Lancing Prep Hove A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head Mistress

Since 2016, Kirsty Keep BEd (Homerton College, Cambridge). Her first headship and the school’s first female head. Started her career teaching English at Edge Grove and then spent 11 years as head of the lower school at Downsend Prep in Surrey. Her husband teaches maths here and they have a daughter in year 7. ‘It’s a real family affair,’ she says, calling LPH ‘the fourth member of the family’.

Her office is in the plumiest of spots, overlooking the sports field and smart Astro courts. Bags of natural light and, on a clear day, amazing sunsets. Children pass her windows regularly with their relaxed animation and chatter. ‘It’s a great way of finding out a few things!’ she admits.

Parents call her a ‘straightforward’ and ‘inspiring’ head who ‘knows their child’ and ‘gives good advice'. ‘She sets clear boundaries for the children,’ said a longstanding parent. All we chatted to spoke of her ‘passion’, ‘drive’, and ‘enthusiasm’.

Among her biggest changes is the introduction of the LPH passport, replacing Common Entrance. Evidences her commitment to creating a ‘truly all-rounder school’ where ‘everything and everyone matters’, and it has won her many fans. Children are awarded the passport in year 8, based on contributions to sport, art, music, service and academics. Word has it that her next project is a new food technology space, although she was ‘unable’ to confirm anything just yet.

She is now executive head of both Lancing prep schools and the nursery. One casualty of her expanding role has been her weekly critical thinking lessons - children and parents say they will miss them.

She loves the theatre (especially Cabaret), skiing and seeing friends. ‘I’m a horribly social creature,’ she says.

Entrance

Main entry points are nursery, reception and year 7, but children can join mid-year and at any time if there’s space. Academically selective from year 7, but non-selective in the earlier years, where children attend a taster day. ‘Those who academically test 3-year-olds must be clinically insane,’ says head, who adds that they’re ‘more selective on behaviour than academics’ (hence reference requested from previous school). Waiting lists for most years.

Exit

Nearly half of year 8s to Lancing College (often with awards – ten in 2023) but only after ‘unbiased’ discussion with parents. Head phased out CE but year 8s do exams (part of the LPH passport), results used for setting purposes. Parents say head, 'Helps find the right school for each child.’ Bede’s is the second most popular, then Hurstpierpoint and Shoreham. Smaller numbers regularly go on to Brighton College, Roedean and Eastbourne College. A small minority leaves at 11+.

Our view

Although the main entrance, on The Droveway, is the front of the school, it feels like one is entering from the back. Little in the form of flora or fauna, unlike the prettier southern entrance for pupils – by far the building’s better side. Once inside, a comfy waiting area (sofas in Lancing blue, naturally) gives way to an enormous office counter for the lone receptionist who cheerily greeted us. The modern library is in full view through the adjoining glass partition, where children gleefully choose their books. The remainder of the school has a slightly hodgepodge layout, with a maze of corridors and stairs, but nobody minds – aesthetics is not what LPH is about, nurturing and developing character is.

The school has been on its current purpose-built site since 1913. Formerly Mowden School for Boys, it was bought by Lancing College in 2022 on the retirement of the Snell family, who founded the school in 1896. Plenty of homages to the school’s history around, including the Snell Library and Mowden Cup. No other traces of the boys-only ethos remain; LPH is now firmly in the co-ed club.

The head whisked us off to see the school in action, passing some super displays of children’s work along the way; we especially liked year 1’s Paddington Bear board. She stops to chat to her ‘babies’, insisting they share something positive about the school – ‘food’ and ‘sport’ are the common responses. We’d have loved the children to have led the tour – an enthusiastic and down-to-earth crowd.

Classrooms are thoughtfully laid out, with nursery to year 2 on the ground floor. Each has its own outdoor space accessed directly from the classroom. Plenty of room for Dave, the nursery school’s tortoise, to cruise around. We dropped in on an immersive year 2 lesson: pupils were off to Kenya, their classroom chairs as makeshift aircraft seats, the teacher and TA serving champagne (fizzy water), a flight simulator video on the big screen. The teacher discreetly quizzed the children: ‘Where is Kenya?’ ‘What is the equator?’ etc. Children had made their own passports and tickets and had clearly been building up to this lesson. Much excitement. One child even taught the class a Masai song, entirely in Swahili – impressive. The lesson culminated with each child making their own Masai beaded necklace. We wondered if all lessons were this much fun.

The older years are dotted around the second floor or occupy newer outbuildings. Mixed ability classes until year 7 before a scholars’ class is introduced. From year 3, the children move around to subject teachers, which they told us is ‘fun’. ‘It’s why our children are so independent,’ says head.

