I am delighted to welcome you to King Edward VI Preparatory school, in beautiful rural Hampshire. We are the feeder school to King Edward VI, Southampton and offer the all-important foundations to a successful onward journey.
Our ambition is to ensure our children flourish and become the very best version of themselves.
We strive to uncover and nurture talents and passions, develop strength of character and promote a deep love of learning. We are hugely ambitious for our children, but do not believe academic rigour has to be to the detriment of a happy childhood. Thriving outside the classroom is just as important as innovating within it. Ultimately, we want our children to be confident advocates for change and powerful contributors to society.
This prospectus will open a window to what makes us… us! If you’d like to find out more, I’d be delighted to welcome you here, in person.
Mrs Rebecca Smith – Headmistress “ KES Prep has a spirit about it – there is a lovely streak that runs through the school. It takes a lot of commitment to achieve that.”
Parent
Unique Yet United
The Feeder to King Edward VI, Southampton
A long history of successful preparation for King Edward VI, Southampton led to the acquisition of Stroud by King Edward VI in 2012. Since then, we have continued to develop the strands that unite us whilst acknowledging the two unique parts of our 2-18 journey.
To celebrate our partnership, we finally changed our name to King Edward VI Preparatory School in September 2024.
Our collective ambition to offer outstanding academic provision sits alongside a drive to promote the wellbeing and pastoral development of all our children. At KES Prep we offer an idyllic childhood experience, blending academic excellence with outdoor pursuits, plenty of sports, visual and performing arts and a wealth of extra-curricular activities. This provides the strongest of foundations for our pupils to move on to the modern, buzzing dynamism of our city senior school.
We also proudly offer a Head’s Recommendation route to King Edward’s. This means our children, achieving at the appropriate level in their studies by the end of Year 5, will be given a guaranteed place at our senior school, King Edward VI, Southampton, for Year 7, without the risks and anxiety associated with an external examination route.
“ The Head’s Recommendation has taken all the stress out of the transition to KES. My older children had to sit the entrance exam, and having to contend with the worry and uncertainty of that at a young age was a challenge. I’m delighted that our daughter will be joining her brothers at KES, and that she’ll be free to enjoy her time at KES Prep before then, unencumbered by exam preparation and anxiety. ”
Parent
Teaching & Learning Innovators
Learning is a combination of developing knowledge, skills and dispositions. Not only do our children get a rich diet of knowledge and skills through careful curriculum planning and specialist teaching input, KES Prep children become more disposed to be curious, creative, determined, reflective and considered.
Academic rigour can sometimes be confused with traditional learning – at KES Prep we are proud to be teaching and learning innovators. Whilst closely monitoring pupils to ensure our families have clear and timely input into progress and achievement, we also like to question the status quo and make sure our children are kept on their toes with stimulating and challenging learning activities – we like to say we are academic by stealth!
“She was ready for a change of dynamism. It has been a terrific move.”
Our Innovative Curriculum
Here at KES Prep we are delighted to offer an enhanced curriculum including the following subjects:
Science & Engineering
Engineering is included in our curriculum from Year 3 to Year 6, with ‘Science and Engineering’ lessons taught by the class teachers. Engineering challenges pupils to create innovative solutions to problems using the knowledge and skills learnt in Science, Technology and Maths. It promotes the important life skills of problemsolving, resilience and collaboration – as most projects are tackled in groups. We believe Engineering is highly relevant to today’s challenges and helps to develop our children’s sense of environmental and humanitarian responsibility. It’s also practical, engaging and great fun!
Discovery
From Year 3, Discovery lessons combine the teaching of History, Geography and Religious Studies and support the children in developing a broad knowledge and understanding of the world around them. By teaching these subjects in a creative and interconnected way we encourage children’s higher order thinking skills and develop their understanding of how these subjects relate to each other.
Performing Arts
We have always been passionate advocates of The Arts and here at KES Prep, Music and Drama is specialist taught as ‘Performing Arts’ all the way through the school. This academic focus on music alongside creative drama and performance activities enthuses and inspires our children, developing their knowledge and skills, creating plenty of opportunities to build their self-esteem and confidence through performance.
Computing and Digital Literacy
‘Computing and Digital Literacy’ is taught from Reception to Year 6 as a discrete subject by class teachers, in our age-appropriate computing suites, and then further embedded throughout the curriculum. We continuously support the development of pupils’ programming skills through the computing aspects of the curriculum. The digital literacy aspects enable children to understand how technology can be used to enhance their learning across all curriculum areas
Art, Craft and Design
Children from Year 1 to Year 6 have specialist taught ‘Art, Craft and Design’ lessons. By combining the Art and DT subjects, we can plan exciting projects that combine elements of Art, Craft and Design Technology to inspire the children and develop their understanding of how these creative subjects fit into the real world.
