WHAT? WHERE?

Milbourne Lodge School is a co-ed day school for children aged 4 to 13 tucked away on a pretty 8.5-acre site on the Esher / Claygate border. The location is delicious – Arbrook Common is at the end of the road and the school looks out over its own playing fields to grassy pastures beyond. There’s even a little stream running through the grounds.

And yet, despite the bucolic outlook, Milbourne Lodge is still within easy access of the A3 and the M25. There are 270 children on the register, more boys than girls. It’s a two-class intake across all year groups. Class sizes are small. Most pupils live in the local area, but some travel from as far as Wimbledon and Guildford.

Entry is selective. In reception, it’s via a play session, and at 7+, there are maths and English tests, and an interview.

The school has always been on this site, founded in 1912 by Harvey Wyatt, father of the politician Woodrow Wyatt. In 1948, Milbourne Lodge was purchased by Norman Hale – hailed as one of the most successful prep school headmasters of the post-war era. He led for an incredible 51 years taking it from an ailing institution to one with super-high academic standards. Milbourne Lodge was a feeder to the country’s top senior schools, and under Hale pupils achieved more scholarships to Eton and Winchester than any other school. In 2007, Milbourne Lodge joined the now global Cognita schools group.

The school’s reputation for strong academics continues today. Milbourne Lodge’s motto, Ad optima petenda – or to strive for excellence – says it all really.

FACILITIES

And aerial view of Milbourne Lodge School, Esher

Given the number of pupils, there’s an impressive amount of space and the grounds have a charming character.

The main school building is a converted Victorian mansion house – a handsome building with striking entrance hall lined with an impressive display of scholarship honours boards dating back to the 1950s. Upstairs there are classrooms including a well-stocked art room and an IT suite, plus – making the most of all available space – a ‘landing’ library. The school hall, which doubles as the lunch hall, is also in the main house.

Additional buildings have been sympathetically added including the Hale Building which houses classrooms and a well-resourced science lab. Music takes place in timber-clad cabins just opposite the mansion house front door. Charming timber-clad classrooms – which currently house years 5 and 6 classes – are nestled a little further away in the grounds.

Outdoor learning is important at Milbourne Lodge School, and so it was with much excitement that a brand new outdoor learning area was opened in September 2023. It’s a beautiful space that’s been designed by staff at the school with three separate learning spaces including one under a timber-framed gazebo. As well as eco-friendly log seating, and a natty outdoor blackboard, there’s a firepit, bug hotel, wildflower meadow and cameras set up to record wildlife. My year 7 tour guides were super excited about the new space – and rightly so – it’s an excellent and already well-used addition.

Sports wise, there’s no shortage of grass pitches for cricket, rugby, football and athletics, plus a pavilion. There’s a small astro pitch, plus an all-weather netball / tennis court. There’s also a heated outdoor pool.

The pre-prep is in the former headmaster’s house and has its own all-weather playground. Children also have access to the main school grounds.

SPORT

Despite the school’s strong academic focus, sport is high on the agenda. Every day there’s an hour of outdoor sport for every pupil from reception to year 8. It’s an important part of getting the balance right, the school says, for wellbeing and physicality.

The main sports for boys are football and rugby and for girls it’s hockey and netball. All pupils take part in cricket, tennis and athletics. There’s a one-hour swimming lesson during the summer term and early in the autumn term for every child, plus a wide range of extra-curricular sports on offer including judo and playball.

Weekly fixtures are played against other local schools, and pupils have competed at local, county and national levels.

THE ARTS

Like the academics and sport, the arts, too, are important. It’s part of the school’s commitment to offer a balanced and well-rounded education. The art and IT departments work closely together in a unique cross-curricular way around a yearly theme (recently ‘Portmeirion’ and ‘The Secret Garden’). All children in reception to year 2 use a class iPads, and those from year 3 are up given their own school laptop.

The music room is home to an impressive range of musical instruments. Music is taught from year 3. As well as class lessons, more than 140 individual music lessons are taught each week by visiting teachers – that’s 65 per cent of pupils. Children can also join the junior or senior choirs, music ensembles and bands. There’s also a chamber choir which is for year 7 and 8 pupils by audition only.

Drama is introduced in years 7 and 8. A highlight for the year 7 and 8 pupils is the annual school production which is staged at Esher Theatre. Rehearsals were underway during my visit for this year’s show, The Wizard of Oz.

LITTLIES

Housed in the former headmaster’s residence, called ‘The Small House’ the pre-prep is two-form entry in reception, year 1 and year 2. They have their own all-weather playground and library.

My year 7 tour guides tell me the reception children might appear to be playing, but really they’re learning. And by all accounts they’re doing very well with their ‘playing’ which has been carefully structured to help them develop their skills and relationships. Data shows value-added scores are high.

In years 1 and 2 there’s a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, but children also cover history, geography, science, French, religious education art, design and technology, and computing.

