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The Minster School
Primary · Academy · Southwell
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I'm honestly disgusted.
Being completely honest
Every school has its challenges, and Minster is no exception. A number of people online have been quick to call this school “vile” or “terrible.” While I don’t doubt that some have had difficult experiences, I feel that many of these reviews lean more toward venting anger than offering a fair picture.
As a student with SEN, I can say the department isn’t perfect — especially if your needs aren’t classed as “severe.” For those of us with ADHD or ASD, however, the Inclusion Room has been a lifeline. Run almost independently by two incredible teachers (DK and NH), it offers genuine care and support that make an enormous difference.
In Year 10, I had to take time away from school due to mental health struggles. My Head of Year at the time (who has sadly since left) went above and beyond to help me reintegrate. He worked tirelessly to support me, and I will always be grateful for the effort he put into helping me get back on track.
When it comes to teachers, experiences will always differ. Some of the staff who inspired me most were disliked by others, and vice versa. That’s normal — personalities clash, and no teacher will be universally loved. While it’s true that some members of the pastoral team can come across as arrogant or self-important, there are others who genuinely made school a safer and kinder place for me (NL and AZ in particular). Their compassion made me feel whole again when I was struggling.
It’s also important to remember that teachers are experts in their fields. Yes, they sometimes come across as impatient, but imagine having to simplify and repeat your subject every single day — often to students who refuse to engage. That would test anyone’s patience. In every class I’ve attended, there have been students whose blatant disrespect has made the environment unbearable. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of those same students are behind the more hateful reviews. Teachers deserve far more recognition — and pay — than they currently receive.
For me personally, the Music Department and the Inclusion Team have been the brightest parts of Minster. They gave me a home within the school, and without them my experience would have been very different. Even after failing my Maths GCSE, I’ve never been treated differently — Sixth Form staff have continued to support me with respect and fairness.
Yes, the school has flaws. Some teachers do give off a “god complex” vibe, and that can be overwhelming. But, to be fair, they’ve worked hard for their positions, and it’s not unusual for that sense of authority to show through. Despite this, I genuinely believe Minster is miles ahead of many other schools in the area.
To the teachers who go above and beyond, who make inclusion and creativity shine, and who give students a reason to keep showing up: thank you. You are the reason I am proud to have been taught at Minster.
As a student with SEN, I can say the department isn’t perfect — especially if your needs aren’t classed as “severe.” For those of us with ADHD or ASD, however, the Inclusion Room has been a lifeline. Run almost independently by two incredible teachers (DK and NH), it offers genuine care and support that make an enormous difference.
In Year 10, I had to take time away from school due to mental health struggles. My Head of Year at the time (who has sadly since left) went above and beyond to help me reintegrate. He worked tirelessly to support me, and I will always be grateful for the effort he put into helping me get back on track.
When it comes to teachers, experiences will always differ. Some of the staff who inspired me most were disliked by others, and vice versa. That’s normal — personalities clash, and no teacher will be universally loved. While it’s true that some members of the pastoral team can come across as arrogant or self-important, there are others who genuinely made school a safer and kinder place for me (NL and AZ in particular). Their compassion made me feel whole again when I was struggling.
It’s also important to remember that teachers are experts in their fields. Yes, they sometimes come across as impatient, but imagine having to simplify and repeat your subject every single day — often to students who refuse to engage. That would test anyone’s patience. In every class I’ve attended, there have been students whose blatant disrespect has made the environment unbearable. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of those same students are behind the more hateful reviews. Teachers deserve far more recognition — and pay — than they currently receive.
For me personally, the Music Department and the Inclusion Team have been the brightest parts of Minster. They gave me a home within the school, and without them my experience would have been very different. Even after failing my Maths GCSE, I’ve never been treated differently — Sixth Form staff have continued to support me with respect and fairness.
Yes, the school has flaws. Some teachers do give off a “god complex” vibe, and that can be overwhelming. But, to be fair, they’ve worked hard for their positions, and it’s not unusual for that sense of authority to show through. Despite this, I genuinely believe Minster is miles ahead of many other schools in the area.
To the teachers who go above and beyond, who make inclusion and creativity shine, and who give students a reason to keep showing up: thank you. You are the reason I am proud to have been taught at Minster.
Horrific domt semd specal needs kids there
As someone whongose there i have asd (autism spectrum disorder) and thay are vile to me dont care anout specal needs children at all
Not all that Christian and kind
For a school that claims to be Christian, the leadership team and Governors have put academic pride and the ability to boast good results above pastoral care. There are no second chances here. Considering pupils from poorer backgrounds without private tuition are the ones who are more likely to fail, it's difficult to square this with the CoE Christian ethos.
If you're one of the six pupils in every class of 30 not passing GCSE maths and English with a grade 4, prepare to get cast out because the sixth form is primarily interested in boasting about how wonderful it is for university entrants and so there is no opportunity for pupils to resit multiple failed GCSEs. Results day is a brutal day of rejection for any pupils who don't get their grades. No tissues at the ready or kind words that this isn't the end. Just kids covered in a shroud of failure and tears, ushered into the reject room. Some pupils don't have parents with them due to work commitments. The worry here is how badly some pupils take this harsh news and its delivery, before being discarded.
