Aldwickbury School A GSG School

Sports

Fencing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2021, Paul Symes. Educated at East Bergholt High School, Colchester Sixth Form College and Brunel University (QTS, PE and geography). Cut teeth in state-maintained sector at Isleworth and Syon Boys’ School then on to Chantry High School in Ipswich. This, he says, ‘shaped his journey’ and he moved into the independent sector determined to ‘burst the bubble’ and help pupils become aware of their privilege. First private school role was at Belmont Mill Hill Prep as head of boys’ games, where he stayed for 11 years, progressing to senior deputy head with responsibility for safeguarding and pastoral.

Self-effacing, likeable and cast from a lower-ego mould than many prep heads, although with his sharp suit, relaxed composure and direct communication style, could pass for management consultant. His modern outlook is slightly at odds with the school’s rather austere surroundings, but he is focused on presenting an authentic version of himself – self-aware enough to confess that at interview stage that he felt he may have been on the back foot having not followed the trad route to prep school headship.

With the incumbent having been in post for some 18 years, however, the governors thankfully liked his ‘fresh eyes’ and, following a 12-month overlap working with former head ‘behind the scenes’, he seized the reins with the aim of ‘respecting history’ but also being ‘forward thinking’.

‘New broom’ wasn’t required. Staff have largely stayed put and echoed head’s mantras almost verbatim when we asked them what had changed (so did pupils for that matter – the messages are getting through). Most notable has been the placement and constant reinforcement of values front and centre, a shift of emphasis towards praising effort and approach to work, as well as results and an incorporation of the pre-prep into the main school. The curriculum has been ‘tweaked’ and modernised and there has been some improvement of academic facilities. Parents appreciate improved discipline (‘There’s now total clarity, just like at senior school’), and movement away from a ‘boys will be boys’ culture. We witnessed a stern correction of the dining room noise levels at lunch time – with hushed tones duly following – although were assured afterwards that such interventions were rarely required (‘We promote positive behaviour and encourage boys to be reflective of their actions,’ says head). Parents we spoke to uniformly said they welcomed his ‘new energy’.

Part hands-on head, part action man, he frequently referees rugby and football fixtures and runs cycling and athletics clubs. Married to Lisa, who works in school marketing, with two young sons, both at the school.

Entrance

Three-form entry with a maximum 16 per class in pre-prep and 18 in prep. No sign of slowing registrations – maximum capacity 450. Non-selective at 4+, and majority join then with boys joining later (usually years 3 and 5) invited in for informal assessment (English, maths, reading – not a test) with relevant year group staff to ensure they can access curriculum.

Exit

Some at 11+ to local outstanding state options St George’s Harpenden, Sir John Lawes and Katherine Warington. One or two to St Albans School at this point, mainly to join older siblings. At 13+ St Albans School gets lion’s share (about half), followed closely by Bedford. Most want day schools but ones and twos to Haileybury, Oundle, Marlborough most years. Boys encouraged to stay until 13+ but gone (thankfully) are the days when 11+ leavers became persona non grata, although worth noting that some parents said they were still ‘under pressure’ to stay until year 8, and 11+ entrance prep is not given in school. ‘They need to soften that approach and balance their business model with the boys’ preferences,’ said one mother, although head says he sends a clear message to parents from the outset that they must do what is right for their family. Thirteen scholarships in 2023, with half of these achieved by boys not in the scholarship set.

Our view

A stone’s throw from the functional Southdown high street, Aldwickbury Mansion became home to the only boys’ prep in Harpenden in 1948. When we arrived at the main school building – all Victorian feature windows, panelling and dim lighting – our mission was to discover exactly why, in an educational landscape stuffed with excellent state primary schools and real estate with price tags to match, families would choose to send their children here. When we put this to head he described school ethos as ‘holistic education with academic stretch; staff stand out and ignite passion’. So far, so good. What else? ‘We’re pushing against tradition.’ Now we were really listening.

The mansion is surrounded by a selection of more modern buildings, housing teaching blocks and a light-flooded dining hall plus Astro, 25m pool, new sports hall (2022) and playing fields in a site covering about 20 acres. Pre-prep – which describes itself as a ‘school within a school’ – is a standalone facility with interconnecting classrooms festooned with phonics bunting, spilling onto outside learning spaces furnished with dinosaur tables and sandpits to allow free flow. ‘We’re out whatever the weather,’ said class teacher. There’s eco teaching every week in a designated area, and yoga and mindfulness align with prep’s ‘Future Thinking’ curriculum. Pupils earn marbles for being kind, listening and sitting nicely – one lucked out by stocking up his jar after explaining to us perfectly how the system worked. Drama, music and sport are taught by specialists from the get-go and the focal point of the playground is HMS Aldwickbury, a nautically themed climbing frame encouraging creative role-play.

