to be cynical about this, don’t be. True, some less challenging vocational qualifications are used to massage some schools’ league table standing, but any pupil who puts in the required effort for GCSEs will have to work harder than you did at their age. “Results have improved very dramatically over the last five years at both primary level and at secondary level. It’s improved by 20% in the last five years for GCSEs including English and Maths,” says Annie Hudson, Bristol City Council’s Strategic Director for Children, Young People & Skills. She makes no apology for the vocational qualifications. “People who have different kinds of abilities need access to a range of different kind of qualifications. It’s true that there has been more diversification in the kind of achievements and awards young people can get, but that’s not necessarily a negative thing.” There are now very few really bad schools in the area. Those in Bath & North East
“Results have improved very dramatically.” Annie Hudson, Bristol City Council’s Strategic Director for Children, Young People & Skills.
“Look at what is going to be the right school ethos for your child. Every child is different.” Annie Hudson, Bristol City Council (pictured)
Somerset range from OK to outstanding, and Bristol’s state schools have achieved a remarkable turn-around in recent years. There was a time when any conscientious parent would sooner send their kids to prison than to certain local schools, but it’s not like that any more. Many of Bristol’s past problems were down to the flight of middle-class kids to the private sector or to popular, high-achieving state schools in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, such as Backwell School, Thornbury’s Castle School or St Katharine’s in Pill. Bristol spent huge amounts of money on initiatives which have turned things around. Every state secondary school in the city has been rebuilt. This huge £250m+ project replaced decrepit old buildings with gleaming cathedrals of education, equipped with stateof-the-art facilities. There’s also the brand new(-ish) Redland Green School. Less visible reasons for better performance include improved leadership in schools, and a greater emphasis on targeting the needs of each individual pupil. We now live in an age of personalised learning, rather than the old
10 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
choosing a school edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:16:33 PM
XXXX
FEATURE
left top: Bath’s Beechen Cliff is one of the city’s five new Academies. left middle: Pupils at the “all-through” Bridge Learning Centre celebrate this year’s GCSE results. below left: Bristol Free School recently opened in former government buildings in Southmead.
below: Visit your chosen schools on an open day – like this one at Oasis Westbury.
Doing the research... 1 Start with the league tables Find these at www.dcsf.gov.uk/performancetables Look at the proportion of GCSE entrants getting five or more passes at grades A*-C including English and Maths. This is the figure that really counts. Look also for the added value figures (basically, how much educating actually goes on) and the rate of unauthorised absence, which is a good indicator of what discipline’s like. 2 Read the school’s own school report Find the most recent OFSTED report on each school on your shortlist at www.ofsted.gov.uk An OFSTED gives a pretty reliable picture of what the school’s like, and outlines its major strengths and weaknesses. For instance, you might not be impressed with a particular school’s GCSE results, but you might look at it again if, say, OFSTED says it has a good anti-bullying policy, or is good at sports, for example.
one-size-fits-all system. Bristol also has a greater diversity of state schools, each with a distinctive character of its own, than most other places. These take in everything from the faith schools like St Mary Redcliffe & Temple (Anglican) and St Bede’s (RC) through to the radical Bridge Learning Campus in Hartcliffe, an “all-through” taking nursery-age kids through to secondary school and on to a vocational college. Bristol currently also has eight academies, with the likelihood that four more community comprehensives will convert in the next year or two. The situation is similar in Bath & North East Somerset, where five have converted in the last two years (Beechen Cliff, Hayesfield, Norton Hill, Oldfield and Somervale), with most of the remaining ones likely to convert in the next year or so. Culverhay boys’ school is set to become a co-educational academy by 2013. Academies are run by trusts independent of local education authority control but overwhelmingly funded by the taxpayer. In
Bristol, which had one of the first academies in the country, many have achieved impressive improvements in exam results. Academies were controversial a few years ago, but now there’s a new controversy in town in the form of the Bristol Free School (www. bristolfreeschool.org.uk). Free schools are a pet project of the government and are founded and run by various community or faith groups but funded by the taxpayer. There’s not the space here to go into the ongoing saga of the Bristol Free School, which opened this year in former government offices in Southmead. The parents’ group which set it up are hoping it will eventually move into the former St Ursula’s School site in Westbury-on-Trym, though this is by no means a done deal at the time of writing. “Visit schools, go and look and see and talk and find out for yourself, rather than relying on second- or third-party information,” says Annie Hudson. “Look at what is going to be the right school ethos for your child. Every child is different.”
3 Visit! Visit! Visit! This is essential. Bring your child, and take a good look around. Schools hold open days which provide a good opportunity to talk to staff and pupils, but most will be happy to arrange visits at other times, too. In some ways it’s better to visit on a normal school day as you’ll see the place more as it actually is. 4 Ask questions GCSE results and OFSTED reports only tell you what the school was like in the past. What you need to know is what it’ll be like for the next five (or seven) years. Ask the head or deputy head what changes they’re planning. At the moment, it’s quite important, for instance, to get an idea of what’s happening to the curriculum. Will the school be putting more emphasis on the government’s ‘English Baccelaureate’ – a set of passes in five core academic subjects (English, maths, two sciences, a language and history or geography)? With state schools, take a real good look at whether they put kids through compulsory vocational qualifications and whether or not these are appropriate for your child.
