Main image: Repton Prep School
The UK is blessed with hundreds of brilliant independent schools, from bucolic
country preps offering children a wholesome, healthy childhood, to big-hitting seniors right in the heart of Britain’s most exciting cities. And while some families know exactly where on a map they want to start their search, others might be looking to relocate or try somewhere completely new. To help, we’re excited to be rolling out a brand new series of features honing in on certain pockets of the UK, shining the spotlight on our favourite schools in the region, and proving why we’re all so spoilt for choice.
We’re kicking off with the Midlands. Slicing right through the heart of the UK, it’s a region of huge contrasts, packed with preposterously pretty rural villages and dynamic cities right at the forefront of innovation. The Midlands could be said to have it all: quintessential rolling countryside and the rugged scenery of the Malvern Hills and the Peak District, mighty cathedrals and mega cities (including Britain’s second city, Birmingham), quaint market towns and centuries of history and culture (Shakespeare was born here, after all). Thrillingly less expensive and considerably less pretentious than many other parts of the UK, keep reading to find out why Midlands private schools are such a compelling option for your child’s schooling – and far more accessible than you might think…
WORCESTERSHIRE
The Elms School, Malvern
If you’re looking for an idyllic Midlands country prep with a high hit rate to the country’s top senior schools, then The Elms ticks every box. For starters, there’s the knockout setting: tucked into the western slopes of the Malvern Hills and fringing the borders of Worcestershire and Herefordshire, the entire ethos of the school is anchored around the vast, 40-acre campus where it has sat since 1614. It’s rural bliss at its very best – and you’ll find a working farm, stables, a riding manège (pupils can bring their own pony and go for regular hacks along the Malvern Hills), swathes of greenery and sports pitches stretching for what feels like miles.
The school makes full use of its Worcestershire setting. Lessons are regularly taken outside to add a practical element, children help prepare the veg beds, and there’s ample opportunity for pupils to don their white coats and help with mucking out, lambing or tending to the show pigs, Dexter cows and miniature Herefords. Younger ones can climb trees and roam freely in ‘the jungle’, splash about in the school stream, or head off on nature walks in the Malvern Hills.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Four local bus routes bring day pupils in from Hartpury, Worcester, Kemerton and Monmouth (there’s been a recent surge of interest from families in South Wales) each day. A relatively new day fee option has broadened the appeal for local families, while a ‘day plus’ package is a hit with families living within day-tripping distance but seeking the flexibility of being able to leave their children for a sleepover every now and then. For those based a little further afield, there’s a direct train from Colwall (via Oxford) to London Paddington, and both Bristol and Birmingham (and their international airports) are an easy drive away along the M5. Expect to rub shoulders with a strong cohort of London exiles too, lapping up the opportunity to escape the rat race and spend their days surrounded by fresh country air.
The Downs Malvern, Malvern
First impressions count for a lot, and it’s hard not to be sucked in by The Downs’ surroundings. You’ll find the glorious Malvern Hills undulating in the background, endless green space and trees packed into the school’s 55-acre campus, and children shrieking, laughing and racing around what’s essentially the biggest back garden ever. Much to the envy of many parents, there’s even a light railway wending its way around the grounds, and children can learn to drive the trains, help with repairs, work the track and even build carriages (hands-on work on the railway helped one talented pupil win a D&T scholarship to their senior school).
Head Andy Nuttall arrived last year, and he’s made it his mission to maximise the benefits of this Midlands school’s stunning setting in every way possible. Shortly after taking the reins he introduced sheep, pigs, quail and chicken to The Downs’ very own smallholding (aiming to teach pupils about animal husbandry and the provenance of their food), while developing the school’s haul of apple and pear trees through a partnership with the local Colwall Orchard Group. Forward-thinking, progressive and reassuringly wholesome, this is a proper muddy-knees prep – and close ties with Malvern College (a few miles up the road) bolster the offering even further.
HOW DO I GET THERE? The nearest train station, Colwall, is just over a mile from the school gates. Birmingham Airport is around 45 miles away, which is useful for the small but lively international boarding community (boarding options include full, weekly and flexi).
