Ben Evans
When it comes to the quintessential English prep school, Windlesham is the real thing & was one of the first prep schools in the UK. Found in 1837 we are still producing children with that rare combination of excellence, happiness & aplomb. Windlesham was the first prep school to go co-ed 50 years ago this year!
As Headmaster one of my most important roles is to know each child & guide parents on the public school most suited to their child's particular blend of talents & temperament. My wife, Rachel, & I believe that children only truly achieve if they are genuinely comfortable in their environment. This permeates the school with a big emphasis on pastoral care, making sure that the school becomes a genuine 'home from home'. Rachel is the Head of Pastoral Care & Safeguarding for the school.
The range of subjects, sports & music on offer is almost limitless - if you want your child to study Greek, Mandarin, play the piccolo or learn real tennis, we can arrange it. This produces a consistent stream of high-flyers and allrounders - 25% of last year's leavers got scholarships to their schools of choice (with a particularly wide range of schools as destinations).
25% of our Year 8s gained scholarships to senior schools (including all-rounder, sport, academic, drama & music). We were particularly proud that 2 of our pupils were awarded Kings scholars at Eton. Windlesham's leavers went to over 35 different schools last year including Brighton College, Oundle, Marlborough, Eton, Lancing, Bryanston, Cheltenham etc.
Pupils are encouraged to try anything & everything, so they can learn what they are really good. Budding digital entrepreneurs can stay busy in the new ICT centre, with its rows of iMacs, 'gamifying' the school using the 'Minecraft' platform & robotics, whilst book-worms are treated to regular visits from famous children's authors & an endlessly stocked library.
The school has fantastic sports facilities including a floodlit astro & a new state-of-
the-art sports centre including a 6 lane pool.
Windlesham sits in exceptionally beautiful surroundings - 65 acres in the glorious South Downs where the woods have tree houses & a pizza oven. There is an adventure playground & a busy week-end programme with over 250 extra-curricular activities to choose from!
No wonder that one father described Windlesham as "the school you dream you went to yourself!"
