Anyone who knows me knows that I can make 50 words into 1,000 more flowery ones, with lots of superlatives, without even drawing breath! Thus, to try and sum up what has been a fabulous (I told you!) year in The Prep in 500 words is a real challenge. I’ll give it my best shot but if it sparks your interest do please come and visit us, particularly if you are an old boy or girl, and we would love to share this amazing school with you in more detail.

The Chadwick Leadership Programme that all Year 8s benefit from has gone from strength to strength. Building on the success of the hugely enjoyed skills programme, this cohort have really established the community service aspects, both working within school throughout the younger years and across the external community. Our Year 8s have been particularly impressive this year. They work hard, play hard and have achieved great things, whilst always setting a tremendous example to the younger children. They will leave us incredibly well prepared for College and beyond and we are all very proud of them all.

The Prep has a new brand, which has been very well received and now gives us a very clear identity, which links us to College (by sharing the midnight blue and cerise colour) but also clearly identifies The Prep (by using the colours in the distinctive stripes). It looks amazing and is something the children are already incredibly proud of and protective over – just as it should be!

You can see the new Prep School Map which has been created this year. It is designed to demonstrate to everyone that The Prep really is an adventure in education. Children who love their school, who find it exciting, and can’t wait to get in each day do incredibly well – they really do! Our children do incredibly well because they love it here.

We have great plans to enhance our outdoor education provision further over the coming months and hope this will include reopening The Lake, both for studies (pond dipping etc.) and for recreation (small boats for the children to go on). Watch this space!

We are also establishing strong links with both Cheltenham Muscat and Gakushuin (a prep school in Tokyo). We had our first exchange group of children from Japan this spring, and it was such a success that we are looking to expand this programme significantly over the coming years to include potential trips to either the Far or the Middle East for our Upper School children in the years to come.

The Cottage is becoming the new Learning Hub (for Learning Support) and the Coach House is becoming the new Sports Hub over the Summer. Add to that an ISI Inspection report that gave us top grades in all areas and you have a great year!

Please, come and see us.

Mr Tom O’Sullivan,
Head, Cheltenham Prep