Malvern College, Malvern
If the abundance of lush and ancient countryside, the world-famous Malvern Hills on your doorstep, fresh air, adventure and fun doesn’t appeal, then this Midlands senior school isn’t for you,’ says Malvern College –and we couldn’t agree more. Pupils are heartily encouraged to take every advantage of their school’s utterly splendid setting, treating the 10-mile stretch of the Malvern Hills as an unspoilt and beautiful playground to explore. We can guarantee that a first visit here is sure to inspire even the most apathetic teen – and the scenery alone is enough to make them want to sign up on the spot.
Malvern is a big sporting school, and as well as countless opportunities to take part in the more conventional team sports, there’s so much more on offer here. Watersports enthusiasts can kayak or canoe on the Rivers Severn, Teme, Wye and Avon and the school’s own cottage tucked away deep in the Brecon Beacons is used as a base for character-building exploration, expedition and exercises for CCF,
DofE (Malvern was one of the first schools to introduce the programme) and outdoor pursuits. But that’s not the only thing going for the school’s location. The region has also become a thriving hub for scientific research and engineering innovation: big-name companies nearby include the Morgan Motor Company and British defence and technology firm QinetiQ, with whom the College enjoys close educational links.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Set on the edge of the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern, Malvern College may sit in 250 rural acres but it’s also brilliantly well connected. Malvern itself is lovely, filled with little independent shops and cafes, and the train station is just a 15-minute walk from the school. From here, trains connect to Worcester, Ledbury, Birmingham and London. And while there’s a big boarding contingent (many pupils are drawn by the allure of the
IB in the sixth form), local day pupils are fully integrated too, with many choosing to stay in school until 9pm each day.
King's Worcester, Worcester
Many schools like to talk about being rooted firmly in both the past and the future, but there’s no arguing with King’s Worcester on this one. Standing proudly in the shadow of Worcester Cathedral right in the city’s mediaeval heart, history bounces off the walls of this co-ed day school. Pupils take lessons in
Edgar Tower, which houses the oldest working classroom in the country; the deeply atmospheric College Hall – a former monastic refectory – is used for everything from assemblies and exams to black tie balls; and the River Severn gently meanders through the school’s beautiful grounds. But the school embraces technology and innovative teaching methods too. A clutch of award-winning buildings have gradually popped up over the years to ensure this historic school is able to keep up with the times and on our most recent visit, we were blown away by the brand new Keyes Building, home to a state-of-the-art fitness suite, three-storey indoor climbing wall and outdoor sculpture gallery, plus the fantastic contemporary boathouse, spilling out onto the school’s own six-kilometre stretch of river.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Despite being slap-bang in the middle of Worcester, it’s easy to forget you’re in the city once you’re through the school gates. Worcester’s two train stations, Shrub Hill and Foregate Street, are both within walking distance; from here, it’s about 10 minutes to Malvern by train, while Cheltenham is half an hour. Pupils can take advantage of the ever-expanding school minibus network and local bus routes too, which head to and from Evesham, Ombersley, Pershore, Bromsgrove, Hagley, Tewkesbury and Malvern. The M5 is just a five-minute drive away.
King’s Hawford, Worcester
For parents living in and around Worcester, the King’s family of schools is the dream triptych: two prep schools – both with their own distinct identity – and one fabulous Midlands senior school, which the majority of prep pupils move up to at the end of Year 7. King’s Hawford is the more rural of the two preps, set in countryside on a huge 23-acre site just to the north of the city, with the banks of the Droitwich Canal running alongside it.
Outdoor learning is woven into the entire ethos of the school, and pupils get out and about at every opportunity. Forest school is an integral part of the curriculum; there’s an outdoor classroom for lessons to be taken outside on sunny days; an eco-garden; adventure play area and teepee; and expansive school fields for children to bound around in, scamper up trees and let off steam (one garden even has a well-used pizza oven as well). And with just 266 pupils, there’s a powerful village community feel too, with classrooms housed in a magnificent old Georgian house with winding staircases and outhouses in former stables. Head
Tom Butt is well aware that children only get one shot at childhood – and he and the rest of his staff work very hard to make sure every moment is treasured.
