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: 438; sixth formers: 65
- Religion: Non-denominational
- Fees: Day £11,895 - £23,070; Boarding £35,640 - £46,245 pa (last updated on 17/01/2025)
- Open days: See website
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
The prep school curriculum is delivered through topic-based learning covering all main subjects: each term the pupils explore an enquiry question, which starts with the knowledge they already have. Gasps of breath and a forest of hands rewarded an infectiously enthusiastic teacher… Thematic learning continues for the first two years of the senior school, tackling the eternal mysteries of, for example, identity, structure and relationships. But academics share centre stage with achievements beyond the classroom, encapsulated in the Stonar diploma. You don’t have to wear jodhpurs to come here, and it doesn’t even help that much, though it has to be said it’s…
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
Headmaster
Since 2019, Matthew Way BSc, PGCE MEd, previously deputy head at Milton Abbey. Educated at Pangbourne and Swansea University, Mr Way spent six years in the army, which we suspect buffed up – by his own admission – his ‘insistent personality’ and immaculate turnout. Not one consciously to climb the greasy pole, Mr Way’s career has nonetheless taken him to a good range of schools: Mount Kelly, Stowe and Milton Abbey, where he immersed himself in boarding alongside teaching and some serious sport: he still plays hockey. ‘I am not a rider, and have never donned the jodhpurs I was given as a joke by friends when I arrived,’ he stated flatly: ‘The attraction was the boarding, the location and the fact that Stonar is an all-through school’.
He talked...
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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
Might cover/be referred to as;
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), PDA , Social skills, Sensory processing disorder |
Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Hearing Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment |
|
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Learning needs, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty |
|
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment, Sensory processing |
|
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic , OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, Tics, Tourettes |
|
| PD - Physical Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
PD - Physical Disability |
|
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty |
|
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Might cover/be referred to as;
Anxiety , Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Trauma |
Y |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
Might cover/be referred to as;
DLD - Developmental Language Disorder, Selective mutism, SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication |
|
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, Cerebral Palsy (CP) |
|
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing, DCD, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting, Other specific learning difficulty, SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) |
Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heywood Prep | 2024 | 5 | ||
| Kingswood Preparatory School | 2024 | 1 | ||
| Rupert House School | 2024 | 1 | 1 | Riding Scholarship |
| Walhampton School | 2024 | 1 | 1 | Equestrian Scholarship |
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