Prospect House School

Every child’s potential develops more readily when they feel safe, valued and happy. I am delighted our pupils thrive in the warm atmosphere of Prospect House where humour and laughter go hand in hand with serious study.Years of teaching have taught me that every child is great at something. At Prospect House we celebrate these strengths, encouraging children to excel. Every small success leads to greater confidence and self-belief.

We have high academic expectations for all of our pupils and place great value on effort, ensuring that they have the necessary tools to succeed. A notable percentage of our pupils gain scholarships. All go on to prestigious senior schools armed with the enthusiasm and self-confidence which is the hallmark of a Prospect House pupil.

Prospect House School was formerly a family home and retains a happy, welcoming atmosphere, starting at the front door where the headmaster or a senior staff member greets each child by name every morning. Currently we have approximately 310 pupils and a staff ratio of 1:7 allows each child a great deal of individual attention. In the early years there are three teaching adults in each class and higher up the school small sets for maths and English allows very focused teaching. Additional small group and 1:1 sessions are commonplace.

Our extensive extra-curricular activities allow teachers and pupils to interact in a more informal atmosphere outside of the classroom. Bonds between staff and children are strong. Our school is a place where every child feels valued and gains the confidence to fly.

Every child learns differently. Accordingly we embrace different teaching methods including Montessori (for our younger children). The freedom to refine and utilise different methods, combined with small class sizes, allows us to tailor our teaching approach to each individual child.

Life is co-ed and our children benefit from being in an environment where girls and boys learn from each other. This dynamic is particularly beneficial when we set children challenging tasks, or encourage them to work (and play) in teams. Importantly they are taught that effort is important and always appreciated. That not all mistakes are negative, but are a positive sign that they are being challenged. Not being afraid to make a mistake increases learning and achievement.

Teaching for the youngest children combines the Montessori method and the requirements of the statutory early years foundation stage (EYFS) curriculum. The syllabus followed has been specifically developed by the school to meet the needs of our pupils.

We offer a broad balanced curriculum which gives a thorough grounding in English and maths and is also enhanced by lessons in science, computing, humanities, religious education (RE), French, music, physical education, art/design technology and personal, social, health & citizenship education (PSHCE). From age 9 the children also study Latin.

We monitor progress using teachers’ assessments combined with tests which provide standardised national norms. This allows us to track the individual progress of every child. Testing is operated unobtrusively to the point that younger children do not even realise they are being tested. Little do they know their results allow us to fine-tune their personalised learning programme. Whole-school screening is also used at various points to make sure children are reaching their potential.

Alongside the observations of staff, the school’s screening programme is specifically designed to detect, at an early stage, those children who may need additional help. Children may experience difficulty with some aspects of their learning or they may have a specific diagnosis such as dyslexia.

All our specialist support teachers are qualified to work with children with specific learning difficulties. We also have close ties with a speech and language therapist, physiotherapist and visual perceptual therapist, who can all help to support the children in school. Learning support is a positive experience to ensure every child makes the best possible progress. Lessons support work in the classroom and teach strategies to support any specific difficulties.

Some children have the good fortune to be privately educated at schools with the drive, experience and resources to teach children to think for themselves. At Prospect House School children learn their personal choices can make a real difference, and their opinion matters. Equally importantly, they learn to respect the opinions of others. They learn the value of endeavour and of staying power, of developing social skills and of forming respectful relationships.

Our children feel confident and valued, so they are not worried about making mistakes and are willing to ‘have a go’. This eagerness to be involved and make a contribution is one of the most valuable life skills we nurture in our pupils.