Felsted Preparatory School A GSG School

Sports

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

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2022, Miranda Norris, previously head of pre-prep (DUCKS) at Dulwich College Junior School. She has also been deputy head of Dulwich College Junior Schools in Suzhou, China and more recently Dulwich College Singapore.

Grew up in Swindon and North Wales before completing a BEd at Westminster College, Oxford. Began her career as a primary school teacher in Neston, where she also led the PE curriculum before moving to the independent sector in London as director of studies at Wetherby Prep.

Entrance

Pupils enter at various points but chiefly at 4+ and 7+ with the biggest intake at 11+. Not overly selective. All entrants attend a ’taster’ day and are interviewed. Tests in English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, together with a confidential report from current school. Numbers joining the school increase year on year and by the top of the prep school there are 80 or 90 in the year group.

Exit

Well over 90 per cent proceed to the senior school, many joining older siblings. ‘We thought it was important to ask them all if they wanted to move elsewhere at 13, but they were all keen to go up to the seniors. Fine with us!’ A sprinkling opt for other boarding schools, the local grammars or occasionally, overseas.

Our view

Despite its size, this is a school with a sense of intimacy, probably due to the way buildings are assigned to one of the four ‘phases’ through which pupils move in their journey up the school. In rural Essex, the school is set in extensive grounds on the other side of the road from the senior school. A series of buildings, more functional rather than beautiful, have been built and added to over the years. Year 2s and under occupy Stewart House, a contemporary two-storey building with its own play areas and wonderful outlook. The emphasis is on creating a happy learning environment and establishing strong links between home and school - ‘that relationship is so important and remains so,’ says school. On registration to the school, pupils are given a teddy bear, a ‘FelsTed,’ to take home and keep. A giant version is in the reception area. Frome Court is the base for years 3 and 4 again, with its own play area though pupils can venture out to the larger green spaces with older pupils. Years 5 and 6 are based in The Cloisters, so-called for obvious reasons though the walkways are now enclosed creating a sequence of interesting learning spaces with nothing predictable or dull - ‘one of the things we like about it,’ agree pupils. Top two years, 7 and 8, are in Courtauld House which includes facilities for science, DT and music (including practice rooms) and a common room. This is a really attractive building - with lots of light and a galleried upper floor, it has the spacious feel of an art gallery. Assemblies and performances happen in Ross Hall and there is also an ICT suite and art block. Everything is well maintained and pupils move confidently around the site, making the most of the interesting courtyards and covered ways around the school as well as the vast expanses of playing fields.

As with the senior school, parents choose the school for its approach where – as one put it - ‘children can be children; they don’t put the pressure on.’ Some also mentioned the ‘great mix of opportunities in things such as music and sport – they have time to develop interests that they can take on with them later.’ ‘A really buzzy, full-on place.’ Extracurricular activities include golf, Mandarin, LAMDA, cookery classes (extremely popular) and judo. The school’s commitment to the Model United Nations and Round Square programmes provides whole-school initiatives that pupils in years 7 and 8 join in with. (They also go over for sport and to eat in the senior dining hall).

Class sizes of up to 18 until year 3; 20 thereafter (but smaller for sets). Specialist teaching and setting begin in year 4 for English, maths and science. Parents approve - ‘My daughter arrived at the school finding maths a struggle, but once in the right set, she recovered her confidence and made tremendous progress. She felt able to ask to have things explained if she needed to,’ said one. Progress is under constant review and pupils are moved regularly - and not just up. We spoke to one parent whose child chose to stay put rather than go up -‘She liked the teacher and was learning well where she was.’ The focus is on personalised learning, the move online during the pandemic hastening a development already underway. The director of learning thinks ‘it has transformed the ability of teachers to gear lessons to specific needs without children standing out in any way. It is an exciting time to be in education.’ Pupils say teachers ‘like us asking questions.’ Provision for SEN is mostly on a one to one basis in half hour sessions with one of the designated learning support team. The difficulties are mostly dyslexia, dyscalculia and the milder end of the autism spectrum, although ‘for many, the issue is confidence and individual help can resolve problems,’ according to school.

Spanish, French or German from year 6 and Latin added in year 7. Homework from year 5, mostly reading and learning a few spellings, with ‘proper’ homework from year 6 and above, three times a week. It is taken seriously; handing in late, ‘forgetting’ books and so on is not tolerated and parents approve. They certainly work hard, with a school day that gradually extends from 3.30pm (year 2 and under) to 5.45pm for older years plus Saturday school – optional for years 5 and 6, compulsory for years 7 and 8. Rather cleverly, this comes across as a privilege for older pupils that most look forward to it - ‘mine couldn’t wait for Saturday school!’ said one parent.

