Ages 
A first-flight boys’ boarding prep perhaps because of – not in spite of – its small size, and out-and-out specialists in public school entry. From the clay pigeon traps to the newly planned kitchen garden, this place totally gets what boys thrive on. Brilliant habits and exemplary manners are instilled in pupils, who benefit from first-class teaching, heaps of outdoor space, non-device-based activities and some cracking teacher role models. The whole place bristles with energy and happiness. That even families who’ve not had a seamless ride into their first choice secondary school enthuse about this place tells you a lot: ‘I wish there was a Sunningdale for girls – we will be gutted when we leave.’
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 110 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- None
- Fees
- Day £25,560; Boarding £32,700 pa
- Local authority
- Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council
- Area guides
- School ownership
- Dawson family
Headteacher
Headmaster
Mr T Dawson
Since 2005, Tom Dawson. Sunningdale may be a family heirloom but he could, one suspects, land a job anywhere. Educated here (naturally), then at Eton and Edinburgh (French and Spanish), he took himself off for a PGCE to Bristol to ‘check that I
Entrance
In contrast to many prep schools which shrink after year 6, Sunningdale is crammed for years 7 and 8. ‘We have quite a lot of applications for year 7 – it’s hard to fit them in but we always take a few.’ Year 4 sees the biggest intake but boys enter
- Open days
- May
Exit
Sunningdale specialises in preparing boys for CE to top public schools though the head will happily put his shoulder to the wheel if you change tack (as some have). Boys apply to at least three or four. Sherborne and Stowe most popular recently, with
Latest results
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Teaching & learning
Learning support & SEN
Boarders
Weekly boarding now available to all, not just younger boys. ‘So many of the senior schools are weekly boarding now, I felt we were digging our heels in for no reason,’ admits head. ‘And I got slightly bored of granny being 90 for the fourth time.’
Pupils
Money matters
Currently 12 boys are on some form of bursary (excluding Forces families).
- Fee information
- Day £25,560; Boarding £32,700 pa
Our view
A family treasure, home and workplace for the Dawsons (yes, including the black Lab), Sunningdale soon feels the same for the boys. Its size is its strength – any latent talent will be spotted here, say parents, ‘perhaps because it’s tiny and
The last word
A first-flight boys’ boarding prep perhaps because of – not in spite of – its small size, and out-and-out specialists in public school entry. From the clay pigeon traps to the newly planned kitchen garden, this place totally gets what boys thrive on.
