The library is open to all pupils and staff.  We have an extensive collection of fiction and non-fiction books to enjoy.  Pupils may borrow two books at any one time for two weeks, and these can be renewed if necessary.  In addition, pupils have regular library lessons as part of the English Curriculum to fully explore the world of books.

Our exciting e-library is linked to our recommended reading list for each year group.  This enables pupils to access books from anywhere on any reading device using an app whether in school or at home during the holidays.

Our children receive a first rate, multi-faceted, creative and stimulating education, which helps with their cognitive development – one of the main areas tested by senior schools. In addition to the exceptional education we offer, we strive to provide stimulating and accessible preparation for pupils sitting pre-tests, attending assessment days and having interviews, in order to achieve a place in their senior school of choice.

Whilst most senior schools do not wish for pupils to be prepared for the pre-tests, it is clear that performance in these tests is enhanced with practice and familiarisation of the types of questions the pupils may face. To this end, pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 receive Reasoning lessons to provide this exposure and to prepare them for tests they will mostly sit in Year 6.

The teaching programme is divided into the main topics of Verbal Reasoning & Non-Verbal Reasoning and these are covered in some depth using various on-line programmes. Also within the curriculum, we look at solving puzzles, group work and general oral ability to explain and debate

With regards interview practice, we leave these until relatively close to the date.  Pupils need to present themselves as naturally enquiring and interested.  Over-rehearsed children lack spontaneity and generally do not interview well.

In terms of assessment, short assessments are carried out in lessons throughout the year. In addition to this, Years 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and any new pupils that join at other times taking online Cognitive Ability Tests using GL Assessments CAT4 testing system. This provides the school with CAT scores which we can use to support tracking data and to aid our advice to you on future schools choices.  They also provides the pupils with exposure to online tests.  These scores provide an empirical measure of ability which is informative and shared with our parents.

We regard sport as an important part of the pupils’ education and for many boys it is a highlight of their day. Educationally, we regard it as important that all pupils should take part and that all should have the opportunity to represent the school in one of the many teams. Sport’s value extends beyond the pleasure of playing and pupils learn much from taking part about team work, handling success and failure, and determination and perseverance.

We are very competitive in our major prep school games but we also place considerable weight on excellence in minor sports and we have the facilities to do so. For pupils who are not first team players in the major sports of Football, Rugby and Cricket, the minor sports offer great opportunities for enjoyment and success and often unlikely pupils discover facets of sporting talent which have marked benefits for their self-esteem and confidence.

At Brockhurst, outdoor games are played every day.

Boys who are particularly talented at a game are encouraged to develop their skills by playing at County/Academy or National level and we make provision to help them to do so whilst keeping up their academic work.

The core skills of digital literacy are delivered throughout the School and ICT is embedded in the wider curriculum. Pupils in Years 4 to 8 have a timetabled hour of programming in a fortnightly cycle, learning how to make programs, games and websites using Scratch, Python and HTML.  Coding drones and robots is a popular additional subject in our co-curricular programme as is our exciting e-sports option.

In addition to the ICT suite for teaching pupils, our classrooms from Year 3 upwards have all been equipped for hybrid teaching.  The whole school, including parents, is linked together through our online Learning Management System.  This system enables pupils to access lessons live online, hosts teaching resources and our catch-up library of recorded lessons.  We also have a digital e-book library to mirror our paper library which can be accessed from anywhere using an app.

MIDI keyboards are installed in the music department and allow music to be composed and recorded using composition software including Sibelius.  The DT centre has a CAD system linked to the laser cutter for design work and children learn to construct robots.

Art is taught throughout the school and visits are made to galleries, museums and exhibitions.

Facilities include a magnificent studio and a fully-equipped pottery which is used both in and out of normal teaching periods.  Children’s work is exhibited in the gallery space of the Performing Arts Centre.

A very wide range of media is taught.  Advantage is also taken of the school’s fine architecture and surrounding countryside for painting and drawing. 

Talented pupils are entered for Art Scholarships. Additional work-shops and classes from oil painting to sculpture are offered for pupils who wish to extend their talents as well as developing scholarship portfolios and they are open to any enthusiastic pupil regardless of ability.

A solid foundation in Physical Education gives pupils a grounding for sport in later years and, hopefully, in their adult life. We emphasise the importance of an active lifestyle and provide children with a variety of opportunities to find an area or sport that suits each child.

Facilities at Brockhurst and Marlston House include an indoor swimming pool (25m), an all-weather pitches, a sports hall and 12 acres of playing fields.

We recognises that PE plays a central role in developing a child’s confidence, social and personal skills. As a result, we incorporate and encourage a variety of key attributes within our PE lessons, from enjoyment to perseverance, resilience to communication, team work and leadership. We aim to create a well-rounded individual, with the benefits of these skills expressed in many aspects of their learning and life in general.