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 11
choosing a school edsupp2011.indd 3
9/28/2011 12:17:21 PM
12 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
p12.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:58:16 PM
p13.indd 1
9/28/2011 1:58:04 PM
FEATURE
Special cases Melissa Blease rounds up the best of the South West’s Specialist Schools.
S
pecialist Schools aim to be centres of excellence in up to two chosen, well, specialisms, from a list formalised by the Specialist Schools and Academic Trust to include the arts, business and enterprise, engineering, humanities, mathematics and computing, music, science, languages or sport, while still meeting the full requirements of the English national curriculum. Specialist Schools benefit from public funding under the Specialist Schools Programme, established when the Conservative Government gave permission for grant-maintained and voluntary-aided schools to apply for ‘Technology College’ status in 1993. Today there are over 2,975 specialist schools in England, representing around 92% of all secondary schools and 2.5 million students, placing them firmly at the heart of communities across the UK by maintaining objectives that include extending the range of opportunities available to pupils which best meet their needs and interests and raising standards of achievement for all pupils of all abilities across the board. Bristol’s French School – or, as it prefers to be known, the Ecole Francaise de Bristol – was originally established in 1980 as a non-profit-making organisation to cater for the children of French-speaking families. Today, the school welcomes all children from the age of 2½, encouraging them to become bilingual in a fun, friendly, multicultural atmosphere and offering broad appeal to bilingual families and parents who wish their children to grow up speaking both English and French with ease. It’s a formally established fact that children are very receptive to language at a very young age. At primary level, switching between two languages gives pupils a greater understanding of language structure and spelling, while families are also given the opportunity to learn about French culture as the school years roll by: both parents and children participate in French festivals throughout the year. In February 2008, OFSTED praised the school for its “good quality of education and a satisfactory standard of care”, before going on to highlight that high levels of general all-round [pupil] development is planned for and covered. Très bien!
St Mark’s School is Bath’s only business and enterprise specialist school.
“Specialist Schools represent big business opportunities – in some cases, quite literally.”
While we’re still on the subject of bilingual excellence, Colston’s Girl’s School – an academy with a languages specialism – offers nine different languages to those with a gift for speaking in tongues. Following the introduction of the Languages Ladder, a girl joining the school in year 7 could experience seven different languages by the time she leaves the school in year 13, while this year, 73% of students achieved at least one language GCSE. As the globe becomes increasingly more accessible when it comes to a choice of adult careers, it’s no wonder that Specialist Schools represent big business opportunities – in some cases, quite literally. St Mark’s School is the only specialist business and enterprise college in Bath. The status – fundamental to the ethos of the school – forms an integral part of the academic curriculum; by using creative and enterprising subject lessons and activities, St Mark’s encourages students to think independently whilst maintaining an ethos that is both commercial and ethical, equipping them with the skills and attributes that employers want. In 2009, the school introduced the Business, Administration and Finance (BAF) diploma to run alongside the normal
14 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
Specialist Schools edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:14:42 PM
FEATURE
top left: Mais oui! Ecole Francaise de Bristol offers fun, friendly and bilingual learning. below left: Performing arts are a recognised speciality at Bath’s St Gregory’s Catholic College.
