The Good Schools Guide

THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 2014 REPORT INDEPENDENT PREPARATORY SCHOOL THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE REVIEW OF WALHAMPTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL Good Schools Guide Writes… THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE REVIEW OF WALHAMPTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL Good Schools Guide Writes… HEAD Since 2012, Mr Titus Mills (Eton, challenge: he has turned around schools in University of East Anglia and Oxford). the past, and has a remit to do something Has taught across the spectrum, latterly similar for Walhampton: not that it was as Head of the Paragon, an independent failing, but Mr Mills is there to make it foundation school in Bath, and prior to fly. His energetic personality indicates that as Head of St George’s International there is no question he will succeed - ‘he’s Junior school in Rome and Deputy Head brimming with positivity,’ said a parent. of St Mark’s C of E school in Lambeth. In the 18 months since taking up his post, Named Titus after the family donkey. The Mr Mills has swept through the school like kids from St Mark’s sang ‘Oh Happy Day’ a brisk wind, removing all dusty elements: at his wedding to Jemima, who is involved from significant staff changes to new in many aspects of school life, from uniform and school emblem (the sticking meeting parents to arts and crafts. They out tongue has been lopped off the stag). have three young sons at the school. There was ‘lots of debris,’ commented a parent. Another enthusiastic parent said Mr Mills is charming, and his ease of that Mr Mills works ‘at the speed of light’ manner quickly suggests his Eton and will respond to an email request within roots; but he is also warm, penetrating, half an hour with an action plan. Happy and very enthusiastic. Mr Mills relishes a constituents indeed. ENTRANCE front of Swallows and Amazons - there’s Portmore Pond, for sailing, Sandwalk Non selective. Tests for placing purposes. Pond, for fishing; even a Curly Wurly EXIT Mountain. For Enid Blyton lovers there’s the Faraway Tree and a Wishing Seat. Bee To a range of 25 senior schools, hives do well, set in a wild flower meadow. including Harrow, Eton, Winchester, There are stables, and camps and bluebell Marlborough, St Swithun’s and woods. It feels like a child’s dream; and Bournemouth Grammar Schools. your child, when looking at the pictures REMARKS in the prospectus of shields, armour and galloping ponies, may well feel that they Walhampton is exceptionally lovely, as are going into training to become a knight. are so many stately homes turned school, First impressions of the school suggest with glorious buildings and grounds. it will be traditional hunting, shooting, But something more than that: there is a fishing - Country Life and Tatler are the feeling that all your favourite childhood magazines of choice in the entrance hall - fiction comes alive in this place. The map but this is not completely so. Fish caught dust jacket to the prospectus (no we’ve in the pond, for instance, are not cooked never seen a dust jacket on one before for tea - ‘the children wouldn’t like that,’ either) is resonant of the map in the but humanely thrown back. “it is extraordinary to think this is a school and not a home.” It is a school of adventurers, and this is other on a tree swing. A school for parents reflected in children’s choice of book: ‘We who want their children to have a childhood don’t really do books that are full of teenage with plenty of play - there are the usual angst here,’ said the librarian. Super and number of screens here, but the children are thoughtfully arranged library - books far more likely to enthuse about an outside reserved for years 7 and 8 on one side, so the activity - riding, flags or the tremendously librarian can see if a crafty year 3 nips across popular Escape from Colditz: children have to pick a book that is not age appropriate; to escape from an area of the grounds, in the authors’ names written on shelves to ease dark, and get to the headmaster’s study and the hunt; books for year 3s facing front on ring the bell. Staff, equipped with lamps as carousels - because they find it difficult to headgear, try to spot and stop them. ‘Wet, browse spine on. Library sessions each week, windy and wild,’ says the school mag, the but the library is evidently used at all times Mercury. Here is a school where they are by kids: a jigsaw is always on the go - a child not afraid to get dirty; or take risks. stressed out by a lesson can always calm down for five minutes with Manners here clearly kept a jigsaw, said the librarian “Manners here well to the fore: children comfortably. clearly kept well leapt to their feet as we went There is a strong family around and held open doors: feel to this school, which to the fore.” one small child moved out is underscored by the of our way, saying decidedly fact that many teachers live on site with ‘good evening’ (just after lunch). With their families. It succeeds in feeling non much fanfare, Mr Mills introduced new institutional: this place’s stately past comprehensible school rules, and a merits/ is not completely diluted by its school sanctions system which is firmly tied in, so present. Standing on the terrace during kids understand what they’ve done right and break, watching the children at play, it is wrong. Beach huts in house colours collect extraordinary to think this is a school and stag tokens, handed out for behaviour, not a home. effort and achievement - very popular with At break time a number of the children kids, who love posting their tokens. Each skipped in, lamb like, from the lawn: just half term the school, pupils and teachers expressing happiness of being. They are a alike, aim to develop a particular learning lively, happy bunch of children and properly characteristic - perseverance at the time young: they all play at break time, including of our visit: clearly taken very much to the enormous 13 year old boys, who looked heart by the children, and the determined as though they should already be at a senior cross country runner who came in last, but school, but raced around, twisting each persevered to the end. “Mud is part of the curriculum.” Children express themselves clearly, and have great loyalty to their school. They feel that their views are listened to and actioned: School Council got the water fountains it requested; and also managed to secure something more yummy than banana chips at break time (cake and granola bars are popular - though fruit is still an option). Food is fabulous since regime change - it was delicious on the day of our visit - and there was some lively debate amongst the children about the relative merits of sunshine or minestrone soup: the children requested soup, and soup has arrived, garnish too. The Head’s main focus has been on increasing academic standards, and for the first time in the school’s history two boys have been awarded academic scholarships to Winchester. Fifty per cent of year 8 have won academic, sports or drama scholarships this year. Subjects are traditional (Latin is compulsory), but learning comes alive here: the Battle of Trafalgar takes place on one of the ponds, the Battle of Agincourt in another part of the grounds, and ditches are currently doubling as trenches for WW2 enactments. History, understandably, is a tremendously popular subject. ‘Mud is part of the curriculum,’ said one member of staff. The head is keen to take learning outside as much as possible, and although the learn-outside theme is only just developing, it was one of the most deserted schools we have ever toured: pupils were having an outside lesson (the science teacher is regularly outside with a battalion of microscopes), rehearsing Joseph, doing sport or competing in a maths competition: there were many exciting reasons not to be sitting in a classroom. Class sizes range from 15-20. It is, on the whole, a tremendously young and engaged staff. Mr Mills’ staff revamp has turned around subjects, (such as geography), that were in the doldrums, say parents happily. We were shown comprehensive evidence of children’s progress: development in key subjects is very carefully documented - helpful in directing pupils and parents to the right senior school. The Pre-Prep block is enjoying new difficulties are accepted will depend partly emphasis under Mr Mills. As in the Prep on an assessment and the balance of school, priority is given to outside learning: children in that year). Charged as an extra, the little ones have wet weather red but ‘not expensive,’ said a parent. Can drop dungarees, coats and wellies, and are outside a language for extra support. LSU provides in all weathers (excellent welly holders here) ‘exceptional support,’ said parent of a child - they recently enjoyed operations in a mud with dyslexia. ‘No stigma,’ and kids likely to kitchen with wok and watering can. Ella help each other with difficulties. and Daisy, the Pre-Prep hens, potter around Very vigorous house system with ferociously happily. Here’s a great new outside area - competitive inter house sports, but also Owl Corner, with bushes an alternative house to hide in, a wooden stag to competition for the long climb on, and a rope to pull “LSU provides term off sports through yourself up a steep slope. The exceptional injury, who are having an transition between inter house bake off.

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