Mrs. Nina Kingsmill Moore

FROM WETHERBY PREPARATORY SCHOOL, LONDON

In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, Mrs. Nina Kingsmill Moore spoke to us about her new Headship at Wetherby Preparatory School.

Mrs. Nina Kingsmill Moore joined Wetherby Preparatory school in August 2024 with a wealth of experience, including previous roles as Headmistress at Glendower Preparatory School and Deputy Head at Lambrook School. Nina told us: “Education has been something that I have been passionate about now for many, many years.” Nina also described her unique first headship at Glendower: “I joined and then in the first term we were inspected and then straight after that we went into lockdown,” she reflected. “I learnt such invaluable lessons in that time there [...] the ability to take a school through moments of crisis [...] those skills were absolutely fine-tuned, tested to their limits.” Indeed, Nina’s first senior leadership role was at Wetherby Notting Hill, so returning to Wetherby Preparatory School feels familiar. “There’s a little place in my heart for Wetherby, always has been. So when I heard about the opportunity, I had to explore it further [...] the more I found out, the more I was excited about coming back.” she explained.

School has six core values: teamwork, inclusivity, kindness, perseverance, respect and honesty, which Nina feels strongly inspire and represent the school community, with weekly assemblies on one of the values. Nina has also introduced a “random acts of kindness box” to continue to promote and celebrate the boys’ embodiment of the school’s values: “The boys can spot somebody within the school being brilliant and kind and helpful. They write them down, they nominate them and then each week in assembly I will open the box and randomly select three or four of those to read out to the full school assembly, including parents, who come to watch the assemblies as well. Then we can really celebrate these values in action.”

Nina also told us of the exciting energy and passion at Wetherby Prep: “[...] there’s a real sense of buzz, productivity and real purpose in the building. [...] These are boys who are throwing themselves into learning.” Wetherby Preparatory

As many families prepare to navigate the admissions process, Nina reminded them: “We sometimes try to apply other people’s stories to our own child [...] we sometimes forget that each child is unique and individual.” At Wetherby, Nina meets with parents one-on-one to advise and support them as they navigate the sometimes complex and stressful admissions process. She told us of this process: “The advice I give to one group of parents, 20 minutes later, I will be giving completely different advice to the next set of parents. Now, if they were to go out and compare notes, they would think ‘Mrs. Kingsmore has gone mad. She’s saying different things’ but the reason is because I’m applying

Introducing Mrs. Nina Kingsmill Moore

what I know about that unique individual to their situation.”

For some boys, the senior school admissions process can stretch up to three years, with both 11+ and 13+ examinations to consider. When supporting boys and their families through this process, Nina emphasised the importance of preparing them for the whole process, not just studying for exams. “I think people assume that preparation is only doing practice papers.” Nina told us, however, that at Wetherby they also emphasise exam skills: “So they are willing to give things a go if they come across something that they find a bit more tricky. So we help them to be resourceful, to draw on the knowledge that they have already.” Nina also emphasised again the importance of focusing on each child’s individual journey: “We look to really prepare each boy almost individually for the pathway that they are on.”

Wetherby Preparatory School is just one part of the Wetherby family of schools, with several schools across London for children from Pre-Prep to Sixth Form. Nina described: “[...] a real sense of belonging and pride for the Wetherby name and ethos and everything that goes with that, it’s wonderful.” This allows some families to stay within the Wetherby family of schools for their son’s entire educational journey, whilst others prefer to explore different senior school options. No matter what parents want for their child, Nina advises them to find the best school for their son and make the process as smooth as possible: “We really try and tailor that advice to the individual situation.”

Wetherby is also part of the larger Inspired Education Group - a global group of over 100 schools in 24 countries. On being part of both the Wetherby and Inspired communities, Nina told us: “The fact that we have so much support, the expertise behind that and ideas that are generated, that’s hugely beneficial,” not only for the pupils, but also for teachers: “It’s really rare to find yourself in a virtual room of people who bring so much expertise and so much experience to the table.” The Inspired Education Group also provides exciting opportunities for student collaboration through their exchange programme: “So we can take pupils from one of the Inspired schools overseas, and one of our boys can go and spend a term [...] in Brazil, or Peru, or Switzerland - we’ve got schools literally all over the world, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, all over Europe.”

Next year, Wetherby Pembridge is opening in Olympia and will offer a co-educational senior school option within the Wetherby group of schools. Nina drew on her experience in previous positions of placing girls in senior schools: “There are great co-ed schools, don’t get me wrong, but I think it comes back to having a wide selection where you can offer these schools as somewhere that girls and boys can go to and thrive in.” This is particularly true in the competitive London market, where “there are so many people all vying for the same schools,” Nina explained. Wetherby Preparatory School’s central location in Marylebone is key to the many opportunities available to their pupils: “The museums, the theatres, the cultural buildings, [...] all sorts of different things that you can immerse the boys in so that you can bring learning to life. You don’t have to go very far to find them,” Nina told us. She also emphasised the significance of London’s cultural diversity: “All the things where we can learn from each other and understand, what each person brings to the table, why they are unique.” At Wetherby

Prep, they also make the most of the many varied careers in the city, inviting pupils’ parents and family members to talk about their jobs: “There are great career opportunities across London that you wouldn’t necessarily get out in the countryside [...] boys can sit and listen to somebody who actually has that experience and is able to learn from that and perhaps that will ignite a little spark that one day they might like to follow that career path. And again, all of this is in our community on our doorstep.”

At Wetherby, they also aim to prepare boys beyond entrance exams and academic success, saying on their website: “We hope the boys will develop skills needed for life beyond education.” Nina aims to incorporate life skills across the curriculum at Wetherby: “I really do believe that is the purpose of education.” She added: “We shouldn’t just be training boys how to sit an exam and do assessments. Obviously, that’s part of the process, but that’s not our end goal.” As well as hoping the boys succeed academically, Nina told us: “We want to produce boys who are confident, who are interested in the world around them, curious about the world around them and actually want to go and make a difference.” To begin to instil some life skills and confidence in her pupils, Nina begins each day by greeting the pupils at the door: “[I] shake the boys’ hands, make sure that they look me in the eye as they say good morning, that they’re wearing their blazers with pride and their ties are done up. So, we start the day off in the way that we hope to continue it.” Nina hopes this gives Wetherby pupils a sense of pride, mutual respect and confidence, both for the school day ahead and for further life: “I think we’re doing a great job of preparing young men of the future!” Nina told us.

After just six weeks at the school, Nina already feels at home at Wetherby Prep, and has her sights set on the future: “I’m hugely ambitious for this school. I just think it’s an incredible school. It’s got

TURN TO PAGES 44-45 for ECM top London Senior schools incredible potential.” With the support of the local Wetherby network as well as the global Inspired Education Group, Nina hopes to continue to expand the opportunities offered to Wetherby Prep pupils and continue to challenge them to grow: “Can we be more inventive and creative? And what other experiences can we bring to the boys?” Nina’s passion and drive was clear in our discussion: “I want it to be on the lips of every parent in London. You know, I want people to be queuing up outside to come and see what we do. And honestly, I’d welcome them with open arms to come and see it because it is a very special place.” With Nina at the helm, it seems Wetherby Preparatory School will continue to broaden its horizons and thrive. www.wetherbyprep.co.uk

We would like to thank Mrs. Nina Kingsmill Moore, Head of Wetherby Preparatory School, for giving up her time to speak to us.