Languages
Alongside our continued focus on specialist taught French and Spanish, we also introduce our children from Year 3 to Year 6 to WoLLoW – World of Languages, Languages of the World! The WoLLoW curriculum encourages children to be curious about languages including their history, culture, and diversity; to understand the links and patterns between languages; and, to better understand how language works, which will in turn support their English language development.
Wellbeing
Each day at KES Prep begins with an extended form-time which allows us to ensure that pupil wellbeing takes a significant role in our weekly timetable. During our morning ‘Wellbeing’ sessions, we run whole school assemblies, teach PSHEE and Citizenship curriculums and enjoy other activities to maintain our keen sense of community across the School.
The School Structure
Early Years (Nursery and Reception)
Our Nursery and Reception classes are housed in the purpose-built and recently refurbished Nursery and Early Years building. Our children also have an amazing outdoor space, including a canopied outdoor play area, and ‘Little Meadow, a bespoke nature area with a covered outdoor classroom and orchard. This truly give us the best of both indoor and outdoor Early Years settings and further enhances the learning and development opportunities for the children.
We offer specialist-taught PE and Performing Arts in the Pre-School, with specialist taught Languages from Reception. Forest School and Farm School sessions remain firm favourites of our Nursery and Early Years children!
Year-Round Nursery Provision
Our wonderful Nursery is open year-round and is overseen by our Head of Early Years, a qualified teacher and Senior Leader at the Prep-School. On a day-to-day basis the Nursery is run by our Nursery Manager, Deputy Nursery Manager and team of highly-qualified and dedicated Early Year Practitioners.
Pre-Prep
Our Year 1 and 2 classes are taught in the purpose-built building, offering access to the Pre-Prep gardens, playground and the Pre-Prep Computing Suite.
In our Pre-Prep we focus on developing key skills in English and Maths, as well as offering an inspiring and creative thematic approach: this approach combines the Humanities and Science to ensure children develop a real thirst for knowledge and a love of learning.
Pre-Prep children will receive specialist-taught PE and Performing Arts Lessons (including the wildly popular ‘Music Circus’ in Year 2 where children receive small group instrumental lessons) and Languages, with ‘Computing and Digital Literacy’ being woven throughout the curriculum by class teachers to deeply embed skills and enhance the children’s learning.
Forest School remains an important part of the Pre-Prep experience and Beach School lessons are offered to the children throughout Years 1 and 2 as part of our Outdoor Learning programme.
Lower Prep
Our Year 3 and 4 classes are taught in the Lower Prep building, our newest purpose-built classroom accommodation. This building gives easy access to specialist teaching facilities and outdoor play areas such as the ever-popular play area Highwood Heights!
As the children move up into the Prep part of the School, our focus on academic excellence and a broad curriculum continues.
Our Lower Prep children all receive specialist teaching in Sport, with the introduction of a fixtures afternoon; in Performing Arts, Languages and Art, Craft and Design. These specialist subjects allow us to extend, challenge and inspire our children with an aspirational curriculum. Form tutors provide consistency, care, and excellence in teaching the core subjects, including our exciting ‘Science and Engineering’ and ‘Computing and Digital Literacy’ programmes.
Upper Prep
It has always been important to us that our children move around the site as they journey from the Nursery to the top of the School. This sense of moving on from, and arrival at, various stages of their educational journey allows children to see their development more clearly and feel a sense of pride in their progress. Year 5 and 6 are our oldest pupils and as our role models, they are offered the privilege of being schooled in the Main House.
The specialist teaching in the Upper Prep mirrors that of the Lower Prep, with the introduction of Spanish and a fixtures afternoon on a Wednesday. Just as in the Lower Prep, form tutors provide consistency, care and excellence in teaching the core subjects, including our ‘Science and Engineering’ and ‘Computing and Digital Literacy’ Programmes.
Specialist Teaching Facilities
As well as having modern purpose-built classroom accommodation and the beautiful Main House, our children enjoy learning in ‘The STEAM Pod.’ This houses Science and Engineering, the STEAM Lab, and Art, Craft and Design.
Our children also enjoy our Performing Arts Centre, which houses the the Performing Arts classroom, a small dance and drama studio and a Speech and Drama room. We are also lucky enough to use the Dobson Theatre at our Senior School.
These spaces add to our fantastic teaching facilities which also include our Sports Hall, cookery room, library, Wellbeing Centre, computing suites, stables and riding arena, farm and nature area including ponds and stream.
What We Believe in at KES Prep
We are proud of our reputation for offering an excellent all-round education, and for going the extra mile to support our children and ensure that they are happy at school. Our success is down to a range of factors that we like to shout about!
