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Our Schools
Welcome to Wishford Schools, a group of happy and high-achieving schools. Although each schools is different, it is the qualities they share that make our schools so successful.
Wishford Schools all have a strong sense of community, where older children look out for the younger ones, and where parents are actively involved in school life. They value academic success, ensuring pupils achieve their first choice of senior school, often with awards and scholarships. And they combine the best elements of a traditional prep school with a willingness to innovate and develop, giving children in their care the very best opportunities and experiences, and providing an education which is varied, imaginative and fulfilling.
Our schools are happy, nurturing places. Our children are challenged and supported to achieve amazing things academically, in sport, and in the performing and visual arts - we expect great things of them! Even so, we are constantly amazed and impressed by their achievements across all parts of the curriculum and beyond. Children thrive in the cheerful environment our schools provide, treating the staff and each other with respect, and they leave us confident and well prepared for the next stage in their education.
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Cricklade Manor PrepCricklade, Wiltshire
Cricklade Manor Prep
Cricklade Manor Prep is an independent Prep school for girls and boys aged 2-11. The school provides a caring environment for growth, self-discovery and success; a place that respects individuality and brings potential to life. The school is located in an 8-acre site within the historical town of Cricklade, and is within easy reach of Swindon, Malmesbury, Cirencester and Shrivenham.
From the youngest children in our busy Nursery, to our confident, pro-active Year 6 leavers, and at every point in between, they are challenged by outstanding staff and exciting opportunities, motivated in a supportive and friendly environment. Therefore, children who attend our school are prepared for the future with an appetite to learn, an enthusiasm for future challenges and the confidence to take the lead.
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Hatherop Castle SchoolCirencester, Gloucestershire
Hatherop Castle School
Hatherop Castle School is a happy and exceptionally high-achieving day and boarding school where children from 2 to 13 years old can enjoy the Adventure of Childhood.
The glorious Cotswold setting, the outstanding education, and the broad and inspiring opportunities enjoyed by Hatherop Castle pupils, create a learning adventure all children can enjoy. The school's academic results, which ensure all pupils gain their first choice of Senior School, tell their own story. But this is just one outcome of an education at Hatherop Castle, and it is the rest of the experience that makes us stand out from the crowd.
The school's aspiration is that each child will have his or her own unique adventure within the castle and grounds. It is a magical place in which to spend a childhood, and children are challenged and supported to explore the world and their surroundings, try new things, take risks, grow in ability and confidence and fulfil their potential, whether that be in the classroom, on the sports fields or in art, music and drama. They develop important learning characteristics that stand them in good stead for the years to come; resilience, perseverance, curiosity and the confidence to step outside their comfort zones. Our children celebrate their strengths and recognise the areas they need to work on, developing an enduring love of learning.
In a world where children can grow up too quickly, we have created an environment that allows children to remain children longer, exploring and enjoying their childhood, while helping them prepare for the next stage of their lives in a caring, nurturing environment where mistakes can be made and learnt from and each child is allowed to develop and mature naturally.
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Heywood PrepCorsham, Wiltshire
Heywood Prep
Heywood Prep is a caring, friendly community in which happy children discover a love of learning and the confidence to fulfil their potential.
We are an independent prep school and nursery, for boys and girls aged two to eleven, located in the heart of Corsham, Wiltshire, with two acres of beautiful gardens where children play, explore and learn.
At the heart of our ethos is learning tailored to every child, and this is built into the curriculum through our Individualised Learning sessions. In this way, children at every level are supported, enthused and challenged to broaden their interests, maximise their learning and achieve their very best. With opportunities ranging from the academic and the arts to entrepreneurship and leadership challenges, our children benefit from an outstanding team of committed and imaginative teachers.
Our most recent inspection report described us as ‘a welcoming, friendly and open community. As a result of feeling safe and well looked after, pupils thrive and challenge themselves to reach their full potential.’
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St David's PrepWest Wickham, Kent
St David's Prep
Founded in 1926, St David's Prep is located in West Wickham, Kent and educates around 150 boys and girls.
The school aims to develop the academic and social potential of each child to the full. Pupils are encouraged and supported in a caring, disciplined and positive environment to develop self-esteem, a sense of responsibility and an awareness of the wider world. Pupils benefit from six acres of playgrounds, sports fields and woodland, providing space to explore and enjoy childhood.
