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Why Choose Forest School?

Many of us will be familiar with the term “preparatory school”, but what exactly is a prep school and how do children benefit?

What is a prep school?

Preparatory or ‘prep’ schools are independent fee paying primary schools, traditionally the term “preparatory school” is used as it prepares the children for the entrance examination for independent secondary schools and the 11+. Most prep schools are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) www.isi.net, which is overseen by Ofsted on behalf of the Department for Education.

At Forest Prep we educate children from ages 2 to 11 years. Our aim goes beyond preparing children for examinations. As a non-academically selective school, our intention is to find the ‘right’ secondary school for your child and to get the best out of each child, whether this be in Sport, Music, Art or academia! Here at Forest, all talents are nurtured in a happy but well-disciplined environment.

The Curriculum

Unlike mainstream primary schools, preparatory schools are not restricted to following the national curriculum. This independence gives prep schools the freedom and flexibility to deliver a curriculum that not only aligns with their vision and ethos, but can also be tailored to the needs of individual children. Children are not subjected to the ‘one size fits all’ approach.

At Forest, we regularly fit ad hoc sessions into the timetable such as hockey, lacrosse and Chinese workshops, to name a few. All are delivered by external specialist teachers/trainers.

Class Sizes

Prep schools tend to boast smaller class sizes. Children benefit from more individual time and attention from teachers and teaching assistants, who can better assess a child’s progress and tailor their learning accordingly. Teachers can also build an in-depth understanding of each child and know the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of each pupil.

At Forest Prep, we have a ratio of 1 adult to 12 children , with the exception of Nursery where the ratio is even lower.

Specialist Teachers

Rather than being taught all subjects by a single generalist teacher, children attending a preparatory school enjoy some lessons led by subject specialist teachers. These teachers have substantial expertise and enthusiasm for their respective curriculum areas and can best support pupils of all abilities to reach their potential and enrich the children’s learning experience.

At Forest Prep we are privileged to have specialist teachers in the following subject areas: Art, Music, French, PE and Reasoning.

Extracurricular Opportunities

The educational experience at preparatory schools is enriched by the wide range of extracurricular opportunities available to pupils.  A breadth of activities and initiatives is a key advantage because it provides children with a more well rounded education and broadened perspective. Pupils are able to discover and nurture new skills and interests, whilst building confidence, responsibility and valuable soft skills. They also develop strong friendships, have fun and improve their wellbeing.

At our school we offer:

Weekly swimming lessons from Year 1 upwards

Residential trips in Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6

Extra-curricular clubs, which run after school, ranging from Science to Archery to Spanish and to Yoga. See our current offering below.

Head Boy and Head Girl in Year 6, plus each pupil is assigned their own specific role such as Music Captain, Football Captain, etc. This helps the children develop leadership and ownership skills.

All children from Reception to Year 6 are assigned to a ‘house’. There are four different houses, with siblings always being placed in the same house. House meetings take place every half-term, which involves children of all year groups working collaboratively together towards a common goal. Working with children from different year groups provides the opportunity for friendships to develop throughout the school, harnessing the family feel that we are proud of at Forest.

Clubs and Activities

Explore life at Forest Prep School

The best way to find out about life at Forest is to visit us. We would be delighted to welcome you into school for a personal tour with our Headmaster, Mr Booth. To book please call our friendly admissions team on 0161 980 4075 or enquiries@forestschool.co.uk..
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What Makes us Unique?

You may have decided to go down the prep school route for your child. Now, how do you choose which Prep school is ‘right’ for your child and family?

Here is a brief summary of what makes us ‘unique’ and why you might want to come and find out more about us:

Academic Success

91% of our Year 6 pupils are moving onto a selective grammar school in September 2024.

Academically Achieving

Attainment levels in Reading, Maths, and Writing are at least 23% higher than the UK schools benchmark (Juniper Results 2024).

Experienced Staff

Our staff enjoy working at Forest, so we have a very low staff turn over. This is comforting to children as there are always familiar friendly faces around. In our Early Years department we have a combined experience of over 80+ years, which brings with it the knowledge and expertise that helps in helping children  develop their Early Learning Goals.

Small Class Sizes

Our staff/pupil ratios are approximately 1 to 12.

Strong Links with Parents

We have close communications between teachers and parents, this two-way communication helps to form an in-depth knowledge of every child.

Nurturing

We have a school therapy dog, ‘Maggie’, chickens and two pet tortoises, ‘George and Mildred’. These contribute to the happy environment that shines through at Forest, which children thrive in.

Educated from the Age of 2

Children join us in Nursery and from that day they are stretched and challenged in an educationally fun way. They then continue to grow and develop as they progress through the school.

Extracurricular Opportunities

We offer lots of opportunities to our Foresters to which help with personal development and life skills. From Year 1 upwards all children have weekly swimming lessons, they go on residential trips (overnight stays) in Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6. Plus, we have a wide range of extracurricular clubs that  run after school.  These range from Science to Archery to Spanish to Yoga. See our current offering here:

Clubs and Activities 

Behaviour

At Forest we are proud of the ‘happy’ environment our children learn in. We have very high expectations of the way our children behave and present themselves. Consequently, our Foresters leave us as respectful members of their local community or any environment they encounter.

Happy School Days

We strongly believe that ‘school days should be happy days’. After all, happy children learn and thrive. We have themed fun days to mark special occasions, such as the royal jubilee, coronation, etc.

Atmosphere

We have created something very unique at Forest. Our school has a strong family feel, set amidst picturesque grounds and a charming original house brimming with character, creating a homely feel.

Academic Success
School Vision
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