Drama is taught weekly and plenty take the extracurricular offering that leads to performance. Art, including textiles and pottery is taught in one of the two large art rooms, full of various enticing projects and works in progress – a favourite place for many. The plays each year are whole school efforts with the art department helping make props and scenery. Music is taught in every year and roughly 60 per cent have individual tuition on a variety of instruments. Lots of practice rooms so pupils can fit that in during the day, as well as playing in one of the many ensemble groups or bands – everything from jazz to steel drum groups. Singing in several choirs, the chapel choir for those selected by audition.

Sport centres on rugby and hockey (boys) and hockey and netball (girls). Everyone plays cricket in the summer and girls love it - ‘it’s my favourite sport,’ said more than one. Several sports are played at county level and hockey and cricket (girls) nationally. There is no denying the kudos that comes attached to success in a team sport, ‘but they aren’t silly about it,’ we were told. Great efforts are made to see everyone enjoys playing at whatever level and teams from A-G work through the terms fixture list. Parents are encouraged to support matches and the headmaster of the seniors often umpires or referees a prep match, ‘I think it’s brilliant of him,’ said a parent, ‘he certainly isn’t a distant figure.’

Parents speak highly of the school’s pastoral care. ‘They know the children really well, both tutors and subject staff, and everyone seems to know who to go to with a problem and feels comfortable with it,’ say parents. The care taken to help new pupils settle was frequently mentioned, especially for those slightly older who have been to other schools first. ‘We felt they really worked to help my daughter settle, even with the small things such as where she sat in class,’ said one. The four phases of the school each have a head who is responsible for the pupils in their section and in the higher forms, pupils have the same tutor for those three years. It means pupils have someone who knows them really well, especially for the years leading into the teens and the move up to seniors. There is a matron and everyone is taught mindfulness so that they know when to press the ‘pause’ button; ‘we learn to relax.’ A system of reward cards and house points encourages good behaviour (of the holding doors and not running in the corridors variety) and pupils are friendly, with just the right amount of door holding. Pupils exchange cheerful greetings and badinage with staff - no flattening themselves against the wall.

Outdoor classrooms, some under cover on the verandas or canvas, have been well used in times of pandemic and the school is generally outdoorsy, Thursday afternoons being given over to a scaled down version of DofE. Pupils make full use of all the sports facilities and in year 7 and 8 begin to use the senior provision.

Boarders

Though relatively small numbers board, this is a school that definitely has the special ‘tone’ that boarding provides. The extended day means that a lot of pupils choose to ‘flexi’ board, especially in the higher forms and the ‘three-night package’ is a popular choice. Hamilton House is a co-ed boarding house but girls’ and boys’ sleeping accommodation is quite separate. Good sized, mostly four or six bedded rooms, all well decorated and with own duvet covers and other homely touches. Bathrooms are perfectly functional, if a bit drab, and are undergoing a gradual programme of updating. Common rooms well decorated and lots of comfy seating for ‘film nights’ for the different age groups and a separate one for years 7 and 8 to give a chance for boys and girls to mix socially, in readiness for the seniors. ‘By then, they are getting to the age of wanting to mix more, outside class,’ said a house parent. House parents live in an adjoining flat and there are a range of other live-in staff and a resident matron so ‘there is always someone close by at night.’

Day starts with showers and breakfast at 7.45am and evenings have designated times for prep between supper and evening activities. These activities, often instigated by the pupils themselves, include sports, craft projects (very popular), ICT and the library for quiet reading or revision. ‘The summer term is the best for boarding though – we can be outside lots more.’ One night a week is ‘tuck’ night and pupils are allowed to spend up to £2 when visiting the village shop (agreed in advance with parents). General emphasis is on healthy eating and no food is allowed from home. There are ‘suggestions’ boxes on each floor, notice boards and post-it notes on bedroom doors from staff which all make for easy communication between pupils and staff. The house merit system is largely used to support respectful and thoughtful behaviour towards each other. ‘We encourage them to stop and think about what they are doing, but every day is a fresh start,’ say house staff.

Money matters

Academic, music, sport, art, design and technology, and drama scholarships offering up to 20 per cent off fees are available at 11+ entry. Top up bursaries are available alongside some assisted places up to 100 per cent, on a means tested basis for pupils who would benefit and make the most of a place at Felsted.

The last word

With pupils who are lively, full of questions and from quite a wide ability range, the school manages to be both an exciting place to learn and somewhere that reassures and nurtures its pupils. Despite its rural setting, this is not a sleepy backwater but a school very much on the front foot with current thinking and practice. Very different children from the same family can all develop and do well here, it really is a, ‘family’ school. Though the school has its own, ‘feel’ and identity, most go on to the seniors. A vibrant, happy place where pupils learn and do well.