St Andrew's Turi Preparatory School

Since 2020 Ian Wright, previously head of prep at Pocklington School in UK.

Entrance exams are taken in English, maths and NVR. Most pupils arrive at the lower end of the school and stay all the way through.

Succeed at Common Entrance is required to move up to the senior school, with around 85 per cent of prep school year 8 pupils usually making this move. The rest to other East African options or schools in the UK. In 2018, 41 pupils sat the 11+ with 35

The school offers the national curriculum of England, leading up to taking Common Entrance at 13+. Unusually for Kenyan schools, food technology and design technology are offered as well as standard subjects. The average class size is 14, with a

Learning success centre (LSC) for pupils with learning difficulties. Two specialist (part-time) teachers in LSC but another four staff involved in additional support lessons. Some parents commented they felt learning support could be stronger.

There tends to be only a small number of pupils for whom English is a second language, all of whom are assisted with extra English lessons in the Learning success centre.

Music is very strong, with pupils encouraged to perform in public at regular informal concerts. More than 60 pupils learn at least one instrument. 'Music is excellent,' say parents, 'more than excellent!' There’s a school orchestra and an orchestral

Everybody plays sport, which is compulsory, and there are many successes on the sporting field. 'Turi always has big, strong rugby teams,' commented a parent from another school with a dash of envy. They also hold the annual private schools’

A parent who was apprehensive about having her children weekly boarding commented: 'Much to our surprise they settled incredibly well and never hesitate about going back to school.'

Strongly Christian, the school tends to favour employing Christian staff, although not exclusively. A former non-Christian member of staff from the UK commented on the happy atmosphere in the staff room, saying that it was one of the best

Mainly Kenyan (40 per cent), followed by Ugandan (25 per cent) and about 20 per cent British. A light sprinkling of American, Canadian, Nigerian and Asian children make up some of the 25 nationalities.

Past pupils include the artist Peter

The school is non-profit making and managed by a board of governors who operate a trust, which is limited by guarantee. The financial management ensures that all profits are re-invested in the school. 

No scholarships to the prep school but

A family-orientated boarding school full of happy children with a strongly Christian ethos. Sport and music are especially strong, but it definitely has a very all-round feel. Although some parents might feel there are not enough children of European