Tatler UK - 10.2019

100 Tatler Schools Guide 2020 tatler.com

PHOTOGRAPHS: ANN SNOW; SARAH CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY

SHREWSBURY

HOUSE 

Ditton Road, Surrey KT6 6RL

Website shrewsburyhouse.net Head

Kevin Doble Pupils 335 day boys

Ages 7–13 Term Fees £6,445

This is a day school that feels more

like a boarding school – life moves

at quite a pace at SHS and there

are no half measures. Known for

its strength on the sports pitches

(in 2018 five boys were awarded

sport scholarships), other areas

such as music, art and drama are

given equal weighting and the

SAINT RONAN’S

SCHOOL 

Water Lane, Hawkhurst, Kent

TN33 0QS

Website saintronans.co.uk

Head William Trelawny-Vernon

Pupils 426 day and boarding: 226

boys, 200 girls Faith C of E

Ages 3–13 Term Fees Day:

£6,208; boarding: £7,499

A sense of kindness pervades daily

life at this wonderfully outdoorsy

traditional mixed prep school.

It’s lovingly run by Head William

Trelawny-Vernon and his wife

Emma and there is something in

the air that makes schooldays here

magical. Parents say that the

Head’s real strength lies in finding

the perfect senior school for your

child, and he meets all parents in

Year 5 to ensure he knows each

and every pupil about to make

the big choice. They head on to

King’s Canterbury, Benenden and

Lancing with a brilliant work

ethic that was instilled the day

they walked through the doors of

Saint Ronan’s – it is considered

‘cool’ to engage in lessons, play an

instrument, sing in the choir and

play sport. Pupils are encouraged

to enjoy the school’s 250 acres

with one parent describing Saint

Ronan’s as ‘mud friendly and

Hogwarts through and through’.

SAINT RONAN’S

SCHOOL

SUMMER FIELDS 

Mayfield Road, Oxford

OX2 7EN

Website summerfields.com Head

David Faber Pupils 310 boys, day

and boarding Faith C of E Ages

4–13 Term Fees Day: £7,265;

boarding: £10,424

Founded 155 years ago with the

motto ‘a healthy mind in a

healthy body’, Summer Fields was

way ahead of the trend for offer-

ing pupils a holistic education.

Thanks to its stunning 70-acre

setting in the heart of Oxford,

small class sizes, dedicated per-

sonal tutors, daily sport, delicious

food, charming Head and family

feel, boys not only achieve great

things here, but do so with a

spring in their step and unbound-

ed enthusiasm. The results are

phenomenal, with the majority of

boys going to Eton, Harrow,

Winchester and Radley – often

with a scholarship. The big news

is the flourishing new pre-prep:

it’s stunning – and is already

attracting lots of local day boys.

SUNNINGDALE

SCHOOL 

Dry Arch Road, Sunningdale,

Berkshire SL5 9PY

Website sunningdaleschool.co.uk

Head Tom Dawson Pupils 110

boys, day and boarding

Faith C of E Ages 7–13

Term Fees Day: £6,840;

boarding: £8,750

Sunningdale – ‘The epitome of a

boys’ paradise’, according to the

school – has a very strong com-

mitment to tradition. As a full-

boarding prep, it offers countless

opportunities to excel and there is

a fantastic camaraderie among the

boys. One parent praises the solid

foundations of ‘discipline, high

standards and hard work’ that are

instilled by wonder-Head Tom

Dawson, who is brilliantly pas-

sionate and genuinely interested

in each and every boy here. One

of Sunningdale’s notable strengths

is its small size, meaning boys feel

secure in their close-knit environ-

ment. It also means that they can’t

hide under the radar to evade

SUMMER

FIELDS

boys are encouraged to – and do –

grab all opportunities with both

hands. The fleet of buses in the

same distinctive stripes as the

blazers enables children to come

from afar each day and makes

provision for after-school clubs.

Many parents cite Head Kevin

Doble as their main influence for

choosing SHS. He’s described as

‘exceptionally erudite’ and ‘totally

immersed in his cause’: how could

he not turn out boys who are

confident, innovative, resilient

and well-rounded?

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