Casterton, Sedbergh Preparatory 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.

Sports

Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.

Shooting

Sailing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2017, Will Newman, previously deputy head of Taunton Prep. Hails from London, but moved to Melbourne for six years aged 8, developed his love of ‘every sport’ and an ‘accent from Neighbours’. BA in education (specialising in PE) from Exeter, MA in sports psychology from University of Victoria, Canada.

Affable in conversation, humorous and passionate about his role, parents say he is ‘fantastic’ and ‘very involved’. One said, rather cryptically, ‘He has to be bloody good to be that silly’ – something to do with staff and children doing the conga through reception. Runs early-morning swimming club and ‘knows all the parents and students by name’. Children say he is ‘very nice’ and does lots, ‘not just headteacher things’.

Updating the curriculum has been his mission, notably raising the profiles of STEM and DTE (design technology and engineering), introducing computer science and developing performing arts.

Love of sport and the outdoors is palpable – often found wearing a tracksuit and his office is full of sporting paraphernalia crammed into corners, walls are adorned with OS maps of mountains (he loves to mountain bike). Golfing (‘badly’) and surfing also passions. A rugby semi-pro at Exeter and winger for England students, coaching and teaching have always been his goal. His wife is head of art and their two children attend. Leaving in January 2025.

To be replaced in January 2025 by Kate Martin, currently head at Mowden Hall School, where she was previously deputy head and director of sport. She has 25 years’ experience in the independent sector, in both day and boarding schools, including as head of girls’ games at both Oundle and Ampleforth. Married to Simon, with a son, Ted, who will join School House.

Entrance

Pre-prep and prep admissions are non-selective, via a taster day. Suitability and any school references are considered. Also entry from year 7, when there may be online tests in English and maths, mainly to inform setting.

Exit

Very rare not to move up to the senior school automatically – usually 90 per cent, around 60 per cent with a scholarship. Occasional students to state schools in Penrith, Windermere or Lancaster. CE available if needed but no longer on curriculum as senior school runs its own entrance assessments.

Our view

Broad curriculum on offer, where the non-selective intake all ‘mosh in together’, as one parent put it. Until year 7, that is, when there is setting in STEM, English and humanities. Top sets get Latin and classics, the rest get extra English and maths. All very fair and flexible, say parents – nobody is stuck out of place. Classes of around 15, max 20. Reports every half term. Not a school for polyglots – French, from reception, is the only MFL.

Throughout the year groups, discussion and debate are de rigueur in lessons. Lots of pair and group work, including earliest years. We saw students tackling problems in a highly enthused top set maths class – impressive mix of cooperation and competition. Year 8 geographers, surrounded by models of volcanoes, discussed prime meridian and lines of latitude and longitude with the help of balloons. Super restraint, not a single ‘let down’. Specialist teaching in music, PE, art and French from reception, increasing in prep to full specialism from year 6.

Parents say children enjoy lessons and that the daily homework (up to 45 minutes a night by year 8) ‘has to be done or there are consequences’, a ‘minus’ normally. Children told us they feel they are ‘expected to do their best’ in lessons and homework, but they find the work ‘not too hard’ and say there’s ‘not a lot of pressure’. Staff report that where there is pressure, it tends to be home grown. As a result, they try to ensure that children have a ‘balance between the academic and the breadth of opportunities’.

DTE now a major focus of the school, complete with the tech to give it clout. More kit than you can shake a mouse at: 3D printers and a Mars landscape to test coding in robotics. Students proudly demonstrated to us how they are building their own skateboards. Some had even designed and constructed their own flight simulator during their Friday club and lunch breaks.

The 14 per cent of pupils on the SEN register are supported by the ‘individual needs’ team, consisting of three teachers and two assistants. The wide range of needs includes autism, ADHD and SEMH – and the school is gaining quite a reputation (and numbers) for dyslexia. One parent told us they picked up his child’s dyslexia, quickly assessed and supported him by putting extra English in place of French, and by ‘really helping him and giving him the building blocks and motivation’. Support largely through one-to-ones or groups of two (costs extra) but some in class, more so in pre-prep. One EHCP at time of visit. EAL classes for the handful of international students, usually from France, Spain or Hong Kong (five during our visit).

No forest school but there is an outdoor space for bushcraft, and children get to muck in (and out) with the chickens, goats and horses on the on-site fields, stables and riding arena. Site was formerly home to a senior girls’ school so facilities are impressive for a prep – including pool and oodles of room to explore the majestic setting in the Lune valley. A well-equipped food room too but, oddly, cooking is not timetabled, though the space gets used for clubs and a one-off session for year 8. Seems a shame. There are six science labs and a large (‘vast,’ reckon pupils) library with plenty of soft furnishings and nooks for quiet reading. Corridors are colourful, with displays of students’ work and posters on growth mindsets. The dining hall is calm and orderly with best manners on display. We found food to be wholesome, plentiful and tasty. Pupils say the food is ‘very good’ and fish and chip Friday is a favourite – no surprises there.

The large art studio – all wood and windows – is filled with light and spreads over two floors. Both are full of vibrant displays of work and just the right amount of spillage and splash to suggest creative energies have free rein. Textiles and printmaking have their own space.

