Stonar School Review 2026: All-through day and boarding with a major equestrian pathway

Stonar School is an all-through independent school serving ages 2 to 18, with boarding from Year 5 and an unusually strong equestrian offer at the centre of school life. That combination shapes the culture: pupils can follow a conventional academic route, add riding and equine management as a serious strand, or treat the stables as their main co-curricular focus alongside GCSEs and A-levels. Leadership is stable, with Headmaster Matthew Way in post since September 2019.

Families considering Stonar are usually weighing three things at once: the day or boarding fit, the breadth of opportunities beyond exams, and whether the school’s academic outcomes align with their child’s ambitions. The evidence points to a school that runs on clear systems, invests in facilities, and prioritises safeguarding and pastoral structures across nursery, prep, senior and boarding.

Stonar’s identity is strongly shaped by the way its phases sit alongside each other. Early years and prep are designed to feel age-appropriate and structured, with a clear rhythm to the day and practical support for working families. In the prep handbook, the daily timetable is explicit, with registration at 8:30am, lessons finishing at 4:00pm, and clubs and after-school provision extending the day for those who need it.

From Year 7 onwards, the tone becomes more outward-facing. Co-curricular choices are extensive and deliberately varied, mixing sport and creative activities with academic and technical options. On the clubs list, it is telling that “Airfix Model Making” sits comfortably alongside chamber choir, computer aided design, and catch-up sessions for GCSE and A-level art. That mix suits pupils who like to define themselves by more than one label.

Equestrianism is not treated as a niche add-on. The school positions its on-site provision as a defining feature, and inspection evidence confirms that risk assessment and supervision explicitly cover the riding stables as part of whole-school safeguarding and safety systems.

Stonar is also clear about its governance context. It describes itself as part of the Globeducate group, framing this as a route to broader opportunities and shared practice. For parents, the practical implication is usually less about branding and more about resourcing, recruitment, and access to wider networks.

Stonar does not publish comparable primary phase performance measures in the same way as many state schools, and its prep documentation indicates that it does not participate in national tests in the prep school. This places more weight on qualitative indicators, internal assessment, and the strength of transition into the senior years.

For GCSE outcomes, Stonar is ranked 527th in England and 1st in the local area for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the school above England average overall, within the top 25% of schools in England (top quartile). 22% of GCSE entries achieved grades 9 to 8, and 45% achieved grades 9 to 7. The England comparison figure for grades 9 to 7 is 54%, so Stonar’s top-grade concentration sits below that benchmark in this specific measure.

At A-level, Stonar is ranked 1,240th in England and 1st in the local area for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That places outcomes in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). In the grade profile provided, 50% of entries achieved A* to B, compared with an England benchmark of 47.2%. The proportion at A* to A is 17.86% (5.36% at A* and 12.5% at A), compared with an England benchmark of 23.6%.

Two points help interpret the picture for parents. First, the GCSE ranking indicates that, as an overall package, Stonar performs strongly in its context, even though its top-grade share is not as high as the England comparator in the metric provided. Second, the A-level distribution suggests that many students achieve solid outcomes through to B grades, with a smaller proportion at the very top grades than the England benchmark. For students targeting the most competitive courses, that should prompt careful questions about subject choices, support, and stretch, rather than assumptions based on the school’s brand.

Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these outcomes alongside other schools in the area and assess which profile best matches their child.

Stonar’s teaching model varies appropriately by phase. In prep, specialist teaching is used in specific areas (including sport, languages, drama, computing and outdoor learning), with increasing use of wider school facilities as pupils move through the years. The prep handbook references the Buckle Theatre, Music Centre, art studio and science laboratories as part of this progression, which is an important indicator that facilities are integrated into teaching rather than treated as occasional treats.

In senior school, the curriculum is designed to give pupils both breadth and choice. Performing arts sits as a clear strand, with drama and music built into Years 7 and 8, then expanded into option blocks and public qualifications later on. LAMDA is explicitly part of the offer for pupils who want a structured performance route.

