Good Schools Guide Review

Headmaster

Since September 2024, Miles Chester BSc (zoology from Edinburgh) MBA (educational
leadership from University of London) PGCE. Previously executive head (EDI) at Thomas’s
London day schools and before that, head at New Kings Primary School in London – his first
headship. Started his career teaching in primary schools in London, moving into the SLT at
Sunnyhill Primary School.

Entrance

Heavily oversubscribed at age 3+ into nursery (located in former boarding house at
neighbouring Merchant Taylors’ School), when there are 120 applicants for 35 places.
Assessment at this stage weeds out ‘bright and lively children who can engage and
communicate’. A smattering of places available at 4+ and 15 places at 7+ – the latter requires
written papers in English and maths and a group activity.

Exit

As the prep school of Merchant Taylors’, the vast majority (over 80 per cent) progress to the
senior school although transition isn’t automatic, and a few are guided elsewhere
(conversations around this from year 4).

Note that from September 2026 the school will finish at year 6. This aligns with Merchant
Taylors’ axing of 13+ entry, with 11+ only entry from September 2025 (the change does not
affect current offer holders for year 9 entry in 2025 and 2026).

SEN

A SENCo and a TA (trained in Lego therapy) support the 22 per cent on the SEN register –
but note no EHCPs and only eight per cent of boys have a diagnosed need. ‘We are not a
diagnosis first school.’ Main needs focus around speech and language, autism and ADHD,
with provision mostly in small groups in ‘the hub’, a cosy room in the eaves – although oneto-
ones are offered when required (at no extra cost). Banjo, the school dog, works wonders in
helping some quieter children ‘open up’. Lots of work with families too. One parent told us
her child with SEN is ‘celebrated for his strengths’ and that ‘there is a huge level of
understanding – they just know the boys so well’. Good to hear too that ‘the boys are
remarkably accepting of people’s difference and advocate for others’. From year 6, parents
are invited to the MTS SEN coffee mornings. The site is wheelchair friendly.

Pastoral Care

Wraparound available from 7:30am to 6pm, plus myriad after-school clubs including maths
Olympiad, history, Warhammer, computing, quiz and broadcasting. ‘In the young inventors’
club, I made a Tardis!’ said one boy. Lots of visiting speakers – most recently, David
Baddiel. Trips popular – including an annual ski trip and a recent visit to Rome.
Parents say the school is caring. Several staff are qualified to deliver one-to-one coaching –
pupils can pick their favourite – and there’s a visiting counsellor. Boys say the ‘tutors are
great for support, we can ask them anything’ and one parent told us of the ‘vital support’ the
school gave their son when dealing with a bereavement. Banjo does his bit too – he even goes
into pre-prep book club, while older boys can walk him round the grounds.

Music, Drama, Art and DT

Fabulous drama department in the New Barn Theatre, complete with baby grand piano and
substantive seating, where we saw a few boys rehearsing for Grimm Tales. ‘We want to make
the boys shine,’ the head of department told us – and parents concur that ‘shy pupils are given
lead roles in productions’, with many opportunities for all to perform. Year 8 can switch to
the tech side of things, although the ones we met loved the limelight. ‘Bugsy Malone was
really fun, the guns shot foam!’ said one. LAMDA popular – all year 7s currently do it.
We heard the music block (sounds of pianos playing) before we saw it. Overflowing in
guitars and violins, and even oboes and trombones, we weren’t surprised to hear that nearly a
third of pupils from year 2 learn an instrument in school. There are five ensembles and four
choirs – the latter very popular (impressive for a boys’ school). The school also has a large
concert programme, many in collaboration with the senior school.

DT more popular than art, with an abundance of different projects displayed – from ecofriendly
house models to stop-motion clay figures. A well-used, well-resourced and wellloved
room, where boys eagerly showed us cam mechanisms they’d made – explaining
everything in great detail. Entrepreneurial too, with the school running an annual Dragons’
Den competition – and there’s also a year 5 DT competition with other local schools, for
which boys have made small battery powered cars, drones and moving animals. Textiles is
taught – we saw evidence of cross-stitching.

