Sidcot School A GSG School

Curricula

International Baccalaureate: diploma - the diploma is the familiar A-level equivalent.

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

Sports

Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.

Fencing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since January 2024, James Jones, previously deputy head at Wycombe Abbey. After reading history at the University of Sheffield he became an assistant housemaster at Brighton College before moving to Bromsgrove School as a teacher and senior boarding housemaster.

Junior head since 2021, Catherine Dykes, previously head of EYFS and assistant head pastoral at the school. Well liked by parents, ‘very on top of everything, approachable and professional’ and pupils adore her: ‘absolutely brilliant!’ repeated time and time again.

Entrance

Gentle testing of numeracy and literacy accompanies a two-day taster session for the junior school. Non-selective with children joining at every stage. A ‘surge’ in new starters usually in year 5 seeking to avoid exam pressures in other settings.

Senior school also non-selective; informal assessments in maths and English sat during the praised transition or admissions process are used simply for setting and monitoring. ‘Easy and automatic transition’ for those already in the junior school cohort, who are joined in equal numbers in year 7 by those from elsewhere.

For external new arrivals, previous school reports and interviews are the only other prerequisites for places in all years other than 11 and 13, which are exam years and not open to new day starters. Boarders welcome for year 11 ‘pathway’, a one-year IGCSE for international students. Biggest influx tends to be in year 7 from local primaries and year 9 for overseas boarders or those finishing the Somerset council’s middle schools.

Sixth form starters need at least five 9-4 grades at GCSE. Students considering the IB need at least a grade 9-4 in GCSE maths and English. International students sit an assessment in English to gauge the EAL teaching required.

Exit

Around 10 per cent of junior school pupils head elsewhere, some to the local grammar schools. Post GCSE, 35 per cent head elsewhere looking for larger pools or more specific vocational courses from the neighbouring state sixth form colleges of Strode, Bridgewater or Weston-super-Mare. After A levels, vast majority to university – 40 per cent Russell Group. Bath, Edinburgh, Durham, Leeds and Manchester all popular.

Latest results

In 2023, 22 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 22 per cent A*/A at A level (45 per cent A*-B); average IB point score 33. In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 39 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 62 per cent A*-B at A level.

Teaching and learning

Lessons were calm with students fully engaged and hands shooting up to answer any questions. Children in the junior school were astoundingly eloquent and self-reflective, explaining to us what they had been working on and what skills they had used. Year 3 shared their studies of volcanoes and Diwali whilst giggling over their socks that were drying on the heater after a particularly wet playtime. We loved the rows of wellies lined up at the school entrance, always a sign of a healthy outdoor approach.

Year 5 pupils talked us through the adaptations that they were studying in rainforest animals – the level of research that they had carried out was remarkable. Particularly impressive in the junior school was the translation of studies into considered action, demonstrating the Quaker principles that are embedded in the Sidcot ‘learning wheel’. During STEM week, they stayed on topic and created a business, making sweet treats without palm oil, which they branded, marketed, fully costed and then sold to make a profit of over £300; this was donated to charitable work protecting the orang-utans that they had enjoyed studying. A wonderful example of topic and research-based, practical study inspiring thoughtful, proactive social action at a young age.

Pupils throughout the senior school praised their close relationships with their teachers and the focused, creative energy within lessons was a testament to this. Of particular note was the embracing of a culture that makes learning fun, relevant and – importantly – active. A level biology students were ‘cutting and sticking’ the most complicated of genetic engineering patterns, year 11 maths pupils weren’t sitting hunched over books but up scrawling algebraic fractions on walls, windows and table tops with (wipeable) white board markers, making pupils laugh and importantly cementing the process in their memory, and year 9 were on their feet creating issues-based ceramics, music playing and focus on point. This is a school where learning is fun not forced, persuasive not pressured – ‘absolutely not a hothouse,’ glowed parents.

Parents applauded the school’s ‘gently encouraging’ academic stance. Children are not overly pushed to achieve here; tests and exams are not feared and there is very little academic anxiety. Many parents highlighted this lack of hothousing as the reason for their choice of Sidcot over its competitors whilst acknowledging that parents with the highest academic goals might not find that the school was pushy enough.

No streaming in the junior school but gently introduced (for maths) from year 7 with the addition of English and science in key stage 3 and all core subjects for GCSE years; parents praised the ‘flexibility of movement between sets that ensures everyone is kept engaged’. Small class sizes (maximum of 20) ensure teachers ‘really can tailor the teaching to each and every pupil’, according to parents.

Sciences are popular, with pupils full of enthusiasm for the number of practicals that they carry out: ‘We literally smashed the required practicals target for the year in the first term, it’s all about hands-on learning here and it makes a huge difference to our ability to understand and remember each topic.’ Strongest (and most popular) subjects at GCSE: maths, languages and the creative arts. Most sit eight to 10 GCSEs with off-timetable options for those wanting to add to this. Over 26 subjects on offer at A level; 19 for the popular IB programme and BTEC level 3 options of business and sport. International students have the option to study EAL and take the IELTS qualification. EPQ taken up by 25 per cent of A level students.

