WHAT? WHERE?

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming in Surrey.

Barrow Hills School is a co-ed day school for children aged 2 to 13 set within a gorgeous grade II-listed Tudor style mansion house on 33 acres at Witley, near Godalming. As first impressions go, it’s a school with wow. The setting is idyllic, entered via a driveway which reveals the historic house, its gardens and woodlands which form part of the playground.

It’s a small school – with numbers tickling the 230 mark – and this, combined with the Christian ethos and the peaceful and homely setting, creates a strong sense of community.

The school was originally founded by the Josephites in a teeny hamlet near Weybridge called Barrow Hills as a prep school for their senior school, St George’s Weybridge. It moved to Witley in 1952, and is now closely linked to King Edward’s Witley – both schools are part of the Bridewell Royal Hospital Charity.

Barrow Hills is a well-balanced school – best described as an all-rounder – with equal emphasis on the arts, sports and academics. While many pupils live in the local area families will also travel coming from as far as Ripley, Farnham, and Haslemere.

FACILITIES

Barrow Hills School, near Godalming in Surrey.

The architectural centrepiece of the school is the stunning mansion house, Great Roke, built in 1909 as a family home. It’s steeped in history, and much of the character and original features are still here which makes the school feel like a distinguished place to learn. A roaring woodburning stove in the entrance hall is a lovely welcome on a winter’s morning. If you like your schools with a feeling of informality and intimacy, you’re in the right place.

Most of the classrooms are in Great Roke, set over three floors. Art and technology classrooms are in the former stable block called the St Joseph’s Centre. It’s a characterful building with a large vaulted ceiling and exposed beams. There’s also a small cookery room here. The science labs are also in their own building – the St Albertus Magnus building – which leads to an indoor sports hall and ballet studio. There’s also a chapel which is used for school assemblies.

The acres of grounds means there that children are not left wanting for outdoor facilities here. There are masses of woodlands (forest school is big), extensive sports fields including a cricket pitch and pavillion, astro pitch, tennis and netball courts plus an indoor heated swimming pool. The school also uses the sports facilities at King Edward’s which is about five minutes’ drive away.

The original gardens are the handiwork of the esteemed designer Gertrude Jekyll, and while they’ve changed a lot over the years, the original charm is still evident. There’s a large kitchen garden, including green houses, plus an outdoor theatre, an adventure playground, and an Iron Age Roundhouse.

The refectory – where all the kids and teachers have meals – is a lovely light-filled room overlooking an outdoor terrace with tables.

SPORT

Pupils at Barrow Hills School in Witley, Surrey.

Will all those acres, there’s plenty of room for sports. And it’s highly valued with the aim of instilling a love for sport in all children. The ethos is sport for all, and every child from kindy upwards will have specialist sports lessons each week. All pupils from year 3 to year 8 plays a fixture every week. For girls, lacrosse has recently been replaced by football – which I’m told is a welcome change. The other main headliners are rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, rounders, swimming and tennis.

ART, MUSIC, DRAMA

Barrow Hills is a school that puts great emphasis on the arts and there’s a strong programme in place for music, drama and the visual arts.

The school wants the visual arts to be fun, whilst also developing children’s artistic skills which means there’s lots on offer. As well as drawing and painting children will learn ceramics, textiles, print-making, animation, photography, film making and sculpture.

Musically, they start them young – with lessons in nursery all the way through to year 8. Like sport, it’s a music for all ethos. Individual music and vocal lessons are offered from year 2, and 43% of the school take this up. And like it’s elder sibling, King Edward’s Witley, there’s a strong choral tradition. When I visited, members of the senior choir had just returned from Rome where they’d performed in the Chiesa di Sant’Anselmo all’Aventino. In 2025, the junior choir has been invited to perform at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

Drama is a strong offering too. The sports hall is used as a theatre space, and children are involved in performances throughout all year levels. The senior school play for children in years 6 to 8, is a yearly highlight. Last year it was Annie, and over recent years they’ve also staged Les Misérables, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Wizard of Oz. Lamda is another biggie, and the extracurricular drama and musical theatre clubs are among the most popular.

LITTLIES

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming in Surrey.

The school takes children from age 2 in the nursery, moving into kindy when they’re 3 and 4. The nursery and kindy is housed in its own wing of this former home, with direct access outside to their own separate play areas. From kindy there’s specialist teaching in maths, French, ballet and sport. And from reception, children are taught in smaller, differentiated groups for phonics.

THE ACADEMICS

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming in Surrey.

Strong. There’s a wide and balanced curriculum, but this is not a hot-housey environment – there’s as much emphasis on drama and sport as there is on maths and English. As well as learning actual facts, a great emphasis goes to helping the pupils develop the skills to learn. There’s also a strong belief that children need more than just good academic results, so there’s a strong emphasis on building confident and independent children.

Class sizes are small – an average of 13 – and there’s two-form entry throughout most of the school.

In years 3 and 4 classes are mostly form-based with some specialist teaching, but by year 5 all subjects are taught by specialists. From year 3 up there is streaming based on maths and English.

NEXT SCHOOLS

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming in Surrey.

About two-thirds of children stay at Barrow Hills for years 7 and 8. Some will also move over to year 7 at King Edwards’ Witley.

The school is keen for pupils to stay on, believing those two years at the top allows children to flourish and grow. Class sizes are naturally smaller, so pupils benefit from that, and there’s also a leadership programme in place which means all year 8s have roles of responsibility.

A new programme, called Life at the Top, is also being put in place to strengthen Barrow Hills’ links with King Edward’s Witley and offering greater sporting and social opportunities for the year 7 and 8 pupils at both schools.

