WHAT & WHERE?

Hatherop Castle is a co-ed, day and boarding Prep School and Nursery for children aged two to 13 nestled in the Cotswold countryside just 20 minutes from Cirencester. There are 300 pupils (230 of whom are in the Prep) all of whom enjoy the run of 22 acres of glorious grounds and woodland – it’s a truly Swallows and Amazons setting.

Living up to its grand name, the main building is a statuesque country house, Anne Boleyn once used it as a hunting lodge, and Edward VII very nearly nabbed it as a pad (Sandringham won). Hatherop became a girls’ senior school in 1947, evolving into a co-ed Prep in 1990.

Class sizes are small here, often no bigger than 15, and Hatherop is a proudly non-selective school, the motto being ‘The Adventure of Childhood‘. The school prides itself on being a place where creativity, imagination and passion-exploring are regarded just as highly as getting good grades.

Hatherop pupils running in front of school

FACILITIES

Most of the Prep learning happens in the grand Hogwarts-style main building which presides over pristine lawns, including an Italianate garden leading to a charming storytelling space.

Nearby is a large tree house which the children were clearly enjoying when I visited, with a wooded Forest School area nearby. New for 2025, plans are also underway to build a fully covered classroom here, in line with Hatherop’s love of outdoor learning.

There is a smart, modern, wood-clad theatre which fits 180 pupils and is used for assemblies and school productions, as well as social events such as Burns night, curry evenings and quiz nights. Pre-Prep Nativity play, Middle School and Upper School productions take place here.

Over in the Pre-Prep there there is a warm, contemporary-rustic feel to the buildings. In 2021 the Pre-Prep underwent a big transformation, turning an old stable block into what now houses the whole of Pre-Prep up to Year 2. With low rise red brick buildings, large windows and a delightful cobbled courtyard it is a welcoming, refurbished area for little ones.

SPORT

Sporty shorties will be happy at Hatherop Castle. Whilst there may not be a cavernous sports hall here, there’s a perfectly good gymnasium and plenty of multi-tasking areas around the site for Games. Pupils are encouraged to get stuck into sport – cricket, rugby, football, hockey and netball are all keenly promoted (Head Nigel Reed has a PE background so expect it high up on the school’s priorities).

Outdoors you are well catered for. There is a new all-weather Astroturf, multiple rugby, football and cricket pitches, netball, tennis courts and cricket nets. There is a big emphasis on making sport inclusive; no-one’s left out of the team here. And despite being a slightly smaller school than many, Hatherop doesn’t shirk from getting competitive against larger schools.

Fencing is particularly strong, with students reaching a high level of expertise and competing both nationally and internationally. One ex-pupil is the current U18 GB Epee Champion – enough said.

DRAMA / MUSIC / THE ARTS

theatre at hatherop castle school in glos

Drama students benefit from a state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre, which is used by the whole school for performances and productions, most recently We Will Rock You and Matilda. No one hogs the limelight at HC either, an emphasis is put on everyone having a go.

There are lots of choirs to get involved with, and you can expect termly concerts a-plenty for all years. There are lots of informal shows too where pupils who are passionate about their talents can perform more spontaneously. New and incoming for the Lent Term 2025 will be a brand new Pre-Prep Concert for the littlies to look out for.

Music takes place in the main building in a characterful, wood-panelled room where pupils can play on a fancy grand piano and peripatetic teachers come in to teach any instrument a child wants to learn. The acoustics sounded awesome with the high ceilings!

New last year was the introduction of Arts Week, where pupils go off-timetable for a week to take a deep dive into creativity. During this passion-probing week they can choose from a range of different aspects of the arts to explore such as drama workshops, instrument making, sewing, plaster casting and songwriting.

The Arts Studio is currently in the Orangery – it looked like a colourful and creative space – although it is earmarked for an ‘upgrade’ which will see a 2 year refurb that will give it the modern facilities and additions needed for an art department these days.

