The Beacon School A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2022, Nick Baker BA PGCE. Educated at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham, UCL (geography) and Newcastle University (PGCE). Cut his teaching teeth at inner London state school before being appointed senior master in 2001 at newly founded Wetherby Prep, rising through the ranks to deputy head and then head in 2007. Launching the senior school in 2015 was ‘the biggest challenge yet – a great opportunity in so many respects’. When hiring, he looks for committed staff who want to be fully integrated in the school community and are willing to help other departments while being an expert in their own.

Headship at the Beacon meant coming full circle; he grew up in Amersham and lives in nearby Berkhamsted. He says, ‘I’m a homebody, which might seem unusual for a geographer! My mum and sister live nearby. I know the people, the schools, the roads, the area. I come from a position of empathy which makes connection and communication easier.’ When asked if he had big plans for the school, he says, ‘While we always want to improve, it was in a great place when I arrived. The Beacon is a big beast and brilliantly run – no stone’s left unturned. My role is for evolution not revolution.’ One parent said, ‘We were worried about a change of guard but liked him immediately. We’ve had extremely helpful meetings with him as he’s not wedded to one next school route but has a multifaceted approach.’ Another parent described him as ‘kind, pragmatic and level-headed. He understands boys.’

Mr Baker got the education bug from his father who was a university lecturer in metal fatigue. Tells us, ‘My father was always engaged with specific research and education in the larger sense. I loved to listen to him.’ On single-sex education he says, ‘Educating boys on their own means you can steal an academic advantage. They develop skills like independence and fine motor skills later so you can adapt to best suit them.’ There is interaction with girls at nearby schools with shared events such as STEM workshops, orchestras and choirs, art projects as well as old-school discos.

A shiny bike is propped in his study so he can nip to and from the school playing fields and he’s also organising a charity cycling trip from the Beacon to Paris. Lego enthusiast – not only is there a working Lego lighthouse (which is representative of the school houses) but also Lego flowers from his wife, who said there was less chance of him killing them. A Lego portrait of himself hangs on the wall – a leaving present from his last school. He listens to podcasts (Adam Buxton and The Rest is History are favourites) and often features in episodes of Beaconverse, a monthly Beacon podcast about all things Beacon (link on school website). Mr Baker has also overseen the launch of BeaconX – a series of extracurricular online courses for general purchase run by Beacon teachers to develop knowledge and learning. An interesting initiative in the post-Covid landscape of remote education.

A school governor of Glendower Prep and has season ticket for Watford FC. Married to Brigid, a local teacher, with two sons in their late teens.

Entrance

Age-appropriate assessment for each entry stage. Observed stay and play for nursery to make sure child is socialised and ready. Nearly all go on to reception where it goes to three-form entry (15 in each class). Other entry points (with testing) include year 3 and year 7 for the upper school, where the Shining Future programme is tailored to individuals. A bigger school means more transition and occasional places are often available or become available throughout, so worth asking.

Exit

Around 30 leave for grammars at end of year 6 – most to Dr Challoner’s (its biggest feeder school), then Chesham Grammar. School supportive of this, which is not always the case. All children are prepared for the next step, whenever and whatever that is. Typically, 70 per cent are offered grammar places (double the number of local primaries), and about a third of these choose to prepare for entry into top senior schools around the country. At 13+ examples of next destinations include: Berkhamsted (most popular), Harrow, Haileybury, Wellington, Shiplake, Abingdon and Eton. A few to Marlborough, Rugby, Charterhouse, Radley, Millfield and Bradfield. A high number of Beacon boys are awarded scholarships at leading senior schools – 19 scholarships at eight different destination schools in 2023.

Our view

Mr Stanley Fieldhouse founded the school with only five pupils in 1933. The charmingly rustic 17th-century low-rise timbered barns and farmhouse building were added in the 1950s. They had served as a local theatre and dance hall before the Second World War. A beautiful Indian bean tree grows in the middle of the quad (the hub of the school) and a large flag is hoisted each week to represent which of the four houses has achieved the most points. We loved the pomp and ceremony of this popular new initiative (only day four when we visited).

Little Beacons nursery was opened in 2021, sharing the Oakway building with reception. It’s a cosy home-from-home and we saw well-resourced, free-flow indoor and outdoor activities, including puppet show box, sandpit, water station, construction area, crafting, playhouse, gardening beds, bikes and scooters. ‘There’s a lot of energy here,’ the lead teacher smiled. The qualified staff are gentle and experienced, and the staff-pupil ratio of one to five helps to make sure children feel comfortable and valued. Recognising this is an important step for all the family, the school organises settling-in mornings and meetings to create trusting relationships. One parent said, ‘You know your child is in safe hands – they’re the loveliest of people.’

