Founded 1935, it is on a semi-rural site in 480 acres of parkland on the outskirts of Bury St Edmunds. The site is shared with the senior school, as are the extensive sports and recreational facilities, refurbished music school, studio theatre, art and design technology centre and language laboratory. The school's aim is to provide an education which is challenging, enriching and fun. It has a deep-rooted respect for tradition in good manners and behaviour and views education as something that goes on outside as well as inside the classroom. It seeks to establish a partnership with parents and expects pupils to work hard and make the most of their abilities and talents; it has excellent pastoral care. There is much musical activity and there is an unusual range of sports and activities for a prep school. Almost all pupils go on to Culford senior school.
Pupils: Age range 7–13, 220 pupils; 179 day (95 boys, 84 girls), 41 boarding (26 boys, 15 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 7, 11. Entrance is academically selective and own entry exams used; also interview with Headmaster, except for pupils from own pre-prep school. 2 classes in Year 3, and 3 in Year 6; classes of 16–20 pupils. No special skills or religious requirements.
8 pa scholarships awarded at age 7 and 11 (most academic but also music, sport, all-rounder), value 25% of tuition fees. Also means-tested bursaries, mostly for pupils aged 11 upwards, and may be used to supplement a scholarship.
Over 60% live within 30 miles, under 10% overseas.
Headmaster: Mike Schofield, in post since 2009. Educated at St John's School, Epping, and De Montfort University (Bed with history and PE). Previously Senior Housemaster at Culford, Head of Sixth and of Politics at Bishop’s Stortford High School. Teaching staff: 20 full-time, 3 part-time. Annual turnover 5%. Average age 35.
Pupils take Common Entrance at age 13. Some 20% gain entrance scholarships to their secondary schools.
95% go on to Culford senior school; entrance is by internal exam and Common Entrance.
All National Curriculum subjects taught; specialist subject teachers introduced at age 10. PSHE and citizenship covered in curriculum throughout the school (covering eg healthy eating, relationships, drugs and alchohol); visiting speakers from eg NSPCC; pupils encouraged to contribute in school council; pupils expected to be tolerant of each other and those from different backgounds, positively promoted by the school chaplaincy; pupil-led charity committee; buddying system to help new pupils. Special provision: Learning support department (helps a small number of pupils with moderate support needs) and EAL department (helps a small number of overseas boarders). Languages: French taught from age 7, Latin from 11. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. 2 dedicated ICT suites and all classrooms have interactive Smartboards.
Some 20% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams may be taken. Musical groups include orchestra, jazz group, chamber choir, number of ensembles; pupils regularly involved with local Cathedral choir. Number of recitals and musical evenings each term (all standards of performers) and annual choral verse evening; inter-house music competitions; school musicians included in BBC Christmas CD. LAMDA speech and drama exams may be taken. Majority of pupils involved in school drama productions; annual school musical, most recently Calico Jack (written and directed by staff). Number of specialised rooms for art and design technology plus a kiln. Music, drama, dance and art all offered as extra-curricular activities.
Compulsory sports: rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, rounders, swimming, tennis, athletics, health and fitness. Optional: table tennis, badminton, squash, karate, dance, cross country, basketball, climbing, canoeing, horse riding, golf. Sports facilities shared with senior school and include grass pitches, floodlit all-weather pitch, 9 tennis courts (4 indooor, 5 floodlit outdooor); sports centre has 25m indoor pool, 60m sports hall (with 4 lanes for indoor cricket), 2 squash courts, dance studio and fitness suite. Fixture list covers schools across most of East Anglian region. Numerous county representatives in major games; few go on to regional, occasionally national level competitions; representatives in English Barbarians U13 rugby squad. Successful equestrian team; national U13 doubles and singles tennis champions. Activities: Up to 30 clubs and activities, including croquet, beginners Latin, touch typing, fencing, gardening, Spring Watch, dance, drama, fencing, scuba diving, art. Pupils produce own magazine, Th'inkwell, with staff support. Enrichment programme to stretch talented pupils (eg debates, environmental issues, the arts, culture and literature).
Uniform: School uniform worn. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects and head boy/girl, appointed following interviews and letters of application; sports captains appointed by team managers, activity house captains by house staff, form captains by form teacher (usually rotated termly); forms can select members to sit on school council; pupils lead school council and charities committees. Religion: Methodist. Attendance at religious worship compulsory. Social: Trips abroad include visits to France (Years 6 and 8); annual skiing trip. Pupils allowed to bring own bike/scooter to school. Meals cafeteria style and compulsory; pupils can bring their own food to school only for special dietary reasons. School shop. Most day pupils travel to school by car; school buses, including for after-school clubs etc. Some supervision available before and after school by arrangement (8am to 5.45pm).
School aims for discipline to be firm, fair and supportive with clear expectations (apreciated by pupils and parents). Pupils expected to be responsible for their actions, to respect themsleves and each other and to apply a moral code centred on what is right and wrong Where a pupil fails to produce homework on time, the form teacher would be alerted. Any pupil caught stealing could expect at least immediate suspension and a follow up meeting with parents before the case for re-inclusion could be made thereafter.
Pupils share with 3–6 others. Single-sex floors in one boarding house. Resident qualified nurse. Exeats by arrangement with housemaster. Part-boarding (from 2 nights a week) available. Occasional supervised visits to local town. Weekend activities include ice skating, laser quest, seaside, theme parks, museums and galleries (Sundays); bowling, cinema, use of school's recreational facilities, in-house actitivies such as talent shows, tower building, face painting (Saturdays).
Run by Mrs Samantha Salisbury, c/o the school.
John Motson (sports commentator), Gary Newbon (head of sport, Central TV).
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