Tatler UK - 10.2019

98 Tatler Schools Guide 2020 tatler.com

that there has been plenty of im-

provement, from parent-teacher

communication to food, and par-

ents are big fans of the ‘very in-

volved’, ‘smart, savvy and enter-

taining’ Head Judy Waite, who has

been at Milbourne since 2016 and

wants the best for the pupils and

the school – in that order.

MOULSFORD 

Moulsford-on-Thames,

Oxfordshire OX10 9HR

Website moulsford.com Head Ben

Beardmore-Gray Pupils 360 boys,

day and boarding Faith C of E

Ages 4–13 Term Fees Day:

£5,910; boarding: £7,395

Moulsford is situated on the banks

of the River Thames, and there is

an air of Wind in the Willows to life

here. The river is an integral part of

the school with the opportunity

for boys to sail, kayak, canoe and

paddle-board on their doorstep.

It’s reassuringly traditional, but

parents credit the school with hav-

ing ‘a modern outlook, moving

with and ahead of the times’ and

teachers are not afraid to explore

alternative teaching methods. CE

has been scrapped, making way for

a more collaborative and creative

curriculum, which gets the seal of

approval from senior schools.

Though this is predominantly a

day school (no Saturday lessons!),

from Year 5 a good number begin

boarding in some way, in prepara-

tion for heading off to senior

establishments such as Radley,

Marlborough and Wellington.

NEW COLLEGE

SCHOOL 

Savile Road, Oxford OX1 3UA

Website newcollegeschool.org Head

Matthew Jenkinson Pupils 163 day

boys Faith C of E Ages 4–13

Term Fees £5,508

Starting your schooldays amid the

golden splendour of Oxford Uni-

versity works wonders for academ-

ic ambition, according to parents,

who are full of praise for this cosy

day prep. The boys use the stellar

facilities of New College, classes

are deliberately small to ensure

each pupil is properly supported by

PAPPLEWICK

THE PILGRIMS’

SCHOOL 

The Close, Winchester,

Hampshire SO23 9PR

Website thepilgrims-school.co.uk

Head Tom Burden Pupils 270 boys,

day and boarding Faith C of E

Ages 4–13 Term Fees Day:

£6,620; boarding: £8,435

The stunning cathedral city of

Winchester makes for a beautiful

setting to educate the 270 boys at

Pilgrims’, all of whom are ‘very po-

lite’ with ‘a good sense of humour’.

Head Tom Burden is very down to

earth and clearly loved by the boys.

He has focused on broadening re-

lationships with senior schools –

50 per cent of the boys go on to

Winchester College or Eton, with

excellent results. There is a strong

focus on the rapidly improving

sport. Visitors are particularly im-

pressed by the bright and generous

DT classroom and the fact that

pupils are listened to: if three boys

ask for an activity, it will be ar-

ranged. Knitting was requested –

and the club is thriving.

PRINCE’S MEAD 

Kings Worthy, Winchester,

Hampshire SO21 1AN

Website princesmeadschool.org.uk

Head Peter Thacker Pupils 229 day:

104 boys, 125 girls Ages 4–11

Term Fees £5,580

There’s a real buzz about Prince’s

Mead: universal smiles and a safe,

nurturing environment in which

pupils grow not just academically,

but also in confidence and self-

esteem. It has an excellent local

reputation and applications are on

the up. Reception is notably strong

• children fly thanks to robust
  foundations. Teachers are de-
  scribed as ‘the type you remember
  well into your adult life’, full of
  enthusiasm and doing everything
  in their power to ensure the suc-
  cess of all students. Charismatic
  Head Peter Thacker has only been
  at the school for a year, but parents
  are big fans and believe there are
  exciting times ahead under his
  leadership: he ‘has significant
  positive ambitions to be realised
  during his time at the school’.

PREP

SOUTH EAST

show your child around without

a supportive letter from a current

school – he’s actively looking to

recruit kind boys who fit in with

the ethos of the school, where all

the staff are excited to be teach-

ing and guiding boys to their

next stage of life. Every sporting

ability is catered for and staff are

careful to find a sport to suit the

abilities of every boy. Science is

particularly inspirational, aided

by the legendary herpetology

club (the study of amphibians

and reptiles), and boys continue

to love the subject once they

head off to schools such as Eton

(one with a King’s Scholarship in

2018) and Winchester after a

highly anticipated leavers’ trip to

the South of France.

Science at Papplewick is particularly

inspirational, aided by the herpetology

club (amphibians and reptiles)

staff and choristers are an impor-

tant part of the school, as is music

in general: nearly every boy learns

a musical instrument and 50 per

cent learn two. A punchy percent-

age of boys leave with scholarships

and all head to top seniors: mainly

days such as MCS and Abingdon,

but a few to Eton and Winchester,

all with the ultimate ambition of

attending a university as good as

the one they grew up next to.

PAPPLEWICK 

Windsor Road, Ascot, Berkshire

SL5 7LH

Website papplewick.org.uk. Head

Tom Bunbury Pupils 223 boys, day

and boarding Faith C of E Ages

6-13 Term Fees Day: £7,920;

boarding: £8,050

The main criteria for admission to

joyful Papplewick is character.

Head Tom Bunbury won’t even

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