Beechwood Park School A GSG School
- Beechwood Park School
Pickford Road
Markyate
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL3 8AW - Head: Mr Christian Pritchard
- T 01582 840333
- F 01582 842372
- E [email protected]
- W www.beechwoodpark.com/
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 3 to 13.
- Read about the best schools in East Hertfordshire and West Hertfordshire
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Hertfordshire
- Pupils: 503
- Religion: Church of England/Christian
- Fees: Day £14,355 - £20,775; Flexi boarding plus £4,935 pa
- Open days: Open Mornings scheduled on Thursday February 8th 2024 and private tours available on request.
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
The school had warned us that lessons here are loud and the maths class we joined was exactly that – lively teaching and lots of discussion. And we love the school policy of writing reports directly to children rather than parents – at start of term too so the points stay fresh in the mind. ‘It’s hugely powerful,’ agree teachers. Every school has weak spots in its staff but…
What the school says...
Located close to the towns of Harpenden, St Albans and Berkhamsted and set in stunning rural parkland, Beechwood Park School successfully blends the old with the new; innovation with tradition. As boys and girls create ceramics in the pottery room, located in the old wine cellar, fabulous music compositions are made in the dedicated Apple music technology suite situated in a former coach house.
Raspberry Pi, Micro Bits and 3D Printers inspire Computer Science studies, whilst outside, pupils take part in lessons and hunt for bugs in Forest School and the extensive woodlands. From Greek or Spanish Club to Fencing or Chess, there is something to captivate every curious mind from the youngest pupils in the School’s “Woodlands Nursery” through to 13+ candidates who head off to a range of excellent Independent day and boarding secondary schools.
60 acres of Capability Brown sculpted grounds provide orienteering trails, an indoor swimming pool complex, outdoor classrooms and eleven football pitches where a multitude of matches play out under the supervision of the neighbouring sheep.
At the end of the jam-packed day, School buses depart and boarders’ tea commences, then homework, music practice and entertaining games, including the ever-popular “Colditz” - a Beechwood Park tradition. ...Read more
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Sports
Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.
Fencing
Sailing
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since September 2023, Christian Pritchard, previously head at Beachborough School in Westbury, Bucks. Educated in Northumberland, he qualified as a teacher with DT in York and also holds a master’s in educational leadership. He started his teaching career in Yorkshire, then moved overseas, teaching and leading British international schools in Taiwan, the Netherlands and UAE. In 2012, he returned to the UK as head of Ranby House Prep in Nottinghamshire. This is his fifth headship. He is an ISI team inspector and a level 7 ILM executive coach.
Married to Zoe, also a qualified teacher, who is head of the Woodlands Nursery School at Beechwood Park. In his spare time, he enjoys travelling, cooking and riding his mountain bike – as well as ‘magic’, a hobby he shares with his children.
Entrance
Most...
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Special Education Needs
Beechwood Park is an inclusive school where all staff work hard to ensure that the individual needs of pupils are met and reasonable adjustments made where necessary. Individual strengths are also recognised and celebrated which helps to ensure that pupils thrive in our environment. The School's Learning Support department has three full time members of staff who oversee the assessing, identification and support of pupils with SEND. This experienced team work with pupils both in and outside the classroom and are based in a central quiet area of the school. The degree of additional support provided varies according to individual needs.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | Y |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | Y |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | Y |
| Dysgraphia | Y |
| Dyslexia | Y |
| Dyspraxia | Y |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | Y |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | Y |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | Y |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| PD - Physical Disability | Y |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | Y |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | Y |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment | Y |
Leavers' destinations
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Albans School | 2023 | 15 | 6 | Scholarships: 2x Sports, 3x Academic, Music. |
| Haileybury | 2023 | 9 | 4 | Scholarships: Sports, Academic & Drama, Music & DT, Drama |
| Bedford School | 2023 | 4 | ||
| Queenswood | 2023 | 4 | ||
| Abbot's Hill School | 2023 | 2 | ||
| Berkhamsted School | 2023 | 2 | ||
| Haberdashers’ Girls’ School | 2023 | 2 | 2 | Scholarships: Drama, Academic |
| Repton School | 2023 | 2 | ||
| Uppingham School | 2023 | 2 | ||
| Aldenham School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Eton College | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Haberdashers’ Boys’ School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Lockers Park School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Malvern College | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Merchant Taylors' School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Rugby School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Sherrardswood School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| St Albans High School for Girls | 2023 | 1 | ||
| St Columba's College | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Swanbourne House School | 2023 | 1 | ||
| Wycombe Abbey | 2023 | 1 |
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