St Margaret's Nursery, Pre Prep and Junior (Prep) School (Exeter)

Our View

All change here in recent times. Co-ed nursery opened in refurbished accommodation in 2009 alongside pre-prep in Westall House. Well qualified staff run early years section and it shows: children have a lovely, safe outdoor walled garden in which to play when they are not inside flitting twixt ‘sunshine’ and ‘rainbow’ rooms as the fancy takes them. Children feel happy and free but parents we spoke to recognise that the day is carefully structured and that the learning process is carefully monitored. Pre-reading phonic work starts here as does measuring, counting etc. When we visited it was café time for the tinies in their ‘messy’ room. Seamless progression from nursery (some go to state alternatives) to reception class where topics (eg ‘Space’ or ‘The Seaside’) generate lots of ideas for a range of work.
Years one and two expand the topic work but English and maths are taught discretely. French, drama and ICT begin at this level with smartboards and a suite of fifteen PCs shared between pre-prep and prep in a recently converted suite. Parents get a termly curriculum focus which outlines areas for study. Linked access to senior school from Baring Lodge (prep school building) makes it easy for juniors to access specialist and dining facilities. ‘Everyone knows everyone,’ say parents who see great benefits from pupils being in smaller classes. ‘St Margaret’s teaches them values for life,’ said one mum for whom the ‘Christian underpinning’ was also important.

'Learning success' department operates from the earliest years: identifying and helping those with specific learning difficulties. Some EAL teaching too though the girl we met in year four who told us that the teaching was ‘absolutely extraordinary’ seemed already to have outgrown the need for it.

Blazers are worn throughout the day from reception except for practical work. Children get to be part of the wider community in a variety of ways - eg Tuesday assemblies involve years three to eight. Our visit coincided with one by local radio as a result of a letter written to them by a year two girl. Plenty of room to let off steam outside; sunken netball court provides an excellent hard play area for juniors. Book corner is inviting as is the art room which serves for reception class upwards. Former prep head now let loose in DT room which she loves almost as much as her other passion: performing arts. Performances sometimes involve nursery upwards – witness ‘The Littler Muncher’ set in Lazy Daisy Village to the delight of parents or else, years two to six as in the case of ‘Wind in The Willows’.
‘Sport for all’ motto is reflected in pupils’ enjoyment of a range of sports. Without being over-competitive prep has built up a fixture list against local schools in netball, hockey, rounders and kwik cricket. Gymnastics, dance and swimming (at St Luke’s pool nearby) all figure and year six have a full games afternoon. Pupils enjoy inter-house competition through events such as annual swimming gala and athletics. Creative development is emphasised from the start – junior choir and junior orchestra perform regularly and a majority of junior children have group or individual instrumental lessons. Pupils are articulate at an early age we found; lots of visiting specialists for music as well as speech and drama (LAMDA exams). Horizons have been broadened through involvement with EU Comenius project which has recently involved reciprocal visits with pupils from Denmark and Belgium. Year six pupils make annual cultural pilgrimage to London for a few days and take in a range of activities (eg galleries, museums and a show). Visits lower down school are well thought out – lots involve natural settings (eg seashore centre at Goodrington) and inspire follow-up work in class.
Sensible arrangements for delivery and collection of pupils and for care before and after school (at a cost). Parents seem to be fully involved and help to organise social and fund-raising events through active PSA.
Distinctive, holistic start to schooling with an emphasis on the creative. ‘If you fall over at St Margaret’s someone will be there to help you back onto your feet,’ explained one mum who suggested that elsewhere this was not necessarily the case. Boys will make a difference but so too will the new head of prep.

Head

Since September 2010, Mr Richard Raistrick BA PGCE (early fifties), who succeeds long-serving and much valued predecessor, Ms Sarah Agg-Manning, who remains on staff. Educated at Bolton School before reading modern literature and linguistics at Cardiff then PGCE at Bristol. Taught at Saltus Grammar School, Bermuda for 12 years before return to UK and launching into a prep school teaching career beginning with St Aubyn’s, Rottingdean where he was director of studies. Deputy head at St John’s, Sidmouth for yonks then associate headships at Bramcote Lorne and Lincoln Minster. Clearly happy to be coming back to his old haunts and to have a project to get his teeth into. Has been round the block a few times so looks like he’ll move the prep up a gear or three. Married to Beverley, a teacher, they have two sons moving towards and through university respectively. Still teaches English and is a keen sportsman. Enjoys theatre and walking the family dog.

Entrance

By application, entrance test and interview.

Exit

Girls’ transfer to senior school unconditional although all sit entrance exam.