Likewise, if you don't get the grades you need at A-level, tough luck. No chance to resit here in the following academic year. This also creates elevated levels of anxiety, upset and pressure in other students, who see their peers being cast out.
That said, this is a great school if you're academic and even better if your parents can top up your learning with private tuition as top marks are embraced here above all else and there is opportunity for the brightest select few with financial support.
If you're one of the six pupils in every class of 30 not passing GCSE maths and English with a grade 4, prepare to get cast out because the sixth form is primarily interested in boasting about how wonderful it is for university entrants and so there is no opportunity for pupils to resit multiple failed GCSEs. Results day is a brutal day of rejection for any pupils who don't get their grades. No tissues at the ready or kind words that this isn't the end. Just kids covered in a shroud of failure and tears, ushered into the reject room. Some pupils don't have parents with them due to work commitments. The worry here is how badly some pupils take this harsh news and its delivery, before being discarded.
Likewise, if you don't get the grades you need at A-level, tough luck. No chance to resit here in the following academic year. This also creates elevated levels of anxiety, upset and pressure in other students, who see their peers being cast out.
That said, this is a great school if you're academic and even better if your parents can top up your learning with private tuition as top marks are embraced here above all else and there is opportunity for the brightest select few with financial support.
Don’t be deceived…
Disgusting school
Deceiving, staff are absolutely awful to the kids
Pastoral and mental health support is next to none
Children and frequently shouted at when in need of help
Majority of staff seem oblivious they are working with actual growing blossoming teenagers
It may seem good from the outside but even after a few months of going you really see how blunt, uncaring and inhumane situations and the children are handled.
Don’t think about contacting the school for help with issues as a parent either, the response (if you get one) will be I assure you completely useless.
Deceiving, staff are absolutely awful to the kids
Pastoral and mental health support is next to none
Children and frequently shouted at when in need of help
Majority of staff seem oblivious they are working with actual growing blossoming teenagers
It may seem good from the outside but even after a few months of going you really see how blunt, uncaring and inhumane situations and the children are handled.
Don’t think about contacting the school for help with issues as a parent either, the response (if you get one) will be I assure you completely useless.
Poor school! Never attend!
From the outside the school seems like a good place to send your children, with a good recommendation but after spending 4 years at the place I can confidently say that it has been one of the worst experiences of my life! The food is often undercooked, there are rules that insanely restrict everything a student can do, the punishment system is absurd and inhumane (isolation's a common punishment) and whilst most teachers are well trained and good at their jobs I have found that upper management staff are poor at completing tasks required by their jobs and show no respect to the students for they refuse to listen to any of their complaints, even dire and serious ones.
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I've seen a few others talking about how bad SEN is here, and I can confirm. I have ASD and suffer from bad anxiety, and the staff at this school have done nothing but make everything worse.
My first point: Unless you have severe disabilities, you are made to feel extremely unwelcome in the learning support room, with most staff often forcing I or my friends to suck it up and go to lesson, even if we are quite literally in the middle of a panic attack. They don't even try to help- they just get frustrated. The only "help" I've ever had in relation to my anxiety and autism is being given a "time out card", which you used to be able to use to immediately leave the lesson and relax for a few moments. However, it was taken off me without reason late last year when they changed how the cards worked. Now, you have to place the card on the table, wait for a teacher to send you out, then wait for them to come talk with you, then wait for another member of staff to come supervise you.
It is absolutely disgusting to students who just need a moment alone to calm down and regulate.
Secondly, the issue with bullying. Obviously, this is a secondary school. You are bound to be bullied over every little flaw you may have, or any personality traits that are seen as unnatural: sexuality, being transgender etc. (The staff also have no support for transgender people either.)
The staff's idea of "helping to stop bullying" is to speak directly with the people making fun of you. And they barely ever even do that! I had to have a massive panic attack in front of my entire year group before someone said "I'll have a chat with them". (Years later, I'm still being bullied. I could go on for much longer, but nobody tends to read long reviews.)
Lastly, (although I could possibly make a million more points) I'm utterly disgusted at the approach to abused kids in the school.
My friend (who has given me permission to share this) was being abused at home rather heavily last year, during the time they were having counselling in school. (The counselling is also terrible- I've had 4 who all dropped me.)
My friend said they were being abused, and the counsellor was required to pass it onto our head of year.
...
Who directly called my friends parents.
The people who were abusing them.
And told them that she didn't believe my friend because their parents "seemed like nice people."
It may sound like an overreaction, but this is genuinely what happened.
Overall, despite some good aspects, such as a few of my teachers (notice I have only said staff throughout this review- many teachers care, my issues lie in the pastoral team.) who genuinely want me to succeed and try to support me, this school is awful. It has led me down a dark path of depression and SH that I can never recover from because of the poor approach to mental health, disabilities and bullying.
If you are considering sending your child here- please do not.
If you are reading this and you are a member of staff at the Minster- shame.