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Parents say pastoral care is ‘exceptional’, and we too noticed a real sense of family and kindness - everyone conversing respectfully and enthusiastically, with eldest pupils helping with lunch trays and chatting cheerfully. ‘Teachers are passionate about their subjects,’ say parents. ‘We can’t praise them highly enough.’ We were impressed by the focus in lessons – and the pace without undue push. In an English lesson, pupils were glued to their books and clearly riveted. The school’s expansion to age 16 has meant...

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What the school says...

Forres Sandle Manor is more than a school: it is an extended family, the members of which know and care for each other day by day, hour by hour. The aim of the school is, above all, to ensure that children are happy and secure in all that they do and that they discover and use their talents to the full. Our academic standards are outstanding and our teaching methods combine the best of traditional techniques with the most exciting modern ideas. A large number of awards are won to top independent senior schools and the music department is outstanding. We believe that the range of activities, hobbies and sports available to both boarders and day children is remarkable and weekends are reckoned to be the best part of the week! At Forres Sandle Manor we combine a close and caring community spirit with the belief that the future is exciting and challenging. Visiting parents are impressed by our facilities, by our plans for the future, by our dynamic and cheerful staff and, above all, by the warmth and courtesy of our children. ...Read more

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What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2022, Mark Howe, previously head of Ipswich High School. Originally from St Albans, he studied history at Winchester and did his teacher training at UWE Bristol, kicking off his teaching career at Perins in Alresford, then working his way up the ladder in various preps and senior schools across the country and (on one occasion) internationally. Relocated to the New Forest to be closer to extended family; his wife Nicky teaches maths locally and both daughters attend the school. This is his third headship.

Chatty and sincere, he exudes warmth and is clearly excited about extending provision up to GCSEs, describing it as a ‘once in a career’ opportunity. Says he is determined to maintain the small school feel, with children remaining ‘well known and happy’. Parents have the ‘utmost...

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Special Education Needs

The Learning Centre at Forres Sandle Manor provides support for up to forty children with identified specific learning difficulties with literacy or with mathematics. The level of difficulty ranges from mild to severe. Teaching is one-to-one or in small groups depending on the need of the child. Children coming to the Centre must be able to cope with the intellectual demands of a mainstream prep school although a great deal of support is put in place. In addition, we have a fully qualified specialist teacher who supports children within the class. These may be children whose problems are very mild and they only require a 'boost' or they may be children within the Centre who require support within the class in order to access the curriculum. We liaise closely with Senior Schools so that the child's transition is a smooth one and we aim to ensure that the appropriate support will be in place. All children participate in Common Entrance examinations although, occasionally, these are modified in agreement with the Senior School. We believe that when children are happy and achieve, their learning differences should not be a barrier to their success. 10-09

Condition Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Aspergers Y
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Y
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Dyscalculia
Dysgraphia
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
English as an additional language (EAL)
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class Y
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

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