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What says..

The school involves as many children as possible in its annual productions, whether they are performing on stage, playing in the band, making props or taking charge of sound and lighting. When we visited, 140 children were gearing up for a performance of Matilda in the performing arts centre. A mother said that her shy daughter’s confidence had ‘shot up’ when she was encouraged to audition for a part and promptly got it...

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What the school says...

Ballard is an award-winning, co-educational, independent, day school for children from Nursery to GCSE. Set in 34 acres between the New Forest and Solent on the Hampshire / Dorset border and are rated ‘excellent & outstanding’ by ISI.

Ballard pupils achieve excellent examination results – subject-specialist teaching staff and a diverse and inspiring range of activities and trips, nurture self-confidence, aspiration and help develop each child’s personality.

They offer extensive and exciting opportunities across the four pillars of Ballard (STEM, arts, sport and life) throughout your child’s education, encouraging all to contribute and participate, and providing a solid grounding in both academic and life skills.

A family school, Ballard offers inspiring teaching and excellent pastoral care: children are encouraged to take on responsibilities from an early age including a mentoring programme whereby older children help younger children.
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Other features

Music and dance scheme - government funding and grants available to help with fees at selected independent music and dance schools.

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.

Performing arts specialist school

Sports

Unusual sports

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

Sailing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2018, Andrew McCleave, previously deputy head (academic) at City of London Freemen’s School. Educated at King’s College School, Wimbledon and the University of Manchester, where he read geography. After a PGCE and MA at UCL Institute of Education, he taught geography and economics at Notre Dame School in Cobham, then Emanuel School, King Edward VI Grammar School (Shakespeare’s school in Stratford-upon-Avon), Lady Margaret School in Parsons Green and Lady Eleanor Holles School in Middlesex, where he was director of studies. ‘It’s important that I’ve been a teacher, head of department, director of studies and deputy head,’ he says. ‘It means I intrinsically know what teachers should be doing and how I can support them.’

When he first visited Ballard, he was struck by the school’s friendliness and positivity. ‘Everyone is...

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Please note: Independent schools frequently offer IGCSEs or other qualifications alongside or as an alternative to GCSE. The DfE does not record performance data for these exams so independent school GCSE data is frequently misleading; parents should check the results with the schools.

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Special Education Needs

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