Spring independent school open days

MEADOWBROOK SCHOOL (independent co-ed primary school for ages 4 – 11), 01344 890869 meadowbrook.uk Meadowbrook School in Warfield offers tailor-made open days in the form of informal observation visits, where parents receive the undivided attention of the Head, watch real classes in action and chat naturally to children and staff. To book your visit call: 01344 890869 or email admin@meadowbrook.uk BRACKNELL AND ASCOT

MOULSFORD PREPARATORY SCHOOL (independent boys day & boarding school 4-13yrs) 01491 651 438, moulsford.com Fri 15 May, 10am-12pm and 1-3pm. SHIPLAKE COLLEGE (independent boarding and day school for boys 11- 18 and girls 16-18) 0118 940 2455, shiplake.org.uk Whole school: Sat 21 Mar, 9am-12pm THE ORATORY SCHOOL (independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 11-18), 01491 683 500, oratory.co.uk Whole school open morning: Sat 29 Feb OXFORDSHIRE

CRANFORD HOUSE (a non-selective independent day school for girls aged 3 to 16 and boys aged 3 to 11) 01491 651218 cranfordhouse.net Whole school open week: 20-24 April.

THE ABBEY (independent day school for girls aged 3-18), Junior School 0118 931 3111, Senior School 0118 987 2256, theabbey.co.uk Junior School open morning: Fri 6 Mar, 9.15-11am Senior School open morning: Fri 13 Mar, 9.15-11am LEIGHTON PARK SCHOOL (independent co-ed day and boarding 11-18yrs), 0118 987 9608, leightonpark.com Open morning: Tues 10 Mar, from 9.15am ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (independent co-ed day school 3-18yrs), 0118 966 1000, sjcr.org.uk Early Years and Senior open mornings: Mon 16 Mar QUEEN ANNE’S CAVERSHAM (independent girls day & boarding school 11-18yrs), 0118 918 7300, qas.org.uk Open morning: Fri 6 Mar, 9.30am READING

DOLPHIN SCHOOL (independent day school and nursery for boys and girls 3-13 years) 0118 934 1277 dolphinschool.com Open mornings: Fri 28 Feb and Fri 1 May, 9am.

CROSFIELDS SCHOOL (independent co-ed day school 3-13yrs), 0118 987 1810, crosfields.com Early Years open morning: Fri 28 Feb, 9am Nursery Stay and Play: Wed 18 Mar EAGLE HOUSE SCHOOL (independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-13 in Sandhurst), 01344 772 134, eaglehouseschool.com Open morning: Sat 29 Feb, 10am SOUTH OF READING

PANGBOURNE COLLEGE (independent co-ed day and boarding school 11-18yrs), 0118 984 2101, pangbourne.com Open morning: Sat 25 Apr HORRIS HILL, Newbury (boarding and day preparatory school for boys 4-13 years) 01635 40594 horrishill.com. Open mornings: Fri 28 Feb and Sat 14 Mar WEST BERKSHIRE

ST ANDREWS PANGBOURNE (independent co-ed day & boarding school 3-13yrs), 0118 974 4726, standrewspangbourne.co.uk Fri 15 May, 9am. DOWNE HOUSE (independent day and boarding school for girls), 01635 200286, downehouse.net Open mornings: Sat 25 Apr and Sat 13 Jun

REDDAM HOUSE SCHOOL (independent co-ed day & boarding school 3-18yrs), 0118 974 8300, reddamhouse.org.uk Open house: Fri 6 Mar, 9-11am Reception 2020 open morning: Sat 7 Mar, 9.30-11am WAVERLEY SCHOOL (independent prep school and day nursery for boys and girls 3 months -11yrs), 0118 973 1121, waverleyschool.co.uk Open morning: Fri 15 May, 9.30- 11.30am. To register, please email admissions@waverleyschool.co.uk LUCKLEY HOUSE SCHOOL (independent co-ed day & boarding school 11-18yrs), 0118 978 4175, luckleyhouseschool.org Open evening: Thurs 4 Jun. WOKINGHAM

Please ring the school to check the open event is still going ahead.

How much of your children’s learning is done outdoors? In an age when so much of a child’s time is spent in a safe and sedentary indoor world with technology doing the stimulating, it is an important question.

