Dean Close St John’s A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2021, Nick Thrower, following six years as assistant head and chaplain at Lambrook. Prior to that, director of sport and houseparent at St Andrew’s, Kenya: ‘We lived in bare feet for three years,’ he reminisces. His wife, Jo, joined St John’s as a pre-prep teacher a term before he arrived.

Lots of photos of him setting a trend for suits with wellies on the website reflect a love of outdoor learning (at one point he and Jo ran an outdoor centre in Devon). Parents have seen a ‘massive shift’ to the outside since their arrival.

Pupils describe him as ‘kind’, ‘caring’ and ‘involved’. ‘He shakes our hands,’ they say, ‘asks people what they think’ and ‘helps the little ones’. ‘You don’t have to be in the A squad’ to get his attention. Parents say ‘he’s very much Nick’, rather than Mr Thrower.

Entrance

Half of pupils hail from one of the Little Trees nurseries, also part of the Dean Close Foundation, the majority from the on-site Tutshill branch. Kindergarten is offered in pre-prep, offering pre-schoolers the more grown-up structure of school. Otherwise entrance follows taster days and progress tests from year 3.

Exit

Over half carried on to Dean Close in 2022, but none in 2023. They went to Clifton College and Wycliffe School instead, with four scholarships. King’s Gloucester and Marlborough College also sometimes feature. Parents don’t feel that Dean Close is pushed, quite the opposite in fact, expressing that the (oversubscribed) senior school ‘could make more effort’ to sell to St John’s pupils.

Our view

In 2015 the school became part of the Dean Close Foundation, an educational charity comprising a group of Cheltenham-based schools and nurseries, the exception being St John’s which is based in Tutshill, Gloucestershire, overlooking the market town of Chepstow. Financial insecurity immediately prior to this had led to quite a few parents jumping ship, the legacy of which is low pupil numbers in the current years 6 and 7. Strategy to build from the bottom up seems to be working a treat, with classes of 15 plus from kindergarten to year 5.

Since joining the foundation the school has become ‘a slicker operation’. Mr Thrower meets with his opposite numbers every Thursday, resources and people are shared and there are plenty of joint events like the recent African zimbe singing at Tewkesbury Abbey.

Main school is an attractive white fronted building set in 25 acres of grounds with glorious views. Originally built in 1812 as a country house, it became a school in 1923 and 2023 saw centenary celebration events throughout the year. There’s some peeling paint, window frames in need of TLC and, disappointingly for pupils, the tree house has been decommissioned on safety grounds. School is conscious of ‘kerb appeal’, but recent investment has needed to focus on deep infrastructure like pipework and roofing (‘the bits you can’t see,’ bemoans the head), renovation of some classrooms, the boarding area and new art/DT block.

Not originally designed as a school, and with no obvious large space for a dining hall, year groups are split for lunch between two rooms. We dined with years 3 and 4, keen to introduce us to all their friends and clearly expecting us to remember all the names. The library is a cosy space, with an invitingly squishy blue sofa and brightly coloured patchwork rug, perfect for a game of squares (our guides explained the rules). The Embassy room, a formal area with grand piano and cabinet of sports silverware, was the place to get refreshments during last year’s school car wash fundraiser. A recent community litter pick saw the seniors bringing back an entire car bumper. Outside there’s a coop with six chickens, whose names were picked out of a hat during assembly, hence we were introduced to Popcorn and Sergeant Speckles. Pupils would love more interaction with them, but tell a great story of one escaping during an English lesson.

Much excitement on the day of our visit was caused by the inaugural firing up of the new outdoor pizza oven. Constructed by the pupils out of clay, sand and straw, with glass bottles for insulation and an intricate lion design, they beam with pride at their achievement, which will surely become a school institution. As another class rush down for a tasting, the head shouts ‘guys, it’s terrible’ while stuffing his mouth with pizza. No-one believes him.

School follows the Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB), now in its third full year of teaching. An ‘assessment framework, rather than curriculum’, the PSB is heavy on continuous assessment with only 30 per cent based on exams. Skills including independence, collaboration, leadership, thinking and learning, communication, reviewing and improving are taught in an explicit and directed way, rather than being treated as a hopeful adjunct. A significant opportunity for independent project work serves as a prep level precursor to the EPQ. Inspired by individual interests, projects vary from Elizabethan costume making, investigating vegan alternatives to eggs, what makes a successful airline and whether scrumcaps provide real protection. ‘It instils a sense of curiosity and wonder at the world,’ says the head. ‘Children don’t need the stress of Common Entrance,’ he goes on, glad to see the back of the ‘past papers mentality’.

Pre-prep is housed in a separate adjacent building. Class sizes are generally capped at 18 with specialist teaching in French, music, art and PE. Learning often takes place outside, either in the purpose-built covered wooden roundhouse or forest school. Wall displays show year 1 eagerly practising their knots and making stick catapults. Working parents appreciate that wraparound care from 8 until 6 is built into the fees.

Prep class sizes generally don’t go beyond 20. Setting is dependent on year size, so current year 5 is split for core subjects and humanities, but the smaller year 8 is not. Language teaching is delivered by a native French speaker. Pupils this year (2022) are being treated to a trip to Barcelona, although further afield is the norm. There’s CAT testing from year 2 upwards, progress tests in English and maths from year 1 and in science from year 3. Year 5 upwards use Chromebooks and keep their PSB portfolios on their laptops. The ability to create presentations of their work, including videos of sport, musical or drama prowess surely stands them in good stead for senior school interviews.

