Abbotsholme School

"My brother went to Abbotsholme and loved it. He was diagnosed with chronic dyslexia at a time when it wasn't fully understood and Abbotsholme was chosen as a school that helped and nurtured young boys with such 'disabilities' - concentrating on areas he excelled at, such as art, and guiding him through the more taxing academic subjects, especially ones that involved a lot of written work. I went to a dusty, dry, academic day school and don't mind admitting that I would have swapped it for Abbotsholme in a heartbeat. Every summer, for a few days, the families were invited to stay and enjoy a host of events, plays, three day cricket, sports day etc. Famous actors and musicians who sent their children there often performed. This was in the days when England had long warm summer days and balmy nights. Even being bitten by midges at sunset while the kids put on a Shakespeare play in the Rose Garden was a memorable experience! My brother stayed most of his school life at Abbotsholme, apart from an unhappy boarding prep school experience in Wales starting at the age of 6 and I know the few years he spent there didn't do him much good at all. Abbotsholme managed to repair the damage, and, growing up with children from other countries, of other races and religions (ambassadors and the like sent their kids) made him a more rounded individual than maybe if he had attended some other schools. Friends have since sent their children to Abbotsholme and the tradition of excellent and sensitive schooling continues, along with encouragement in any subject the pupil enjoys. There's also a special emphasis on the arts. In short, Abbotsholme does what any good school should do, often claims to do, but doesn't always deliver. If you can afford it, I would recommend sending your child to Abbotsholme."

"The accounts department does not even respond to our refund request and our client has decided through legal channels to pursue this matter, which is very inconvenient for all the parties involved. Update: The brusar finally responded after threatening to involve the police. They now claim they have refunded the fees to our client without even notifying us as the point of contanct. The client denies. Julie, the headmaster, is out of school for a whole week and Mr Richard Mayfield is very slow to respond. Suspicious!"

"Both my sons went through. Obviously, small class sizes optimise acedemic outcomes but what you really pay for is the creation of a confident person that believes in him/herself."

"My son started Abbotsholme in September 2018 and he loves every day at school. He was never a lover of School, however in the past year he has grown in confidence and ability, gaining so much experience in areas I would never have imagined he would. I was very nervous about the travel when we looked around, as he travels an hour every day to get to school, but he loves it and the journey doesn't phase him, its worth the Journey. The bus driver really looks after him. He is part of the electric car team, designing and building electric cars and racing them as a team around the country. Never did I think he would learn to play the Piano and love it and yet he does. He has been mountain biking, camping, kayaking, bouldering, horse riding, hiking, competed in cross country races, taken part in lambing. Already in year 7 he's had a solo in the school production, he performs with the schools show choir rehearses weekly with them, he raced at the famous Rockingham race track. He loves the academic side of the school, the teachers make the lessons fun and interactive, while giving them pride in their work and making them determined to do well, today Science is in the swimming pool to learn about forces. Class sizes are small and every teacher knows every child. They prep them well for exams, working on revision all year round. He did a science revision pack throughout the year after each topic and the teacher put it all together for them to go through on their I pads for their Year 7 exams. His academics are improving day on day and his enjoyment of learning is always what impresses me. The mix of students is fantastic, both highly academic pupils and pupils that require alternative learning strategies. My son has such varied friends and the school meets all of their needs, some are incredibly sporty, flying the flag for their hockey team or competing in show jumping. Other children are highly musical, professional skiers, DofE Enthusiasts, farmers, artists. What ever my son is good at, I know that Abbotsholme will nurture the potential."

"Fantastic school - two generations of my family have been there - successful and happy children - can recommend it highly"