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This happy, busy prep had a seamless merger with Chiswick and Bedford Park Prep in September 2024, and with its now-wider scope offers an even-stronger mix of forward-thinking academics and a homely nurturing environment. The atmosphere is warm and friendly with chatty, smiley pupils and staff, and a head who shakes everyone’s hand when they arrive in the morning.
Where is Orchard House School?
Tucked away in a leafy corner of Chiswick’s smart Bedford Park enclave, Orchard House is spread across three former residential buildings dripping in original features, each a short walk from one another. The nursery and reception classes occupy the Rupert Road site, which has a superb outside space. Then there’s a gentle transition to Years 1 and 2 in Priory House, before children head on to the principal building in Newton Grove for Years 3 to 6. It’s the largest of the three sites, with enough room for a small football and netball court, a wooden trail and a Wendy house. Turnham Green Tube station is five minutes away, but most pupils walk or scoot to school, as many families are Chiswick locals. Others travel from Acton and Hammersmith.
Headteacher at Orchard House School
Former head at Chiswick and Bedford Park Prep for three years before the merger, Henrietta Adams was perfectly placed to take the reins here. Wonderfully approachable, she has a knack of putting everyone she meets at ease, and her open-door policy for pupils and parents is well utilised. Orchard House, she says, ‘feels like home. I bounce into work every day, I love it.’ Head of pre-prep Charlotte Hands-Wicks is equally enthusiastic. She first joined the school as a parent before teaching there. ‘I have two hats and I am a real part of the community,’ she says.
Admissions at Orchard House School
Pupils can join the nursery from the term after they turn three. Registrations are accepted from birth, so it’s worth being proactive and visiting Orchard House so that names can be put down promptly. Places are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, 18 months before entry, and siblings of pupils already at the school are given priority. It’s always worth enquiring about occasional places further up the school – there are a lot of international families here, so places do pop up every now and then.
Academics and senior school destinations
Learning here is centred on engaging pupils by teaching in a way that feels relevant to them. ‘The whole curriculum has been designed with the children at the heart,’ says deputy head Crystal Waldmeyer. And she’s right: there’s certainly nothing rote about lessons. Weekly philosophy and oracy lessons have recently been introduced for everyone in Year 1 upwards to help foster thinking outside the box and engage in learning in a collaborative way. Science is hands-on and linked to sustainability issues, and pupils act like real-life scientists, discussing their thinking about topics. The innovation hub has a brilliant STEM room with a Lego wall and a podcast studio with a green screen, and group work sees pupils tackling issues such as how to provide water for a country that has none or designing a flood-proof house. ‘The curriculum is very knowledge-rich,’ says Ms Hands-Wicks. ‘It prepares them for life with good skills such as communication and collaboration, which they can apply to whatever they need to later on. It is a fantastic foundation.’
There’s a strong focus on English, and lots of time spent in the library – a points scheme sees pupils winning bronze, silver and gold badges on their way to becoming reading ambassadors. Interestingly, the school is moving away from relying on computers and iPads; homework is now done in dedicated exercise books, and the upper years no longer bring in their own devices. ‘Children don’t learn as well from a screen,’ says Mrs Adams. A brilliant pastoral team supports children with SEND. That said, each pupil’s needs are always put first – and if it’s clear that a child would struggle to keep up academically, then this probably isn’t the school for them.
Conversations about senior schools start in Year 5, with parents invited in for individual appointments. Among the most popular destinations are St Paul’s, Latymer, Lady Eleanor Holles, Francis Holland and Harrodian.
Co-curricular at Orchard House School
There’s lots of music at Orchard House, with around 70 per cent of pupils taking private lessons. Expect orchestras, choirs, brass ensembles and recorder and guitar groups galore, with regular performances for parents as well as during Friday assembly. Drama is timetabled, with extra LAMDA lessons available for those who would like them. All the Year 6s get involved in their leavers’ play, which they perform at a local theatre (last year, they staged an all-singing, all-dancing performance of Shrek). Art often ties in with topics, with lots of trips to museums and galleries to bring learning alive and teach pupils about art history too.
For sport, the children head over to the playground at Newton Grove or – for a little more space to stretch their legs – the nearby Rocks Lane Multi-Sports Centre. Plenty of competitive fixtures against local preps give them the opportunity to practise playing in teams. They’re known for their netball skills (they recently came sixth at the IAPS national finals), and other sports on the agenda include football (for the girls too), rugby, hockey and cricket. There’s also a swim squad that meets weekly at the local pool.
Clubs are on offer for Years 1 to 6 and take place before and after school. There’s a huge range of options, including sewing, cooking, padel, gymnastics and debating. Year 6 pupils can also join Interview Club to help hone their skills ahead of senior-school assessments.
School community at Orchard House School
Ensuring every child is happy and settled is an integral part of every school day, and parents praise the school’s efforts to keep them informed, be it via weekly newsletters or regular meet-the-teacher sessions. Parents are a mix of locals and quite a few international families, and the tight and supportive community extends to the surrounding area – the school supports the local theatre, cinema and sports centre, and regularly hosts guests and speakers in its innovation hub. Orchard House recently took charge of the refurbishment of the local church hall – every day, pupils in Year 1 and above walk to it for lunch.
Pupils apply for positions of responsibility by submitting a mini CV (great practice for later life), with prefects ranging from library leads to eco ambassadors. Each pupil belongs to one of six houses to help foster strong inter-year friendships.
And finally...
Stunning academics don’t happen by chance at this west London prep – a holistic approach to teaching really engages pupils and from there flows the magic of curiosity, collaboration and a lifelong love of learning. This is a genuine village-like community in the capital that prepares children brilliantly for their next adventures in education.