Mendip Living Aug - Sep 2021

meet the head
Mendip Living’s Ade Hill meets Helen Cullen, Headteacher
at state boarding and day school Sexey’s and discovers more
about the historic school and its wonderful location of Bruton!
What is the history, and how did the school get its name?
Sexey’s School is named after Hugh Sexey, who was born into a
humble background in or near Bruton in the mid-16th century, but
was appointed as a clerk within the Exchequer during the reign
of Elizabeth 1. He left several charitable trusts after his death, and
Sexey’s School was established in 1891 from one of those trusts.
What do you like most about the school’s town of Bruton?
We’ve got a great community in Bruton. As is so frequently promoted
in the national papers, there is also a superb range of restaurants –
some of them Michelin starred – and places to visit, like Hauser &
Wirth (the international art gallery, which our students benefit from
visiting greatly) and The Newt.
What is your school’s ethos?
At Sexey’s, we work together with a determination to be exceptional
in all that we do. Our Sexey’s Seven Christian core values were
actually chosen by our students, and include: Courage, Forgiveness,
Kindness, Honesty, Empathy, Respect and Resilience. They are the
building blocks of our individual character and through these we grow
and develop as individuals and as a community.
What is state boarding?
State boarding schools provide high quality boarding at the lowest
possible cost. This is because parents only pay the cost of boarding,
as education is covered by the state. This means that rather than
paying £25,000+ a year for an independent boarding school, you
would probably be paying under £12,000 a year.
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At what age can a child join the
school?
We take students aged from 11 –
18. The most common points of
entry are Year 7 or Year 12 (for our excellent Sixth Form), but we often
have students join us in other years. Year 9 is a popular entry year for
us, as prep school students often join us at that age.
Tell us more about transport links to the school?
We have minibuses that run around the local area, including Frome,
Yeovil and Sparkford for our Sixth Form students, and Bruton is easily
accessible by train from Frome, Westbury, Taunton and Bath.
How has the teaching team operated during the last year?
My staff are absolute stars of the profession and have excelled
themselves over the last year. We used TEAMS to deliver virtual
lessons when school was closed, and set daily challenges on our
social channels to try to keep a sense of camaraderie. When school
began to reopen in line with government guidelines, they juggled
a mix of virtual and physical lessons and of course have had to
put additional time and work into the exam grading systems. The
feedback we have had from parents has been a great joy to receive.
How can I get in touch to find out more?
A great first port of call is our school website, www.sexeys.
somerset.sch.uk. There you will find a selection of videos, news and
information about how to apply. Or of course you can give us a call
anytime on 01749 813393. We look forward to meeting you!
Working together with
a determination to be
exceptional in all that
we do
Sexey’s School is a league-topping, Church of England,
co-educational state boarding and day school for 11-18 year olds
Based in Bruton, Somerset | Visit www.sexeys.somerset.sch.uk | Email admissions@sexeys.somerset.sch.uk
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