The school thinks of this as a special journey for children and it culminates in fun days out to places like Thorpe Park and a residential trip which the children really look forward to.

While for many children, the shared ethos of Barrow Hills and King Edward’s Witley create a natural progression, it’s not a given. And the process of finding the right senior school for pupils starts in year 5.

In 2023, there was a 100% pass rate at common entrance, 50% of all pupils achieved scholarship offers spanning academic, drama, design and technology, art and sport. Those who didn’t progress to King Edward’s Witley accepted places at Charterhouse, Cranleigh School, RGS Guildford, Seaford College and St George’s Weybridge.

In previous years children have gone on to Eton, St Catherine’s Bramley, Prior’s Field, St John’s Leatherhead, Lancing College, The Royal School and Lord Wandsworth College.

PASTORAL CARE

Pupils at Barrow Hills School in Surrey.

The bucolic surrounds at Barrow Hills form a great foundation to the pastoral and wellbeing structure here. But as well as fresh air and outdoor education, there are more formal processes in place including a digital tracking system and weekly meetings with the senior leadership team and pastoral heads to discuss issues. I’m told that even relatively low level issues are talked about which leads to early intervention and fewer big issues.

While form tutors are usually the first port of call, there’s also a peer mentoring system in place, plus a delightful space called the The Happy Hangout where children can drop in if they want to chat during lunchtime.

All children at Barrow Hills are in a house, creating connections across all year groups and a strong sense of community. A rewards system where children get credits for things like good manners, generosity, showing responsibility and independence is also in place.

Pupil voice is important and there’s a school council with representatives across all year groups, as well as an eco committee.

BOARDING

There’s no boarding at Barrow Hills School, but there is a boarding option for children aged 11-13 (years 7 and 8) at King Edward’s Witley.

THE HEAD

John Towers, head master at Barrow Hills School, Surrey

John Towers arrived at Barrow Hills in September 2023, taking over from Philip Oldroyd as Headmaster. Warm, engaging and big advocate of the traditional prep structure that goes through to 13+, he hasn’t wasted any time making small tweaks to the school including an increase in the frequency of academic and pastoral reporting to parents.

Mr Towers comes with more than 30 years experience in both the independent and state sectors. He was headmaster at the all-boys Homefield Prep in Sutton for 10 years before Barrow Hills. And before that was a founding director of the charity Reach to Teach, for which he built and ran schools in rural India.

He was also head teacher at a central London school leading it to become one of the ‘most improved’ in the country and Ofsted-rated ‘Outstanding’.

Having acquired ‘the A3 itch’ and a desire to move out of London, he says he immediately fell in love with Barrow Hills and its magic ambiance. He lives in a cottage on site with his partner Stef and their cocker spaniel Mr Chops. His two children are at university.

Mr Towers is a strong advocate for widening access to independent schools through the bursaries, and was particularly impressed with the Bridewell Foundation and its work. He was also drawn to the school’s family-orientated and warm community spirit.

QUIRKS

The upper prep students (years 7 and 8) are distinguished by their blue blazers – the rest of the school wear burgundy red. It’s consider a rite of passage for the students, and the blazers are presented to each child at a school prize-giving ceremony.

Rather than appoint school prefects, every child in Year 8 is given a captaincy – although they must first apply for the captaincy position they’d like to have. These range from sports and drama captains to pre-prep captains. It’s considered a way for the children to give something back to school life, and is taken very seriously by both the kids and the school.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming, Surrey.

Breakfast club is from 7.45am and after-school care runs until 6pm. There are also wide range of extra-curricular activities including tennis, judo, tap and jazz and ballet lessons.

ISI REPORT

The most recent ISI inspection was June 2022 which found the quality of academic and other achievements to be excellent, alongside excellent for pupils’ personal development. Read the full report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

The school does not allow the use of mobile phones, other electronic devices,
by children unless specific permission has been given by the head.

TRANSPORT

There are two mini-buses which take in routes to Haslemere and Godalming.

FEES

2023-24: Nursery is £640 a term for one full day each week; reception is £3,995; year 1 and 2 is £4,560; years 3 is £5,745; year 4 is £5,820; years 5 and 6 is £6,175; years 7 and 8 is £6,500. Fees include morning snack, lunch and match teas.

There are discounts if you have more than one child at the school: 5% for a second child, and 10% for the third and subsequent children. If older children go on to King Edward’s Witley the discount is maintained.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Pupils at Barrow Hills School near Godalming in Surrey.

Those who know Barrow Hills say that children grow in confidence and resilience here. The school looks for talent in the individual and nurtures it – whether that be academic, sporting, artistic or musical. But the school encourages ambition and excellence, and turns out happy and well-rounded children.

Parents also love the strong sense of community within the school, which is evident at whole-school get-togethers as well as a yearly parents’ party.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Most children would thrive here. Yes, it’s an outdoorsy, sporty school, but the arts and everything else on offer are equally strong. There’s a strong nurturing vibe, and a strong sense of community so it will suit families that like that togetherness. The ethos is about finding things that you like doing and getting the most out of life. Who wouldn’t enjoy that?

Not for: Parents who prefer a more ‘starchy’ approach to schooling. Barrow Hills has a wonderfully inclusive ‘have-a-go’ ethos, so children need to be up for that.

Dare to disagree? Don’t take my word for it, arrange a personal tour. Book here.

Barrow Hills School, Roke Lane, Witley, GU8 5NY. Tel: 01428 683639

barrowhills.org

Barrow Hills School, near Godalming

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