curriculum, with the aim of providing as broad a range of learning opportunities for students as possible and enabling them as individuals to reach academic excellence. The diploma is run in the school’s newlyrefurbished Business and Enterprise Suite and provided in collaboration with Writhlington School, and was specifically designed to provide a solid grounding in business, administration and finance without limiting all-round learning potential, offering progression to an exciting range of opportunities including further training, education and employment, resulting in a wellrecognised, respected qualification laden with academic credence. “The emphasis on ethics in business as part of the
business and enterprise developments and the commitment to supporting people throughout the world are exemplary,” declared a recent OFSTED report; if St Mark’s is the new-look Dragon’s Den, we’re in. St Katherine’s School, meanwhile, firmly endorses the ethos that Specialist School status changes a school’s culture, cultivating a “can-do” attitude and an innovative approach. St Katherine’s became a specialist Science College in 2003, and went on to graduate as a High Performing Specialist School six years later. The school took applied learning on as a second specialism in September 2009 and is today part of a network of innovative, high-performing secondary schools
working in partnership with businesses and the wider community across the UK. This year, St Katherine’s celebrated bestever GCSE results, with 90% of students achieving five or more A* to C grades (the highest ever achieved by a school in North Somerset), with 37% of those students achieving three or more A*/A grades – you don’t have to be a science genius to recognise how stunning those results are. But what if your budding specialist has their sights set on taking to a spotlight of a different kind? St Gregory’s Catholic College in Bath was awarded specialist status in 2002; since then, the school’s reputation for excellence in the field of performing arts has grown significantly – and, some might say, dramatically. But this doesn’t mean that St Gregory’s doors are closed to pupils with strengths and abilities away from the PA spotlight – a strong tradition of academic excellence in core curriculum subjects led an OFSTED report to describe St Gregory’s as “an outstanding college where students thrive”, while The Good Schools Guide called St Gregory’s “a much sought-after and dynamic Catholic comprehensive which combines creativity with academic success”. Specialist Schools really do offer something very special indeed. To learn more about them – including designation, redesignation, funding and updates on current government policy – visit the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust: www.ssatrust.org.uk. CONTACTS Colston’s Girl’s School Cheltenham Rd, Bristol, BS6 5RD. Tel: 0117 942 4328; web: www. colstonsgirls.bristol.sch.uk Ecole Francaise PO BOX 275, Henbury Village Hall, Church Lane, Bristol, BS10 7WZ. Tel: 0117 959 3311; web: www.ecolefrancaisebristol.co.uk St Gregory’s Catholic College Combe Hay Lane, Odd Down, Bath, BA2 8PA. Tel: 01225 832873; web: www.st-gregorys.bathnes.sch.uk St Mark’s School Baytree Rd, Larkhall, Bath, BA1 6ND. Tel: 01225 312661; web: www.st-marks. bathnes.sch.uk St Katherine’s Ham Green, North Somerset, BS20 0HU. Tel: 01275 373737; web: www.st-katherines.nsomerset.sch.uk
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 15
Specialist Schools edsupp2011.indd 3
9/28/2011 12:14:54 PM
profile
Rich and exciting curriculum for girls, unique in Bath
the Royal High School
B
elonging to the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST) affords The Royal High School Bath excellent economies of scale and able to offer an exceptional value independent education for girls aged 3-18. Its academic
standards are among the highest in the country and yet its fees are among the lowest. The RHS journey from Nursery School, to Junior School, to Senior School and onto Sixth Form College (offering the International Baccalaureate as an alternative to traditional A Levels), is a seamless one, with four lifeenhancing experiences along the way. This all-through, all-girls education is unique in Bath. The school develops the confidence, capabilities and character needed to underpin success at university, throughout careers and in achieving in every aspect of life. “We have been specialists in
girls’ education since 1864 and we have a passionate belief in the pre-eminence of what we offer,” says the Head, Rebecca Dougall. “Our ethos is to embrace all-round excellence and help every single girl to become accomplished and resilient. It’s about knowing what girls need to become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be. We do this with a rich and exciting curriculum, with every opportunity available to girls as a matter of course; by underpinning aspiration with strong, traditional values; with
The Royal High School Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5SZ T: 01225 313877 E: royalhigh@bat.gdst.net W: www.royalhighbath.gdst.net
the dedication and commitment of a talented teaching team who understand how girls learn best and through the enduring relationships we believe in developing with parents and with the broader community. I look forward to welcoming you to our Open Day on Saturday November 5th.”
Wellsway School Chandag Road, Keynsham, BS31 1PH A Specialist Sports and Science College and Ofsted ‘outstanding’ school
Invites you to the Open Evening for Year 6 students looking to join this vibrant and dynamic school in September 2012.You are welcome to join us on Thursday 6th October 2011 between 6.00 and 8.00pm. During the evening there will be a presentation given by Mrs Arlidge, the Headteacher (pictured above), the opportunity to talk to teachers and tour the school. For more information on this and events at the school visit our website at
www.wellsway.bathnes.sch.uk
For those parents who are unable to make the Open Evening, there are Open Day tours, by appointment during weeks beginning the 10th and 17th of October.
Tel 0117 9864751 to arrange. 16 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
p16.indd 28
9/28/2011 3:41:52 PM
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 17
p17.indd 3
9/28/2011 1:50:49 PM
FEATURE
Bac to basics
What do youngsters do in the sixth form? Get vocational qualifications? Traditional A Levels? Increasingly, says Eugene Byrne, state and private schools are offering another option: The International Baccalaureate.
