Stonar A GSG School
- Stonar
Cottles Park
Atworth
Wiltshire
SN12 8NT - Head: Matthew Way
- T 01225 701744
- F 01225 790830
- E admissions@stonarschool.com
- W www.stonarschool.com/
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Wiltshire
- Pupils: 430; sixth formers: 58 (41 girls; 17 boys)
- Religion: Non-denominational
- Fees: Day £10,170 - £19,740; Boarding £28,980 - £37,800 pa
- Open days: See website
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
The head says there’s ‘a unique, innocent charm’ about the pupils. ‘If you’re a rider then we have brilliant facilities but 50 per cent of our pupils don’t ride. No one just does one thing. If you have a child who is outdoorsy, bright and wants to work hard they’ll thrive here.’ Parents praise the community feel and say the school ‘brings out the best in children, regardless of their academic or sporting ability’. One mother told us, ‘We’ve seen…
What the school says...
Established in 1895, Stonar is a leading day and boarding school in a charming countryside setting. Our friendly school of over 400 pupils is located on an 80 acre rural site, just 20 minutes from Bath.
Our progressive curriculum transcends the purely academic, creating an enriching environment in which pupils discover and develop their individual talents - and gain a deeper experience of the world. Stonar has a strong set of values. We are a kind, hard-working, happy school, with a family-oriented community. Children are free from judgement and this builds their self-confidence, leading to excellent all-round achievement.
Stonar is widely regarded as the leading equestrian school in the UK, with our impressive riding facilities located at the heart of the school. You don’t have to ride to join Stonar. Approximately 40% of the community take riding lessons, from complete beginners to experienced competitive riders.
Non-riders are in no-way disadvantaged and all pupils enjoy getting involved in the extensive co-curricular offering. The adventure training opportunities are particularly popular with our Senior pupils, including Duke of Edinburgh and Ten Tors. Our ambitious and energetic Creative & Performing Arts Department encourage pupils of all abilities and talents to participate in our regular formal and informal performances. For those preferring to develop skills in robotics, engineering and computer coding, termly clubs provide opportunities to work alongside pupils of various ages on collective projects.
For boarders, Stonar becomes their second home. With 130 full boarders in three houses pupils benefit from excellent relationships with children of all ages and flourish as individuals in our relaxed and down-to-earth environment. There are no formal exeat weekends and therefore domestic boarders have some flexibility to return home for key events, but the vast majority of boarders are onsite all weekend. The busy weekend activities programme starts at 4pm on Fridays and includes organised onsite and offsite activities and trips, as well as sports fixtures and time to enjoy the grounds and facilities. ...Read more
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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.
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head
Since 2019, Matthew Way BSc, previously deputy head of Milton Abbey. Educated at Pangbourne College and then read history and politics at Swansea University. Served as an infantry officer in the army for six years, followed by a one-year stint as a management consultant, before realising he wanted to teach. ‘My last job in the army was training recruits of 16 or 17 who were away from home for the first time,’ he says. ‘It was a very pastoral role and was part of my move towards teaching.’ He taught at Pangbourne while waiting to do his PGCE at the University of Bath, then moved to Kelly College (now Mount Kelly), where he became a housemaster. Spent six years at Stowe as a housemaster and head of boarding and another five years as deputy...
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | Y |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | Y |
| Dysgraphia | Y |
| Dyslexia | Y |
| Dyspraxia | Y |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | Y |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | Y |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| PD - Physical Disability | |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heywood Prep | 2023 | 1 | 1 |
| Kingswood Preparatory School | 2023 | 1 | |
| Pinewood | 2023 | 1 | |
| The Oratory Prep School | 2023 | 1 |
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