HOW DO I GET THERE? King’s Hawford has hit the location sweet spot; wonderfully accessible thanks to its setting just outside Worcester on the ring road, but unbelievably spacious with 23 rural acres for youngsters to run around in. Local traffic can be notoriously tricky in the mornings, but the school has cleverly got around the problem by introducing a flexible hour-long drop-off window. For families with children at the big school, there’s a shuttle bus between King’s Hawford and King’s Worcester at the start and end of the day.
King’s St Alban’s, Worcester
Sharing the same central Worcester site as King’s Worcester senior school, King’s St Alban’s couldn’t be an easier option for local families with children across both schools. Prep pupils share the senior school’s sport, drama and dance facilities, while enjoying their own fully equipped classrooms, science lab and art studio, indoor swimming pool, adventure playground and forest school area. Then there are the advantages that being Worcester Cathedral’s neighbour brings: choristers are an integral part of life at King’s St Alban’s, and children singing in the choir make their way to the cathedral every morning and evening. The school’s own chapel, in the heart of the campus, has provided a place of worship for pupils since 1850, and remains one of the linchpins of the school’s tight-knit, hugely nurturing pastoral network.
King’s St Alban’s pre-prep department sits in a former pub, which the school snapped up in 2009 – and since then, it’s further grown organically into a neighbouring house. Today, it’s a light, bright, thriving department of its own, with the nursery taking children from the age of two.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Very easily. The school sits right in the centre of Worcester, and the city’s two train stations are both within walking distance. Lots of pupils travel in by public bus or train, but well-served bus routes covering Evesham, Kidderminster, Pershore, Bromsgrove, Tewkesbury and Malvern are a hit with the younger children.
Malvern St James Girls’ School and Malvern St James Girls’ Prep School, Great Malvern
There aren’t many
all-through, all-girls boarding schools left in the UK, but Worcestershire’s Malvern St James is proudly still one of them. Here, pupils can join this Midlands school from as young as four years old and stay the whole way through their educational journey, which is unashamedly all about the girls. The school’s relatively small size means individual, bespoke attention is a top priority all the way from the early years to the sixth form.
Malvern itself is a pretty peachy place to call home (it was recently ranked in the UK’s top 50 coolest places to live), and Malvern St James’s buildings are peppered around a handful of quiet streets just outside the centre. Boarders wake up to incredible views of the Malvern Hills every morning, and the rural surroundings lend themselves to plenty of space for sports pitches. Other standout facilities include an on-site Leiths cookery school (a real bonus for any girls looking for gap-year opportunities or a career in hospitality). The school goes to great lengths to be part of the local community too, whether it’s renting out sports facilities to nearby groups or reaching out to the 24 local schools that form part of a wellbeing collective initiated by Malvern St James.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Great Malvern train station is walking distance away (from here, trains head direct to London) and many pupils arrive at school each morning on trains serving local routes. There’s also an extensive network of school buses that pupils are encouraged to use. And with a strong local contingent here, boarding options are brilliantly flexi – and all day girls even get three free nights a term to use as and when they fancy, so they never have to worry about missing out.
LINCOLNSHIRE
Witham Hall Prep School, Stamford
If Lincolnshire isn’t currently on your school search radar, it certainly should be – and we can guarantee you’ll be sold on this chocolate-box pretty pocket of the UK once you’ve visited Witham Hall. We’re head over heels for this gorgeous country prep, which we think has nailed the formula for providing a near-perfect education. Ringed by stunning rural parkland with a Queen Anne mansion at its heart, pupils here are free to scamper up treehouses, pour out into the walled garden to hang out with their friends, wander along the rose walk for quiet reflection time overlooking the cow pastures, or shoot off into ‘the wilderness’ to build a den. In between all that fresh air, they still manage to find time to swot up and win places at some of the top senior schools in the UK, with big-hitting Midlands seniors including Oakham, Oundle and Uppingham right on the doorstep.