I
f you’ve only vaguely heard of the “International Bac”, the chances are that you might think it’s rather elitist, something that’s only suitable for extremely smart students who are good at both sciences and humanities. Nothing in fact could be further from the truth. While it’s not going to suit everyone, the IB is becoming an increasingly attractive and realistic qualification for sixth-formers from a wide range of ability levels. It’s recognised by universities, who like it more and more every year, and it has far more recognition worldwide than our dear old British A Levels. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, to give it its full name, was developed in the 1960s by a group of European educationalists who had originally come together in the post-war idealism of the late 1940s. Back then, the IB was specifically developed for the children of diplomats and members of other international organisations. The IB started to catch on in Britain in the 1970s, and it has long been associated with private schools. Not for much longer, though – more and more state schools are offering it as an option to some of their pupils. So, for example, in Bath, the independent Royal High School’s Sixth Form College was the first in the city to offer the IB, but now Beechen Cliff comprehensive offers it, too. IB students study a broader range of subjects than their A Level counterparts. They take six subjects, three at a standard level, three at higher. But where the IB really scores is in all the other stuff the students have to do as well. The key mandatory elements here are an extended essay (4,000 words), studying theory of knowledge and putting a considerable amount of time into CAS. CAS stands for ‘Creativity, Action, Service’ and requires the students to engage in artistic or creative projects, some sporting or athletic activity and some community service. This, say IB fans, produces a far more mature, responsible, well-rounded individual than simply doing three or four A Levels. The other key thing is that because they have to juggle all these activities and six academic subjects, students learn how to manage their time. But they’re learning the timemanagement in the supportive atmosphere of the school. A lot of youngsters fall flat on their
“It genuinely is a good qualification for everyone.” Hadrian Briggs, Red Maids’ School (pictured)
faces when they get to university and find they can’t cope with the timetable, and that there’s nobody there to help them. Hadrian Briggs, the International Baccalaureate Co-Ordinator at Bristol’s Red Maids’ School, reckons that anything up to a fifth of the school’s sixth-formers will be taking it next year. He agrees that it’s had a bit of an “elite” reputation until recently. “That perception might have come from the type of schools which traditionally embraced the diploma in England. But nowadays you will find there are other schools offering it. “There is a perception that it’s for ‘good’ schools and for risk-taking students, but there’s no reason you can’t do it in a less academic situation. In America, for instance, it’s much more widely applied, and so their average grades are slightly lower than here, but people are very pleased they’ve done it.” State schools are increasingly offering the IB. For example, Merchants Academy Withywood, a school with a predominantly working-class intake, offers the IB, as well as a vocational
18 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
int baccalaureate ED2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:19:25 PM
XXXX
FEATURE
Top: Louise Cottle, who scored 42 points out of a possible 45 in her International Baccalaureate at Red Maids’ school this year. It puts her in the top 2% of students worldwide. centre: All Bac’d up: Beechen Cliff comprehensive school in Bath. below: On target: Merchants Academy, Withywood, now offers the International Baccalaureate.
version called the International Baccalaureate Career-related Certificate (IBCC) St Brendan’s Sixth Form College in Brislington offers the IB as an option for a small group of students that tutors think would benefit from it. The college says: “The surge in popularity of the IB is in response to the value that is placed on students who have studied this demanding qualification by university admissions tutors.” St Brendan’s’ IB Co-Ordinator says: “What I find very exciting is the fact that we are offering what is considered an elite qualification to all young people regardless of their background.” Hadrian Briggs: “It genuinely is a good qualification for everyone. It’s got real advantages at both ends of the academic spectrum because it’s a holistic approach to the whole student. At the end of it your student should have more of those qualities which will make them a better student if they go to university, and a better citizen.” FFI: VISIT WWW.IBO.ORG
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 19
int baccalaureate ED2011.indd 3
9/28/2011 12:20:02 PM
profile
NORTH SOMERSET’S ONLY ‘OUTSTANDING’ SECONDARY
BACKWELL SCHOOL
I
t’s been an extremely successful year for Backwell School. In November 2008 Ofsted inspectors judged the school to be ‘outstanding’. Backwell is the only secondary school in North Somerset to receive that accolade. This judgement is borne out, once again, this year with
excellent GCSE and A-level results achieved by Backwell students: 83% of students gained at least five grades A*-C, and 70% gained five A*-C, including the crucial Maths and English. At A-level, 30% of examination entries were graded A* or A and 56% were graded A*-B. One student gained five A* and others achieved four A* grades each. Six students will be starting at Oxford and Cambridge Universities this month, and others on highly competitive courses such as medicine. These figures are higher than many selective schools, but Backwell is a comprehensive secondary school, serving all of its community. It provides a
challenging education to youngsters of all abilities and needs, preparing them for life in this fast-changing 21st century. As well as doing well academically, students take part in a wide, exciting range of new experiences, in and out of the classroom: theatrical, musical, artistic, technical, sporting, outdoor, or just plain fun! As a Specialist in Performing and Visual Arts, the school has achieved Artsmark Gold status, but a quick look at their exam results year on year show that students achieve allround excellence, from the core subjects to vocational courses and practical experience in the workplace.
BACKWELL SCHOOL STATION RD, BACKWELL, BRISTOL BS48 3BX T: 01275 463371 E: MAILBOX@BACKWELLSCHOOL.NET W: WWW.BACKWELLSCHOOL.NET
“We expect a lot from our students,” says head Julian Baldwin. “We expect them to work hard, play hard and behave well. Our key word is respect: self-respect, respect for other people, and respect for the environment are the foundations of all we do.”
20 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
backwell school f201 ED.indd 28
9/28/2011 1:56:02 PM
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 21
p21.indd 3
9/28/2011 2:01:24 PM
FEATURE
Reading, writing and readies Help is at hand for parents paying for their children’s schooling, says Simon Fry.