Phonics and maths every morning, and specialist lessons in swimming, PE, French (Spanish an option from year 4) and library sessions. Fresh air with welly walks on Wednesdays in the surrounding Chilterns countryside go down a treat. There is even a safe, dedicated area fenced off for the younger children to enjoy outdoor learning sessions. Musical instruments on hand for children to experiment with making sounds (formal lessons are available from year 1). Christmas showcase for nursery and a nativity for reception, plus a visiting panto. One parent said, ‘My son was desperate to get back after the holidays. He loves school that much.’

Reception moves to three-form entry (more join from local nurseries) and there’s a class teacher and assistant in each. It’s half-termly topic-based learning with trips to places like Whipsnade Zoo and Willows Farm that tie in. More formality in maths and phonics, and specialist lessons. All children are given a baseline test and extra staff are on hand to support or stretch as needed.

Years 1 and 2 are taught in purpose-built Winterbourn. Most lessons are still with the main teacher, but specialist lessons continue with the addition of international studies and more structured outdoor sessions, including map and compass reading, den building, wood whittling and an annual marshmallow-roasting and fire-lighting event. The Beacon is unashamedly outdoorsy, maximising fresh air where possible right from the start. Children use the glorious Willsfield playing fields with views of the Chiltern Hills from year 1.

Overlooking the pretty quad is the Osbourne building for the prep, where maths is set from year 3 although English isn’t formally until year 7. Science, with an emphasis on hand-on experiments, is taught by specialist teachers in the ultra-modern labs. There’s something to entice even reluctant readers in the welcoming prep library and an accelerated reading programme to monitor and motivate. Books clubs at lunchtimes, including an Agatha Christie group for young detectives. The learning support department is tucked next to English and provides specialist support for children who have an SEN diagnosis but is also there for those who just need a bit of extra help. This can be short or long term, in individual or group programmes, both in class and outside. Teachers receive regular training on best practice and parents can access advice too.

Pre-Senior Baccalaureate (PSB) programme for seniors has an overarching international outlook and develops independent learning and critical skills such as reasoning and analysis. The school is a proud founder, and early success story, of the PSB.

Many shiny badges on blazer lapels show ample opportunities for leadership for older years, as mentors and with roles of responsibility in departments. Our impressive senior tour guides were charming and knowledgeable with excellent eye contact and firm handshakes. We loved their demonstration of the augmented-reality sandbox (quite the mouthful to say) in geography. It’s a high-tech bit of kit where you merrily sweep sand to create valleys, volcanoes, mountains, flood plains and river deltas while 3D sensors measure cause and effect on land and sea mass.

Year 7 pupils were enthusiastic about their forum-based sessions on philosophy, ethics, the place of religion and issues of the day. The classroom was more akin to a sixth form centre, with collaborative writing walls, break out areas and soft furnishings. One parent told us, ‘Our son stayed for upper school and noticed the dynamic shift at once. They’re treated as older pupils and they respond well to it.’

Parents of foodies take note: cooking and nutrition lessons here are far the most innovative and fun we’ve seen. Head of department comes from the industry with zeal for the subject. She told us, ‘Good food is paramount. It’s not only about our health – and increasingly research tells us the importance of gut health – but it’s also how we bond as human beings, how we pass on family traditions and culture.’ A whopping 95 per cent of the 70-minute lessons are practical and built around a country. The day we visited, year 4 were making bruschetta for an Italy topic that also included orecchiette pasta with basil pesto from scratch while listening to opera and learning about the various regions. For years 4-8 there’s the Beacon MasterCook competition, where local award-winning chefs come to judge the final heats and recipes are bound together in a book. A Come Dine with Us event allows children to serve parents and staff – rather a nice change, you’ll agree. On top of this, the kitchen lab is about to undergo a major refurb.

Art and DT are other departments that knocked our socks off. Bold and bright, the artwork in the large studio and around school packs a punch. There’s batik, spray paint, modelling, Dale Chihuly-esque chandeliers and clay work, as well as drawing and painting. In a professional DT studio, boys learn traditional skills using hand tools before moving on to state-of-the-art CAD, laser cutters and 3D printers. There’s a kind of saw and tool for any purpose imaginable. One parent said, ‘My son was keen and was given permission to come at lunchtime to nurture his interest. He loved that.’

