A gentle introduction to a busy prep school – settling in happily and confidently

A whole new world opens up for children when they enter Yateley Manor at 7. There is the excitement and challenge of a vibrant, busy school with so many new activities and possibilities. Children from 7 to 9 have their own space where they can develop confidently in freedom and trust. They have a relatively small, self-contained environment, with their own dedicated teachers and classroom suites. Younger children spend most of their time with their form teacher; they also experience the challenge and excitement of new subjects and specialist teaching. There is no streaming except in mathematics.

All children start Yateley Manor together equally. New pupils entering at the age of 7 from other schools, both independent and maintained, join children from Wyndham’s, our pre-preparatory school, in equal numbers.

A fuller range of specialist subjects and activities

From the age of 9 children are taught entirely by specialist teachers in specialist rooms. Children now experience the full range of subjects in very well equipped classrooms and specialist suites for science, technology, art and design technology. Classes are streamed by mathematical ability for maths based subjects, and separately by language ability for language based subjects. Everyone follows a common syllabus.

Each child develops a special relationship with their pastoral tutor who looks after them for the two years from 9 to 11.

Each child chooses his or her personal tutor for the final two years. Boys and girls continue to be taught entirely by specialist staff in sets dedicated to preparation for Common Entrance and Scholarship examinations. The style of teaching prepares children for their next schools and the increasing freedom and trust that is placed in children helps each individual develop initiative and maturity to cope with the pressures of puberty and of the older and more worldly-wise society that children increasingly face.