Glendower Preparatory School A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmistress

Since 2019, Nina Kingsmill Moore MEd, previously head of pre-prep and deputy head at Lambrook School in Berkshire. Prior to that on the west London circuit, including deputy head of Wetherby pre-prep. Mrs Kingsmill Moore still lives in Berkshire, from where she commutes by train and bicycle, the early morning ride from Paddington across Hyde Park clearly good for body and soul. As one parent said, ‘She’s indefatigable and very well turned out’; no mistaking her, sporting a royal blue trouser suit and fuchsia suede heels on the morning of our visit – a pop of colour, certainly, among all the little girls arriving in smart violet blazers and every available accessory to match. Passionate about the importance of community, she meets and greets by name – girls, dogs, grannies – on the gate. A number of parents mentioned her ‘warmth’ and ‘accessibility’, borne out by a cheery dad complimenting her on her new haircut.
Mrs Kingsmill Moore is passionate about early years learning: ‘If we don’t focus on the younger end, we won’t get the results higher up.’ One parent endorses her enthusiasm: ‘She wants to know each child and give them the best possible start.’ Mindful of parent focus on academics, Mrs Kingsmill Moore is keen to broaden the range of destination schools to which her ‘very bright’ charges apply. She has established a ‘Heads Night’, when six heads – of boarding and day, co-ed and all-girls – come together to talk to parents about aspects of senior school education, reiterating the importance of ‘fit’ and ‘feel’. Equally keen to nudge the girls out of their ‘comfort bubble’, she has forged a close relationship with Park Walk Primary, where joint activities, whether football or coronation celebration, bring together pupils from different backgrounds. ‘We have a moral duty to reach out to the wider community – but this isn’t the driving factor; the girls are at the heart of everything we do.’ ‘Forward-thinking’ and ‘innovative’, according to parents, Mrs Kingsmill Moore says, ‘We cannot be complacent, we cannot stand still; we must feel proud of what we do.’ It was gratifying to hear her acknowledge the ‘level of delivery and commitment’ of her teaching staff. Parents agreed the teachers are ‘amazing’ and feel the head has created a strong team around her.
Mrs Kingsmill Moore is married and has three teenage children at boarding school.

Entrance

No assessment for nursery places, 16 in each of two classes; early registration essential. Entry from nursery into reception not guaranteed. All girls have to pass 4+ assessment, in small groups, to assess ‘social maturity’ and ‘readiness to learn’. Numeracy and letter recognition are important, including English fluency. Very occasional places higher up the school arise, in which case girls assessed more formally for academic and social fit.

Exit

Impressive range of London day schools. St Paul’s, Godolphin and Latymer, Latymer Upper and Francis Holland Sloane Square leading the tally in 2023. Offers also from Highgate, South Hampstead and North London Collegiate (where Mrs Kingsmill Moore is a governor). Wycombe Abbey the most popular boarding option; one quarter of girls offered a place in 2023.

