Independent Schools

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Thursday, September 15, 2016
Elstree SchoolTATLER Prep School of the
Year, Elstree is academically
ambitious and provides a
first-class all-round education.
The school has an excellent track
record of boys gaining places
at leading public schools,
together with scholarships
and exhibitions.
The school comprises Home
Farm, Elstree ’s Nursery and
Pre-Prep, and Elstree Prep.
From Year 4, Elstree caters
for boys only as boarders,
flexi-boarders and day boys.
In its magnificent 150-acre
setting, children are exposed to a
wide range of opportunities,
including music, art, DT and
sport.
Two state-of-the-art science
laboratories, well-equipped
classrooms, a new full-size
all-weather pitch and spacious
play areas ensure that we offer
a purposeful, stimulating and
supportive environment for
c ildren to discover their
individual talents.
The family friendly boarding
model enables boys to develop life
skills that will serve them well at
senior school and beyond.
This is an exciting time to be at
Elstree.
The school’s recent ISI Inspection
Report (2015) stated: “Elstree
School is highly successful in
meeting its aim of providing a
first-class all-round education,
while embedding the values of
hard work, kindness to others and
making the most of opportunities.
“This is thanks to an excellent
curriculum and extra-cur icular
opportunities and to excellent
teaching, which inspires and
motivates pupils to want to
learn.”
Home Farm is the Nursery and
Pre-Prep, which caters for more
than 70 girls and boys aged three
to seven years.
It is often the child’s first
experience of school life and staf
understand how important these
initial steps are.
The offer of home visits and
taster days, prior to a child start-
ing in the early years, eases the
transition between home and
school.
The children also have the
opportunity to make use of all
the facilities at Elstree School,
and benefit from specialist PE,
French, drama and music lessons.
Home Farm also has a woodland
area where, each week, the early
years children spend a full day
investigating and exploring the
natural environment.
Buses run from Hungerford,
Peasemore and Basingstoke and
after-school clubs are provided.
To find out more, come and visit
at the next open morning on
Saturday, October 15, call (0118)
9713302 or visit the website at
Alder Bridge School
AT Alder Bridge School in
Padworth, Berkshire, a
Steiner-Waldorf school,
outdoor play is a fundamental
part of the curriculum. With a
woodland classroom and
plenty of outdoor space,
lessons take place outside,
whenever its possible.
Children can experience, in a
kinaesthetic way, how the subject
they are learning affects them
physically, emotionally and spiri-
tually. Consequently, the learning
‘sticks’ because they have been
fully involved in the experience
and been able to use play and
creativity to make the subject
their own.
Outdoor play has been proven to
improve creativity and improved
mental and physical health.
The classroom has a place in our
schools but its still good old fash-
ioned play and outdoor experi-
ences that can produce creative,
happy and healthy adults, able to
face the rigours of our modern
world.
Creativity – isn’t this the foun-
dation of a happy and success-
ful life?
It’s not necessarily about art or
music or theatre, although
expressing one’s ideas through
art, music and drama is indeed
creative.
Rather, it’s skills like critical
thinking, flexibility and the abil-
ity to imagine another way and
try it out: this is what makes an
adult successful in whatever field
they are working in, whether
they are stepping onto a West
End stage or navigating a
complex legal case.
How do we become creative
adults?
The roots of our creativity as
adults are in our games as chil-
dren. All children are creative,
from the moment they are born
babies are experimenting with
movement, taking immense plea-
sure in discovering new things
they can do with their bodies.
From that moment on they are
pushing boundaries, trying
things out, experiencing ‘what
happens when’ and learning
more about the world with every
step.
A play-based curriculum in the
early years gives children the
opportunity to learn more, not
less.
The time that they are not being
taught is spent instead on play,
during which they are actually
engaged in extensive scientific
experiments – social, physical
and cognitive.
They learn how to persuade a
reluctant friend to join a game, or
how to deal with disappointment.
They learn to choose the right
sequence of branches when
climbing a tree, and that water
and earth mixed to the right
consistency makes the best mud
pies.
If all children are creative,
how do we ensure that creativ-
ity is retained through their
school years?
Play doesn’t have to end when
school starts. Plenty of time
outside for organised games, free
play, and formal learning will
give children the opportunity to
learn and develop through play.
A curriculum rich in experiential
learning and a school which
values the arts will nurture that
creative spark. Exams? They are
important too, but at the right
time.
Creativity is what enables us to
innovate and to problem solve,
and the root of this creativity is
play.
Visit to
find out more.
Come and see how Steiner-Waldorf
Education is your local alternative
Choose a unique educational
experience at Alder Bridge
We offer places for children aged 0-14 years.
Mother & Baby (0-3 years), Kindergarten (3-6 years)
& Lower School (6-14 years).
“When I look back at my time at Alder
Bridge as a student I remember days filled
with creativity, nature, beauty and wonder.
Today I am a parent of a class 1 child
who comes home every day with a smile on
her face and joyful stories of her day.”
0118 971 4471
Alder Bridge School, Mill Lane, Padworth, Berkshire, RG7 4JU
Find us at and on Facebook
Our SIS Report
(School Inspection Service)
is Good with aspects
of Outstanding
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