Tatler UK - 10.2019

104 104 Tatler Schools Guide 2020

free play here – children are well-

mannered but full of adventure’.

After one year in the post, Head

Alex McCullough has much to be

proud of: his first term saw the

highest number of admission en-

quiries in the school’s history, and

2019’s leavers won 24 scholarships

and awards, including a rugby

scholarship to Millfield. With

millinery, beekeeping, bell-ringing

and blacksmithing, as well as the

mainstream sports and clubs, it is

well nigh impossible for pupils to

ever be bored.

PINEWOOD 

Bourton, Shrivenham,

Wiltshire SN6 8HZ

Website pinewoodschool.co.uk

Head Philip Hoyland Pupils 405

day and boarding: 225 boys, 180

girls Ages 3–13 Term fees Day:

£6,175; boarding: £7,680

There is something very special

about Pinewood, with its carefree

children, acres of beautiful coun-

tryside and labradors snoozing in

quiet corners. But despite this re-

laxed atmosphere, its results are

phenomenal – 22 leavers in 2018

gained 32 scholarships to every-

where from Marlborough to St

Mary’s Calne. For 17 years legend-

ary Head Philip Hoyland, with his

lovely wife Hen, have embodied

the school’s ethos and will be sorely

missed when they leave next sum-

mer. The pupils were employed to

help interview for the new Head

and they’ve done a brilliant job

selecting Neal Bailey, who is sure to

be a perfect match for this fun,

outdoorsy and sporting school.

The question is whether they

warned him about the annual

‘breaking the ice’ tradition, where

the first to dive into the outdoor

pool each April was, more often

than not, Mr Hoyland...

PORT REGIS 

Motcombe Park, Shaftesbury,

Dorset SP7 9NS

Website portregis.com Head

Stephen Ilett Pupils 310 day and

boarding: 185 boys, 125 girls Faith

C of E Ages 2–13 Term fees

Day: £6,700; boarding: £9,250 SANDROYD

parent. The ethos, as championed

by ‘inspirational and innovative’

head Alastair Speers, is that it’s not

possible to nurture and develop a

child in the classroom alone. This

perspective is complemented by

the school’s location in 500 acres

of fields and woods on the

Wiltshire/Dorset border. Students

are typically finished with their

studies indoors by lunchtime,

spending most afternoons outside.

Pastoral care is widely praised, and

the matron, Tilly, is a ‘legend

around the school’, according to

one parent. Any stereotypes to dis-

pel? ‘It’s not all about huntin’,

shootin’ and fishin.’ ’

SHERBORNE

PREP 

Acreman Street, Sherborne,

Dorset DT9 3NY

Website sherborneprep.org Head

Nick Folland Pupils 242 day and

boarding: 147 boys, 95 girls Faith

C of E Ages 3–13 Term fees Day:

£5,710; boarding: £8,600

Head Nick Folland’s glass isn’t half

full – instead, he’s an ‘overflowing

glass kind of guy’, according to one

well-informed source. This energy

permeates every aspect of the

school and one parent tells us that

‘the excitement is so refreshing and

inspiring’. The onus is on inclusivi-

ty – despite 44 per cent of leavers

winning scholarships or awards,

there is no scholarship set, and

everybody gets the chance to shine

on the sports pitch. The school’s

boarding facility is now co-ed –

‘they are going into a world of men

and women, so let’s develop those

social skills now’ – and the house

conkers competition is still eagerly

anticipated. While this prep is

independent of the Sherborne

publics, they are a popular choice

for leavers, with others heading on

to top schools including Eton,

Bryanston and Uppingham. (

little siblings

Publics with preps: see page 46

Badminton 

Blundell’s 

Cheltenham College 

Christ College Brecon 

Clayesmore 

Clifton College 

Dean Close School 

Godolphin 

Millfield 

Monkton Combe 

Monmouth School for Boys 

Westonbirt 

SOUTH WEST

PREP

Where to start? There’s a nine-hole

golf course, rifle range, magic gar-

den (accessed through a tunnel or

a wardrobe à la Narnia) and new

all-weather Astro. Not only is Port

Regis slick with a capital ‘S’, its

facilities rivalling those of the

smartest public schools, but ‘it has

a real presence’ according to one

impressed visitor, and pupils’ man-

ners are ‘exceptional’. Eighty per

cent live within a 15-mile radius

but the school attracts those from

further afield, and the option to

stay in-school during exeats

appeals to international families.

Phil Lawrence, history teacher,

houseparent and diehard Arsenal

fan, deserves a mention: he is the

longest-serving member of staff

and has assisted on more than

20 sports tours in his time.

SANDROYD 

Rushmore, Tollard Royal,

Salisbury, Wiltshire SP5 5QD

Website sandroyd.org Head

Alastair Speers Pupils 175 day

and boarding: 98 boys, 77 girls

Ages 2–13 Term fees Day £7,250;

boarding £8,770

‘Totally magical setting and sur-

roundings. A small school where

everyone is involved and everyone

looks after each other,’ enthuses one

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