Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, Barnstaple

My children go to Our Lady’s School. They are happy and well set into their routine. That is the only reason why I haven’t moved them.
A lot has changed with the new headteacher and not always for the best.
What attracted us to the school was the differential extra curricular subjects, which were the first to be slashed.
As a private school, it has less pupils per class as you would expect but being small it doesn’t offer what you would expect from a private school.
It is very much an expensive wrap around establishment which suits working parents for it’s early drop off, late pick up and holiday club included in the price.
What is also included in the price is lunch, morning and afternoon snack. However it has been a massive headache for parents since the in house chef was replaced by a catering company who never seems to get numbers right in defrosting their pre-made meals and kids are leaving school hungry on a daily basis.
The new headteacher is very focused in the appearance of the school investing in the a new door, new uniform, refurbishments in general no doubt to attract new parents and so the price has being going up almost every year.
The new head is not very focused in listening to parent’s feedback and the pta was dissolved recently.
The school no longer seems an attractive investment compared to the local primary schools and I no longer recommend it to other parents as I used to before all the changes.

For the 1at year my daughter was so happy bunny, 2nd year in between. When I’m the 3rd year, she was having of BULLY from her friends at class. Knowing only few children in the class as many parents pull out the kids from there. Last year,
Few days before starts school year, my fighter cried so hard said doesn’t want to go to school anymore. As Mum, I was knew about it but did think this will happen so quick. So on the 3rd Sept, emailed the school that my daughter doesn’t want to go back. And per term, we HAVE to pay 8 months fee as per term 1st day at term month.

They just want money!!!! Didn’t think my daughter anxiety from school. No empathy at all!!! My husband said don’t want to argue and would like to pay, BUT our business getting slower and they still pushing us to pay 4 more months. Just 2 days late to give notice,and they want us to pay for 8 months, how greedy.
The kids doesn’t know how to behave, specially the girls, less manners!!!!! The school didn’t do anything even we told them what have happened to my daughter.

Now my daughter was doing private home schooling. She is so happy. The academic much better than her school before. Kids have manner and the teacher are strict. Strict for something important, manners, behaviour, attitude.

Just few months in Primary there, my lil wasn’t happy at all, children is not kind in the class and only one is nice; even the rest made mine sad.