'At Witham Hall, we see how a childhood in the country lasts just that tiny bit longer. After all, what’s the rush?’, says head Will Austen. ‘Fewer distractions mean that pupils work hard for outstanding results, but can play hard too.’
If you’re stalling over heading to an unfamiliar part of the UK, the message is ‘don’t’. ‘Those who have never visited the Rutland/Lincolnshire border are astounded by what the area has to offer, with its rolling hills as you drive from the beautiful town of Stamford through the honey-coloured stone villages of Rutland towards Oakham and Rutland Water’, adds Mr Austen. ‘As one Witham Hall parent put it, “The beauty of the Cotswolds, but without the traffic and half the price”’.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Witham draws in families from a wider-than-usual catchment area – and most parents are surprised how well connected this Midlands school is to the rest of the country. It’s just eight miles to Stamford and 20 minutes to Peterborough, which sits on a super-fast line connecting with both the north and the south. The area is becoming more and more popular with ex-Londoners (the commute back to the Big Smoke takes just 45 minutes on the fast train to King’s Cross), and it’s also just an hour and a half from here to the North Norfolk coast.
WARWICKSHIRE
Bilton Grange, Rugby
With its stunning 19th-century Pugin mansion and majestic wood-panelled dining room, we love the vibe at Bilton Grange – and its 90 acres of Warwickshire heritage parkland, woodland and gardens are the envy of many. Outdoor learning is an integral and important part of the curriculum for every year group, and Bilton Grange has got everything you could possibly need to make that happen: an organic veg patch where pupils grow fruit and vegetables, chicken coops for collecting fresh eggs, a science pond to observe aquatic life-cycles in action, woodland spaces for bike rides, tree climbing, den building and campfires and even a nine-hole golf course.
Bilton Grange is part of the Rugby School Group, meaning it has close ties with neighbouring senior Rugby School. While leavers are thoroughly prepared for entrance to senior schools over the UK, more than half head to Rugby – and best of all, they’re eligible for means-tested bursary support via the school’s Arnold Foundation. The fund provides free boarding places to the most deserving candidates living within a 20-mile radius of the school, in turn opening up access to everyone and anyone, regardless of financial means.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Set in the village of Dunchurch a few miles from the market town of Rugby, Bilton Grange school is surrounded by parkland and playing fields. Rugby has good mainline rail links, and Birmingham Airport is just a 30-minute drive away, making it simple for international students to get to and from school at the start and end of term. It’s super easy to get to the M1 and the M6 from the school, and there are plenty of bus routes for pupils coming in from the surrounding areas.
Rugby School, Rugby
Steeped in history and heritage, Rugby School is a bit of a legend on the Midlands school circuit. Best known as the birthplace of the sport that shares its name, the school is a destination in its own right, with sports fans regularly flocking here to check out the school museum and taking a peek at the hallowed pitch where local Midlands resident William Webb Ellis first ran with a ball and invented rugby-football. With school buildings, facilities and boarding houses scattered throughout the lovely Warwickshire town of Rugby, pupils here benefit from the experience of living in the real world at the same time as being part of a cosy school bubble. Days are spent pounding the pavements, ducking around beautiful creeper-clad quads and flitting between areas of the leafy 150-acre main campus on the edge of town.
With this town setting comes many benefits: pupils regularly welcome in local audiences for their music and drama performances, open up the school for their annual Festival on the Close (a four-day extravaganza of RSC workshops, stand-up comedy and National Youth Orchestra performances), and lend a hand on various community projects in care homes, hospitals and local primary schools. This is a brilliant all-rounder, with a reputation for turning out thoroughly grounded, successful children.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Right in the heart of the market town of Rugby, this is a school with convenience right on its doorstep. The station is walking distance away, from where the fast train to London takes just 50 minutes. Birmingham Airport is half an hour’s drive away. There’s also a daily school bus network for day pupils.