Learning support and SEN

The school has separate (but collaborating) academic learning and emotional support teams, with the latter handled through the wellbeing centre, evocatively called Rose Cottage. Set calmly outside the main school, this houses a dedicated safeguarding team and visiting counsellors. We particularly liked the students’ description of this space: ‘If you are feeling unwell physically you head to the health centre, if you are not feeling yourself mentally or emotionally, head to Rose Cottage – it makes sense to have both on offer and we all use them.’ Parents describe it as a ‘safe haven’.

Academic support is provided by a team of experienced SEN and specialist teachers in the learning support department. The team delivers one-to-one and small-group academic support for a wide range of SEN needs and works in close liaison with class teachers and wellbeing staff.

Neurodiversity welcomed and well catered for by the school; parents of these pupils spoke candidly about ‘the reality of acceptance and inclusion amongst “cooler” peers once pupils hit the hormonal battleground of senior school’ but all acknowledged that this was an issue at every school and praised Sidcot’s unwavering support and determination to help pupils to ‘find their tribe’.

School can accept mild to moderate SEN; there are currently five children with an EHCP in the school. Support can be in class, in small groups or one-to-one tuition (at an extra charge); places are offered on a case-by-case basis.

The arts and extracurricular

Art is wow-factor here. The art department boasts specialist rooms and leading-level equipment in ceramics, photography, textiles and fine art and is a hive of enthusiasm and exhibitions. Frequent trips, including recent ones to Italy and New York, offer wide inspiration. On our visit the IB students were preparing their exam piece exhibits and the quality was staggering: colourful doughnuts made from car tyres, internationally shot photography on the theme of food and life-size plaster human models were particularly eye-catching. ‘Unbelievably artistic’ was how one parent summed up the school.

DT is popular with an extraordinary quality of production. Every lesson has a teacher and bespoke technician. We watched a year 7 class learning about wood joints, surrounded by exemples created by older students, including A level highlights of a plywood balance bike, laser cut on the in-house printer, and a stunning wooden table with ‘Q’ legs that is destined for the Quaker meeting house.

From years 7 to 9 students rotate on a carousel of textiles, graphics, product design, food and nutrition to ensure that they have a solid understanding of each before GCSE selections take place. Food and nutrition a popular focal point and available at both GCSE and A level. School is one of very few in the country to offer the highly coveted Leiths Cookery School programme.

Drama is very impressive with an inspirational head of department taking original productions to Edinburgh Fringe every year and frequent trips elsewhere, New York in 2023 a much spoken-about highlight. Makeup, tech, music, lighting and set design are student led for all productions, which include one major whole-school show a year, a musical every other year and multiple smaller age-stage performances. Recent highlights have included The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and 1001 Nights. LAMDA is popular and showcased via a cabaret evening. Major performances take place in the Meeting House, which transforms into a theatrical space that can seat up to 500.

Music very popular and well catered for with plenty of bands, orchestras and performance opportunities. Music starts early; we watched years 3 and 4 rehearsing for the Easter concert whilst year 2 were playing on huge trombones, some almost as big as themselves. Major concerts take place at the school at Christmas and during the spring term with a musical garden party during the summer. Facilities are good and include peripatetic provision, a popular soundproofed recording studio and specialist percussion room. Plenty of vocal groups, some open to all and others by audition, including the coveted alpha male choir for the boys and bella voce for the girls.

Extracurricular opportunity is where this school leaps ahead of competitors. Parents summed it up as an ‘extremely rich cultural experience’, explaining that their children could ‘never manage to try everything’ and that, ‘aside from elite national level sports training, there is nothing that they have had to look for outside of the school’. Be it driving theory, skateboarding, ice skating, pottery, cookery, jewellery making or circus skills, there is little not on offer. The equestrian centre is central, offering full livery for pupils’ horses, on-site training and national-level competition entry.

Sport

Fantastic facilities, and sport is good in an area where competition is high (Millfield is a short distance away). Parents say school ‘is making good gains in its provision’ and ‘is always determined to offer training and match opportunities to every level of student’. There are several national-level sporting pupils on the roster and all major sports are coached and competed to a good standard. Stunning pool with floor-to-ceiling arched windows looking out over the school garden. Pupils have plenty of access both on and off timetable to swimming lessons, squad training, mindful swim time, kayaking, water polo, lifeguard skills etc. Those completing the lifeguard training can get paid employment with shifts working as such at the pool. The wood-panelled sports hall is a hub of activity seven days a week, with day pupils often popping into school over the weekend to play sport for fun with the boarders. Everything imaginable on offer from basketball to yoga.

