Chesham Preparatory School A GSG School
- Chesham Preparatory School
Two Dells Lane
Orchard Leigh
Chesham
Buckinghamshire
HP5 3QF - Head: Mr J Beale
- T 01494 782619
- F 01494 791645
- E registrar@cheshamprep.co.uk
- W www.cheshamprep.co.uk/
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 3 to 13.
- Read about the best schools in Buckinghamshire
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Buckinghamshire
- Pupils: 380
- Religion: None
- Fees: £11,790 - £17,550 pa
- Open days: October, February, May
- 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..
In arcadian rural Bucks, Chesham Prep was first intended as an independent school for boys and girls of ordinary, diligent families, something apart from preps for the very wealthy. These ‘tier two’ families still make up the largest part of the school community today. A parent told us, ‘It’s not hoity-toity and that’s a reason we chose it.' The children are animated, friendly and polite – the same can be said of the teachers. Mr B has recruited hard-working staff who share his vision for go-getting, good-natured teaching where children come first. Camaraderie and collaboration amongst staff mean teamwork and cross-curricular ventures are part and parcel…
What the school says...
Chesham Prep is a dedicated, nurturing, sporty, creative, inspiring and adventurous family, where children can blossom. Our Headmaster, Jonathan Beale, is energetic and forward-thinking, he is renowned for his approachability: four mornings a week he is at the school gates, greeting pupils and chatting to parents, and he regularly spends time reading to the younger years. His five-year plan is ambitious; he wants Chesham to be the first-choice prep in the area.
As children progress through the school we continuously track their progress so that we can help advise on the best future school for each child, 50% qualify for local grammar school places. Every child is nurtured and looked after with the utmost care and attention for their welfare and safety. We welcome mistakes and embrace them as an opportunity for our children to learn and develop. We encourage children to take responsibility for their own learning and from Year 5 they are streamed for subjects. From Nursery upwards the children love being outside and learning in our Forest School. In our 4 lane, 25 metre indoor swimming pool, children from Year 1 upwards have swimming lessons every week. ...Read more
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What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since 2017, Jonathan Beale BEd (history and PE at University of Liverpool). Long-timer at Chesham Prep, having started 24 years ago teaching maths and PE, then rising through the ranks. Once head, priority was to restore a child focus and the warm, supportive family feel which remains the foundation of everything he does. He explains, ‘If a child feels seen, safe and valued they can feel happy. Only then can they learn.’
On the gates each morning where parents catch him for a few words that save a timely email exchange later in the day. One parent said, ‘He’s such a genuine man who deeply cares about our children and families. Everybody feels that.’ Stoical that, from September 2024, CPS will no longer have years 7 and 8, putting it...
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Special Education Needs
The Learning Support Department is near the Learning Resources area. We have three small rooms for individual and small group lessons. All staff are qualified to work with children who have specific learning difficulties. We have regular visits from an Occupational Therapist and a Speech and Language Therapist. We adapt our provision to the needs of the individual child. Some pupils have in-class support, some have small group interventions, some have 1:1. We provide interventions to develop fine and gross motor skills, confidence, social skills, handwriting, spelling, maths, literacy, in addition to our specialist dyslexia support and pastoral care. We work closely with staff in all areas of the school to advise and work together to help all pupils access all areas of the curriculum. We have dyslexia-friendly boards, books, specialist teaching, adapted cushions, pens and pencils. We accept referrals from staff and parents and usually complete an assessment before making decisions about the help a child requires. We have regular meetings with parents, teaching staff and pupils to create or review a pupil passport for each child. Provision maps are updated throughout the year and are used to identify the needs of individual children.
| 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 | Y |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | Y |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | Y |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | Y |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | Y |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkhamsted School | 2023 | 23 | 1 |
| Dr Challoner's Grammar School | 2023 | 8 | |
| Dr Challoner's High School | 2023 | 4 | |
| Pipers Corner School | 2023 | 4 | 1 |
| Aylesbury Grammar School | 2023 | 3 | |
| Chesham Grammar School | 2023 | 3 | |
| Claires Court Schools | 2023 | 2 | |
| St Clement Danes School | 2023 | 2 | |
| The Misbourne School | 2023 | 2 | |
| Thorpe House School | 2023 | 2 | |
| Abbot's Hill School | 2023 | 1 | |
| Akeley Wood Senior School | 2023 | 1 | 1 |
| Amersham School | 2023 | 1 | |
| Aylesbury High School | 2023 | 1 | |
| Egerton-Rothesay School | 2023 | 1 | |
| John Colet School | 2023 | 1 | |
| Royal Grammar School (RGS) Guildford | 2023 | 1 | |
| St Columba's College | 2023 | 1 |
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