Saint Ronan's School

Our View

Spiritually a home from home, a relaxed and informal school – a touch quirky and unusual with a happy and busy feel to it – where teachers are approachable and mud is unremarkable. A school which aims to develop each individual rather than impose a style and is committed to nurturing self confidence, academic as well as social, and independence. Academic achievement is valued and it is cool to be clever for boys as well as girls. A wide range of parents – lots of commuters, new money, old money and others who make notable sacrifices to send their children to the school. Maximum class size is 18 and average is 16. Fewer in years 6, 7 and 8 where the classes are divided into three smaller groups. The children are setted from year 4 in certain subjects and streamed from year 7, with the scholarship children being taught separately for the last couple of years. Latin is taught as a major subject from year 6.

Although there is good learning support (mainly for dyslexia and dyspraxia) with one SENCo in the pre-prep and one full-time and three part-timers in the prep school, the school would not suit a child who really struggles academically. The school no longer offers full boarding but flexiboarding is a popular and oversubscribed option and most children ask to do this at some stage. As a result there is no longer a Sunday chapel service but visiting speakers are often invited to the Friday evensong. The chapel is used four mornings a week. Long school day as the older children (10+) do not finish until 6.30pm but all prep is done at school and it does mean that there is plenty of time for play, fun and extra activities during the day. Prep can be done at home if preferred – but school is favoured by most. Staff and children eat together in the newly refurbished dining room where an eye can be kept on table manners.

Games are played every afternoon. Major sports for the boys are football, rugby, hockey and cricket. Girls play netball, hockey, rounders and lacrosse plus lots of tennis for everyone on the newly refurbished courts. Strong tradition of cross country running – marvellous practice running round all those acres. Minor sports on offer include riding, golf (on the school's own small course), fencing, gymnastics and archery. The children also seem to find time for modelling, craft, fishing and trampolining, as well as tending their gardens. The children in the pre-prep can stay until 5.15pm and can take part in various clubs including den building, nature club, mad scientist club and cookery.

One week towards the end of the summer term is dedicated to expeditions for all year groups. These can involve anything from camping in the woods to sailing, canoeing and raft building and rock climbing – all aimed at building self confidence and enhancing team-building and problem solving skills. The Year 8 leavers plan, organise and help with the fundraising for their own expedition which can be anywhere from the UK to Morocco to Iceland. 2009 found year 8s kayaking up the River Wye and the year 7s climbing Snowdon. The school is working to integrate outdoor education and activities into the mainstream school and games curriculum and are launching a 'Learning to Lead Award' which works like a mini Duke of Edinburgh scheme. There is talk of the school having its own High Ropes Course.

The school was founded in 1883 in Worthing and moved to its present site in 1946. It is housed in a rambling Victorian mansion built by an OXO magnate and set in 247 acres – it has its own 100 acre wood, lakes and a pinetum. There is a splendid one-time ballroom (with sprung floor and painted ceiling) known as The Great Space which is used as a theatre, indoor football pitch, gymnasium etc. It is certainly a school where children can be children for longer.

Saint Ronan's has undergone something of a renaissance and has doubled in size over the past five years but has no plans to grow further. In January 2007 it opened a new pre-prep, music and ICT building in addition to the nursery, art and science departments opened in 2006. 2006 also saw the opening of a refurbished swimming pool (heated – very un-Saint Ronan's!!) and further pitches and netball courts. Further capital investment is planned, with lots of new projects in the pipeline. New sports hall on the way – due June 2010. An all-weather pitch is also in the plans.

Music now plays an important part in the life of the school with over two thirds of the children learning a musical instrument (anything from the more popular piano and violin to the double bass, bassoon and euphonium). There is an orchestra, various musical ensembles, a chapel choir and a number of lunchtime concerts throughout the term. The appointment of a new director of music in 2007 has further strengthened the department. One music scholarship to Eton in 2007 and another one to King's Canterbury in 2009.

Drama is part of the curriculum and the school stages two major productions a year as well as more informal reviews and mini house plays. The children also have the opportunity to stand up in public through the LAMDA and the English Speaking Board exams, as well as the debating society and assemblies – all good confidence builders.

Parents very involved in raising fun and funds – there is a thriving Friends of Saint Ronan's parents' group who organise summer balls, parents' quizzes, Burns Night parties etc. (They raised well over £120,000 in five years.)

Old Boys include the WW2 fighter ace, Laddie Lucas, the politician Airey Neave, the artist Piers de Laszlo and cartoonist Sir Osbert Lancaster, whose Latin master used to tear up his sketches and demand prep instead. Also Charles Saumarez Smith, former director of The National Gallery.

Head

Since 2003, Mr William Trelawny-Vernon (early forties). Educated at Exeter University. Briefly a fund manger in the city before moving to Stowe School to teach biology. Seven years a housemaster of Chatham House, Stowe. Married to Emma who is the registrar and teaches divinity. They have four children in the prep school. Very enthusiastic and energetic – he has managed to bring the school into the 21st century without losing its old fashioned charm.

Head of the pre-prep since September 2007, Kathryn Bender, a worthy successor to the popular Jos Mawdsley.

Entrance

All children wanting a place in Reception upwards have an assessment. This involves a taster day with testing in English and maths and a reasoning test for year 1 upwards. Children need to be of a fairly good standard but nonetheless cover a wide ability range. Most children join in the nursery or pre-prep but there are often spaces further up the school.

Exit

About two thirds go on to public schools, of which Tonbridge, King's Canterbury, Benenden and Eastbourne are currently the most popular. Harrow, Eton, Sevenoaks and Stowe also favourites. Scholarships most years. 2007 included academic scholarships to Tonbridge and King's Canterbury and a sports scholarship to Harrow plus other academic, music and art awards. 2008 included two top academic scholarships to Benenden plus one to Tonbridge and two to Cranbrook as well as several art scholarships. 2009 scholarships to King's Canterbury (music), Tonbridge (academic), Eastbourne, Sutton Valence, Mayfield and King's Canterbury (art). One third go on to local grammar schools at 13+, principally Cranbrook. Occasionally children leave at 11 to go to the grammars but the school does not prepare them for the Kent Test or encourage them to leave at this age – keep them children for as long as possible! At 11+, it is up to the parents to organise extra tuition if they wish to take entry papers at this time. All year 5 parents are invited for an individual meeting with the head to discuss secondary school options.