Boarders

International boarding is a valued asset at this school and 80 per cent of the boarders are from countries outside the UK. No one country dominates and there is a high level of cultural fusion and fascination that leads to a wonderfully diverse and inclusive community. Boarding houses are ‘like one big family’, welcoming with modern rooms and furniture. Sixth formers can opt for single rooms (many don’t) and other years are in shared rooms of two to six beds. Relations between day and boarding pupils are very close and weekend activities, known as Sidcot Saturdays, for boarders often pull in a good group of day pupil friends keen to join in everything from Bristol trips to baking. Plenty of trips organised and access to full school facilities a given – Sunday downtime sees lots of boarders out for walks, swimming or cycling.

Ethos and heritage

Set up as a Quaker school in 1699, Sidcot remains true to its origins with the whole school stopping once a week for the half an hour of silent guided reflection that is central to the Quaker meeting. Only a tiny fraction of families at the school are practising Quakers but pupils were wonderfully eloquent on the benefits of this weekly moment of pause: ‘It is something I will take on with me into my adult life, just taking that moment to stop and reflect is such a powerful experience.’ The Quaker values at the heart of the school’s moral compass are powerful and a major draw for parents seeking an education based on empathy and integrity as much as academic excellence.

This ethos begins in the junior school where 20 minutes a week are dedicated to sharing thoughts on current global topics and a plasterboard tree bedecks the central corridor, currently festooned with messages of peace from each child which change termly to reflect the focal value. Huge importance is placed on calm quiet time and ‘thinking space’. ‘My 6-year-old frequently asks for some quiet time to meditate, definitely not something she gets from me,’ laughed one parent.

The school is beautifully maintained with the common spaces easily mistaken for a restorative retreat. Yurts sit tantalisingly in the wildflower meadows and are used for events and to enhance clubs such as mindfulness. A sense of calm pervades, sheep quietly grazing in the central paddock, rows of bulbs in the cottage garden and raised beds of fruit and vegetables, horses calling to each other across the stable yard; pupils are aware of how lucky they are to have the surrounding acres to roam. ‘We have a boundary walk at the beginning of each year then you are pretty free to explore,’ explained one senior pupil, with another saying, ‘Revising for GCSEs with friends out in the fields, under the shade of the trees, was such a relaxing experience.’

School feels impressive and well funded; modern equipment, light-filled atriums, a constant stream of improvements underway and even their claimed ‘shabbiest parts’ hardly deeming this mention. A vast project to build a new sixth form area nearing completion. Already open are the bespoke sixth form library, breakout rooms and study spaces, which put most university study areas to shame. Common areas will be equally impressive and designed with large input from the student cohort.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

‘Welcoming’, ‘warm’, ‘nurturing’ and ‘inspiring’ were words we heard repeatedly from pupils and parents when describing this school. The pastoral care, gentle approach to learning and determination to ensure inclusivity make this a kind and accepting community where opportunities are broad and curious exploration of each wholeheartedly encouraged. Pupils spoke of ‘increasing discussions on diversity’ and the consensus was that ‘we do inclusivity well here’.

There are solid numbers of international boarders (23 per cent of pupils), which enhance the school with an eclectic international flair and provide a ‘much celebrated, rich cultural environment’, according to parents. Pupils were full of enthusiasm for the bespoke groups created to allow pupils to share experiences with those of similar ethnicity or sexuality, the ACS – African-Caribbean Society the latest to be encouraging recruits: ‘It gives us a space to discuss any issues and relevant experiences that we come up against both in and out of school.’ These are pupil led with no staff attendance or intervention unless requested.

Pupils and parents

Open, curious, inspired by their education and calmly confident in their ability to make a difference is how these pupils come across. International pupils praised how quickly they had been welcomed into the school by fellow pupils. Pupil relationships appeared relaxed, happy, accepting and grounded.

Families spoke of the active Sidcot community, maintained via WhatsApp groups and plenty of parental attendance at events. Parents here range from philosophical professionals to those making huge sacrifices to afford the fees, all united by their determination to give their children an education beyond simple targeting of exam proficiency. ‘We chose Sidcot because we want our children to enjoy and understand their education not just be able to repeat facts under pressure to gain high exam results,’ repeated many.

‘Guardian readers, I imagine, but I hate to generalise…’ the head summarised awkwardly when pushed. ‘High moral values draw them here – many have alternative, Montessori-style backgrounds or are rebelling against traditional exam-focused schooling.’

Money matters

This is a school with a strong social conscience and a healthy 10 per cent of the fee income is offered out again in the form of means-tested bursaries with several alternative funding pots to draw on; both the 150-year-old Sidcot Bursary Trust and the scholarship programme (with its 10 per cent cap) help many families enter the school every year. Three children are on 100 per cent bursaries, at least one a year is taken on after recommendations from the local area council: ‘These pupils have a genuine social need along with a recognisable academic ability and the bursary is utterly transformational in their lives,’ says the head.

The last word

A calm, respectful and reflective school, gently educating children into a social and academic confidence that they can make a difference to this world.

Special Education Needs

We are a mainstream school with a Learning Support Department (dyslexia). One to one tuition is available for literacy and maths, additionally we can offer support for maths in a classroom setting with an LSA. We can also offer provision for mild Asperger's, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, speech and language difficulties. 09-09

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