F
rom holidaying at home, not abroad, to eating in, not out, and shopping for bargain, not premium, brands, the recession has changed our spending habits. However, obtaining the best possible education for their offspring will always be a parent’s top priority and local schools offer a range of measures to ensure that while your child will end up well-read, you’ll stay in the black. The last 12 months have seen household budgets squeezed severely and the removal of the Education Maintenance Allowance (formerly worth up to £30 a week to pupils of sixth-form age) has exacerbated the problem. It is being overcome, however, at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College where discounted weekly and monthly bus tickets help offset the loss felt by pupils who had used the EMA for travelling purposes. Many travel a long way to St Brendan’s, usually because of the courses it offers or because they can do a combination of courses they can’t do elsewhere. Nationally, the availability of financial help has changed little since 2010’s guide. Then, as now, the Independent Schools Council (ISC) represented around 80% of pupils at UK independent schools. In the school year 2009/10, 32.5% of its 511,000 pupils received financial help, with total funding over £660 million annually. This total funding figure was the same for the school year 2010/11, when 33.2% of the ISC’s 506,500 pupils received help. One thing can lead to another at Rose Hill Westonbirt School where parents who may require financial assistance for school fees are welcome to apply for means-tested bursaries. The school also boasts a proud record of preparing its pupils to sit for a range of scholarships to other independent schools at age 11. Recent scholarship successes include: Westonbirt (academic, drama and science), Cheltenham Ladies College (art), Bath Royal High (sport and academic) and Warminster (art). Westonbirt also offers scholarships and bursaries, while parents in certain professions can apply for other help. The daughters of serving members of HM Forces are eligible for a reduction in fees of up to 20%, according to the
Rose Hill Westonbirt School prepares pupils for a wide range of scholarships to other independents.
22 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
finance edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:18:04 PM
FEATURE
Westonbirt School: scholarships, bursaries and lower fees for parents in certain professions.
has given me the chance of a lifetime and experiences I will never forget. It has also confirmed my interest in pursuing a career in the natural sciences.” At Clifton High School a wide range of scholarships are available to pupils entering the Upper School at year 7. Scholarships are also available to students entering the school in years 9 and 12, with music scholarships offered to pupils at years 7, 8 and 9 who meet the general entrance requirements and are successful at audition and interview with the head. A sports scholarship is available for a pupil entering the Upper School at years 7, 9 or 12, while sixth-form scholarships and awards are offered on the basis of presentation and interview. School assisted places are available for pupils who satisfy the academic requirements but whose families are not able to meet full fees. Assisted places can be up to 100% of the fees and also provide help with uniform.
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College provides help with travel costs.
parents’ circumstances, while members of the clergy are also entitled to a discount of up to 30%, subject to parental status. The Red Maids’ School, England’s oldest surviving girls’ school, was founded in 1634 with money left by John Whitson, MP and Mayor of Bristol. Remaining true to its ethos of educating Bristol girls on merit rather than ability to pay, it offers a significant number of means-tested bursaries, many providing up to 50% of the fees. There are two 100% bursaries on entry to the senior school and all these girls may also receive
CONTACTS help with payment for lunches and extracurricular trips. A number of major scholarships are also offered. Additional help can see the school’s pupils going places – literally. Seventeen-year-old Lauren Ratcliffe travelled to Honduras in summer 2010 on a wildlife conservation project, funded partly by the John James Tools of the Trade Award which she received from the school. She said: “I am so grateful for the support and encouragement I received from Red Maids’ and for the travel scholarship which
St Brendan’s Sixth Form College Broomhill Rd, Brislington, Bristol. Tel: 0117 977 7766; email: info@ stbrn.ac.uk; web: www.stbrn.ac.uk; Facebook: www.facebook.com/stbrendanssixthformcollege Independent Schools Council Web: www.isc.co.uk Rose Hill Westonbirt School Please contact registrar, Mrs Pat Davis: Tel: 01666 881375; email: pdavis@ rhwestonbirt.co.uk Westonbirt School Please contact registrar, Belinda Holley: Tel: 01666 881301; email: registrar@westonbirt.org The Red Maids’ School Please contact Alison Foster, publicity officer: Tel: 0117 962 2641. Clifton High School College Rd, Clifton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 933 9087; email: enquiries@cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 23
finance edsupp2011.indd 3
9/28/2011 12:18:42 PM
NEWS
What’s new in the world of education.