ACADEMICS

In class, pupils are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, and go ‘off piste’ in their studies. One Year 8 had explored discursive writing that week not by looking at texts, but by selling houses on Rightmove, creating listings in different styles.

In several classes I saw pupils standing up behind their desks, or in circles, which felt fun and dynamic, the children seemed really engaged in what is being taught. One Year 4 Maths class was having fun calling out times tables and a Year 6 French class was animatedly designing and describing their own towns, and ace their scores on Duo Lingo.

Much work has been done on the new curriculum since it was brought in in 2018, expanding lessons to a longer 50 minutes and binning double lessons. Learning here is firmly on developing skills that will enable them to be senior school and work ready. I saw this in action with a Year 4 class creating a project all about themselves and their families with Powerpoint, including paintings, videos and cooking.

Hatherop follows Common Entrance exams, believing the academic rigour it gives children is valuable, so rather than ditching it completely like some Preps, they have gone halfway, sticking with Maths, English, science and a foreign language, but moving history, geography and RS internally. These subjects are examined but they are also tested in other ways with presentations, projects and essays.

Being an unaffiliated Prep, the school takes great care in helping parents find the right senior school for their child. Parents and children get a personal 1-to-1 with the Head to chat about where they see themselves next. Onward schools include Cheltenham College, Dean Close, Malvern College, Cheltenham Ladies College and Marlborough. The school also maintains strong links with Westonbirt, making any transition here easier.

Scholarships are available for a children who qualify, and Hatherop offers a lunchtime club called Aspire which helps prepare for this. Years 5 to 8 use Microsoft Surface Go tablets for some lesson work and homework. Although handwriting skills are still strongly championed here, getting them ready for how senior schools organise homework is considered essential.

BOARDING

Around 10% of pupils at Hatherop are currently full boarders, there are 44 beds and the school offers a range of options to suit parents, from full and weekly to flexi boarding so there is always a good percentage of fellow pupils in the dorms on any given week.

Lots of renovation has been done recently at the Boarding Houses and boarders now have a lovely new common room area and facilities for a relaxed brunch style breakfast each weekend with an array of activities packing pupils’ diaries out every weekend, from skate-boarding to seasonal fun such as Ghosts in the Garden night during Halloween.

Hatherop is in the process of completely redecorating all of the dorms, with one girls one finished and another boys dorm currently being worked on.

The dorms are in the main part of the old house above reception unusually, but the proximity to everything must make children feel safe and secure here. They have lovely views over the grounds and effort has clearly gone in to make them feel at home. I couldn’t believe how tidy the rooms were, with perfectly-made beds. You might think they knew I was coming, but a Year 8 told me they have a flag point system – tidy rooms and clothes in the laundry equal a point and a sweet, and at the end of the term the house with most flags gets a prize.

Both dorms have funky mix-and-match duvet covers and comfy soft furnishings. Two Year 8s told me how it felt like being ‘one big family’ a testament to how strong the family atmosphere is at Hatherop.

Boarders have their own living room to do prep in or watch movies and chill out. Weekends involve trips to London to watch Matilda, Cadbury World, go-karting, Go Ape, trampolining, hoverboard races, smoothie competitions or crazy scooter Olympics down the corridor – of course.

LITTLIES

From child-led play in the Little Owls Nursery and a creative, topic-based Pre-Prep curriculum, the experience for little ones at Hatherop is an engaging one. The new, book-based creative curriculum means high-quality texts are chosen as starting points, and all learning stems from these. They recently used a trip to Giffords Circus to explore science, explored Space through a phone call from NASA and even tested rockets with RAF officers in the walled garden.

Nursery and Pre-Prep outdoor space has also been developed recently with an array of new play areas for the children to enjoy. There are more plans afoot to construct an extra sheltered outdoor area and an outdoor theatre for role play, which sounds like a lot of fun.

Specialist subjects are taught in an engaging and age-appropriate way, from games sessions for toddlers with the Director of Sport and two puppets, Annike and Albert, used in Early Years French, to Bubbles and Bach in Music.