On leaving St David's Prep, pupils go on to a wide range of secondary schools including Whitgift, Trinity, Bromley High and Croydon High, selective grammar schools in Kent and South London and excellent local state schools including Langley Park Boys & Girls.
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St Edward's PrepReading, Berkshire
St Edward's Prep
St Edward’s Prep is a friendly and welcoming prep school, focused entirely on helping boys to be the very best they can be. It is an exciting and inspiring place to grow up, each day bringing fresh interests, challenges and fun, and strong and lasting friendships are formed here.
Our boys enjoy a broad and exciting curriculum. Strength in the core subjects and the outstanding provision in STEM subjects are balanced by thriving music and drama departments, and fantastic sporting opportunities.
Our excellent staff help the boys enjoy the process of learning and encourage them to push themselves to new challenges, and to behave with respect and kindness. As a result, our pupils go on to achieve amazing things academically, on the sports field and in the creative arts. They leave us happy, confident and well prepared for the next step in their education.
Wrap-around care, plus plenty of bus routes serving the surrounding area, help to make school life easy for busy working parents, and there are many opportunities for parents to get involved in the school community.
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St Faith's PrepCanterbury, Kent
St Faith's Prep
St Faith’s Prep is a happy and high-achieving prep school and nursery, in the heart of the beautiful Kent countryside. Rated ‘Excellent’ in a recent Inspection, this is a school where children are inspired and challenged from their very first day with us, to think independently and creatively, to enjoy and participate fully in their learning, and to achieve amazing things.
There is a real sense of belonging at St Faith’s. From their first days at Sandcastles Nursery, children encourage one another to live the school motto,‘I can and I will’. In this warm and supportive environment, children learn to value themselves and each other, to take risks and responsibility, to learn from their mistakes and build on their successes year by year.
With a broad and exciting curriculum, and supported and encouraged by excellent specialist teachers, our children steadily build knowledge and understanding, key skills and a robust work ethic year on year. When the time comes, they are able to take senior school entrance exams comfortably in their stride, without the pressures of intensive preparation. As a result, our boys and girls gain places to the region’s top independent schools, and regularly, over 90% take the Kent Test and qualify for the impressive local grammar schools. As importantly, they are ready for the next step, confident, optimistic, and ready and willing to make the most of all the opportunities life presents.
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The MeadTunbridge Wells, Kent
The Mead
Situated in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, The Mead is a warm family community in which happy, secure children thrive, learn and achieve. Founded by Angela Culley in 1987, the school has grown and developed from an initial twelve children to over two hundred today. The Mead is housed in a large Victorian villa which has seen significant development over the years, but has maintained its homely feel. It is run as a large family living under one roof.
The school enjoys a reputation of high academic standards within a caring, happy environment. Children are prepared for the highly selective Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge Grammar Schools as well as a wide range of Independent and maintained secondary schools.
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Westonbirt PrepTetbury, Gloucestershire
Westonbirt Prep
Set in 210 acres of beautiful, inspiring parklands in the heart of the Cotswolds, Westonbirt Prep has a caring, family-centered feel that ensures children enjoy their time at the school and parents feel involved and supported in their child's learning.
Children are immersed in a culture that promotes a love of learning, a desire to improve and a bravery to try new and exciting things without fear of failure. These are coupled with a strong emphasis on values such as respect, determination, friendship, courage and equality and a passion from staff to develop the whole child as a person as well as a learner.
Westonbirt Prep is able to provide the material benefits of much larger school, such as a state of the art sports centre, a 9 hole golf course and access to the specialist facilities and teaching of Westonbirt School with whom we share our fantastic site.
The school is committed to developing our children into articulate, bright and engaged young adults capable of facing any challenge that they are confronted with in the future and determined to fulfil their potential and follow their ambitions.
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Westonbirt SchoolTetbury, Gloucestershire
Westonbirt School
Housed in a Victorian mansion in the heart of the glorious Cotswolds, students at Westonbirt School can be carefree, feel secure in their inspiring surroundings and are able to enjoy fresh air and extensive space.
Westonbirt School offers a wealth of subjects, activities and opportunities for teaching and learning to impact on every level. Passion and commitment fuel teaching and the learning environment is rich and filled with an expectation that each pupil will fulfil their potential and beyond.