The Croft, Stratford-upon-Avon
Based in and around a farmhouse on the outskirts of Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, The Croft is well aware of the benefits its location provides. The prep school moved here in the 1980s after realising its former Stratford town-centre location didn’t offer its pupils all of the opportunities it wanted to provide – and today, this private Midlands school has a deliciously rural feel. Converted barns and stables rub alongside newer purpose-built buildings designed with space, light and functionality in mind, while the extensive grounds make way for forest school, camp outs, gardening club, and even a geology museum, packed to the rafters with rare fossils, minerals and crystals.
Refreshingly non-selective, The Croft has a reassuringly flexible admission policy – and everyone is welcomed with open arms. Thanks to an ever-growing new build house market nearby, interest has been riding a wave, with more and more families flocking to the area. It’s a family school in every sense too – the owners are heavily involved in school life, and there are heaps of siblings on the school roll.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Sitting at the top of a hill on the edge of Stratford-upon-Avon, The Croft’s enviable position gives it 360-degree views of gorgeous Warwickshire countryside. Most families travel by car each day, hailing from within a half-hour radius. Trains to London take just over two hours, and Birmingham Airport is around 30 minutes away.
RUTLAND
Uppingham School, Uppingham
A proper, traditional
senior boarding school with something for everyone – from jocks and musicians to academic superstars – Uppingham is the ultimate all-rounder. And its location right in the heart of the Midlands is all part of its appeal, with its smart campus spread over the tiny Rutland market town of Uppingham, packed with quaint architecture, a smattering of independent shops and the occasional sheep trailer causing a gridlock. The school itself is made up of a beguiling blend of modern, cutting-edge buildings shortlisted for countless architectural awards, and ivy-clad old Victorian houses and country piles with lovely big gardens looking out over the Rutland countryside, which plays a big role in all the outdoorsy activities on offer. Sporting options include sailing on nearby Rutland Water, and one of the school’s greatest traditions is ‘The Routh’, a challenging five-mile cross-country run through the region’s picturesque hills.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Peterborough station is 40 minutes away (with direct connections to both London and Scotland), while Oakham station is an even closer 20-minute drive from the school, connecting to London and Birmingham. Pupils come from all over (the staunchly full-boarding ethos is a pull for internationals), but most seem to come from up and down the A1 corridor, meaning there are plenty of families from Scotland, Yorkshire and East Anglia. Happily, a greater number of day places are now up for grabs too, opening up the school to a few more local families with their eye on the school.
DERBYSHIRE
Repton School and Repton Prep, Repton
Pick an all-through Midlands education at Repton and you’re signing up to the best of both worlds: an achingly idyllic secluded campus for prep pupils (complete with a sailing lake, manicured cricket pitches and a forest for muddy-kneed fun), and then a university-style campus senior school just two miles down the road, spread across the pretty Derbyshire village of Repton. Best of all, the two schools share facilities too – so should children at the prep tire of their own athletics track, tennis, netball and basketball courts, climbing wall and swimming pool, they can access the senior school’s dazzlingly brilliant ones too. Let’s not forget the sense of adventure as well: at breaktime, prep pupils can hit the low-ropes course, head out to build dens in the woods or learn vital survival skills such as how to cook outdoors.
Senior pupils get fully stuck into community life, with regular trips into town as they get older and gain more independence (we’re reliably informed that the local Chinese restaurant is a particular hit). Lessons stop early on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to make way for clubs, activities, DofE and community service – which might see pupils running one of the many sports clubs at Repton Sports Centre, or volunteering in the village’s community-run cafe.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Transport-wise, Repton is ideally situated right in the heart of the Midlands. A new bypass has brought fresh opportunities for parents in the direction of Nottingham –and the school is within easy reach of several other major cities. East Midlands Airport is less than half an hour’s drive from the school, making getting here a total breeze for international families. Both prep and senior pupils can take full advantage of a school bus serving the surrounding towns (Derby, Ashbourne and Uttoxeter, among others). For prep children living a little further afield, there are full, weekly, ‘home and away’ and flexi boarding options, while up at the senior, it’s full boarding all the way for anyone opting in. The lion’s share of families here come from the Midlands, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Lancashire, and day pupils remain fully immersed in the Repton experience, with everyone assigned to a house along with their boarding peers and many choosing to stay on way beyond the official end of the school day at 6pm.