FOREST SCHOOL

There are two Forest Schools on site, one of which is bespoke just for the Nursery. When I visited the school was waiting on planning permission to build an outdoor classroom here to compliment the al fresco learning.

When (fingers crossed!) it gets the stamp of approval it will take the form of a giant yurt which can fit up to 40 mini explorers, with a fire pit in the middle for toasting those all-important marshmallows no doubt.

During a recent ‘Wild Topic’ learning about rainforests, children were fascinated by survival discussions so the topic was reimagined to include lessons in the woods and Forest School with Bear Grylls-style survival challenges such as team-building exercises to transport water, learning how to tie a range of knots, building and cooking on fires, reading the weather and seasons to earn survival badges.

On the day of my visit, Prep 2 were following in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and searching for new species as part of their Explorers project.

HEADTEACHER

Nigel Reed joined the school in September 2017, only the second head in Hatherop’s 34 year history, incredibly. Friendly, warm and enthusiastic, Reed has one child in Prep Year 8, with another a pupil at Westonbirt and he recently welcomed another son with his wife.

He is passionate about the school’s emphasis on giving children a wholesome experience at school. But he is also savvy to the fact Hatherop has stiff competition from other independents in the area, and making sure it is offers something unique to pupils when applying for senior schools is a priority for him.

Next on his to do list? He’s keen to smarten up more classrooms and continue to champion outdoor learning. New for 2024, he has brought in an Elective Programme for Years 7 and 8, where pupils study wide-ranging topics from childcare and business to sport and reporting, the environment and gardening – all part of the ‘character-building’ ethos of Hatherop.

He is also upping the STEM provision in both the curriculum and extra curricular. This includes computer programming, LEGO and robotics – a room in the Pre-prep has been set aside and each year group will get to use it.

Headmaster at Hatherop Castle prep school Nigel Reed

Reed is acutely aware of increasing financial pressure on parents, to that end he’s been able to pass on 13% of the new VAT increase, rather than the full whack, strategically adding Discovery Camps to the holiday provision to generate income for the school.

Although, you’re always guaranteed a sense of stability at Hatherop, because it belongs to the umbrella family of Wishford Schools, meaning it is well supported.

PASTORAL CARE

Hatherop scores highly with us for pastoral provision. Weekly lessons are offered through the HCS programme for all children, focusing on various aspects of emotional and social development. Additionally, there is a Zone of Regulation to help pupils recognise and manage their emotions.

A Happiness, Character and Service programmes is designed to foster positive character traits and encourage pupils to engage in meaningful community service. And for those needing extra support, there are three layers of pastoral care: bespoke 1:1 sessions with the Nurture and Emotional Support Team (NEST), Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) sessions with qualified specialists, and on-site school counsellors.

I spotted Worry Boxes around the school, and there’s an electronic Worry Form for children with devices, ensuring pupils can express their concerns easily.

There is a strong house system at Hatherop and through it children can access peer support, with older pupils offering guidance and mentoring. PHSE has also been stepped up, with Prep 3 to Prep 8 focusing on Hatherop’s core values of H (Happiness) C (Charcter) and S (Service), with lessons often being pupil-led.

SEND

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Well monitored. Mobile phones are not allowed in school, if children have them because they travel on the bus, they have to be left at the front desk when they arrive and collected at the end of the day.

Internet access is closely supervised and is provided solely for educational purposes. Any use of social media is discouraged, to ensure pupils stay focused on their studies and to promote a positive, distraction-free environment.

WHAT ELSE?

There are 30+ extra curricular clubs to choose from every week. The school has been an award winner at the Lego Robotics Championships and the list of other extra-curricular clubs is long and distinguished – from Scottish dancing to dissection and cooking clubs, girls’ and boys’ rugby, and choir where each session concludes with a disco lights and bubbles party!

A chapel service happens every Friday at 4pm at the local parish church, bringing everyone together at the end the week, parents are welcome and visiting speakers are often invited.