New art/DT block has all the glamour of a container, in stark contrast to the creativity inside. Against the backdrop of calming music, the infectiously enthusiastic teacher showed off pupils’ intricate pottery work and the largest kiln in the region. Encouraged to be as independent as possible, students can ‘deviate from the plan if they are feeling it’. Each year group studies art from a different continent, avoiding the obvious choices: ‘We don’t do Van Gogh.’ Art homework on the topic of ‘make me a beast’ is displayed in a gallery in main school reception. Unsurprisingly there are a couple of art scholars per year. DT room is brimming with machines and a pleasingly well-organised wall hung with tools and ear defenders (apparently also handy for blocking out overenthusiastic cheering at the staff v staff netball match).

New music teacher is keen for children to realise the wider benefit of her subject: ‘If you can sing, you can do a presentation or recite a poem,’ she says. ‘I want every child to be a musician, not only those who have lessons.’ Recent workshops include singing, drumming and brass, with years 3 and 4 experimenting with cornets (more use for those ear defenders?). There’s an orchestra, senior and junior choirs as well as pre-prep Little Voices. The winners of the house music festival perform at speech day and there’s a joint concert with Dean Close at Tewkesbury Abbey which gives pupils a ‘sense of scale’ and leaves them ‘buzzing for days after’. Year 8 put on an annual show, recently Matlida and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We loved the wall display of year 6’s production of 1,000 Cranes, an oriental collaboration studio piece with the most beautiful costumes.

Three-person learning support team led by a passionate learning support coordinator (a ‘one-woman powerhouse’, say parents) takes care of those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, ASD and ODD within dedicated learning support classrooms. One pupil had an ECHP at the time of our visit. All sit dyslexia and dyscalculia screening at year 3 and 6-8 week academic support groups assist those needing help with reading and spelling. Key skills offered as an alternative to Latin. Site prevents wheelchair access, although school have gone ‘above and beyond’ to accommodate milder physical disabilities in a small number of cases.

The focus is on sport for all and small year groups mean that no-one has to worry about being picked for the team. Learning within the PSB also includes informal (and highly inclusive) sports assessments which cover learning about heath-related fitness, balancing with the science curriculum and focusing on involvement rather than ability (we approve!). There is increasing collaboration with Dean Close Foundation schools for all sports and boys travel the 45-minute trip there twice a week for rugby. In addition, the school hosts occasional sports camps with Chepstow RFC. The Astro could be bigger, but serves the purpose for hockey and football. A couple of tennis courts are under-utilised, one is used for private lessons, but nothing timetabled. The pool is a great resource for the younger years and for teaching lifesaving.

Flourishing Friday involves the whole school in a range of activities based around the wild world, community and wellbeing, including RSPB nature award, creating stalls for the Jubilee fete and outdoor learning. Year 5 knitted hats for a school in South Africa and were thrilled to receive photos back of recipients happily modelling their handiwork.

A dedicated pastoral care chill-out area has a tepee and, more importantly, LED mood lighting. Year 8 do Mindful Mondays and were halfway through a world map puzzle when we visited. Counselling offered across the foundation is free. Parents say pastoral care is ‘unbeatable’, although discipline ‘could be a little bit stronger’.

Majority of pupils live within a 20-minute drive. A dozen or so from Forces backgrounds, otherwise lots of families with two working parents. Currently no internationals, but a broader cultural diversity of pupils than in other rural schools we have visited.

Boarders

The deputy head and his wife are new houseparents this year, looking after five full (all boys at the time of our visit) and, on average, five flexi boarders – rising to 10 on the regular activity weekends. There’s space for more in the recently renovated boarding house and the plan is to build flexi to create a ‘landing spot for boarding’ and open minds to a greater number of potential senior schools. There’s a strong focus on creating a home away from home, an ‘opportunity to experience boarding in an intimate environment’. Pupils help wash up, make pizzas, play board games or pool and there are weekend trips to the climbing centre, water park, canoeing and Barry Island. Phone calls home are from a land line in a private booth. Mobiles are allowed, but are rarely used (‘they’re not that interested’) and screen time is ‘together time’, watching a movie or playing as a group on the Nintendo Switch.

Money matters

11+ scholarships are available to both internal and external candidates with awards up to 20 per cent, many of which continue to year 13 at Dean Close senior school. Up to 100 per cent bursaries on application. Generous schemes for Forces families.

The last word

Now fully embedded within the Dean Close Foundation, St John’s has a relaxed confidence about its offering. There are no big plans for change, just gradual improvements in facilities and a rolling review of academics. Pupils are charming, confidently saying hello as we walked through the corridors. Parents say, ‘Kind, compassionate little humans are being nurtured.’ A school very happy in its own skin.

Special Education Needs

The SEN department is staffed by two full-time specialist teachers who offer one-to-one lessons and small group sessions to children with dyslexia. A number of key workers and classroom assistants give support to children needing help in mainstream classes. Conditions such as Hearing impairment, Visual impairment, physical difficulties and some mental health needs are supported, depending on severity.

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