The Design department is extremely well-equipped with a broad selection of tools and machinery, enabling pupils to work with a range of materials such as plastic, wood and electronics.

Lessons involve a combination of teacher-led oral discussions, practical work and written design work, whilst Projects are designed to reflect the modern Design & Technology curriculum by embracing multi-media solutions, including the use of a range of computer packages and CAD systems.  Children embark on a range of special projects utilising their specific skills, backgrounds and experience. In this subject there is no ‘right answer.’ Instead, different solutions to the same problem are suggested, questioned and valued.  Great opportunities exist for cross curricular links with science and computing.  In year 8, pupils also progress on to building and programming robots.

We believe strongly that all children are, by nature, designers and we encourage this creative thought in every child who enters the workshop. We are proud of the enjoyment that the children gain from their lessons at every level in the School as well as the scholarships that the children have obtained in Design.

At the core of the History syllabus are the ‘traditional’ skills of observation, analysis and explanation. Source analysis and essay writing allow children to develop analytical and literacy skills which will be useful throughout their lives.

In Year 4, the pupils study local history, Roman Britain, the Victorians, Mayan civilisations. As pupils progress into Year 5 and beyond, they are taught in a way which strongly links skills and content. They will learn a chronological overview of British history which spans the Roman withdrawal to the suffragettes

Every opportunity is taken for expeditions from exploring great Norman castles to Roman Bath, from recreated Victorian classrooms to mediaeval villages and even to Normandy beaches and the eternal silence of war cemeteries.  It’s these trips, above all, which fire the imagination and develop a passion for this subject.

Giving pupils wide opportunities to extend their learning outside the classroom brings subjects alive, fires curiosity, develops a sense of adventure and builds team spirit and resilience.

The School offers an exceptional range of visits and expeditions which begin as early as the nursery. All pupils take part in termly class expedition days and many other opportunities are taken by subject departments using the school grounds, local area and further afield throughout the year. Day trips include visits to museums, galleries and sites of interest and visits to castles, theatres, concerts and art workshops among others.  London, Oxford and Bath are easily accessible to the School.

Some subject departments also organise longer residential trips. All pupils in Yr7 take part in a trip to France which includes an intensive spoken language course at a private chateau and visits to Normandy combining history and geography.  In year 8, all pupils take part in a field studies expedition to Slapton where the plants and animals of rock pools and coastal geography are studied and from Yr 6 to 8 all pupils visit the School’s field studies centre in the Exmoor National Park to study physical geography and sustainability.

Aside from academic expeditions, pupils take part in adventure training using the School‘s estate for camping and bush-craft weekends. Popular additional trips to Wales and Exmoor include boarders’ weekends with trout fishing on the river Barle and exciting moorland riding expeditions with the pupils own and school ponies.

The sports department also organises regular tours principally within the UK and Europe in the major sports.

The cost of these is carefully managed so as to be affordable for parents and to be inclusive of all pupils wishing to take part.

Above all, these trips are great fun for everyone involved and form lasting and happy memories.

We aim to create an atmosphere of understanding and knowledge of people of all faiths and to appreciate the place religion has in our 21st century society.  Spiritual and moral development and fundamental British values are embedded in the teaching. There is space in the syllabus to celebrate festivals from around the world and for individuals to express and talk about their particular faith. School Assemblies link to the subject material and are inclusive, reflective and appropriate.

The curriculum also includes elements of religious philosophy and ethics – its aim is to inspire active and independent learning amongst our pupils, as well as engender a greater interest for, and an understanding of Faith. The nature of the subject encourages flexibility, allowing world events and social issues to be included in the subject and these will be taught / discussed immediately.

Our goal is that our pupils will arrive at their senior schools ready to continue their learning journey with enquiring minds, ready to debate the relevant topics of the day, be they religious, philosophical or ethical, and empowered with a skill set that will be applicable across their humanities subjects and beyond.

For scholarship pupils, time is spent on developing extended writing skills and also preparation for the General paper.

Music is a special feature at Brockhurst and is encouraged in every possible way. There is a full-time Director of Music who teaches all the pupils from the nursery up to year 8.

We are fortunate to have a very high percentage of pupils learning all types of instruments and they are all prepared for the graded examinations for the Associated Board Royal Schools of Music. Many pupils reach the higher grades (6-8) and some even attain diploma standard.

Special provision is made for outstanding pupils to devote extra time to developing their musical talent and some pupils compete in National or International festivals and competitions and some play in the National Youth Orchestra. In addition, music theory classes are offered to those progressing to higher levels.