Parents praise the teaching throughout, saying the school takes a softer, more all-round approach than its better known rival, Brighton College Prep. ‘Teachers know my child’ and ‘communicate well with parents’, we heard. ‘They’re always contactable via email.’ Others described staff as ‘lovely’, ‘supportive’ and ‘helpful’. Many talked of the nurturing environment and how staff are in touch with each child’s needs. ‘Feels like a large family,’ was a common comment. Head believes that ‘learning and behaviour are the same thing’ and much emphasis is put on rounding the whole child – LPH passports and the four Rs of reflection, resilience, resourceful and relating underpin this.

SEND provision (called learning enhancement here) takes place in The Hub and Little Hub, where just under 10 per cent of children come for extra lessons, many more for emotional support. The team of two, a SENCo and a wellbeing head (who is also ELSA trained), work full-time and are on-hand for all during the school day. Bean, the wellbeing dog, oversees proceedings. Mild dyslexia is the main additional need and there are a few children with autism. ‘Support is not overly intrusive,’ said a parent whose child’s dyslexia was ‘quickly identified when he joined the school’. School can arrange extra time for the ISEB pre-test if deemed necessary. The department also caters for the high ability cohort which make up over 30 per cent of the school.

A trail of outdoor, covered corridors (some doubling up as peg areas, muddy wellies galore), connects to the art and DT rooms which were once squash courts. The large papier mâché structure, which was being created during our last visit for the Brighton children’s parade, now hangs dramatically from the ceiling, alongside other marvellous works. The bird-head creations the children were working on for this year’s parade were shaping up to be outstanding.

Next door is a drama, dance and gymnastics hall (once the old swimming pool), complete with practice mirrors and a ballet barre. We felt rather sorry for any child expected to use the ancient gym mats we saw piled up in a corner. A small group were rehearsing a drama piece when we dropped by. While there’s no drama on curriculum, and parents don’t feel it’s a major part of the school, years 6-8 can audition for the annual school production – Matilda being the most recent. Around 20 per cent do LAMDA (chargeable).

The fantastic modern music school comprises a large classroom with performing area and practice rooms, all in full swing when we visited. Nearly 60 per cent of children play an instrument, and there are two popular choirs, a school orchestra (by invitation only) and a school band.

Sport happens whatever the weather, evident from the amount of mud lingering around the peg areas. Parents say the school’s seven acres of playing fields and grounds were a huge draw for them picking the school. From year 3, everyone plays hockey, football and cricket, plus either rugby or netball. Lovely to see boys keen to play netball and – up to year 6 – girls can opt for rugby. Cricket mentioned as a favourite (England cricketer Mason Crane is the school’s best known old boy, after all). Tennis is becoming more prominent, and the school has access to the courts of the next-door tennis club. Weekly swimming lessons up at the College via school buses. Lots of fixtures on-site, while the College (eight miles away) is used for larger tournaments. Most get to play in a team if they want to – St Christopher’s Hove is the school to beat, apparently. Overall, the ethos is inclusive and gentle, which might be frustrating for more competitive types. That said, a few talented footballers are on the books of Brighton and Hove Albion. Sports day is a social affair – the school lays on a hog roast for families.

Most children do some form of club or activity after school. There’s mountains to choose from, including sailing, surfing and surf life-saving – the beach is just a few minutes' drive away after all. Trips plentiful too – the recent year 8 summer trip to South Wales sounded a real adventure, as did the annual ski trip to Bormio, Italy.

Recently built Laurent Hall serves as dining hall, assembly hall and chapel, where whole-school weekly eucharist services are held. Like Lancing College, the school has Christian roots, with faith underpinning the culture – although it’s quite subtle, and all faiths (and none) are welcome. We noticed that everyone participated in the prayers after lunch (where there was plenty of choice including super salad bar and baked potatoes for those who don’t fancy the main hot meal). Our young hosts on the ‘top table’ made for good company.

Younger years are split into prides (Mufasa, Elsa, Aslan) before graduating to the four houses (Stewarts, Youngs, Blundells and Lavies, apparently the names of Mowden’s first four pupils). Points awarded for kindness and effort with a termly house treat for the winners. Children tell us there’s no dominant house but are fiercely loyal when discussing their own.

Active PA, with links to the local church. Some would like to see more on offer for new parents. Families largely working professionals, dual income, with most living very close to the school. Daily minibuses to and from the College serve dual campus families.

Money matters

A limited number of non-means tested scholarships each year from year 7, but these are ceremonial in nature. Families can apply for bursarial support through Lancing College.

The last word

Lives up to its family-feel claims - the main reason parents choose the school. See past the aesthetics and into the heart of this happy prep: ‘What they lack in facilities they make up in character and ethos,' as one parent put it.

Special Education Needs