Sports

Winning was the focus of our conversations around sport – the boys love nothing more, it
seems. They’re best at hockey, we heard, although they also have teams for rugby, football
and – most popular of all – cricket. Facilities include cricket pitch, gated Astro and large
sports hall. Even the less sporty boys love it, say parents – somehow the school gets them
engaged. Table tennis is popular, with lots of tables outside – and boys were proud to tell us
of visits from Paralympic table tennis champions.

Nursery and Reception

Nursery and reception (two classes each) are located over at the senior school site, a few
minutes’ drive from the prep. A large square building with a central courtyard, it is
complemented with playgrounds (some covered for wet play) and other outdoor space for
tricycles – well-used, judging from the well-worn wellies and waterproofs hanging by the
door. Inside, classrooms are well-resourced, with two TAs per class. During our visit, some
year 8 boys were over to play with the nursery – everyone loves these weekly visits, with the
boys of different ages getting stuck in to lots of interaction and free play.

Pre-prep has its own section on the main site. Classes here were calm and ordered on our visit
– and small too, all capped at 20. The interiors boast a plethora of artwork, photos, teddies
and bunting; colour is key, including bright yellow chairs. We noted the neatness of the
handwriting in a year 2 class – boys all had their heads down concentrating. Year 1s were
itching to tell us about the ‘secret garden’, a separate courtyard with lots of wooden climbing
frames.

Our view of Merchant Taylors’ Prep

Boys we met were eloquent, polite and confident, undaunted by our multiple questions – in
fact, they seemed to rather enjoy them. The collaboration and discussion in the classrooms
were equally impressive, with polished answers to teachers’ questions at every turn. Boys in
geography were giving presentations and didn’t miss a beat when we walked in to observe.
Parents say the real strength is the teachers. ‘They make my son feel seen’. Pupils say they’re
‘super funny and expressive’. Staff retention is high, with many ‘long timers’, and they pride
themselves on being ‘real experts in their field’. Specialist teaching starts early in nursery
with music, PE, forest school and French – then everything from year 5, when boys move to
different classrooms for different subjects.

From year 3, boys start using all the other classrooms, most with a modern flair. They told us
they enjoy the much-loved library – ‘a warm space to read in winter,’ as one boy pointed out.
They like the Accelerated Reader scheme and the badges they can earn – several on every
blazer we saw.

Academically rigorous from the off, the boys can expect lots of homework – a piece each
night on top of spelling and reading.

Lots of exam practice helps you do well in the real thing, they point out – especially because pupils complete a reflection sheet after every one. French is taught from nursery, Latin added in year 3. Year 8s have the option to add German and Spanish and those with an aptitude for Latin are selected to do Greek.

Surrounded by nature, the school has plenty of room for an on-site forest school which has its
own qualified leader. We spotted signs of den building, a wooden outdoor kitchen and
seating. A wooden gazebo is used by the older boys to bird watch – and the wildlife garden,
focussing on butterflies, was built by the boys themselves next to a small orchard. Idyllic.
Older boys camp on the grounds and use the forest school to toast marshmallows and
perhaps, more surprisingly ‘to watch movies’. ‘It’s really fun,’ they told us.

Lots of finished plates at lunchtime, where staff sit alongside the boys. ‘We are allowed
seconds…and thirds,’ the boys grinned. No hungry tummies here. No packed lunches
allowed but no complaints because the food is ‘so yummy’, although some feel ‘there could
be more veggie options’. Our dining companions kept us up with the latest football news,
although were horrified to hear our favourite teams!

Families mainly Asian, reflective of the area. A reasonably sociable lot, with various
WhatsApp groups and meetups eg parent picnics, dads’ football, go-karting days etc. The
class reps have an annual soirée with the head. Most are high achieving professionals,
including lots of medics – mainly dual income. Most live within 20 minutes’ drive of the
school.