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Cheam School

Headley, Newbury, Berkshire, England RG19 8LD
Tel: +44 (0) 1635 268242

Private School (Fee Paying) Co-Educational 3 - 13 Years Day & Boarding (Full, Weekly)

Cheam is a very special place offering the brightest of learning environments. It is the perfect place to grow, we know that the early years are the very best time to prepare the ground for their adulthood. Our focus is on providing the most compelling setting for every child to thrive.

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Word From The Head

Head Photo

Nick Milbank


Cheam is a very special place offering the brightest of learning environments, set in 100 acres on the Berkshire / Hampshire border. It is the perfect place to grow – we know that the early years of a child’s life are the very best time to prepare the ground for their adulthood, and our focus at Cheam is on providing the most compelling setting for every child to thrive. A place like no other.

There is a ‘feeling’ about our school that cannot be engineered. It is an organic manifestation of an educational environment where opportunity is provided alongside reassurance, where independence co-exists with support, and where kindness is instilled alongside resilience.

It is this ethos that ensures our Cheam leavers, year on year, take happiness, confidence and emotional intelligence with them on to pastures new. Cheam has long standing relationships with some of the very best day and boarding schools in the country, and we pride ourselves on guiding every child in our care to exactly the right next step. We help parents manage applications, pre-tests and the successful transition of their children at 13, delivering outstanding exam results and winning a wide range of scholarships along the way.

The way we see it, a child’s Cheam years are not just a stepping stone to a top independent school. They are a voyage of discovery, a chance to discover their own essence of excellence, to develop phenomenal talents and to build the foundations (in both work and play) of the adult that child will one day be.

In a world as rapidly changing as our own it is impossible to predict what society will ask of our children in the years to come. What we can say with certainty though, is that an education that prepares a child for anything, that teaches them to be the very best versions of themselves, and that enables them to look ahead with confidence, and behind with pride, is both timeless and priceless. Cheam values inspire all our employees to deliver the very best on a daily basis.

The Cheam staff and I hope that our website gives you a fleeting glimpse into a childhood spent in our community, but we know it cannot possibly show you how Cheam really ‘feels’.

For that, we’d urge you to come and see Cheam for yourself, and we guarantee you a warm welcome. Please see our Admissions page to arrange an individual tour. Our next Open Morning is on Friday 7th March 2025, 9.45am to 12.30pm, and we would be delighted if you would join us.

Best wishes

Nick Milbank

Open Days, Visits & Events

17-05-2025 - Open Morning

Saturday 17th May 2025, 10am to 12.30pm

We warmly invite families to explore Cheam at a forthcoming Open Morning. Join us and see first-hand why Cheam is such a special and inspiring place for children to spend their formative years. The mornings provides an opportunity for parents to gain a real insight into life at Cheam, to explore our 100-acre campus and most importantly to meet our pupils and teaching staff.

10-10-2025 - Open Morning

9.45am-12pm
We warmly invite families to explore Cheam at a forthcoming Open Morning. Join us and see first-hand why Cheam is such a special and inspiring place for children to spend their formative years. The mornings provides an opportunity for parents to gain a real insight into life at Cheam, to explore our 100-acre campus and most importantly to meet our pupils and teaching staff.

What We Offer

    • Classics
    • Design Technology
    • Electronics
    • ICT
    • Painting/Sculpture
    • Ancient Greek
    • English As Foreign/2nd Language
    • French
    • Greek
    • Latin
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Cricket
    • Cross-Country
    • Fencing
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Gymnastics
    • Hockey
    • Lacrosse
    • Martial Arts
    • Netball
    • Rounders
    • Rugby
    • Squash
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Adventure Training
    • Ballet
    • Canoeing
    • Chess
    • Cycling
    • Dance
    • Drama
    • Fishing
    • Horse Riding & Management
    • Horticulture
    • Language Club
    • Public Speaking
    • Rainbows
    • Shooting
    • Skiing
    • Hearing Impairment (HI)
    • Dyslexia or Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
    • Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)
    • After School Club
    • Armed Forces Children
    • Expatriate Children
    • Gifted Children
    • Rail Services
    • School Bus Service
    • Special Diets

    Admissions

    • Interview
    • Early registration or registration at birth
    • Academic
    • Financial Assistance
    • Music
    • Church of England

        Age Range & Fees

        Age Range3 to 13
        Annual Day Fees *£12600 to £31005
        Annual Weekly Boarding Fees *£38385 to £39735
        Annual Full Boarding Fees *£0 to £0
        Flexi BoardingYes
        * Currency: GB Pound

        Number Of Pupils

        220Day153
        0Full Boarding0
        0Weekly Boarding0
        220Total153
        Boys Girls

        Number Of Staff

        Full-time: 95
        Part-time: 25

        % Pupils Gaining
        GCSE/IGCSE Passes 5 - 9

        % Pupils Gaining
        A Level Grades A – C

        IB Score
         

        School Reviews

        The Good Schools Guide


        Opportunity, friendship and an enormous house to rattle around in’: that’s what the school reckons brings them in. Parents highlighted ‘traditional values’, ‘beautiful manners’, ‘amazing results’. We saw them all in spades: bright-eyed children engaging wholeheartedly in prep school...  

        Muddy Stilettos


        I've seen my fair share of spruced up boarding rooms in my time, but nothing prepared me for Cheam's. A local artist has painted murals in the rooms and they're awesome. You'll find big cats roaming the halls, rooms that are out of this world, James Bond makes an appearance ... I won't spoil the...  

        Parent


        There is a strong sense of community which pervades throughout the school.