Newly appointed director of music is introducing the Kodály method in the younger years, a child-developmental approach where skills are taught beginning with the easiest, moving on only when mastered, which allows innate progression regardless of formal exposure. His aim is that all pupils will experience playing in a band by the end of the year. All the usual individual tuition while orchestras, bands and soloists perform in termly concerts. For the techies, official music production exams are in the pipeline, something unheard of in a prep school.

Weekly drama lessons take place in the Old Barn (assemblies and smaller-scale events also take place here). The bigger deal by far is the Spinney Theatre, seating 250, designed for larger year group productions including plays, musicals and choral concerts. It was getting a significant upgrade of light and sound tech when we were there – nothing gathering dust here. School productions are all-inclusive in years 2, 4, 6 and 8 and there are other notable performance events such as Beacon Bard of the Year. Senior boys take a play to the Edinburgh Fringe every two years, most recently Guys and Dolls Jr. Pupils from years 3-8 can sign up to do LAMDA tuition and take an exam (with a recent 100 per cent distinction) and the school has a successful drama scholarship programme for 11+ and 13+.

Known locally as the school to beat. Sport is a reason many parents pick the school. Main games are rugby, football and cricket, but hockey, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, athletics, cross-country and tennis also taught. Exceptional facilities, from a heated covered pool, all-weather Astro (rain won’t stop play here) to the beautiful 16 acres of playing fields looking out to the rolling Chilterns. The school went to IAPS national finals in football, rugby and hockey and have won national medals in cross-country, tennis and swimming. There are pupils at top football academies and professional sporting alumni, but parents unanimously confirm they adhere to their ‘sport for all’ ethos. A to D teams play weekly, and all enjoy the experience of representing the school, bus camaraderie, and after-match teas. A whopping 750 sports fixtures (mostly in the week but some on Saturday) every academic year to make sure everyone plays regularly. A parent told us, ‘My child plays in the D team. He knows he’s not the best, but he improves and enjoys it.’ Refreshing too that coaches rotate and teach everyone to avoid stigma and keep things fair. The expectation is that everyone will do their best and setting means that boys can feel more confident about having a go. Director of sport told us, ‘If a child isn’t enjoying sport, we want to know. There’s always something we can do to turn it around.’ Four sessions of PE and games each week from year 3, plus clubs, matches and inter-house competitions. Also, popular outdoor pursuit residentials from year 4, but the pinnacle is the year 6 residential in June to Newquay with surfing, beach cricket, kayaking, and feasts by the fire.

Pastoral care in such a big school takes organisation. It’s structured into class teachers, form teachers, head of sections, head of houses and senior leadership teams. There’s a triage system and a 24-hour response policy. Assistance can take the form of one-to-one, group work, drop-in sessions, as well as more specialist intervention. Boys in years 7 and 8 are mentors and there’s a school counsellor on site too. While most parents we spoke to were happy with provision, one parent said, ‘In such a big school there’s a lot of confident alphas. More timid children can find it slightly overwhelming, especially at first.’

Parents are mostly (but certainly not all) professionals, and it’s down to earth and get stuck in with parent socials, fundraisers and WhatsApp groups to keep everyone in the loop. Families travel up to an hour for the school, a headache if your son’s bestie lives an hour in the other direction. One parent told us, ‘It can be an issue, and pot luck, really. However, ultimately everyone feels the school’s worth it.’

Lunchtime is busy but staggered and partitioned into age groups so calmer than you might expect. Manners on show and plenty of colourful food options – children encouraged to experiment. One parent told us, ‘These boys run around so much they need to eat a lot. The quality and choice are exceptional, especially given the vast quantities made each day. No complaints.’

Comprehensive wraparound care from 7.30am to 6pm with club options that include cookery, choir and construction, as well as sports, Lego robotics, coding and Warhammer. Special provision for early years too, so something for everyone. Popular holiday clubs are a lifesaver for busy parents with fidgety, bored boys.

Transport is good with bus routes in all directions within an hour’s drive, including small villages Rickmansworth, the Chalfonts, Chorleywood, Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield and High Wycombe. Small gripes that there are no ad hoc or flexi bus options as things stand, but parents appreciative of the wonderful, chauffeured car service offered for little ones, which picks up later and drops earlier, making the school day more manageable.

Money matters

Bursaries offered (usually in years 3-6) up to 100 per cent, according to financial need. Short-term assistance can be given if financial situation changes.

The last word

Big and bustling, the Beacon is a flourishing boys’ preparatory school. Outdoorsy and outward looking, it consistently delivers on its sporty and academic reputation. Boys get a rock-solid education and a self-belief that prepares them for their next schools, but also for the fast-changing world beyond.

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

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