Milbourne Lodge School A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since 2016, Judy Waite BA, previously deputy head. Educated at The Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston upon Thames, then read modern history, economics and politics at London University followed by a PGCE at the Institute of Education. Her career in education began as a teacher of history and politics at Croydon High School GDST, then at several comprehensives, ‘large ones where you divide and rule’. At Milbourne Lodge she believes, ‘Community is the heart of the school, building strong, nurturing relationships.’
Her office, decorated with pupils’ artwork from all age groups and abilities, is at the heart of the school and overlooks the playground. Her approach is hands-on, as a teacher of English in year 5 she builds strong relationships with pupils, she has ‘an insight into how they learn, how they function’ which helps when advising on their future schools. Says she wants to ‘give children a chance to shine’. Particularly committed to mental health, pastoral care and working with individuals – in a school of only 270 pupils they ‘live and breathe with each other’.

Parents are positive, describing her as, ‘fantastic, spirited, very accessible and down to earth.’ She is ‘exceptionally proud of her pupils and knows them inside out’ said one; another told us she was, ‘Frank and emphatic, but boy does she work hard.’

She is mother to twin boys, now adults, both of whom attended Milbourne Lodge. In her spare time she enjoys anything outdoors, she is super active and loves the water, especially boogie boarding in Devon and Cornwall. Her mantra of work hard and play hard clearly applies to herself, as well as her pupils.

Entrance

Two main entry points at reception and 7+ with two forms throughout the school. Candidates for reception are invited to an activity session with other children 18 months before they join. Entry at 7+ is selective with tests in maths and English, an informal chat with a senior member of staff and a games session.

Exit

Majority of pre-prep children move across to the prep school (same site). Head says they ‘work hard to retain pupils at 11’ and while only around 15 per cent of boys leave at this point, many girls depart at the end of year 6 for local all-girls schools such as Guildford High and Lady Eleanor Holles or co-eds such as Epsom College and St John’s School. Three scholarships at 11+ in 2022, (none in 2023). Destinations at 13+ include St Paul’s, Eton, Downsend, RGS, Guildford, Hampton, Reed’s, Tonbridge, Charterhouse, Cranleigh, Westminster, King’s College, Wimbledon and Winchester. Seven scholarships in 2023.

Our view

Founded in 1912, the school is still on its original site, set back from a leafy lane in Esher. It built a formidable academic reputation under the leadership of classicist Norman Hale (head for an astonishing 51 years). In 2007 the school became part of the Cognita Group which owns and manages 70 schools in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

Its small size means that Milbourne can offer a personalised, individual focus and children are actively encouraged to get stuck into everything and anything. As the head says, it’s ‘one for all and all for one’. Academics are strong, from year 3 there are specialist teachers for French, science, art, IT and music. Latin starts in year 4, Greek and critical thinking in year 6 and drama and Spanish in year 7. Year 8 has a specialist scholarship class. ‘Children are taught with grit, ready to leave and able to take anything on,’ said one parent; another told us, ‘they know what’s going on in the world’. Milbourne prepares pupils for both 11+ and 13+. ‘We build for pre-tests, laying foundations as a part of daily life,’ says head.

Pupils with SEN receive support via external specialists and in-class provision, using varied approaches according to the individual’s needs. Extra support is also provided outside the classroom to ensure that every child achieves their full potential. One parent told us, ‘The support my son received gave him personal belief in himself.’ No formal SEN testing done within the school, Milbourne staff ‘know and understand their pupils’ says head of English, and ‘create specific action plans’ for each child.

Our visit started with a leavers’ assembly where we enjoyed some very enthusiastic singing. Our year 8 tour guides were keen, engaging and bursting with pride, telling us, ‘The community of the school is irreplaceable, everyone knows each other, it’s like a big family.'

Main building is a converted Victorian mansion – the entrance hall boasts an impressive display of honours’ boards with scholars’ names in gold lettering. The Hale building has six classrooms and an impressive science block with Bunsen burners and microscopes to the fore. The eye-catching tree of pledges from COP27 covering the walls highlights vital environmental issues facing the planet’s future. Pupils were delighted to explain the security measures Milbourne had to employ to keep a piece of real moon rock in the school and felt ‘science was brought to life in the classroom’. A year 6 boy told us with grisly relish how he, ‘loved dissecting a cow’s eyeball, it was such fun and I learnt so much’.