St Brendan’s make the connections
S
t Brendan’s Sixth Form College landed a massive coup recently when the Bristol Old Vic theatre chose it from all others in the South West to be its National Theatre ‘Connections 2012’ partner school. The move gives some of its drama students a chance to perform a specially commissioned play at Bristol Old Vic next spring and, if successful, potentially at the National Theatre. A directing team from Bristol Old Vic will work with 15 St Brendan’s students from November. From treading the boards to running the fells – the college’s Felix McGrath has recently returned from Gorenja Vas, Slovenia where he represented England in the World Youth Running Challenge. The Westbury Harrier’s elevation into the England team followed his success at an under-17 trial staged at Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, in May. ST BRENDAN’S SIXTH FORM COLLEGE BROOMHILL RD, BRISLINGTON. TEL: 0117 977 7766; EMAIL: INFO@STBRN.AC.UK; WEB WWW.STBRN.AC.UK; FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ STBRENDANSSIXTHFORMCOLLEGE
Open opportunities
Take a leaf…
S
omething exciting is cooking at St Katherine’s School which will be opening its The Leaf at Ham Green restaurant to food lovers from near and far in the run-up to Christmas. Unappetising school dinners have been consigned to the history books following the opening over the summer of the school’s £2.8 million state-of-the-art 300-seater dining facility, boasting kitchens and training rooms for hospitality diploma students. Nearly 60 guests attended a launch event featured on BBC’s ‘Points West’. This extensive operation also boasts The Leaf at Ham Green fine dining restaurant, making St Katherine’s unique among secondary schools. A series of themed dining evenings is on the menu across the autumn with the restaurant having already staged over 20 functions.
FFI: TEL: 01275 373737.
B
ath’s Ralph Allen School welcomes prospective students and their parents to a sixth form open evening on 3 November at 5.30-8.30pm, when attendees will be able to find out about the school’s post-GCSE study options. However, you don’t need to have visited in person to have learned about its pupils’ excellence as the school has featured extensively in local and national media of late. Its impressive exam results earned recognition in the Daily Telegraph and The Guardian while the return of former student Scott Sinclair (pictured below) – who plays in the Premier League for Swansea City – received coverage on ‘Match of the Day’ and Sky Sports and in the Bath Chronicle. RALPH ALLEN SCHOOL CLAVERTON DOWN RD, BATH, BA2 7AD. TEL: 01225 832936; WEB: WWW. RALPHALLEN.BATHNES.SCH.UK
xxxxxx
24 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
News edsupp2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:21:16 PM
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 25
p25.indd 3
9/28/2011 2:03:16 PM
To re ac h t h o u s a n d s of f amil ie s in y o u r a r e a ... ... a d v e r t i s e i n t h e ne x t issue of P r i m a r y Ti m e s . Caroline uth R 7 7 3 3 4 3 9 7 1 1 0 k 4 3730 u . 3 o 9 c . 7 p 1 p 1 e 0 ue.co.uk n e v c.stretton@b @ r.morris
p26.indd 1
9/28/2011 2:11:16 PM
news
Exciting times ahead for St Mark’s and St Gregory’s Schools
S
t Gregory’s Catholic College and St Mark’s Church of England School have started the new academic year under the leadership of executive headteacher Raymond Friel (pictured). His appointment follows the recent collaboration by both schools to form a new ‘soft’ federation, with the aim of continuing to raise educational standards and academic achievements across Bath. Both schools will remain distinctive, with their own governing body and admissions policy but they will be working on many joint projects and sharing their best practice with each other. Part of this agreement will also include a new sixth-form centre (due to open in 2013), with students from both schools having equal access to new state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities adjacent to the St Gregory’s site in Odd Down. Capital funding for the project has been allocated by Bath and North East Somerset Council and the Dioceses of Clifton and Bath and Wells. Mr Friel is looking forward to the opportunities the new sixth form will create for pupils of St Mark’s and St Gregory’s schools.
Mr Friel said: “It is my intention that in partnership with St Gregory’s, St Mark’s will become the school of choice for local families looking for an excellent education for their children in a Christian setting. Our aim is to have two outstanding schools providing a high-quality education. St Mark’s is a very good school with a strong Christian and family ethos which more families should consider as the choice for their child.” St Mark’s will be hosting three open events this autumn and warmly welcome prospective parents and students to visit the school and see all it has to offer for themselves. There will be an open evening on Tuesday 27 September, followed by two open mornings on Tuesday 4 and Tuesday 11 October. A St Gregory’s open evening will be held on Thursday 29 September from 6.30-9pm, followed by their open morning on Thursday 6 October from 9.15am-12.15pm. FFI: ST GREGORY’S CATHOLIC COLLEGE TEL: 01225 832873; ST MARK’S SCHOOL TEL: 01225 312661.