For equestrian pupils, the key quality question is whether riding is supported with the same discipline and oversight as academic learning. The inspection evidence is reassuring on operational fundamentals: safeguarding systems cover early years, boarders, pupils with English as an additional language, and pupils with additional needs; risk assessments include the riding stables; and staff training and oversight are described as effective.

Because Stonar is all-through, there are several “next steps” to consider, not just university.

From Nursery into Prep, and Prep into Senior

The admissions documentation makes clear that places are offered subject to availability, typically following a taster day and references, and that progression between key stages depends on pupils making sufficient progress and the school being confident it can meet needs at the next stage. For parents, that signals a school that values fit and readiness over automatic entitlement, particularly at the bigger transition points.

**From Year 11 into Sixth Form.For sixth‑form entry, Stonar sets explicit expectations: at least six GCSEs at grade 5+, and higher minimum grades in subjects linked to intended A‑level choices. This clarity is helpful. It avoids the ambiguity that can otherwise unsettle Year 11 families.

University and post-18 pathways

The most concrete progression data available indicates that, for the 2023/24 leavers cohort, 42% progressed to university, 3% to further education, 3% to apprenticeships, and 19% to employment. This points to a genuinely mixed set of routes rather than a single dominant pathway, which can suit students who want time to refine plans.

For highly academic applicants, Stonar’s Oxbridge figures show small volumes. In the measurement period, there were two applications and one acceptance to Cambridge in the combined Oxford and Cambridge data. In a school of this size, that typically signals that Oxbridge is achievable for a small number of students, but it is not the defining narrative of the Sixth Form. Parents of ambitious students should focus on subject-level strength, guidance quality, and the student’s own academic profile.

Stonar is also investing in Sixth Form space and guidance infrastructure. Plans referenced by the school include a dedicated Sixth Form centre and enhanced provision around university support, alongside upgrades in performing arts and design and technology. For students making decisions at 16, that matters because it can affect study culture, independent learning spaces, and the seriousness of post-18 mentoring.

Admissions at Stonar are direct to the school, with several main entry points: Nursery, Reception, Year 7, Year 9, and Lower Sixth. Offers are subject to availability and the school’s assessment of fit, including taster experiences and references, plus assessments where appropriate.

Year 7 entry

The school describes a structured annual cycle, typically with open mornings in September, a taster day in October, an application deadline in November, and entrance assessment activity in January, followed by decisions in late January and acceptance in March. In the most recently published timeline, the Year 7 entrance assessment date fell in early January, with decision letters in late January. As of 24 January 2026, that specific cycle is already in progress or complete for September 2026 entry, so families looking ahead should treat these timings as a pattern and confirm the next set of dates on the school website.

Year 9 entry

Stonar indicates that families may apply up to two years in advance. The assessment model mirrors Year 7, with an interview and an online assessment in literacy, numeracy, and verbal or non-verbal reasoning.

Sixth Form entry

External applicants do not sit an entrance exam in the standard route, but they do have an interview and provide reports and predicted grades. Scholarship applicants have a published deadline and an assessment period later in the autumn term before entry.

Stonar also publishes open day dates across prep, senior and Sixth Form. The next confirmed open events include May 2026 dates and an autumn open day in September 2026, with booking encouraged.

Pastoral quality at Stonar is evidenced most strongly through inspection findings and the way boarding is organised.

The March 2024 ISI material change inspection concluded that the school met the required standards across safeguarding, boarding welfare, supervision, staff suitability checks, premises, and leadership and management.

Within the same inspection evidence, pupils are described as confident to report concerns; records are handled with care; online safety education and filtering are in place; and there is a staffed health and wellbeing centre with qualified nurses, including overnight provision when needed.

Boarding pastoral care is structured around three houses, each with clear staffing and routines. The boarding model includes defined check-ins, study time, and access to broader facilities, plus a clear approach to supervision at night and at weekends. For many families, that predictability is the point. It reduces the risk that boarding becomes chaotic or socially overwhelming, especially for younger pupils starting boarding in Year 5.