Art and IT are located on the top floor of the school and the two departments work hand in hand developing a year-long theme (Portmeirion at the time of our visit) - the bricolage was outstanding. Projects have been exhibited at The Royal College of Art, The National Gallery, The Saatchi Gallery and many others. During IT children were proud to show us examples of coding, 2D film and animation, digital photography using PCs and Apple Macs. Pupils are taught touch-typing and Microsoft Office, all are given a laptop from year 3 and pre-prep have their own iPads to use in school from reception.

Over 180 individual music lessons a week (that’s over half the school) and a project on the orchestra in year 3; most pupils take up an instrument. The music block was filled with a vast array of instruments and not a desk in sight, ‘music is fun and creative, it’s not academic’ the director of music told us. No theatre on site, but as patrons of the new Esher Theatre the school recently staged the musicals Oliver! and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat there, a major and very welcome development. Over 150 pupils are involved in different age group choirs which are open to all; chamber choir in years 6 and 7 is by audition.

All pupils have a sport lesson for an hour every day, come rain or shine. School has eight-and-a-half acres of playing fields and offers a wide variety of traditional sports such as hockey, football, rugby, cricket, netball and athletics as well as swimming in the heated outdoor pool. One parent said, ‘Pupils aren’t labelled to a certain team and have the opportunity to move.’ Milbourne packs in weekly fixtures against the likes of Parkside, Notre Dame and Downsend and despite its size competes at county level and has several county team players. Girls are encouraged to play football and rugby, benefiting from the formation of mixed teams and while it may not be the best choice of school for a budding female Olympian, several girls have won sports scholarships to eg Marlborough and Wellington. Numerous in-house sports competitions throughout the year.

Children are encouraged to embrace the outside world and outdoor learning is a big focus; animal chess was in action and year 4 were rehearsing their Latin play when we visited. Grounds include a kitchen garden that produces vegetables and herbs, a stream and a woodland glade. The space can be transformed into an open-air theatre where fairy lights weave through the trees, as well as providing a venue for other events such as the Dickensian evening at Christmas and the summer show.

Girls make up only around a quarter of the pupil body and numbers fall further in years 7 and 8, but those we met didn’t seem unsettled by this. One told us, ‘The boys are so down to earth, they don’t create a drama for a drama.’ It is apparent that everyone is treated the same; the school promotes gender equality and fosters an inclusive environment, with respect and fairness. We heard no concerns from parents who had chosen the school for their daughters, but it’s advisable to think carefully about whether it would suit your daughter to be in such a small cohort of girls.

Tutors are the first point of contact for parents. One told us, ‘All staff are so approachable and down to earth.’ There is a Bob Box into which pupils are encouraged to post a letter if they have worries and pupils clearly feel at ease talking with teachers - we noted one chatting with a member of staff in a tranquil garden area. The school is committed to mental health and well-being and staff meet regularly to ensure a nurturing environment is maintained.

Day starts at 8.15am with wraparound care including breakfast club from 7.45am for prep pupils and pre-prep siblings and homework club for years 3-5 until 5:05pm. ‘It’s a long day and they pack a lot in,’ we heard from one parent. Most pupils come from within the A3/M25 area with a bus operating from Putney through Wimbledon and Surbiton. Families are from a range of backgrounds and the school is flexible, arranging meetings to suit parents’ working hours. Numerous social events throughout the year and an active parent association whose fundraising recently contributed to the cost of the new outdoor classroom.

Money matters

Internal scholarships commemorate former head, Mr Hale. Two awards (10 per cent fee discount applied during year 7 and 8) are made annually, open to applicants from year 5 to year 7. Decisions are made by an external examiner.

The last word

Milbourne Lodge is a small school that thinks big, a place where parents say that children are ‘treated with understanding and allowed to develop at their own pace’. More than does the business academically too - leavers go on to some of the most prestigious schools in the country.

Special Education Needs

Children are screened for dyslexia during their first term. Thereafter individual tuition is provided for those with learning difficulties. Each child's programme is developed by two in-house specialists, often in conjunction with an external educational psychologist. Nov 09