34
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 27
News edsupp2011.indd 5
9/28/2011 12:25:39 PM
www.goplacesdothings.org.uk
www.youthunltd.com
www.b-active.info
1Bigdatabase has information about a wide range of services for children, young people, their parents and carers and professionals in Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Information includes Housing, Health, Education, Money matters, Family support and much more. www.1bigdatabase.org.uk
p28.indd 1
9/28/2011 2:12:10 PM
news
Fleet Tutors lead the way
F
leet Tutors has over three decades of experience in helping pupils of all ages and abilities to reach their potential. Recognised by the national press, local authorities and The Good Schools Guide as the UK’s leading national tutoring service provider, Fleet Tutors has a team of over 5,000 qualified and experienced tutors working throughout the UK, including over 100 in the Bristol and Bath areas. Fleet Tutors succeeds by helping young people realise their academic goals by building confidence, reducing anxiety and raising aspirations with individually tailored tuition programmes. Fleet Tutors’ Annual Results Survey 2010/11 shows its students experience a minimum increase of one or more grades as a result of 12 hours of tutoring, compared to their average grade prior to tuition. Fleet Tutors is unique among tuition agencies in that it works on behalf of the client to ensure tuition is a success – it does not simply place and forget. Fleet Tutors is also a selective company in
terms of the tutors it takes on. Tutors must undergo an extensive vetting process, have degrees in the subjects they teach and/or teaching qualifications, enhanced CRBs (in-depth
police checks) and outstanding references. FFI: WEB: WWW.FLEET-TUTORS.CO.UK; TEL: 0845 644 5452.
folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011 29
News edsupp2011.indd 7
9/28/2011 12:27:13 PM
facts & figures
Top of the class
Your guide to some of the West’s best-performing independent schools Badminton School Westbury Rd, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3BA Tel: 0117 905 5200 Web: www.badminton.bristol.sch.uk/ GIRLS; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 440 Founded: 1858 Fees per term: reception-year 2 (day) £2,350; years 3-4 (day) £2,780; years 5-6 (day) £3,470; senior years 7-8 (day) £4,970; senior years 9-13 (day) £5,270; junior (boarding) £6,280; senior (boarding) £9,470 Bristol Grammar School University Rd, Bristol BS8 1SR Tel: 0117 973 6109/973 6006 Web: www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 4-18 Pupils: 1,200 Founded: 1532 Fees per term: reception £1,997.75, years 1-2 £2,417.75; lower school (7-11) £2,456.75; upper school (12-18) £3,711.50 Clifton College 32 College Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JH Tel: 0117 3157 000 Web: www.cliftoncollegeuk.com CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY AND BOARDING Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 1,332 Founded: 1862 Fees per term: prep school (boarding) £7,155; prep school (weekly boarding) £6,625; prep school (day pupil) £4,275£4,670; upper school (boarding) £9,590£9,750; upper school (day boarding 4 nights) £8,690-£8,950; upper school (day pupil) £6,590-£6,790. Clifton High School College Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3JD Tel: 0117 973 0201/973 8096 Web: www.cliftonhigh.bristol.sch.uk JUNIOR SCHOOL: CO-EDUCATIONAL, UPPER SCHOOL: CO-EDUCATIONAL FROM SEPT 2009; DAY & FAMILY BOARDING Ages: 4-18 Pupils: 510 Founded: 1877 Fees per term: nursery - contact for more information; prep £2,635; junior £2,655; upper school £3,780 Colston’s School Bell Hill, Stapleton, Bristol BS16 1BJ Tel: 0117 965 5207/958 5652 Web: www.colstons.bristol.sch.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 3-18 Pupils: lower school 233; senior 646 Founded: 1710 Fees per term: reception and years 1-2 £2,020; years 3-4 £2,555; years 5-6 £2,825; secondary school (day) £3,565 The Downs School Wraxall, Bristol BS48 1PF Tel: 01275 852008 Web: www.thedownsschool.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 4-13 Pupils: 252 Founded: 1894 Fees per term: reception £2,700; years 4-8 (day) £4,200 Fairfield School Fairfield Way, Backwell, Bristol BS48 3PD Tel: 01275 462743 Web: www.fairfieldschool.org.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 3-11 Pupils: 116 Founded: 1935 Fees per term: nursery (full-time) £2,130; reception, years 1 & 2 £2,130; years 3-6 £2,340
