Wiltshire

<p>Great to hear you&#8217;ve had such a great experience &#8211; it really is a special place!</p>


<p>Both my children attended Warminster Prep (8 years respectively from Nursery to Year 6) and their time there was truly the best preparation for Senior School with one continuing at Warminster to now be in the final term of the Upper 6th and the other moving on to attend a stand alone Prep School in Dorset for Years 7 and 8 to sit the Common Entrance exam and then onto an independent school in Bath from Year 9. </p>
<p>But for both, it all started at the fantastic Warminster Prep and I cannot praise the school enough for the &#8220;all and more&#8221; the previous and current Head (and the tutors and teaching and support staff) do to make Prep such a successful start for my children so it&#8217;s been an A* experience from me!!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE? </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31917" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-smiling-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Really one should talk about Warminster School, not <a href="https://www.warminsterschool.org.uk/prep-school/">Warminster Prep</a> and <a href="https://www.warminsterschool.org.uk/senior-school/">Warminster Senior</a>, as it really is a blended entity shepherding boys and girls from age 2 to 18 – but there’s so much to see and say! Thus two visits and two reviews (click <a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/warminster-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> for the senior school). The younger years are cosily housed across the road from the architecturally-impressive edifices where the Year 7s and above reside. Compared to the 430 or so in the upper years, numbers in their popular and oversubscribed <a href="https://www.warminsterschool.org.uk/nursery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Courtyard Nursery</a> to Year 6 are an intimate 130 which makes for a snug, family feel, but with the fringe benefit of being able to access big school facilities. The Prep has the atmosphere of a village school and, located in the heart of the pretty market town of Warminster, it feels very much part of the community.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facilities">FACILITIES</h2>



<p>While the younger years’ buildings won’t have you reaching for your camera (no Christopher Wren-designed doorways of the upper years campus), on the inside the classrooms are bright and inviting with colourful art and craft decorating every inch of wall space.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Art and DT room is a wonderfully light and airy space with painted stools and tables; the music block is stuffed full of instruments for pupils to have a go on (including some inviting African bongo drums); the computer suite has a 3D printer, and there’s a dedicated science block where pupils from Year 3 can get stuck into experimenting. A Year 4 class was so absorbed in what they were doing when Head of Prep Phil Titley showed me the space that they didn’t even notice us. There was no standing to attention for Mr Titley, no looking around for a distraction – the pupils were 100 percent engaged in their task, which when it comes to education is the gold standard frankly. They have their own kitchen and dining room. Outside space is generous too, with a large field for sports and play, tennis courts, climbing frames, and Prep Astro.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-academics">ACADEMICS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31919" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-learning-with-teacher-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The goal at Warminster Prep is clearly to produce happy, inquisitive pupils with a love of learning. Classrooms are a &#8216;SATS-Free Zone&#8217;, and creativity takes top priority, with pupils revelling in a syllabus heaving with music, drama, design technology, and art, on top of science, modern foreign languages and extensive sporting opportunities. Cleverly, English and Maths are timetabled as the first lessons of each day, when energy and concentration levels are high; other lessons and activities are then arranged to create differing rhythms throughout the day.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24929" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/51159484511_2e7cb14b4e_c-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>This holistic approach – teaching children to love learning, be curious and try their hand at new things – seems to yield fantastic results if the measure is happy, self-assured children with high self-esteem and an acute sense of community and responsibility to others. There’s a tangible air of positivity at the school – everyone seems really happy to be there and it’s infectious &#8211; a feeling no doubt helped along by the small teaching groups and distinctly pupil-led ethos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boarding">BOARDING</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/junior-boarders.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-32020" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/junior-boarders.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/junior-boarders-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/junior-boarders-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/junior-boarders-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>A number of pupils from the prep school board or flexiboard, with numbers rising dramatically in the <a href="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/warminster-school/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">senior school</a>. The lower year pupils share St Monica House in Warminster’s ‘boarding village’ with pupils up to Year 8, and the way the School fosters a sense of responsibility means the older kids take the younger ones under their wing. The boarding accommodation feels family house rather than institution, with comfy sitting rooms and house masters and mistresses eating meals with the boarders and organising Sunday cinema, trampolining and ice-skating excursions.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-head">THE HEAD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24928" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2022/02/Phil-Titley-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The popular Head of the Prep School, Phil, bounds with energy and enthusiasm, and wants nothing more than to give pupils a joyous experience and foster in them a belief that the world is their oyster. He&#8217;s a great believer in everyone having a go at everything and embraces failure as an opportunity for growth. He’s friendly and approachable and doesn’t engender a straighten-your-tie reaction in pupils, whom he all knows by name.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-else">WHAT ELSE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31921" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boys-and-girls-at-forest-school-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Forest school is a fully integrated part of the curriculum, with all forms visiting the School’s bucolic – and extensive ­ – woodland on the Longleat Estate – each week.&nbsp; It&#8217;s even been used for drama rehearsals in the past.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-drama.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-32022" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-drama.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-drama-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-drama-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-drama-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Drama is an important part of the education at Warminster with everyone taking part in nativity plays for the younger years, pantos for the middle years and full-on productions for Years 5 and 6. In fact, Year 6 recently produced and premiered <em>Romeo &amp; Juliet</em>, one of the ‘Best of the Fest’ productions of the Corum Shakespeare Schools Film Festival, an impressive feat which culminated with a star-studded red carpet premiere!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31923" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-boy-with-trombone-in-school-uniform-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Music is also pursued energetically, under the direction of a Head of Music (unusual for a small prep school), with an all-school choir, chamber choir, wind band and string orchestra and around 70 individual music lessons every week. Sport is enthusiastically taught by specialist teachers, one of whom is an England hockey coach!&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31922" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Warminster-Schoool-prep-girls-playing-hockey-and-celebrating-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The school is IT friendly with interactive white boards and computers used from Reception upwards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks">QUIRKS</h2>