Moreton Hall is a fabulous advertisement for all-girls education from 13 to 18. Most pupils join this Midlands school in the superb co-ed prep school (boys can join girls in the senior school for Years 7 and 8, before peeling off at 13), moving seamlessly up through the different stages of the school without the stress of sitting senior school exams.
Set in the glorious Shropshire countryside, Moreton Hall’s classrooms and boarding houses are dotted around the vast campus, packed with sports pitches and rolling parkland. There’s also a school farm where girls are tasked with looking after Moreton’s very own chicken, sheep, geese and goats. This is a big lacrosse school (we’re told local rivals always fear Moreton girls on the match circuit), but we couldn’t help but notice the nine-hole golf course on site too, on hand for anyone who’s a little more averse to team sports.
There’s one thing in particular that really sets Moreton Hall apart, Moreton Enterprises. This excellent programme helps sixth-formers hone their entrepreneurial skills by getting real-life, hands-on work experience through helping set up and run various school businesses (past ventures have included a tuck shop and a shop selling school stash), and annual turnovers regularly top the £50,000 mark. Future business leaders, watch out.
HOW DO I GET THERE? In the Shropshire countryside, a few miles from Oswestry. The gates are right off the A483, but the 100-acre campus feels totally secluded once you are inside. Most pupils arrive by car, but for those choosing public transport, Gobowen train station isn’t far away. Boarding – for children in both the prep and senior – is fantastically flexible, and day pupils are always welcome to stay over if they’ve got a busy day of commitments or just fancy joining their boarding friends for the evening. And don’t panic about being in the middle of nowhere – buses are on hand to take girls into Shrewsbury on the weekends if they wish.
WEST MIDLANDS
Wolverhampton Grammar School and Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School, Wolverhampton
One of the things we love the most about Wolverhampton Grammar is the way that it reflects the diverse make-up of the area: not just culturally and economically, but also the effort it makes to cement its position in the community and maintain strong relationships with the city as a whole. Pupils swim in the municipal pool; nearby St Peter’s Church is used for the school’s annual Founder’s Day celebrations; and the majority of Saturday sports fixtures take place against local schools (Tettenhall College, just around the corner, is the main rival). The school has a broadly urban feel, but there’s plenty of green space too, including a slew of sports pitches, athletics track and cricket square.
By sharing the same site, the junior and senior schools remain properly intertwined – and when the time comes to move up to the big school, the transition is a total breeze. The junior and smart new infant school sits adjacent to the main building, and with sharing of classrooms and facilities and teachers from Year 3 onwards, the younger pupils get to know the senior school inside out. Best of all, there’s no exam to sit, totally eliminating any 11+-related stress.
HOW DO I GET THERE? With full access to the spoils of Wolverhampton city centre, Wolverhampton Grammar School is neatly tucked away in the quieter suburbs, and ringed by 25 acres of greenery. As a predominantly local school, most pupils walk in each morning, take the bus or get dropped off by their parents.
Edgbaston High School for Girls and Edgbaston High Prep and Pre-Prep, Birmingham
On our latest visit to Edgbaston, we were floored by the pace, variety of life and buzzing sense of activity here. Birmingham’s oldest independent school for girls is just two miles outside the thriving city centre, but you’d never know it once you’re on campus. Nestled in a residential pocket of leafy Edgbaston, the school sits next door to the peaceful Birmingham Botanical Gardens and boasts heaps of outdoor space of its own, including endless playing fields, a sports pavilion, several Astros and a swimming pool (so it comes as no surprise that the Edgbaston has a fantastic sporting reputation). If you’re looking for a well-connected all-through city school without compromising on space, this is it. And despite Edgbaston’s relative size (there are currently 870 pupils on the school roll), it’s hard to miss the palpable family feel here: pastoral care is regularly lauded by parents as one of the school’s biggest strengths.