Gracefield Preparatory School 266 Overndale Rd, Bristol BS16 2RG Tel: 0117 956 7977 Web: www.gracefieldschool.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 4-11 Pupils: 112 Founded: 1950 Fees per term: £1,340 King’s College South Rd, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3LA Tel: 01823 328200 Web: www.kings-taunton.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 13-18 Pupils: 430 Founded: 1880 Fees per term: day £5,680; boarding £8,390 King Edward’s School North Rd, Bath BA2 6HU Tel: 01225 464313 Web: www.kesbath.com CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 977 Founded: 1552 Fees per term: full-time nursery £2,190; reception-year 2 £2,665; years 3-6 £2,950; years 7-11 £3,730; years 12-13 £3,775 Kingswood School Lansdown, Bath BA1 5RG Tel: 01225 734200 Web: www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 3-18 Pupils: prep 300; senior 660 Founded: 1748 Fees per term: prep (full boarding) £6,003£6,337; prep (day) £2,633-£3,048; senior (day) £3,853; senior (full boarding): years 7-8 £6,932-£7,266, years 9-13 £8,303-£8,637 Millfield Butleigh Rd, Street, Somerset BA16 0YD Tel: 01458 442291 Web: www.millfield.somerset.sch.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 13-18 Pupils: 1,200 Founded: 1935 Fees: day £6,500; boarding £9,670 Monkton Combe School Monkton Combe, Bath BA2 7HG Tel: 01225 721102 Web: www.monktoncombeschool.com CO-EDUCATIONAL, DAY AND BOARDING Ages: 2-19 Pupils: 776 Founded: 1868 Fees per term: pre-prep day (receptionyear 2) £2,682-£2,762; prep boarding (years 3-8) £6,330-£6,732; prep day £3,415£4,722; senior boarding (years 7-13) £6,732£9,045; senior day £4,722-£5,727 Paragon School Lyncombe House, Lyncombe Vale, Bath BA2 4LT Tel: 01225 310837 Web: www.paragonschool.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY Ages: 3-11 Pupils: 260 Founded: 1911 Fees per term: nursery (part-time) £455; nursery (full-time) £2,275; reception (full-time) £2,389; infants (years 1 & 2) £2,533; juniors (years 3-6) £2,662
CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING (13+) Ages: 11-18 Pupils: 580 Founded: 1830 Fees per term: day £4,061-£4,525; boarding (weekly and full) £6,466-£8,160 Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital School Berkeley Place, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1JX Tel: 0117 930 3040 Web: www.qehbristol.co.uk BOYS; DAY Ages: 7-18 Pupils: junior 115; senior 550 Founded: 1590 Fees per term: junior £2,453; senior £3,753 The Red Maids’ School Grange Court Rd, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 4DP ( junior) Westbury Rd, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS9 3AW (senior) Tel: 0117 962 9451( junior)/962 2641(senior) Web: www.redmaids.bristol.sch.uk GIRLS; DAY Ages: 7-18 Pupils: junior 110; senior 500 Founded: 1634 Fees per term: junior £2,305; senior £3,480 Redland High School for Girls Redland Court, Bristol BS6 7EF Tel: 0117 924 5796 Web: www.redlandhigh.com GIRLS; DAY Ages: 3-18 Pupils: junior 150; senior 550 Founded: 1882 Fees per term: junior £2,100-£2,400; senior £3,400 Royal High School Lansdown Rd, Bath BA1 5SZ (senior) Hope House, Lansdown Rd, Bath BA1 5ES ( junior) Tel: 01225 313877(senior)/422931( junior) Web: www.royalhighbath.gdst.net GIRLS; DAY & BOARDING (SENIOR ONLY) Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 937 Founded: 1998 Fees per term: nursery £1,175-£2,350; junior (day) £3,335-£3,385; junior (week boarding) £6,085-£6,114; junior (full boarding) £6,761-£6,793; senior (day) £3,419; senior (week boarding) £6,114; senior (full boarding) £6,827
Ages: 2-18 Pupils: 910 Founded: 1847 Fees per term: nursery-year 2 £1,925; years 3-4: day £2,225, boarding £3,705; years 5-6: day £3,055, boarding £5,080; years 7-8: day £4,185, boarding £6,715; years 9-13: day £5,150, boarding £8,535 Wells Cathedral School The Liberty, Wells, Somerset BA5 2ST Tel: 01749 834200 Web: www.wellscathedralschool.org CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 730 Founded: 909 Fees per annum: pre-prep (reception and years 1-2) £6,237; junior (years 3-6): day £11,604, boarding £20,235; lower school (years 7-9): day £14,184, boarding £23,730; senior school (years 10-13): day £14,679, boarding £24,654 Westonbirt School Tetbury, Glos GL8 8QG Tel: 01666 880333 Web: www.westonbirt.gloucs.sch.uk GIRLS; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 11-18 Pupils: 235 Founded: 1928 Fees per term: boarding £7,990-£9,990; day £5,350-£6,590 Wycliffe College Wycliffe, Stonehouse, Glos GL10 2JQ Tel: 01453 822432 Web: www.wycliffe.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 2-18 Pupils: 775 Founded: 1883 Fees per term: prep: day £1,870-£3,805, boarding £4,925-£7,250; senior: day £5,120£5,600, boarding £8,570-£9,240
Sidcot School Oakridge Lane, Winscombe, North Somerset BS25 1PD Tel: 01934 843102 Web: www.sidcot.org.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING Ages: 3-18 Pupils: 505 Founded: 1699 Fees per term: junior (day) £2,050-£3,050; senior (day) £4,400-£4,750; boarding £7,250-£7,700 Taunton School Staplegrove Rd, Taunton, Somerset TA2 6AD Tel: 01823 703703 Web: www.tauntonschool.co.uk CO-EDUCATIONAL; DAY & BOARDING (7-18)
Prior Park College Ralph Allen Drive, Bath BA2 5AH Tel: 01225 835353 Web: www. priorparkcollege.com
30 folio EDUCATION GUIDE 2011
Facts & Figures ED2011.indd 2
9/28/2011 12:14:00 PM
bcc state schools f200.indd 1
9/28/2011 2:12:46 PM
p32.indd 1
9/28/2011 2:15:10 PM