<p>The school has its own Warminster Award scheme which not only helps pupils tap into their passions and skills (and get to know ‘what makes me, me?’), but subtly prepares them for the wider world with its inspired 360-degree approach – among the core skills pupils are asked to develop are leadership, teamwork, resilience, responsibility and community. This reinforcement of the school’s key values really opens up the opportunity for every single pupil to experience a sense of achievement. </p>



<p>No big red ticks and crosses here; work is marked as ‘tickled pink’ or ‘green for growth’.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-awards.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-32023" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-awards.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-awards-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-awards-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2023/10/Prep-awards-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There is no Head Girl or Head Boy; instead, by Year 6, each child is given a position of responsibility that reflects their strength be it a sports captain, digital leader, charity representative or a place on the School council.</p>



<p>&#8216;Calm and Considerate&#8217; discs – made by pupils in&nbsp; DT – throughout the school emphasises thinking of others and the school community.</p>



<p>Parents are very much part of the school community, with ‘coffee and catch ups’ every three weeks, invitations to join in Friday celebration assemblies – those that can’t make it can watch live streamed –and to come into the classroom to watch and take part in lessons. &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wraparound-care">WRAPAROUND CARE </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://wilts.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24933" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2021/03/A90I5901-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Pupils can be dropped at Early Morning Club half an hour ahead of the start of the school day at 8.30am and an After School Club runs from 3.30pm to 5.15pm where children are looked after by members of staff who supervise a range of activities. Being so closely connected to the senior school makes transition from prep easy – and most of the pupils do continue at the School.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FEES</h2>



<p>Reception, £3,249; Year 1 and 2,&nbsp;£3,514; Year 3,&nbsp;£4,149; Year 4, £4,625<strong>;</strong>&nbsp;Year 5 &amp; 6, £5,197; boarding £8,278.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-on-the-ground">WORD ON THE GROUND </h2>



<p>Parents love the fun and friendly atmosphere at the school – it seems to provide a bit of a social life with all the events it organises. They also like the fact that it feels like a family where everyone is accepted and celebrated as an individual.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT </h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong>&nbsp;The school makes me think of the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”, and I reckon the community spirit and rock-solid values espoused by Warminster will bring out the best in children of all abilities and personalities.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong>&nbsp;I’m struggling to think what type of child wouldn’t benefit from this education, so it’s probably more about whether parents feel they share the same values as the school. If not, it might not be such a good fit.</p>



<p><strong>Dare to disagree?</strong> Parents are always welcome to visit and are given a warm reception. You can arrange an individual visit or book an open morning <a href="https://www.warminsterschool.org.uk/admissions/enquire/">here</a>.&nbsp; If you go, do let us know what you think!&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>Warminster Prep School, 11 Vicarage Street, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 8JG, tel: 01985 224800,&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.warminsterschool.org.uk/"><em>warminsterschool.org.uk</em></a></p>


Warminster Prep, Warminster

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