Strong, caring relationships are key to happy children in school

Herne Hill School’s ethos is ‘Love, care, excellence’.

Headteacher Ngaire

Telford and Director

Dominik Magyar talk to Sarah Dale about how their ethos is embedded in everything the school achieves and why it is important for Early Years provision to continue until the age of seven.

Outdoor learning is integral to Herne Hill School, which has two sites on Herne Hill in South London.

Rated ‘Excellent’ following its latest visit by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate), the co-educational school is for children aged two to seven.

The Early Years school takes its inspiration from the European model of continuing Early Years provision past the UK’s age of five up to the age of seven. It is the largest standalone independent school in the country specialising in children aged two to seven with 300 pupils, but the team is proud to provide a warm and friendly community which feels like an extension of the family.

The school, which was founded in 1976 as a kindergarten and added Early Years provision a decade later, has its main site located at 127 Herne Hill for reception and Key Stage One children. It opened a second site at 99 Herne Hill in the summer of 2021, which has been refurbished to create a bespoke space for the kindergarten.

Herne Hill School has several outdoor areas including a woodland area on the main site, a ‘sand land’ at the kindergarten, a large performing arts studio, library and multifunctional hall for lunch, PE and dance classes.

Headteacher Ngaire Telford says: “We take a whole child approach. One of the ways we do that first and foremost is relationships between staff and children and creating a loving and caring environment. Children have to feel comfortable and safe to do well.

“Everyone who works here has an appreciation of human development and know how important these Early Years are. Like our pupils’ parents, we love and care about the children.

“Adapting physical spaces encourages their natural curiosity and instinct. We are very lucky to have glorious outdoor spaces here. Having bespoke children’s furniture especially made for younger children and having the right resources to keep them fascinated with learning is also important.

“Children see the magic in the world. Often, education can ‘bash’ the magic out of them, but we don’t want our children to lose their wonder.”

Taking a child-led, play-based approach and supporting children’s social and emotional skills is central to the education provider.

Director Dominik Magyar, who took over the school from the founders in 2002, says: “It starts with the staff who form trusting, loving relationships with the children. You need to love these children and engage with them on a playful level to accelerate their learning.

“From the age of two to seven is a huge chunk of their development. They start as toddlers and by seven they have fully formed personalities; they develop their gross motor skills and fine motor skills. The curve of development is bigger than at any other age.”

Dominik also advises parents who may have to dip in and out of private education due to finances to invest in the Early Years as a priority to “set them up for a good start in state education and beyond” by being in the top quartile of their cohort.

As children “learn best when they’re having fun”, the school uses children’s key interests, whether it be lego or dinosaurs or space, to engage them in learning.

“I feel privileged to work with these young children and we are always looking for new exciting ways for them to learn,” adds Ngaire. When the osteopathy practice building at 99 Herne Hill came onto the property market, the school was keen to purchase it and refurbish it as their second, nearby site.

“The kindergarten pupils need a home from home and this wonderful building provides that,” she adds.

“We were able to buy this beautiful Victorian building and create a space entirely for twoyear-olds.”

The children’s physical development is also “incredibly important” to the school and the pupils take part in a “woodland dash” every day, as well as having a log trail which is inspired by Kew Gardens. They also have an outdoor fire pit for story time.

“I’m a passionate runner myself,” says Ngaire. “We track how far they go and track it on a map across Europe so they can see how far they have gone. There is proven science that shows that being outside lowers anxiety and supports mental health. The children bring waterproofs in every day, as we go outside every day come rain or shine.

“It also leads to incredible creative learning and we look at artists who use nature and installation art.”

The school joined Southwark Chamber of Commerce a year ago to be the voice of young people and make connections with decision-makers in education.

Dominik says Herne Hill School, like other private schools, has been hit by the Budget plans to raise National Insurance contributions and the end of tax breaks for private schools from 2025.

“We have been disproportionately hit – twothirds of our costs are staffing,” he says,

“There are more financial pressures on our parents. Another challenge is the emergence of more children with SEND (special educational needs and/or disability).

“However, throughout all the challenges we face, our focus remains on providing a healthy, happy environment for our pupils. We have a high calibre of staff, who are the special ones who make a real difference to our young people.”