Stonar’s co-curricular offer is broad enough that families should think in “pillars” rather than lists, then decide which pillar matters most for their child.

Equestrian

The equestrian centre is positioned as a core feature of the school, and inspection documentation explicitly treats riding as part of the school’s risk-assessed operational reality. For pupils who ride seriously, that matters. It signals that time, space and safeguarding governance are organised around the stables, not squeezed in around the edges.

Creative and performing arts

The Buckle Theatre is a named focal point, and the school describes annual senior productions plus a pathway into LAMDA. Clubs include activities that support both participation and technical interest, from chamber choir to photography and practical making. Development plans also refer to refurbishing the theatre area and creating a drama studio, which suggests continued investment rather than maintaining the status quo.

Sport and fitness

The clubs programme includes both mainstream and less common options. Swim squad, archery, weightlifting, trampolining and pilates sit alongside rugby, hockey and netball. For pupils who are not single-sport specialists, that range can be a real advantage. It allows them to keep a sport identity without being funnelled into one narrow route.

STEM and practical creativity

The club list includes computer aided design and design-focused activity, while the ISI inspection references a new building containing a design and technology classroom and a library, with appropriate safety checks and implementation. That sort of investment tends to be most valuable for pupils who learn best by making and testing, not only by writing.

For 2025/26, day fees range from £4,310 per term in Reception and Years 1 to 2 to £8,360 per term in Years 9 to Upper Sixth. Boarding fees for UK pupils range from £12,915 per term in Years 5 to 6 to £16,755 per term in Years 9 to Upper Sixth. The school states that published fees are inclusive of VAT where applicable, and it describes what is included in core fees, such as meals and most clubs, plus wraparound care for prep pupils.

Financial support is available through means-tested bursaries, with scholarships offered for entry into Years 7, 9 and Sixth Form, as well as riding scholarships that can reduce the cost of lessons or livery and support. Stonar’s published bursary description emphasises full financial disclosure and an assessment of whether the child would benefit from the education and contribute to wider school life.

It is also worth noting the practical structure of one-off and optional costs. The school publishes a non-refundable application fee of £120, and acceptance deposits differ for day pupils and boarders. Beyond tuition, families should budget for extras such as transport, learning support, instrumental lessons, and riding-related costs where relevant.

Wraparound care for prep pupils runs from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with before-school club and after-school provision described as part of the offer for Reception to Year 6. The prep handbook also sets out a clear daily structure, with lessons beginning at 8:50am and finishing at 4:00pm, followed by tea and clubs.

Transport is supported through bus routes serving a range of local areas, including Bath and several Wiltshire towns, with routes reviewed annually according to demand.

For boarding families, the published routine gives a sense of weekday structure, including early access to stables, set mealtimes, and defined study periods.

• Equestrian focus can reshape priorities. For keen riders, the stables are a major benefit. For non-riders, it is worth checking that your child still feels fully catered for socially and in the co-curricular timetable, rather than feeling peripheral to the school’s best-known strand.

• Academic profile is mixed by measure. The school’s GCSE ranking is strong in its context, but the top-grade concentration in the provided measure sits below the England comparison figure. Families with highly selective academic goals should probe subject-level stretch and support at both GCSE and A-level.

• Boarding model is structured, which suits some more than others. Houses have routines and expectations around roll calls and study times. That tends to suit pupils who like predictable systems, and it can be harder for pupils who want a looser, more self-directed approach.

• Admissions timing needs active management. Key Year 7 milestones typically fall from September through March. If you are targeting a particular September entry year, build a calendar early and confirm dates as soon as they are published.

Stonar School suits families who want an all-through independent setting where pupils can combine academic study with serious co-curricular identity, particularly in equestrian sport, but also across arts, sport and practical creativity. Boarding is a genuine option rather than an afterthought, supported by clear routines and pastoral structures. The strongest fit is for pupils who enjoy variety, respond well to structure, and want to develop confidence through activities as well as lessons. Families interested in this option should use the Saved Schools feature to track key admissions milestones, open days and fee planning as they build a shortlist.