Talbot Heath Junior School A GSG School

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2018, Liz Pugh BA PGCE, previously deputy head. Educated at Parkstone Grammar School, then studied law and history at Oxford Brookes, followed by a PGCE. Joined the junior school in 2007 as a year 2 teacher, then taught year 5 and became SEN coordinator before being appointed as deputy head with special responsibility for pastoral care. Her philosophy in life is to seize every opportunity, try your best and always treat those around you as you would like to be treated. Married with grown-up children.

Entrance

Not selective until year 2. From that point onwards, girls are tested in English, maths and verbal reasoning.

Exit

Most to the senior school (around 15 per cent with scholarships), with the occasional one or two to local grammars, notably Bournemouth School for Girls.

Our view

Situated in a lovely woodland environment on the Talbot Heath campus, a short walk from the senior school and a mile from the beach at Bournemouth. Juniors and pre-prep children occupy separate wings of a large redbrick building, with a courtyard eco-garden in between.

Our young guides were full of enthusiasm for their school (and for their teachers), proudly showing us every corner of every classroom, including a year 6 form with a make-believe beach and school deckchairs. We visited an animated year 6 philosophy class where girls were discussing what makes somebody a hero. They were also doing a project on women they admired – everyone from the American mathematician Katherine Johnson to Rosa Park, the civil rights activist. When the teacher asked girls to tell us about their choices a host of hands instantly shot up. No reluctant learners here. Parents say the academic provision is the school’s ‘real strength’. One told us: ‘The girls have a really healthy work ethic. They all encourage each other, which is lovely to see.’

The advantage of being part of an all-through school is that juniors get to use senior school facilities. Not surprisingly, the new £7.6 million STEAM Hub, complete with a 600-seat auditorium, art studios, design workshops and interactive wall and floor, is hugely popular with the youngest girls. A recent project involved juniors devising ways for the three bears to design chairs that would support Goldilocks while another saw year 5s learning about the heart and circulatory system by running around a giant heart beamed on to the interactive floor. They also use the senior school’s swish new swimming pool, music department and sports facilities.

There’s lots of space outside and forest school is a big part of the curriculum, with each year group having a forest school session at least once every half term. On a winter’s day we joined a group of year 2s having a whale of a time clambering across a rope bridge in the woods (‘it’s great for their gross motor skills and resilience,’ the forest school leader told us) and then cooking Welsh cakes on a camp fire. Stand-alone Jubilee Hall (the senior school ran a competition to name it) used for assembly and activities like ballet and drama. Separate libraries for the pre-prep and junior school, with a big emphasis on reading.

A sense of order and purpose pervades the junior school but girls clearly have fun too. Every wall is packed with displays of written work (lovely handwriting everywhere), vibrant artwork and photographs of recent trips. Learning support is carefully planned – either in small groups or one-to-one – with lessons timetabled to avoid core subjects and provided at no extra cost.

Sport taught throughout the junior school by specialist PE teachers, with badminton, cross-country, dance, football, gymnastics, hockey, netball, swimming, tennis, volleyball, rounders and athletics on offer. Netball is so popular that more than 70 girls stay on for after-school practice. Music is an integral part of school life and is taught by specialists from reception up, with an emphasis on developing an enjoyment and appreciation of music. A host of extracurricular activities, from tennis before school to drama, computer skills, aero dance, martial arts, clay club and mindfulness after school.

Great sense of community and parents say the school communicates with them well. Pre-prep teachers are in daily contact with parents via an app and there’s a weekly newsletter for years 3 to 6. ‘It’s a very inclusive, warm environment,’ one mother told us. Wholesome dining room, with virtually all dishes cooked from scratch. Year 6 girls walk to the senior school for lunch to help them get to know the place before they move up. They also do some lessons at the senior school. Jaunty uniform of red tartan pinafores, red ties, white shirts and navy blazers. Extracurricular activities before and after school (there’s also after-school care till 5.30pm).

The last word

This is a school that nurtures and encourages girls in a positive and caring environment. Teaching and learning are exciting here and pupils get the chance to enjoy their childhood years in a lovely setting. No wonder virtually everyone stays at Talbot Heath for the senior school.

Special Education Needs