The Beacon School A GSG School
- The Beacon School
15 Amersham Road
Chesham Bois
Amersham
Buckinghamshire
HP6 5PF - Head: Simon Detre
- T 01494 433654
- F 01494 727849
- E [email protected]
- W www.beaconschool.co.uk/
- An independent school for boys aged from 3 to 13.
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Buckinghamshire
- Pupils: 521
- Religion: Not Applicable
- Fees: £9,600-£18,525 pa
- Open days: Saturday 1 October 2022
- 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..
Beacon boys also leave school with a thorough grounding in nutrition and culinary skills. By year 8 they can all knock up a loaf of bread, and the school’s own Masterchef competition is keenly fought...A few minutes’ walk via a quiet suburban cul-de-sac and down a leafy footpath leads to a truly breath-taking vista of pristine pitches rolling away to the Chilterns. Glorious it may be in summer, but apparently it’s at least
What the school says...
The Beacon is a lively boys' prep school situated in Buckinghamshire. From the moment your son arrives at The Beacon, he will be encouraged, educated and enthralled by a dedicated team of staff who have one aim: to make every day at school a memorable one. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report 2022 rated The Beacon 'excellent' in all areas. ...Read more
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What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since April 2022, Simon Detre BA QTS (40s), interim head. As deputy head (academic and digital) since 2018, he spearheaded the school’s response to Covid. Educated at Ampleforth College and King’s College London. Started his teaching career at Westminster Abbey Choir School – ‘an endlessly varied place to work – we had visits from presidents, a pope and I had the paparazzi camping on my doorstep the night before the Royal Wedding!’ His own three children were Beacon educated.
To be replaced in July 2022 by Nick Baker BA PGCE (40s), currently head at Wetherby Prep since 2008. Educated at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Bucks, UCL (geography) and Newcastle University (PGCE). ‘I went into teaching because I really enjoyed my own schooldays,' he says. Started off in the state sector...
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Special Education Needs
The Learning Support Centre at The Beacon exists to help those boys who are experiencing difficulties with academic work by providing assistance on several levels: support to the boys, staff and parents. Most of the difficulties come into the category of mild specific learning differences, such as dyslexia. We have a qualified specialist teacher and a visiting Speech & Language Therapist. We also work closely with the School Counsellor. Our main aim is to identify boys who need help as early as possible and to put interventions in place at this stage. Research has shown that the best outcome for all is when intervention is in place early in the child's life. We keep up-to-date with current research within the field and aim to improve the boys' literacy and numeracy skills. We use multisensory methods to try and help the boys to achieve their full potential. We ensure that teachers in the school are aware of the importance of identifying, and providing for those boys who have specific learning differences. The learning needs of the individual boys are also made known to all those who teach them. All staff have had access to training in specific learning difficulties. 09-09
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | |
| Aspergers | |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Dyscalculia | |
| Dysgraphia | |
| Dyslexia | Y |
| Dyspraxia | |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| PD - Physical Disability | |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| VI - Visual Impairment |
Leavers' destinations
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkhamsted School | 2021 | 20 | ||
| Merchant Taylors' School | 2021 | 5 | ||
| Oundle School | 2021 | 3 | ||
| Haileybury | 2021 | 2 | ||
| Harrow School | 2021 | 1 |
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