Gayhurst School Prospectus

Preparatory day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 13 Gerrards Cross . Buckinghamshire

“Good governance, leadership and management ensure an enriching educational experience for the pupils in excellent, well-maintained and resourced facilities…pupils are very well prepared for their future schools and adult life.”

Independent Schools Inspectorate

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Gayhurst is a happy, thriving and vibrant co-educational independent preparatory school for children aged 3-13. For over 100 years the school has endeavoured to bring out the best in every child in its care by focussing on individual talents and supporting children to achieve their full potential. Since becoming co-educational in 2008, Gayhurst has built a reputation as a family school, providing first class co-education in Gerrards Cross.

Life at Gayhurst is engaging and exciting with regular activities organised to enrich the education of its pupils.

Our commitment to continual improvement and development means that the children benefit greatly from the facilities offered on our five acre site, including IT rooms, Science laboratories, woodland adventure playground and an allweather AstroTurf.

Pupils consistently achieve strong academic results progressing to both local Grammar Schools and to Senior Schools, day and boarding, in the Independent sector.

We hope that this prospectus provides you with an insight into all that Gayhurst has to offer. To discover more about why Gayhurst could be the right choice for your child we would be delighted to welcome you to visit the school, either at one of our regular open mornings or for an individual visit.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family to Gayhurst.

“Our aims are clear; we provide a wide range of opportunities in music, drama, art and on the playing fields as well as through the curriculum. We want every girl and boy to discover and develop their particular talents and support them wholeheartedly in their aspirations for the future.�

Andrew Sims, Headmaster

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Gayhurst offers a Nursery, Junior School and a Senior School. Although geographically separate within the grounds, the Junior and Senior School are connected culturally and share the Gayhurst ethos which underpins the successful reputation of the school. Both have been purpose built in recent years to provide the best environment in which children can learn and develop.

Boys and girls can join The Nursery in the September after their third birthday. The emphasis is on gentle, creative and constructive learning in a stimulating environment with an adjoining playground designed for the early years.

Independent thinking and thoughtfulness for others are encouraged from the very beginning. There are morning and afternoon sessions and if children are staying for a full day they bring their own packed lunch.

The Junior School, with its own Head, has benefited from major redevelopment to give light, bright, well-equipped rooms. Class sizes are small – no more than 20 pupils.

Children are taught by their form teachers together with specialist staff for Music, Games and PE. There is an emphasis on independence from an early age but classroom assistants are always on hand to help with all the little tasks.

Constructive, supervised play is encouraged and at break times the children enjoy the freedom of space in our extensive grounds either with the play equipment provided or on the adventure trail. Lunches are taken in the Dining Room but at an earlier time than the Senior School so little ones feel completely comfortable.

Lunch is a key time in the school day. Good manners, conversation and an appreciation of freshly cooked, varied food are qualities Gayhurst believes are important.

Links with the Senior School are fostered – often the older children will help with sports events or in the classroom – so the transition to the next stage is a smooth and natural progression.

Nursery & Junior School

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“A friendly school with fantastic facilities, very good teaching in a caring environment�

A Gayhurst parent

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The Senior School is divided into Middle and Senior Years. The Middle School, Years 4 and 5, is an introduction to a more secondary school style structure as the children move away from being taught by form teachers towards specialist subject teaching. There is a Head of Middle School and a Head of every subject, including Music.

Communication is strong and parents have ready access to discuss their child’s progress and development at any point.

The Senior School ­­– Years 6, 7 and 8 – is a preparation for life after Gayhurst. The children work towards the 11+ transfer to Grammar Schools and Common Entrance examinations for leading independent schools. The teaching of wider life skills is just as important as the curriculum. Trips to the Battlefields of World War I, a visit to the BBC or a day cooking with a celebrity chef – amongst other opportunities – give the children experiences that equip them well for later in life.

“Caring, good staff achieve good results without being pushy”

A Gayhurst parent

Senior School

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“A wonderful school with a caring and engaging attitude – a fantastic environment”

A Gayhurst parent

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Gayhurst has an outstanding record of sporting achievement, including many regional and national successes. However we pride ourselves on the inclusive nature of our sports and games with every child given the opportunity to represent the school whenever possible. The teams are competitive and well coached but good sportsmanship is the first consideration.

The school has excellent sporting facilities. It stands in a five-acre playing field with woodland and a further four-acre field beyond. An all-weather Astroturf pitch means the widest range of sports can be offered, nearly 30 in all. There are the main sports of rugby, football, cricket, netball, hockey, swimming, gymnastics and rounders. Tennis, swimming, athletics and cross country are also timetabled.

