tatler.com Tatler Schools Guide 2020 99ST HUGH’S
Carswell, Faringdon,
Oxfordshire SN7 8PT
Website st-hughs.co.uk Head
James Thompson Pupils 349 day
and boarding: 196 boys, 153 girls
Ages 3–13 Term Fees Day:
£7,065; boarding: £8,450
It’s fair to say that ex-Head
Andrew Nott transformed this
once sleepy Oxfordshire prep
into one of the most highly desir-
able prep schools in the country.
He will be sorely missed and the
new Head James Thompson has
a tough act to follow. Set in 40
acres of wooded countryside,St Hugh’s offers the perfect blend
of pastoral cosiness with phe-
nomenal results in the academic,
sporting and creative depart-
ments. Wellbeing is at the heart
of everything this school does; it
even has sessions timetabled into
exam week to minimise stress.
Parents flock to the Wednesday
matches (many quipping that
this is mainly for the delicious
teas) and there is a very close-
knit community. Pupils head on
to Cheltenham, St Mary’s Calne,
Abingdon and Eton, and last
year students won an impressive
26 awards to senior schools.ST ANDREW’S
PANGBOURNE
Buckhold, Pangbourne,
Berkshire RG8 8QA
Website standrewspangbourne.
co.uk Head Jonathan Bartlett
Pupils 290 day and boarding:
150 boys, 140 girls Faith C of E
Ages 3–13 Term Fees Day:
£6,280; boarding: £7,430
Pupils here give their all to every
aspect of this family-orientated
country prep. Truly coeducational,
traditional yet progressive, Head
Jonathan Bartlett understands that
academic pressure steps up once
pupils leave for their notably
strong senior schools: ‘If you can’t
look back at your prep school
with joy and happiness then we
are doing something wrong.’ Eve-
ryone is proud of the new sports
centre, which is impressive for a
school of 290 pupils, but sport
has always been stellar: the U13
girls hockey team won the IAPS
plate in 2018. Look out for sci-
ence teacher Paul Outram, who
teaches the ‘Rules of Tree Climbing’
and is revered by pupils.ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL
WINDSOR CASTLE
Datchet Road, Windsor,
Berkshire SL4 1QF
Website stgwindsor.org Head
William Goldsmith Pupils 324 day
and boarding: 208 boys, 116 girls
Faith C of E Ages 3–13 Term Fees
Day: £5,780; boarding: £7,176
It’s early days for the new Head
William Goldsmith but things
seem to be ticking along nicely at
this ‘supportive yet ambitious’
prep school. Sport is strong, and
their games field is the envy of the
circuit – home fixtures are played
in Home Park within the grounds
of Windsor Castle. Parents love
that it is co-ed through to 13 and
marvel at the brilliant facilities.
Pupils are happy and purposeful
and there’s a huge emphasis on
treating others well. As the only
choir school in Berkshire, music
plays an integral part of life. The
celebrated Choristers were chosen
to sing at the Royal Weddings in
St George’s Chapel.ST JOHN’S
BEAUMONT
Priest Hill, Old Windsor,
Berkshire SL4 2JN
Website sjbwindsor.uk Head Giles
Delaney Pupils 290 boys, day and
boarding Faith RC Ages 3–13
Term Fees Day: £6,244;
boarding: £9,573
From an early age, boys at St
John’s in Windsor – the oldest
purpose-built prep in the coun-
try – are encouraged to develop
independence and, according to
the school, those ‘who are willing
to have a go at new challenges’
will thrive. The core principle of
cura personalis – ‘care for each
person’ – permeates all aspects of
school life and wellbeing work-
shops teach pupils meditation
techniques and leads them on
mindfulness walks. Boys head on
to the likes of Worth and Char-
terhouse on a healthy number of
scholarships, having enjoyed
computer coding, creative writ-
ing and kick-boxing clubs along-
side the academic curriculum
and mainstream sports (many
rugby teams have enjoyed un-
beaten seasons). Rubik’s Cubes
are a popular preoccupation and
boys love building dens in the
school’s woods and making fires
in them ‘as a treat’. ]
ST HUGH’SST GEORGE’S
SCHOOL
WINDSOR
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