Micklefield School and Nursery A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since September 2019, Ryan Ardé. Educated in South Africa, he studied education at WITS in Johannesburg. After gaining his QTS at St Mary and St Michael Catholic School in Tower Hamlets in east London, he became deputy head at Tolworth Junior School. Has also held various headships within the STEP Trust,including the David Livingstone Academy, where he was part of a team that significantly improved the school’s Ofsted rating.

His extensive experience in both the state and private sectors brings a unique approach which parents call ‘very effective’. They say he is ‘amazingly friendly’ and ‘always at the gate’, crediting him with building a friendly community and ‘rallying the staff’, who are ‘always present’ at school and parent events with him. Pupils light up when they speak with him and compete to win his highly coveted medal of merit (based on the school values), as well as getting their artwork to gain pride of place on his office wall.

He is jovial but means business, speaking with fervour about his commitment to destination schools, academics and the difference that high quality education can make. ‘No cruisers here,’ he tells us.

Lives locally with wife Katie (a paediatric physio), their two children (both at the school at the time of our visit) and their Labrador, Bobby. Often ‘follows the sun’ back to South Africa, while weekends are taken up with walking and his children’s sports.

Entrance

Main entry points are nursery (from age 2-and-a-half), reception and year 3, although school welcomes children into any year group, including mid-academic year. No entrance exams – prospective pupils tour the school and have a taster day. Nursery starters attend a three-hour settling in visit. A waiting list for year 5 when we visited.

Exit

School joined the Reigate Grammar School group in 2024, with Micklefield pupils now able to receive an early offer in year 5 without the need to sit an entrance exam – around 50 per cent take this up. Other popular schools are Dunottar, Caterham, Box Hill and City of London Freemen’s. Thirty-nine scholarships in 2024.

Parents say support in choice and preparation for transition is ‘exceptional’ and that they are ‘reassured’ by the school’s commitment to finding the ‘right fit’ for each child. Pupils told us they feel 'confident’ in approaching entrance exams.

Our view

Located close to the station and town centre, with an unassuming entrance on a quiet residential Reigate street, Micklefield comprises two large houses joined by a glass walkway with views out to the Surrey Hills. The school moved here in 1925, acquiring the house next door for the nursery in 2004. Standout facilities include enviable art and music spaces, a thoughtfully designed playground and ‘trim trail’. Beautiful stained-glass windows inside, where corridors are covered in pupil artwork and photographs of their achievements and performances, giving a celebratory air.

Pupils start in nursery, Belton House, which has a large outdoor learning area with mud kitchen and reading teepee leading out to the main school playground. Inside are bright spaces where children have specialist teaching in Spanish, French, music and PE from the get-go, heading over to the main school building for lunch.

Class sizes around 20, although we saw some with just 12. Two classes per year group. ‘Teaching is fantastic,’ say parents, ‘our children are really supported as individuals.’ Pupils, who are focused and polite, told us learning is fun and describe teachers as ‘very kind’. In a year 3 science lesson, they were actively studying shadows. Chicks were hatching in a small incubator (which pupils compete to name) and there are plants throughout. In reception, tinies listened with rapt concentration to a story on the carpet, while the other class worked together on the interactive white board to complete colourful maths problems. Although French is the main language taught, pupils from year 6 complete an intensive course in Spanish, and there are clubs in Spanish, Italian and Mandarin.

IT is a priority – we saw year 3s confidently programming their own games on Scratch in a well-kitted out IT suite. Years 5 and 6 use their own iPads. Homework is on the heavy side but is used to ‘encourage independent work’. Pupils describe it as ‘interesting, but a lot of it’; parents say it is well designed. The library is small but perfectly formed, decorated with antique bears and toys. We liked the sound of the reading challenges for every year group, as well as the book clubs.

Smaller than average number of pupils on the SEN register, mainly for dyslexia but also autism and ADHD. New SENCo leads the ‘Skills Unit’, providing both in-class support and some interventions. ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), SaLT (Speech and Language Therapy) and play therapy are all external interventions funded by parents. Parents say support is ‘thorough and reassuring’, with dyslexia being treated as a ‘superpower’, which is ‘highly motivating’. The structure of the buildings would make accommodating mobility issues challenging.