This Midlands independent school is strongly rooted in the local community, too. Pupils and staff enjoy close links with a number of local charities and organisations and have a mutually beneficial relationship with several local schools, joining forces for events such as a recent Prep Choral Day. The school also takes part in the
West Midlands Young Active Citizen Award, a social programme in collaboration with the Lord-Lieutenant of Birmingham.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Edgbaston Village itself has grown into something of a hub in recent years, with a mix of business, retail and hospitality bringing new interest and investment into the area, and a number of world-class facilities (including the nearby Edgbaston Priory Club and Edgbaston Stadium) putting the area firmly on the map. School buses take the school run strain off parents, but public transport options around here are second to none, with many girls using local rail and bus links to get into school each day. For those travelling from slightly further away, the school is easily accessible along main roads from the M5 too.
Pattison Senior School and Pattison Prep School, Coventry
Originally founded as a dance school, Pattison School introduced a broader academic curriculum in 1949 – and today, this Midlands school’s non-selective, small environment is primed for pupils with an eye on a future in the performing arts. The school is currently gearing up to offer A-levels for the first time, marking an exciting new chapter in its history.
Located in the leafy suburbs of Coventry, children make a huge effort to get involved with and support the local community. Outside of lesson time, they might be found beetling around visiting care homes, gathering donations for a food bank or singing at the University Hospital and local fundraising events. Pupils also get heavily involved in Coventry’s annual Dame Goodyver’s Day festival, an all-singing, all-dancing event designed to raise awareness about social inclusion in and around the region.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Set on a compact site just outside Coventry's city centre, Coventry train station is a five-minute drive away, while Birmingham is a speedy 11 miles from the school.
STAFFORDSHIRE
Denstone College and The Prep at Denstone College, Uttoxeter
Set in rural Staffordshire, at the top of a blustery hill in the heart of the Peak District, we were hugely impressed by Denstone College, a truly all-round school working to its own calm, steady beat. With an impressive 19th-century Victorian gothic main building at its core, there’s practically everything pupils could possibly need on campus: a nine-hole golf course (which local residents are more than welcome to sign up for membership of), multiple tennis courts and cricket pitches, a swimming pool, 150-seater theatre, indoor shooting range and over in the art department, even a printing press. There’s also a dedicated outdoor pursuits department on hand to help pupils make the most of the beautiful scenery on their doorstep, with jaunts into the Peak District for navigation skills training, mountain-biking expeditions in scenic Cannock Chase, canoeing trips on the River Wye and caving in the Brecon Beacons.
This year, Denstone is gearing up to celebrate its 150th anniversary – and the school has come a very long way since its humble beginnings with just 46 boys in 1873. A few years ago, the prep school flung open its doors, cementing Denstone’s position as a strong all-through contender on the Midlands independent school market – and once your child is happily settled in the early years, there’s absolutely no need for them to leave before they leap into adulthood at 18. To mark the upcoming birthday celebrations, a team of volunteers have been working tirelessly to put the finishing touches on a shiny new Heritage Centre, tucked away in the college grounds but fully open to the local community and the wider public too. Packed with fascinating archive material donated by alumni and staff, it’s well worth a visit – and guaranteed to give you an insight into this cracking Midlands school’s rich history.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Set right in the middle of the country, sandwiched between Stoke-on-Trent and Derby, Denstone is located in 100 acres of wonderfully rural Staffordshire. Uttoxeter is the nearest town and train station, but the school is popular with families who take advantage of an extensive network of buses to bring pupils in each day from the surrounding towns and villages (older pupils keep an eye out for younger prep children). Oh, and there’s another bonus – it’s right next door to Alton Towers, and the school is given free access for outings and trips. East Midlands and Birmingham Airports are both around 40 minutes’ drive away.
While it’s impossible to list all of the top schools in the Midlands here, we’ve included a few more of our favourites well worth adding to your list…
Looking for more information on Midlands private school education? Contact our
parent advisory team and we would be more than happy to help.