Research by the Wildlife Trusts has shown that learning outdoors for just one lesson a week boosts learning and behaviour in primary school children. The study found that children’s wellbeing increased after they had spent time connecting with nature and that they gained educational benefits as well as wider personal and social ones.

The learning opportunities are immense but ‘going wild’ also helps kids to build healthy minds and bodies, form better relationships, grow confidence and generally feel the joy of life. Our own trawl of schools across the Families Thames Valley West area shows that there is now wide recognition of the need to ‘wrap up and get on with it’ in any weather in order to secure some far-reaching benefits.

The Oratory Preparatory School at Goring Heath has 64 acres of outdoor space with two distinct sites for its Forest School. Quite apart from woodland, there is a pond for dipping and a fire circle for cooking things like hot dogs and toasting marshmallows. While the excitement for early years’ pupils includes orienteering, older children have been learning knife skills and tent building.

Forest School leaders Lizzie Johnston and Jo Jones are emphatic that the secret of success lies in integrating what the children do outdoors with what they learn indoors. “Our school offers so much academically and outside the regular curriculum,” says Lizzie. “We are a key part of a holistic approach that complements all of that.”

Jo adds: “Society has changed so much and there is a danger that with all the intensity of modern learning, children miss out on play and freedom. Forest School is an opportunity to develop wellrounded young people with a healthy mindset who are confident and happy to go on into the world.”

Amongst the best moments was a three-year-old child who had never spoken during the school day but suddenly came out with a sentence triggered by the excitement of bug hunting and, from that day, talked in class. Forest School has filtered up through the school with the result that Year 8s like Bonnie McLaughlin

Wrap up

offer a big endorsement. “It’s great to be able to interact with your friends while also learning life skills,” she says.

St Andrew’s Preparatory School at Pangbourne has changed the whole focus of its renamed Woodlands Nursery to capitalise on its extensive grounds. Parents are warned when they sign up that their children won’t necessarily come home clean. Dirty knees are the norm after a day at school that may have included climbing a

‘mountain’ of dirt, balancing on logs and swinging from branches. Whatever the weather, each day for nursery starts with going into the grounds where staff follow the children’s lead. As they walk, it’s the pupils who decide what they will do. If, for example, it involves gathering leaves, the staff will mold that around numeracy, art or whatever subject they are pursuing. A flood in the car park means jumping in puddles (which they count) and then making a movie about it.

and learn

Children at St Andrew’s build confidence in the big outdoors

Head of Pre-Prep, Fiona Armstrong, says that outdoor learning boosts physical development as well as communication and personal / social skills. “Our teachers are teaching in the moment and using the outdoor experiences to consolidate learning,” she says. “It’s an approach that builds the children’s confidence to try things for themselves, take risks and build resilience. We want our children to be curious, independent learners,

who work collaboratively and have the resilience to have a go.” The pre-prep approach follows through into reception classes and then years 1 and 2 with more focused Forest School sessions. Real tools like hammers and nails, rakes and pruning shears come into play so that children can start to learn specific skills through activities like making dens. Lighting fires with flints links into cooking and maintaining a fire while staying safe.

At Downe House School at Cold Ash near Newbury, staff and pupils have long enjoyed the benefits of education in an outdoor setting given the location of the campus on a beautiful 110-acre woodland estate on the edge of the Berkshire Downs. With numerous opportunities to get outdoors and take learning out of the classroom, pupils have been able to develop a genuine appreciation of their surroundings and their interaction with the environment has now taken on a campaigning approach through an Eco Committee. With input right across the 11 to 18 age group, the aim is to ensure that the school takes action on climate change.

Teacher Rachel Phillips-Morgan has taken responsibility for coordination of environmental awareness. “With the work of David Attenborough and the activism of Greta Thunberg gaining the attention of the media and legislators, it’s hard to ignore our individual responsibilities towards the environment, and it’s a great opportunity for Downe House to reflect on its position and what it’s doing to address the issues,” she says.

Working with a seven-step programme that will take them towards an Eco School Green Flag, pupils have established a committee with one representative from each year group. An environmental audit of current practices in the school is looking at subjects such as biodiversity, energy, litter, water and healthy living with a view to implementing an action programme.

“It’s a process that helps students develop compassion and gratitude for their surroundings, and equips them with greater knowledge of environmental matters,” says Rachel. “They also feel empowered by taking part in decisions that help make a positive difference in their community.”