WHAT? WHERE

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

Bishopsgate School is a traditional co-ed prep school for children aged 3-13, with a modern curriculum and a good track record of getting pupils into first-choice senior schools. It’s on the Surrey / Berkshire border in Englefield Green on a site that’s part of the Crown Estate.

But despite its close Royal connections, this is a school that’s free of pretension. There’s a down-to-earth vibe, and a warm, family-like atmosphere.

It came into being as Bishopsgate School following the merger in 1996 between Scaitcliffe, a traditional boys’ prep and one of the oldest prep schools in the country, and Virginia Water Prep School – at which time it also went co-ed. There are 420 pupils, an even mix of boys and girls, who live mostly within 20 minutes of the school. The school is split with Pre-prep (nursery to year 2), Lower Prep (years 3 and 4), Middle Prep (years 5 and 6)and Upper Prep (years 7 and 8). Class sizes average 18 pupils, dropping down to 10-12 pupils for sets that begin more formally in year 5.

The growing popularity of Bishopsgate means it’s had to become more selective. Priority is given to families with children already at the school. Children who join from reception onwards are invited for a familiarisation day which includes some assessment in reading for those in years 1 and 2 and standardised testing in maths and English from year 3 onwards.

FACILITIES

Bishopsgate School, Englefield Green, Surrey

As first impressions go, you can’t fail to be wowed. From the gated entry and sweeping driveway that leads to the handsome Victorian school house to the wide-open campus with acres of playground and playing fields – space is plentiful.

It’s always been a school – Scaitcliffe was founded here in 1896 as a boys’ day and boarding school. Over the years there has been significant investment as pupil numbers have grown including a new sports hall in 2022. It’s an amazing facility for a prep school of this size and includes a fully-equipped gym, three-storey climbing wall, dance studio and a sports hall with four courts. There’s also an indoor 25-metre swimming pool, plus two astro pitches and grass pitches.

These days the original building is home to an assortment of offices, the dining hall and a food tech classroom. The Lower Prep is in the Windsor Building which has classrooms for nursery to year 2 clustered around a bright atrium on the ground floor. Years 3 and 4 are upstairs.

The Upper Prep is in the Jubilee Building, where you’ll find an impressive design technology lab (with 3D printer and laser cutter), two science labs and dedicated subject classrooms including an ICT suite.

There’s also a dedicated music school which has five practice rooms, composing suite, music classroom, and performing arts space.

SPORT

A pupil swimming at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

Bishopsgate has a strong sporting tradition and a reputation for excellence, particularly in the swimming pool where in 2024, 31 pupils qualified for the IAPS National swimming finals at the London Aquatic Centre. The boys’ and girls’ teams are ranked 5th and 16th in the country. Very impressive for a school of this size.

But while the school undoubtedly does well, it’s not shouty about its achievements. The ethos leans more towards a “sport for all” attitude than a desire to turn out elite sportsmen and women.

Case in point is the swimming squad, made up of 85 pupils – that’s over one-fifth of the entire school – who train every morning before school. In July 2024, a team from Bishopsgate swam the English Channel to raise money for local charities, and to buy electronic touchpads for their own pool. Their time was 10 hours and 21 minutes – faster than some of the adult teams, including a team of burley Aussie blokes.

Children have timetabled PE and games lessons each week, and from year 3 they compete in fixtures against other schools. All teams are led by specialist coaches. Aside from the traditional sports of rugby, football, cricket, netball and hockey, all pupils take part in athletics, cross country, tennis, water polo, rock climbing, life saving, dance, gymnastics and ultimate frisbee.

Beyond the sports curriculum and team play, there’s an extensive menu of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Sport features heavily and includes tae kwon do, sailing, judo, fencing, rowing, badminton and lacrosse. Bishopsgate also competes in the IAPS skiing championships each year.

THE ARTS

Children doing art at Bishopsgate School, Englefield Green, Surrey

Bishopsgate is keen to turn out children who are self-confident, creative and who have an understanding of the world around them – and the arts is used to help achieve that. Music is a biggie, with timetabled music lessons throughout the school. About two-thirds of pupils in Years 3 to 8 have individual instrumental or vocal lessons each week taught by 11 peripatetic teachers – that’s about 150 individual lessons each week. More than 75 pupils take formal music exams each year, resulting in 14 Distinctions and 23 Merits and, last year, four pupils earned Music scholarships to senior schools. There’s also the opportunity to sing in the school choirs and join ensembles.

As well as timetabled drama classes, children have the option to take up LAMDA, delivered by specialist teachers each week. Children can also get involved in yearly school productions in both the Lower Prep and Upper Prep. Smaller shows and productions are also put on throughout the year as part of the extra-curricular programme.

The DT offering is seriously cool here, perhaps because of the way tech has influenced innovation over recent years. There are 3D printers and laser cutters – machines that are used in the real world. Children are introduced to DT in year 3, and the programme becomes more detailed as they progress through the school.

LITTLIES

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

There’s a holistic approach in the nursery which allows children to develop at their own pace. Teachers follow an “in the moment” planning structure which gives the flexibility to follow the interests of the children. Phonics, maths and writing is woven into the learning through play. And there’s specialist teaching in music, PE, ball skills, swimming, French and Forest School.

ACADEMICS

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

The academic programme at Bishopsgate is rigorous, but the main aim here is to instil a love of learning.