ACADEMICS

The academics at Milbourne Lodge are robust and fast-paced, but it’s purposeful rather than pushy. The school wants to foster in children an intellectual curiosity that will stay with them beyond school. The aim is to instill in the children the ability to think independently and a love of learning.

In years 3 and 4, classes are mostly taught by form tutors. There’s specialist teaching from year 3 for French, science, art, IT and music. Latin is introduced in year 4.

In year 5 almost all lessons are specialist taught and preparations begin for senior school testing with lessons in verbal and non-verbal reasoning. In year 6 ancient Greek is also introduced.

Numbers drop from year 6 to year 7, particularly among girls. The two-thirds or so who stay on are streamed into either the Common Entrance or ‘Scholarship’ streams. Critical thinking, drama and Spanish are introduced at this point.

The system seems to be working wonders as Milbourne Lodge pupils do exceptionally well academically. In 2023, the cohort of 40 pupils received 180 offers from senior schools. Pupils went on to Eton, Guildford High, King’s College School, St Paul’s, Westminster and Winchester.

PASTORAL CARE

Pupils at Milbourne Lodge School in Esher.

Pastoral care is strong at Milbourne Lodge and that’s largely down to the relationship teachers and staff have with the children. Small class sizes help – teachers really know pupils and their families, and this also means children get plenty of individual attention. Children and staff lunch together, and I’m told teachers are all very engaged – whether they’re on playground duty, in the classroom or running extra-curricular clubs.

It’s a small and tight-knit community. The children I spoke to said the school feels homely and safe.

Structured pastoral systems are in place, too, obviously, and these revolve around form tutors who are the first port of call if issues are brewing. The deputy head, also the designated safeguarding lead, overseas everything.

THE HEAD

Judy Waite head teacher at Milbourne Lodge School in Esher.

Judy Waite joined Milbourne Lodge in 2010 and took over the headship role in 2016. She’s been in education her entire career, starting at Croydon High School teaching history, economics and politics. A local girl, Judy went to Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston, then on to the University of London. Her career has spanned all sectors in education – independent and state, prep schools and senior. Before Milbourne Lodge she was at a large local comprehensive for about 15 years.

Judy is passionate about education and says her broad career gives her an excellent oversight and overview of education from the top down. This, she says, is particularly important at a school like Milbourne Lodge where the process of selecting senior schools for pupils is, in her words, it’s raison d’etre.

She’s a no-fuss, down-to-earth head who is very hands on. She teaches English to the year 5 students, and says it means she really knows every student and their strengths which really helps when she’s helping to advise on senior schools. She’s committed to a holistic and personalised approach to education and wants to bring out the best in each child. That broad offering with a wide range of extra-curricular activities and the enrichment programme is the key to the school’s success, she says. “That and our very simple philosophy of work hard, play hard. It’s a thread that runs throughout the school.”

QUIRKS

Milbourne Lodge is a school that on the surface appears to be steeped in tradition. But scratch a little deeper and you’ll find it’s also very forward-thinking school with a commitment to preparing children for a tech-based world.

WRAP AROUND CARE

There’s a Breakfast Club from 7.45am, open to prep and pre-prep pupils, where children are given a healthy and wholesome breakfast. For the pre-prep there’s an Early Bird Group which runs from 8am.

Homework Group is for children in years 3 to 5 and runs from 4pm to 5.05pm. There’s also a pre-prep After School Group open to kids from reception to year 2 which goes until 5.05pm.

There’s also a wide extra-curricular programme with clubs including chess, LAMDA, science club, debate club, cross country running, Mtech and judo.

ISI REPORT

Milbourne Lodge School was inspected by the ISI in March 2022. Read the full report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Children are not allowed to have mobile phones at school. Any phones that are brought into school, must be checked in to the office during the school day.

TRANSPORT

A school bus route runs from the Wimbledon and Putney areas via Surbiton. It’s available for children in years 1 to 8, and reception pupils when they turn 5. A chaperone is on board the bus to help pupils.

FEES

From January 2025: Termly fees are £5,806 in reception; £5,420 for years 1 and 2; £6,345 for year 3, 4 and 5, and £7,525; and £7,900 for years 6, 7 and 8. There’s a compulsory lunch fee of £375 a term, and extra-curricular activities, transport and wrap around care is also extra.

WORD ON THE GROUND

The school attracts aspirational parents and they’re impressed by the excellent teaching at the school and the great results.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Bright kids who love to learn, and relish a challenge, aspirational parents with one eye (or two!!) on prestigious senior schools.

Not for: Although a co-ed school, the number of boys does outweigh girls – so this may be a consideration for some families.

Dare to disagree? Go take a look for yourself with a personal tour. Book here.

Milbourne Lodge School, Arbrook Lane, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9EG. Tel: 01372 462737

Milbourne Lodge School, Esher

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