1. Outstanding Pastoral Care
Outstanding pastoral care and a strong family feel underpin all that we do at KES Prep and will always remain the foundation upon which we build. In the classroom this fundamental pastoral relationship is provided by the form tutor who ensures that each child’s wellbeing, needs, and growth are carefully nurtured. In addition to the form tutor and Head of Department, the children are supported by Learning Support Assistants and staff who are trained in providing emotional literacy support.
Our Wellbeing Centre is a fabulous resource where children can talk, reflect, be listened to and take time out.
Our highly skilled pastoral team, including our School Nurses, ensure that every child and every family feels safe and supported.
“We haven’t looked back. The support she gets is brilliant. She absolutely loves it.”
2. Academic Ambition & Broad Definition of Success
We maintain broad definitions of success here at KES Prep and, as well as striving to realise the academic potential of all our children, we remain committed to supporting all children to find and develop their talents and passions. Our exciting curriculum sits alongside our fantastic co-curricular and enrichment programme, to offer a wide array of opportunities to enhance our children’s KES Prep experience. We want to give our children every opportunity to find ‘their thing’ and help them to develop self-confidence, self-belief and a ‘have a go’ attitude to life.
We regularly find occasions to celebrate our children’s achievements, and build in opportunities to celebrate success through assemblies, performances, end of term events, Hot Chocolate with the Head (a particular favourite of Mrs Smith’s) and our end of year Speech Day. Parents are welcomed to a range of events throughout the year, from parent breakfasts to musical concerts, and whole-school picnics to child-led tours of their classroom. We believe that these events give children the opportunity to acknowledge their success and share it with the most important people in their lives!
3 . Getting Outside and Getting Active
We have always offered a broad and competitive sports programme here at KES Prep, with specialist teaching throughout the school and regular opportunities to participate in fixtures. As well as giving children opportunities to compete, we want our sports provision to support children in developing a lifelong love of sport and we encourage all pupils to do their best and celebrate their achievements along the way.
To further our mission to help children get outside more and get active, we have developed a sector leading, progressive outdoor education programme. We are lucky enough to have fantastic grounds and natural facilities including our woodland, ponds and stream, as well as our small farm. Offering Forest School style activities throughout the School allows children to try new skills, measure and take risks, work collaboratively, and rise to a variety of challenges in a range of physical contexts and environments.
“ They have amazing grounds so the kids can go out and do forest school and a lot of outdoor activities.”
Parent
4 . Pupil Leadership and Pupil Voice
We passionately believe that if we want children to make a real difference in the world, we must show them that they can effect change from an early age. Children throughout the School have the chance to be Form Captains and Vice Captains – roles that allow them to start their leadership journey and take on responsibility.
These children meet with the Year 6 Heads of School who guide and support them and help them carry out these important ambassadorial roles. As our children move into their final year at KES Prep, they continue to further develop their leadership skills in a range of prefect roles. Year 6 can apply for specific roles, such as Heads of School and Heads of House, and they are invited to become a prefect and undertake specific responsibilities and important duties.
As part of the Leadership Pathway at KES Prep, the Year 6 pupils are tasked with developing the School Council and running Pupil Voice Groups, where children from Early Years through to Year 6 come together to share their opinions and views on various aspects of the School. These views are then shared with Mrs Smith and the Senior Leadership Team.
5 . A Strong Community
We know the incredible value of every child understanding their place within a school community, and later the world. We foster much of this community ethos through our House System; where children earn House Points for their House, compete together in House competitions such as cross-county and swimming galas, and take part in House Family activities like making Christmas decorations. Our older children buddy with our younger children for a wide range of activities and we regularly come together to celebrate each other’s successes.
We are incredibly lucky to have a dedicated and committed team of parents who form our KES Prep Association (KPA). They continue to go from strength to strength and put on regular social events for parents and staff and fun events for the children, all to raise money for the School, whilst having a great time and getting to know each other better. We have always worked hard to develop strong, positive relationships between pupils, parents and staff at KES Prep and we passionately believe in the enduring power of a strong and supportive community.
There’s a warmth about the school… The children there are a joy to be around. They feel very much at home there. ”
Join Us!
KES Prep has long been considered a welcoming school with a strong family feel. We are a close community where staff and parents support the school and make sure the children have a wealth of exciting opportunities.
Each year we welcome families not just from all over the UK, but from all over the world and we love the diversity this brings to our community. Our children simply love to welcome new friends to KES Prep, and from the regular return of Old Boys and Old Girls we know that the happy memories remain with our children for life. Indeed, friends made here are friends for life, for children and parents alike.
Get in Touch!
We hold regular open events and welcome families into School for individual tours throughout the year. To find out more about how you can join our family, please follow the online admissions section on our website or contact the Admissions Team who would be delighted to show you around.
www.kes.school admissions@kes-prep.school
To get even more of a flavour of what makes us so special, follow us on X, Facebook or Instagram:
@KESPrep @KESPrep @KESPrep
“They were happy straight away. It is because the school is so friendly.”
