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.

We chose Abbotshome School for our children when they were 5 and 7 years. They straight away became individuals and no longer had to fit into 'a box ' . My son had lost a lot of confidence after constant critasism that he was not working quick enough or getting the results the teacher expected especially in writing yet he was way ahead in reading and comprehension. The school provided a huge amout of experiences both fun and challenging. The school told me that my children would thrive at Abbotsholme and they did. They had 9 amazing years at Abbotsholme and learnt so many life skills. They kept their personalities, and their confidence just grew and grew. They took every opportunity that was offered: camping, hikkng , kyaking, orienteering, winter mountaineering, mountain biking, survival skills to name just a few! They got involved in both sporting and drama events that in a bigger school we don't believe they would have had the opportunity. The staff were always so supportive and encouraging. I cannot speak highly enough about this school. It really is a gem. Both my children are academically able and one received an academic scholarship. However they both were able to receive SO MUCH more from Abbotsholme that has equipped them for their life beyond school. My children both talk with such love about their cherrished memories of Abbotsholne and as parents it is so wonderful to hear these and to have listened to their reflections over the years. We invested a lot of money and for us it wasnt always easy but we are so very glad we gave them an Abbotsholme education 'An education for Life' and 'Every Moment Matters'.

We chose Abbotsholme for our children because of the school ethos, their explicit values and the extensive opportunities and experiences available to them. Academia is important, of course it is (my daughter is an academic scholar and I think her needs would be met in most if not all Independent schools) but excellent exam results alone will not stand you in good stead for life and all it throws at you. Abbotsholme has strong values in line with our own and endeavours to support the whole child. Their strap line is 'Every Moment Matters' where perhaps it could be "Every Child Matters' - our experience so far is that each child is viewed as an individual with strengths and qualities that are highlighted and worked with. Both of my children have been encouraged to challenge themselves and grow in different aspects of school life - sporting events, roles within Drama productions and leadership roles. Both of my children are happy and are thriving here which to us, makes it worth every single penny. We trust the school will facilitate our children to grow into all they will be capable of being and will help us to equip them to live as fulfilled a life as possible. Time will tell I guess but we are thankful to have found Abbotsholme when we did.

I think this school is brilliant. My son has recently left a well known private school, after getting very withdrawn and feeling unhappy. We were recommended to visit Abbottsholme's open day. We did, my son went for a trial and we have never looked back. Although we have a distance to travel, this school focuses on life skills and making our children happy as well as reaching their best academic results. All I can say is I wish we had found this school years ago. The staff are so helpful and approachable, the class sizes are small, and the children get the attention they need. They do not just focus on the 'A' star students, the school focuses on every child. All I can say is when looking for school, make sure you visit Abbottsholme. My son cannot wait to go to school now, so it makes us very happy!