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Our View
There’s much to recommend this co-ed, all-through school that sits in spacious grounds just a stone’s throw from Croydon. Pupils are happy and confident, encouraged academically and supported emotionally, and they have automatic entry into the senior school which is equally excellent. It’s a place where passions are nurtured and pupils are treated as individuals. A beautifully-designed new building due to open in 2026 will be the icing on the cake.
Where?
It’s hard to believe that the school’s 110 acres of parkland are just a speedy 25-minute journey from London Victoria – hop off at East Croydon and a tram will drop you right at the gates. There’s an overarching sense of space on the university-style campus, with an impressive mix of 19th-/20th-century and contemporary architecture, and masses of woodland that is home to friendly families of deer. Leafy surroundings like these undoubtedly have a hugely positive impact on pupils’ learning experience – and, most importantly, their mental health.
The spanking new junior school building will have three wings accessed through a woodland path. Mimicking the pupils’ journey through the school, the entrance will lead into the wing for the youngest years and then spiral up through to the top where the Year 6s will be located. It’ll be built alongside the existing building which will be demolished once it’s finished.
Lots of pupils hail from south London, including Balham and Clapham, but the catchment area spreads out all the way to Oxted, West Wickham, Caterham and Kingswood. Pupils can join the school’s extensive minibus network from Year 3 and up.
Head
Headmaster John Evans arrived here in 2019, before which he taught at Dulwich College and Haberdashers’ Askes’. His gorgeous golden doodle Ludo is always by his side – and judging by the reception they received during our tour, both are clearly adored by staff and pupils. Alongside senior head Chris Hutchinson, he’s created a school where everyone feels they belong, parents and pupils alike. ‘Families feel at home,’ he tells us.
Admissions
Most children join the school from the nursery or Reception, and the expectation (and reality) is that most will stay on the whole way through to 18. Admission is via an assessment and taster day, with pupils welcome to join the school at any stage between nursery and Year 6.
Academics and senior school destinations
Children are fully immersed in the magic of learning – there’s specialist teaching from the get-go, and class sizes never creep above 20. We were hugely impressed with the amazing library, where pupils were busily engrossed in their books in different themed sections, and there’s a serious forest school in the grounds where children were eagerly hunting for minibeasts and climbing trees with bucketloads of enthusiasm. An annual symposium week sees pupils look at a specific topic in depth; last year, it was sustainability, which saw pupils delve into upcycling, food miles and farm-to-fork eating – and really helped bring learning to life in a creative and meaningful way.
Almost all pupils make the move up to the senior school at the end of Year 6. The transition between the junior and senior schools is seamless; there’s no exam, and junior pupils go there for lunch every day and have access to all the senior facilities, so by the time it’s their turn to move up, it all feels incredibly natural. If there’s any concern that the all-through journey isn’t right for a pupil, conversations are had as early as possible.
Co-curricular
Junior school pupils make full use of the ace senior school sports facilities, which include an indoor pool, plenty of pitches and tennis courts and a smart Astro for hockey – all available for use by the local community too. There’s even a cross country course winding its way through the campus, and pupils have ample opportunity to play in competitive fixtures against local schools.
Music is timetabled and pupils can take individual instrument lessons taught by teachers from the senior school. There’s plenty of opportunity to perform, with choirs, orchestras and a combined orchestra with the senior school. Pupils are taught by specialist art teachers from nursery upwards, and as well as a dedicated art room, pupils also have use of the kiln at the senior school. Drama is on the curriculum too and every year the little ones perform at Christmas and the Year 6s put on a play (the annual house drama competition is a real highlight on the school calendar).
After-school clubs include everything from golf and taekwondo to karaoke and knitting – and there’s even the option to help out at the local animal rescue centre or go riding in the summer.
School community
There’s a great emotional literacy programme to bolster the pastoral provision here, with pupils taught how to recognise feelings and use them to resolve and regulate their emotions (when we visited, Year 6 pupils were looking at courage, bliss and defiance). Pupils with more challenging anxiety or social communication skills have Lego therapy and the school works with the Croydon mental health team to support families. A traffic light system rewards good behaviour and pupils can apply to be ambassadors and given prestigious roles of responsibility.
This is a school for families looking for an inclusive and diverse community – and the pupil body reflects the melting pot of life in Greater London. The school’s wonderfully flexi wraparound care (which includes extended days until 6pm and a holiday club during the holidays) is a godsend for working parents. There’s a strong community of parents who are invited to reading and writing workshops and a curriculum evening at the start of the year.
And finally....
This is a wonderfully unflashy, family-focussed prep that is tuned into the wellbeing and learning of each and every child.