Drama and music are taught together to facilitate the regular performances. ‘Everyone on stage, every year’ is the ethos, say parents approvingly. In addition to the compact Tom Penny Theatre and large classroom, there are 15 practice rooms for the 50 per cent of pupils who have private instrumental lessons, from harp to the trombone. ‘It’s always busy in here,’ said a pupil about the department, where the pre-prep class entertained us with their creepy Halloween music – no hesitation, just confident enthusiasm to scare the pants off. If pupils want to add to the extensive list of ensembles they get support, with one parent telling us how staff helped her son ‘put a band together’. Another commented on the boys creating a choir because the girls already had one, again supported by staff. There’s even a junk percussion group – in reference to their unique instruments rather than the quality of the sound, we’re sure.

Opportunities for performance range from the Nativity for the youngest pupils, up to Oliver!, Shrek and Madagascar for older ones. Pupils can also perform at the (at least) half-termly concerts and weekly chapel on Fridays. Parents describe these as ‘amazing’, saying they really boost children’s confidence. We can well believe it, having watched a year 4 freestyle bongoist following a year 8 grade 5 flautist, both relishing the applause. LAMDA gets 40 per cent take-up – one parent told us his daughter had taken three exams, with three distinctions. Backstage opportunities also plentiful.

Sport and Sedbergh collocate like horse and carriage in parents’ minds – with facilities to boot, including equestrian centre, Astro, pool, shooting range, sports hall and pavilion, among others. Although one parent told us it is ‘nonsense to say it’s only a sports school’, the head says sport is ‘a huge strength’ and pupils feel it is ‘very sports orientated’ – as demonstrated by the many framed sports shirts around the site. Boys’ main focus is rugby, although they also play hockey, cross-country, cricket and tennis. Football not on curriculum but there is a club, ditto for girls’ rugby. Girls’ sports include netball, hockey, cricket and athletics. Students say there are lots of fixtures and everyone gets to play – and the teams often reach national finals. Most parents feel sport is ‘fantastic’, with one child doing early morning cricket and swimming before breakfast – sounds exhausting. ‘Being part of the team’ was important to one parent, but others insisted there was ‘zero pressure’ from school, they ‘don’t have to play’. Match teas are pretty good though, if any incentive were needed.

Clubs available from reception to year 2 up to 5pm daily, with every child we spoke to involved in several. Older pupils have clubs at breaks and on Friday afternoons. They say ‘there is plenty to do’ and ‘something for everyone’, ranging from gardening, caving and comic book making to cookery (making use of those resources). With the exception of those requiring external coaches, such as sailing and golf, most are free.

Now over 200 years old, Casterton started as a girls’ school, with alumnae including the Brontës. Location is certainly redolent of those wuthering heights – isolated, rugged and breath-taking in equal measures. The merger with Sedbergh formally came in 2013.

The head has striven to make the school ‘a happier and kinder place’ and he seems to be succeeding. Kindness is pervasive, from staff who highlight the support children give each other, to children who talk about the ‘warmth’ and ‘kindness’ they experience from the head down. Charity and outreach work in the community and as far afield as Ukraine, speaks volumes. Parents tell us the school ensures ‘their children live the core values’ (these include ambition, courage and kindness and are known as the Ways of the Wolf), and see it as simply ‘a happy place’ – who could ask for more?

Parents feel discipline is handled in ‘a fair manner’ and when things do go awry, which children and parents tell us is ‘rarely’, they act ‘quickly and consistently’. Pupils say the system of merits and minuses works well and is respected and feel the head sets the tone – ‘not very strict, a good balance’. One parent felt communication around discipline issues was ‘not always perfect’, however.

Parents are, according to the head, very much ‘feet on the ground’ and ‘hard working’. A mix of local families and a small number of internationals. The PTA organise a few activities annually but no pressure to get involved. Ten per cent ethnic diversity, roughly in line with the setting says school, but all are made welcome.

Boarders

The sense of belonging is powerful, particularly in the boarding houses. All spoke about strong house allegiance and an enthusiasm to board. Day parents had children ‘desperate’ to board. Around 80 boarders, starting from year 3, including full, weekly and flexi. Plenty of activities (‘almost too much,’ said one parent) and support from house staff. Specialist teachers help boarders with homework. Girls have two houses, Beale for years 7 and 8 and Thornfield for younger. We saw rooms sleeping between two and four girls with freedom to personalise their spaces, a comfy common room with sofas galore; both have a kitchen for snacks. The boys are together in Cressbrook and rooms hold between two and nine, depending on ages. Two common rooms with fussball and their own small kitchen. Boys pointed out how tidy the rooms were, but admitted it ‘wouldn’t last long’. Mobiles are locked away during the day for all pupils; boarders get a slot in the evening to make calls, if they have time.

Money matters

Scholarships are awarded at the head’s discretion on entry into year 7, related to academia, art, computer science, STEM, drama, music and sport. Like bursaries, there is a ‘limited number’ awarded; varies dependent on cohort but around two-thirds are successful.

The last word

A prep school with strong traditions and an even stronger belief in human kindness and values. Children are nurtured and grow here through exposure to an environment rich in opportunity and challenge, both physical and mental. And they love it.

Special Education Needs