Our view

Glendower has been educating girls since 1895, when two intrepid Victorian spinsters opened a school with just three pupils in Fulham Road. The school has been on its current site on the corner of Stanhope Gardens and Queen’s Gate since 1947. A portrait of one of the founders hangs in Mrs Kingsmill Moore’s traditional study – mahogany desk, wood panelling, chintz – from where heads, ancient and modern, may gaze through leaded windows onto the compact playground. New play equipment – funded in a matter of days with the help of the very effective PTA – adds to the enjoyment of this space which one parents readily admits is ‘limited in size and scope’. These London girls, however, do not appear to be missing out; they skip into school rosy-cheeked and glowing in their clean white socks and traditional Mary Janes.
Glendower is a not-for-profit charitable foundation; all profits are ploughed back into the school ‘for the benefit of the girls’. The living ‘green wall’ in the entrance to the nursery, opened in 2022, is a nod to sustainability and a reference to Glendower growth. The contemporary rainbow staircase leads to fresh classrooms where, from the earliest age, tinies sit on miniature plywood chairs at a ‘voting station’ to democratically choose between two stories. The fully interactive, immersive space in the basement is available to all year groups. We watched a drama lesson where the Jabberwocky came to life; girls posed as gnarled roots of the Tumtum tree, fireflies on the ends of balletic fingers, surrounded by the sights and sounds of an interactive forest. Teachers told us how they love to use the room for cross-curricular learning; history meets geography when learning about the Second World War in a pretend underground bunker where one can almost smell the mud and trench foot.
Specialist teachers for music, drama, computing, French and PE from year 1, and across the board from year 4. No setting as such, but each form has a co-tutor and teaching assistant, and the presence of two specialist teachers for maths and English in years 5 and 6 allows for separate groups to stretch and focus on the 11+ exam for different schools. Around 10 per cent of girls need some group or individual help as they go up the school to ‘unblock the stumbling block’, well supported by the ‘incredible’ SEN lead. Emphasis also on differentiation at the top end. As year 6 studied a GCSE-style extension text from Macbeth, year 3 were learning about prefixes, and coming up with an impressive range of examples; hands up everywhere, not a soul looking disengaged. In maths, the Numicon method is used to teach multiplication to year 1, their participation and enjoyment palpable. We heard of ‘voluntary scientific investigations’ in the holidays to explore the melting point of different types of Easter egg, one child re-forming her eggs into a lifesize brain.
French is taught by a passionate environmentalist who wrote a winning French pop song: her entry ‘Recycle, Réduis, Réutilise’ culminated in the girls staging a sustainability video campaign, worthy of the gilets jaunes, in Stanhope Gardens. With Institut Français next door and a year 5 trip to Normandy, ‘l’immersion totale’ is not in doubt. Mandarin compulsory from year 4. We know of at least two alumnae who loved their early Mandarin so much they are doing it for GCSE. Latin is offered as part of a varied and exciting post-11+ programme, which also includes 3D modelling, app development and a Spanish trip to Madrid.
Drama is ‘outstanding’, according to parents, with ‘exceptionally creative’ productions ranging from 1940s silent movies to out-loud musicals. Debating is ‘a real strength’. Extra clubs run by teachers are limited to three a week for these insatiable girls and their parents; they range from Female Leaders book club to Community club which visits St Theresa’s care home nearby. Ballet, karate, coding and LAMDA are available from external providers.
Music rings out from the top of the building which, appropriately, commands a majestic view as far as the Albert Hall and highlights the proximity of museums within spitting distance. Many girls learn two musical instruments. Singing is also popular. It was hard to hold back the tears in a heartfelt rendition of John Rutter’s 'Give me Wings', young faces showing excited optimism for the future.
‘I would love the school to have more space, especially for sport,’ one mother reluctantly admits, although the lack of it does not preclude sporting opportunities in the green spaces nearby. Girls are shuttled between Battersea Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens for netball, cricket, rounders and football, and to Barn Elms for athletics. Swimming is taught at Imperial College and swim squad trains at Chelsea pool. Selection of teams is ‘as transparent as possible… in the best interest of the girls and the sporting integrity of the school,’ we are told, as if keeping a lid on the competitive ardour of both parents and girls.
Emotional health has been championed with the appointment of a full-time pastoral care teacher and a mindset coach, available to all girls and staff for ‘mindfulness drop-ins’. We like the idea of a self-esteem workshop as part of the post-11+ programme. Difference, including neurodiversity, is celebrated among teachers and children, not just on odd sock day. As one young child disarmingly explained, ‘We each have our own personality; if we were all the same we couldn’t tell each other apart.’ Parents told us how playground tiffs are swiftly resolved by ‘not letting anything fester’ and encouraging the girls to talk about their feelings.
A distinctly smart international set in Kensington and Chelsea has widened to include ‘even a small, cool Notting Hill vibe’. Many families walk or scoot to school. The school community is enriched by up to thirty different nationalities and many multilingual girls. PTA very effective at bringing the school community together and raising money. ‘It can be difficult managing egos,’ said one mother, ‘but parents are generous with their time and money and are committed to the very best education London can offer their daughters.’ A lecture series for parents on relevant topics – exam pressure, e-safety, PSHE topics – helps parents feel involved. They are also welcomed into school to talk about their work or areas of interest to convince these young women there is no limit to their dreams.

Money matters

An ambitious partnership and development programme aims to provide two means-tested bursaries per year group, with additional support for current pupils whose parents may experience financial problems. A further aim is to be one of the only stand-alone prep schools with an endowment fund.

The last word

Bright, energetic children love the buzz of this busy, stimulating environment where ‘nothing is unachievable’. Alongside pacy teaching is a nurturing, balanced approach to wellbeing. ‘It’s rigorous, but not at the expense of the child,’ says a satisfied parent: ‘girls appear confident, look you in the eye and are proud of their school.’

Special Education Needs

The school has a learning co-ordinator who supervises any girls who need special arrangements for full access to learning. 09-09