Children are given the chance to try everything from skiing to sailing, table tennis to triathlons and basketball to badminton. The specialist sports staff are often assisted by external coaches from clubs or sports foundations.

“A great all round school that puts emphasis on giving all pupils a chance to do things irrespective of their ability. Sport is competitive but not a win at all costs mentality.�

A Gayhurst parent

Sport

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“Great opportunities and excellent facilities for games and sports with inspirational teachers�

A Gayhurst parent

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As in sport and games, Gayhurst takes an inclusive attitude to participation in music and drama and the school has considerable success in developing latent musical talent.

There is a phenomenally high take up of children learning an instrument with a team of dedicated peripatetic teachers giving individual lessons. Children can perform individually, or together in one of the many music ensembles or the range of popular choirs.

In performances, whether in front of a few parents or at the Royal Albert Hall, children are nurtured and grow in confidence. The emphasis is on enjoyment but for the talented individual there is the chance of a scholarship for a secondary independent school and some children attend the Royal School of Music at weekends.

Drama at Gayhurst is fun, exciting and hugely rewarding.

Each child discovers and develops their own talents – for some children this means in the starring role, others prefer vital work behind the scenes. All the children, from the smallest to the oldest, are involved in a number of annual productions.

Performing in front of an audience is an experience that can prove invaluable later in life and annual Verse and Prose competitions help the children gain confidence.

The school regularly participates in debating and Public Speaking competitions.

“Gayhurst is a fantastic all round school to send your child�

A Gayhurst parent

Music & Drama

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“Love the school. My child is bright, confident and an all rounder, thanks to the school.�

A Gayhurst parent

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Consideration for others and an appreciation of their place in the world are two of the key characteristics Gayhurst wishes to instil in its pupils.

To this end, trips are arranged to support work in the curriculum but also to give the children an understanding of the wider world.

A wide range of extra-curricular opportunities and experiences are offered throughout the school. A programme of ageappropriate educational visits and, in the Senior School, residential courses has been carefully devised. These set the children challenges – within safe parameters – in which to grow, flourish and learn.

On the residential courses in the Isle of Wight (in Year 5) and in Devon (Year 6) our pupils are given the chance to try their hand at everything from abseiling and surfing to caving and high zip wires. We are always complimented on the exemplary behaviour of our children, their commitment and enthusiasm.

“Friendly, successful school offering wide range of opportunities from which my two children have certainly benefited”

A Gayhurst parent

Trips & Visits

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All children are encouraged to participate in clubs and societies that take place after school.

The activities are seasonal but include such pursuits as chess, basketball, table tennis, batik, ballet, art and design, gymnastics, drama, judo, badminton, cookery, skiing, sailing and others. These are fantastic opportunities, allowing the children to experience a pastime not usually included within the ordinary curriculum.

Gayhurst has a policy of supporting pupils in pursuing particular talents, such as skiing for Great Britain, performing on the West End stage or being a member of a national music ensemble.

We also have excellent links with the surrounding community, helping to build our successful local reputation through charitable fund-raising and a programme of visits and concerts to nearby old people’s homes and churches.

“The broad curriculum, effective pastoral support and a full programme of extra-curricular games and activities provide a rich and fulfilling educational experience.�

Independent Schools Inspectorate

Extra-curricular

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Academic results do matter. Those achieved by Gayhurst in both the 11+ and 13+ examinations are exceptional. The vast majority of children who take the 11+ tests to local grammar schools pass while in the current Headmaster’s time, every child has passed the 13+ Common Entrance Examinations.

After Gayhurst

Even more important however is that all our staff aim to instil a love of learning in every pupil, a foundation that will see them prosper in their next school and throughout life.

A central strength of the school, highlighted in an independent, confidential parent survey, is that the Headmaster knows each child individually as he teaches them from Year 5. From this knowledge, and from the strength of his links to secondary schools, he can recommend the most appropriate next school for a particular family.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Gayhurst because we had a wide range of subjects in the curriculum, we played lots of sports and I made some great friends right from the start. This has given me a fantastic grounding for the first year in my new school.”

An Ex-Gayhurst Pupil

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BULL LANE . GERRARDS CROSS . BUCKINGHAMSHIRE SL9 8RJ Telephone: 01753 882690 Email: gayhurst@gayhurstschool.co.uk www.gayhurstschool.co.uk