Strong culture of music throughout, the vast majority of upper school having private lessons in the warren of dedicated practice rooms. Singing, guitar, piano and percussion popular. The school has string and brass ensembles, an orchestra and numerous choirs and bands, including four rock and pop bands. All year 2 pupils have class violin lessons – swapped to trumpets for year 4 and ukeleles for year 6. Parents value this opportunity for their children to read music, as well as perform and compose - and pupils speak of music and concerts with huge enthusiasm.

Drama is ‘exceptional’, say parents, with the school a recent finalist for Independent School of the Year for performing arts. There are annual productions for all year groups, and recent events included Voice in a Million in Wembley and a Magic Flute workshop and performance at the ENO. One parent said their child ‘would not perform before joining the school’ and was ‘amazed and very proud they were given a starring role’ in a play. LAMDA available.

Art and DT take place in top floor workshops. Pupils describe lessons as ‘amazing’ and are keen to show off their creations: kites, masks, mood boards and optical illusion art adorn the walls, with inspiration at every turn, including the large windows overlooking Reigate Hilland the Surrey hills beyond.

Football, rugby, cricket, hockey and netball are the main sports, with a focus on building a team mentality and being good ambassadors for the school. We watched a highly competitive and entertaining co-ed cricket lesson, although generally games are taught separately. Boys are coached in football by a semi-professional footballer; some parents wondered why this was not an option for girls as well. Overall, there are eight dedicated sports coaches delivering six hours of sport for children per week, across games, PE and fixtures. Five acres of land a short walk from the school includes field, football and rugby pitches and a dedicated cricket square, plus a large traditional on-site gym. RGS and Dunottar share their swimming pools with the school and there are local tennis and squash courts within walking distance.

Wraparound care, available from age 3 from 7.30am to 6pm. Plus a large selection of clubs including yoga, Mandarin, dance and robotics, though science and music are the most popular. The vast majority are free, but external delivery adds a small fee, eg for the VR club or chess masterclass. A chargeable light breakfast is offered at Belton House for those that attend breakfast club. Two external trips per year for each year group – all kept ‘very affordable’, according to the school, with residentials to the Isle of Wight or France from year 4.

Food is praised by pupils, who ‘love it!’ - and they are also fans of the mixed year group seating plans in the traditional lunch hall. On the day we visited, it was ‘tasty’ pizza and salad, followed by fruit – with gluten-free options and back-up jacket potatoes or pasta. Allergy lanyards ensure nothing is missed and give parents a ‘real sense of safety’. We were impressed with the lovely animated and polite chatter across the tables; pupils helped each other and cleaned up with military precision. Immediate silence ensued when the bell rang for notices and fixtures.

Parents say pastoral care is ‘superb’ and pupils speak highly of the red cap system, whereby some are trained to be peer mediators and support ‘anyone feeling worried or sad’. A ‘very helpful’ worry box is well-used; teachers read these and offer help as required. Wellbeing champions are voted for by pupils. ‘Active’ school council has a particular focus on school becoming greener: pupils weigh their food waste and recycle. House teams compete for points and the weekly house cup competition.

Uniform is smart, gender neutral and well-liked: cobalt blue jumper and tartan tie or blue and white striped dresses. Sports kits are ‘so comfy’ – a stylish navy zip up hoodie with school logo, with either skirt or trousers.

Parents are largely local, from Reigate or Redhill. Many commute to London, working in a wide range of professions. They universally praise the active, but ‘not over-the-top’, parent community, with the usual merry-go-round of fairs, discos, musical performances and quizzes, all attended by staff alongside parents. Pupils either walk or cycle, or are driven to school, although be warned, street parking is limited. New starters are made to ‘feel part of the community immediately’, with well-organised welcome events and ‘the warmest’ transition. Pupils are curious, confident and keen to praise their school and peers. They stand for visitors, greet one another cheerfully - and parents say their behaviour is ‘excellent’.

Money matters

Means-tested bursaries available.

The last word

A small gem of a school in a quirky, charming setting. Strong family atmosphere and firm commitment to supporting pupils as individuals. Music stands out too.

Special Education Needs