No turkey twizzlers on Hatherop’s watch, the food in the canteen changes on a three-weekly rotation and is always freshly cooked and seasonal. Smaller ones are guided to ‘something hot’ each day, older pupils can choose from a range of foods such as Chicken and Vegetable Ragu, and big salad bar (the chilli noodle salad looked restaurant level!).

There is a very active food committee who seek the opinions of fellow students about how the menu can be adapted. There are also regular themed food days with the most recent ones being a European feast for European Day of Languages and a spooky Halloween lunch.

QUIRKS

Forget Glastonbury… welcome to Castlebury! This festival-style week takes place every year on the school lawns ending with a spectacular showcase of Glasto-inspired dance, music and drama. Professional creatives are brought in do workshops from drumming to weaving and mask-making.

One example of coaxing children out of their comfort zones is the Art Trail demonstrating work from every pupil in the school from Reception to Prep 8, followed by performances on the tree house and flatbed trailers and three other stages enabling every pupil to perform at least twice across the afternoon.

At last count Hatherop six school dogs on site. It’s become a bit of a tradition at the school after seeing how much they can improve mental health in pupils, so members of staff bring them in to the classrooms. Pooches get used for wellbeing walks with a member of staff and a session called Nest (nurture sessions).

And lastly – weirdly! – there’s an elephant’s grave tucked away in the grounds. That’s a first for Muddy. In 1862 Hatherop was bought by Maharajah Duleep Singh who brought elephants over from the Punjab to roam the grounds, a gravestone is thought to mark the spot where one was buried.

WRAPAROUND CARE

Wraparound care here has been extended recently, and is available from 8am and until 6.10pm. And you’re covered in the holidays too, with the Nursery open 50 weeks of the year and the school offering holiday clubs during the vacations. Nursery starts for children aged two.

FEES

Fees here are slightly lower than some local and national competitors. Ranging from £3,185 (Pre-Prep) up to £6,985 (Prep 6, 7, 8) per term, a full day in Nursery costs £66.50. Find a full list of fees here.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents say that they like the caring, family atmosphere, and there’s praise for how Hatherop upholds ‘old-fashioned values without being stuffy’. One mum appreciated the strong, pastoral support and ‘dedicated’ teachers.

In the words of one parent, ‘a child not wanting to go home from school after a very long day? What better endorsement can a school ask for?’ Pupils say it’s a place ‘everyone knows everyone’ and they love his feeling. Parents and children both love the emphasis on creativity, with loads of opportunities for public speaking and performing.

FYI any PA-loving parents – you’ll love it here. The PA events team is really active. Christmas in the Castle every year has become a huge public event, and parents work hard to fund lots of extras throughout the year such as the outdoor classroom, table tennis tables and speakers.

ISI REPORT

The lastest Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) Report was published in May 2023. Hatherop received a glowing report, with ‘Excellent’ in all assessed categories.

Special mention went to the strong emphasis on a ‘positive and genuine family atmosphere’ and the ‘quality of pupils’ achievements and learning’.

MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Parents who want a close knit, home-from-home experience for their children. Hatherop, for all its grand looks, is a wholesomely down-to-earth school. Anyone wanting an idyllic countryside education. The emphasis on creativity over cookie-cutter learning, and skills over scores; any anxious students will blossom at Hatherop.

Not for: Parents who wrap offspring in cotton wool – children are encouraged to play outdoors in all weathers, climb trees and get muddy building dens. For those who want a very traditional, formal, hot-housey school, it’s probably not for you. While the school has a reasonably traditional feel, its curriculum is more creative.

Want to make your own mind up? You can arrange a visit at any time. Contact Registrar Samantha Kinch to make an appointment on 01285 750206 or admissions@hatheropcastle.co.uk. Register for the next whole school Open Day on Fri 14 March 2025.

Hatherop Castle, Cirencester, Glos GL7 3NB. Tel: 01285 750206.

Hatherop Castle Prep School & Nursery, Cirencester

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