Prep ‘loosely’ follows CE curriculum from year 3 although approach to success ‘takes a more forward-thinking approach’, says head. Acknowledges that teaching ‘needed to adapt to a changing world’ when he arrived, hence intro of the aforementioned Future Thinking curriculum, a framework embedding STEM, creative use of technology, outdoor learning, communication, mindfulness and the community into all aspects of pupils’ learning. Two new labs, an IT suite and a STEM hub are up and running, along with a new space for LAMDA. Boys are class taught up to year 5, thereafter specialist teaching fosters ‘greater independence’. French from reception, Latin added in year 6. Most popular subjects? History and geography, according to our guides.

Parents felt there was still work to do in terms of proactive preparation for entrance exams at 13+ and that external tutoring was common. ‘They don’t start early enough – it’s a million miles behind the girls’ schools’ was a common grumble, although worth noting that despite this, all 2023 leavers were offered their first choice of senior school, about a third with scholarships. Great praise for year 8 leavers’ programme, including trips to Westminster, backstage passes to West End theatres, Apprentice-style smoothie making projects, mental health talks and emergency first aid training.

Parents say school ‘works in partnership’ with them when it comes to SEN, taking a person-centred approach and doing what is right for each family, ‘making sure the boy has a voice’. Full-time SENCo, plus two speech therapists and an occupational therapist. All teachers trained in dyslexic teaching and interventions typically handled in class. Pupils must be able to access curriculum, but school aims to be as inclusive as possible and has experience with cerebral palsy, dyspraxia, autism, dyslexia, hearing impairment and visual impairment. We spotted two standing desks in a year 2 classroom, one with a foot pedal (going full pelt during the class we observed). ‘We take it in turns to go on these,’ the user earnestly told us. ‘We let everyone have a go – those who use them most frequently tend to be the ones who need it,’ SENCo agreed. ‘We have honest dialogue with boys about attention and are constantly in contact with parents.’ Occasionally accepts EHCPs, although older part of school would present issues for any child with mobility issues.

Great excitement on the day of our visit as cricket coaches awaited news of who their opponent would be in impending regional finals. Parents described sporting offering as ‘outstanding’ and ‘for everybody’, with A to F teams in major sports (football, rugby and cricket, with a side order of hockey, tennis or swimming in the indoor pool) so everyone gets a fixture and match tea a few times each term. Games every day, so although genuinely unsporty types might struggle, most boys (and parents) we spoke to adored it.

Drama, on curriculum throughout, described by parents as ‘brilliant’. We watched boys improvising alternative endings to Romeo and Juliet in the outdoor theatre – the Bard would have more than approved of the high drama swooning and declarations of love, not to mention their willingness to play the female lead (‘They’re not afraid to wear a dress,’ drama teacher told us). Over 200 take peripatetic LAMDA and there are four teachers running after-school drama clubs. Each year group performs annually, ranging from silent movies and mime in year 5 to the major senior production, most recently Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where main roles are auditioned but ‘everyone gets involved’. In the music department, around two-thirds of boys take lessons each week, with every boy in year 3 learning violin for two terms, while for budding maestros there are ensembles and bands from samba to rock band, plus two choirs.

DT takes place in a charming, spacious and well-equipped converted stable block and was unanimously declared ‘fabulous’ and ‘so creative’. Pupils from year 3 onwards create useful items like banana hangers, desk organisers and sweetie dispensers to their hearts’ content. Rave reviews, too, for art – another place for boys to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. ‘There’s lots of clay,’ one told us, pointing out pottery burgers and pots.

All parents spoke warmly of the pastoral system. Pupils described the school as ‘kind’, while parents’ top adjective was ‘nurturing’. ‘They take very good care of them in the early years,’ said one mother, with another telling us how much she had appreciated the hands-on support from school during a difficult family event. Head’s main message to pupils is that he wants them to leave the school ‘as good people’; also says ‘we keep them young but also with great maturity’. In our view they are doing a good job - pupils we met exuded good manners and understated charm. ‘They always say thank you after a school trip,’ one teacher told us.

‘Fantastic’ wraparound care available from 7.30am until 6pm. Breakfast is an extra but many afterschool clubs, ranging from board games to yoga, are run free by staff. Others such as football, fencing and skiing paid for. From year 5, all boys stay to do their prep in school (until 5.10pm, then until 5.45pm for the top two years) – popular with most, although some felt that activities done outside of school suffered as a result.

Boarders

Overseen by the matron of 20 years, her enthusiasm not dampened by lengthy tenure. Very much a flexi offering, with boys allowed to board ‘as little or as often’ as they wish – including occasional ‘sleepovers’ – to a maximum of three nights per week. The three dorms, with their Star Wars, sports and DC themed decor, are full most nights with boys split by age group. Evenings are fun filled with themed events such as Nerf wars, cricket and chippy evenings and ‘feed yourself for a fiver’ top favourites.

Money matters

Means-tested bursaries available.

The last word

Aldwickbury is en route to shaking off its old-fashioned reputation and replacing it with one for consistent academic excellence on top of roundedness under the leadership of a head who is, in the words of parents, ‘injecting new energy’. ‘There’s something very special about single-sex education,’ he says, and with its winning combination of nurture, creativity and robust daily activity we anticipate that local parents will see with fresh eyes the allure of this local gem for their sons.

Special Education Needs

Leavers' destinations