Whilst the school does prepare children for Common Entrance exams, Bishopsgate is one of about 40 schools in the UK that is supported by the PSB (Pre-Senior Baccalaureate) programme, with a sharp focus on skills-based learning. This focuses on the development of core skills including resilience, leadership, independence and collaboration. Children are encouraged to ask questions and think critically as they work towards developing this broader skill set that will see them through their school years and beyond into adult life.

In the Lower Prep, learning is led by classroom teachers. Specialist teachers take French, games, music, design technology, digital learning and some humanities. By year 3, children are placed in sets based on ability for English and maths.

In the Upper Prep, children are taught by subject specialist teachers throughout. They’re streamed into sets for English, maths, science, modern foreign languages and classics. Spanish has been introduced as a new language in 2024 for pupils in year 7 and 8.

NEXT SCHOOLS

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

The focus is on finding the best fit senior school for each child, not just academically, but also socially. This involves close collaboration between the school, parents and the pupil. Year 8 leavers generally move on to Wellington College, Hampton; Bradfield College; Brighton College; Lord Wandsworth College; Halliford; St George’s Weybridge; Sir William Perkins’s; St George’s Ascot; St Mary’s Ascot; The Marist School; Marlborough College, Heathfield; and The Windsor Boys’ school.

PASTORAL CARE

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

It goes without saying that pastoral care is a high priority, and it’s woven throughout the fabric of the school. Support starts with form teachers, but children are given the message that all staff are there to support them. The headmaster, Peter Thacker, has an open-door policy and a great relationship with the children. It’s obvious the children love him – practically every child we walked past on our tour said hello to him. And when asked, two of the children told me Mr Thacker was what they most liked about the school. He may, though, have some competition from new addition to the staff – Basil, a cockerpoo and trained wellbeing dog. Basil is having ongoing specialist training to work with the children. Already the benefits are being seen.

The school has an assistant head (wellbeing), school counsellor and a full-time nurse who work closely to oversee wellbeing.

THE HEAD

Peter Thacker, head teacher at Bishopsgate School, Englefield Green, Surrey

Peter Thacker arrived at Bishopsgate in September 2022 from his previous position as headmaster at Prince’s Mead School, Winchester. Before that he was deputy head at Lambrook School in Berkshire, and deputy head at Daneshill School in Hampshire.

Warm, open, chatty and clearly very popular with the children, he lives on site with his wife and two children who both attend the school.

A self-confessed ‘tree hugger’, Peter is passionate about the environment and sustainability – and he’s keen those values are instilled in Bishopsgate pupils. The school draws on the Harmony Curriculum which focuses on sustainability and a connection with nature.

Whilst he acknowledges the importance of strong academics, he also believes strongly in creating an environment where pupils and staff are happy. The rest, he says, will follow.

His ambition is for Bishopsgate to be on the cutting edge, not the curve. He believes strongly in preparing children for a lifetime of education.

QUIRKS

Whilst most schools have a ‘head of sport’ and a ‘head of music’, Bishopsgate is surely the first to appoint a ‘head of adventure and expeditions’. As you might have guessed, residential trips are taken seriously at Bishopsgate. They’re on offer to all pupils from year 3 upwards. The expeditions programme culminates in year 8 with a remote overseas adventure. The 2024 cohort is off to the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania where they’ll study the local wildlife alongside sustainability and nature.

Back on the topic of sustainability, the 2024 Boodles Chelsea Flower Show garden has been repurposed at Bishopsgate to introduce a wildflower garden into a section of the front lawn. And the concrete courtyard outside the dining hall is being transformed into a vegetable allotment.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

The school day starts at 8.20am across all year groups, and there’s a staggered finish with nursery, reception, years 1 and 2 finishing at 3.30pm, and years 3 to 8 ending at 4.30pm, or 5.30pm if children are staying for clubs.

After-school care is available until 5.30pm daily for children in nursery to year 2 and there is an early arrivals option from 7.45am in the Lower Prep atrium.

Most after-school clubs are included in the fees, and there’s plenty on offer including sports, art, chess, ballet, tap, DT mechanics, yoga, French and choir.

ISI REPORT

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green, Surrey.

The most recent ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) report was in March 2022 when it achieved ‘excellent’ ratings across the board. You can read the report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Children are not permitted to bring mobile phones to school.

TRANSPORT

Most children live within a 10 mile radius of the school, and most are dropped off and picked up from school. Two mini-bus services also operate on routes that take in Windsor and Virginia Water.

FEES

In 2024-25, nursery fees start at £458 per term for one morning session each week, rising to £818 for one full day. Five mornings cost £2,290 a term and five full days cost £4,090.

Termly fees in reception are £4,170 rising to £4,731 in years 1-2; £5,651 in years 3-4 and £6,482 for years 5-8.

The fees include the costs of all day and residential trips, lunch and snacks, and most extra-curricular activities.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Pupils at Bishopsgate School in Englefield Green in Surrey.

There’s a strong sense of community at Bishopsgate, and this is something that attracts local families. The outstanding facilities are also a star attraction and the wide menu of extra-curricular opportunities.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: If you’re after a school with amazing facilities and chocolate-box good looks, Bishopsgate certainly ticks those boxes. It’s also a school with strong community feel and proven academic success. The children here also seemed genuinely happy, and manners are excellent.

Not for: Despite the leafy location, Bishopsgate is very much a day school. There are no plans to introduce boarding anytime soon.

Dare to disagree? An open day is held each year in September, or you can book a 1:1 tour. Book here.

Bishopsgate School, Bishopsgate Road, Englefield Green, Surrey, TW20 0YJ. Tel: 01784 432109

Bishopsgate School, Englefield Green

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