We have three choirs, of which the Chamber Choir is the highest in standard. Members need to pass an audition to join. In addition, we have two orchestras, flute groups, clarinet groups, brass groups, guitar groups, a Swing Band (which perform at local events, such as the Newbury Show) and an R & B Band.

In Foundation stage and year 1 pupils learn lots of fun songs, often with movement, playing basic percussion instruments and listening to all genres of music In class lessons, for the younger pupils, it is all about having fun and developing interest, concentration, participation and above all confidence..

Year 2 – music starts to progress to a higher level, but still with a great sense of fun. The pupils are introduced to keyboards and specially designed computer software to develop their creative side and general knowledge. We also start violin and recorder fun groups which is intended to act as a springboard and encourage children to start learning to play standard orchestral instruments, such as the flute or trumpet when able.

Years 3 & 4 – pupils automatically join our Junior Choir. The choir perform at all school concerts and have lots of fun dressing up in suitable costumes and singing fun songs.

Years 5 to year 8 – pupils are introduced to the computer program Sibelius. This program is used by professional musicians/composers all over the world. If pupils decide to take GCSE or A level music at their next school, the skills we teach here will help them to create their own compositions and arrangements needed at this level.

Pupils are encouraged to start learning an instrument of their choice and are able to have taster lessons.

Meet our music staff in performance

Barack aged 9 years playing Beethoven’s Sonata in G – 2019 Summer Concert & Jayden – theme from Starsky and Hutch  2021

Geography is about understanding the World around us and broadly is taught as human and physical geography for the 13+ syllabus.  Above all, though, it presents wonderful opportunities for fieldwork which brings this subject live and provide opportunities for having fun.

We have a field studies centre on Exmoor which gives us a superb base for seeing and measuring the physical geography of riders and coasts, and understanding concepts of sustainability and economic development.  We also have huge fun camping and being in the great outdoors on these expeditions observing the wildlife and collecting specimens.

Geography encompasses many other subject, but particularly history and science, and every opportunity is taken to help children understanding how this subject is interrelated in this way.

We teach children that there are many different ways of arriving at a solution and encourage them to explain their thinking in words, diagrams and, from Year 6, algebra. We help young mathematicians become critical thinkers – to examine their work and assess whether what they have done is sensible.

Children are given an experience of maths based on three core principles: understanding, enjoyment and challenge. Key ideas are revisited and built on, year on year, giving children the opportunity to refresh their understanding and draw connections between different areas of maths. Real-world applications are key, as are the transferrable skills learnt through doing maths, for example logical reasoning and the ability to question the truth of a statement. The aim is that maths intrigues, inspires and makes real sense.

Class sizes range from 7 to 20. Children are encouraged to work individually, in small groups, or as a whole class, and teachers use a range of interactive and hands-on resources. In Upper School (Year 7 & 8) pupils are setted by ability.  Additionally, support and extension groups run throughout the school to enable all children to reach their potential.

Lessons from Year 4 are recorded and available on catch-up on our online Learning Management System.  These provide both pupils and parents with an invaluable resource for consolidating and extending learning

Pupils are enter the UK Maths Challenge each year with many winning Gold to Bronze awards.  Our strongest mathematicians go up to and beyond GCSE level Maths. A few sit GCSE maths before leaving us.

Drama enables pupils to develop their self-confidence and learn advanced performance skills. Through mime, improvisation, games, devised sketches and scripted performance, our pupils are given a wide range of creative opportunities where they can flourish.

LAMDA is also hugely popular in the School with pupils regularly gaining Distinction at Grade 5 (GCSE level).  This assists greatly in preparing candidates for Drama scholarships to their senior schools.

There is an Upper School Play and/or an Upper School Musical for Years 7 & 8 in the Autumn or Summer terms, a Year 6 Production in the Autumn term.  Musical plays create great opportunities for our orchestras and young musicians to be supported by professionals in providing the musical accompaniment. A balance is kept between musical and non-musical plays.

We are in an enviably strong position in having the excellent resources needed to deliver a first-class science education, including two fully-equipped laboratories and access to wonderful grounds to enable opportunities for learning outside the classroom.

Our land has been managed through Government Stewardship schemes to make it a haven for wildlife with abundant invertebrate ‘bugs’ for pupils to find and study as well as thriving populations of other ‘beasties’ including barn owls in our nest boxes and the amazing chalk stream life of the river Pang flowing through the middle of it.

In addition to the curricular focus associated with Senior School examinations and Scholarship attainment, we also understand the importance of opening up and challenging the world of science. Of course, the two areas have significant overlap: factual understanding, analysing data, problem solving, research, thinking skills and discovering links between topics and issues. We encourage pupils to appreciate and understand the relationship between evidence and theory. Appropriate science teaching should guide pupils to a point at which they understand that not all scientific information is ‘fact’ and that scientific understanding is like the many layered onion they get to examine under microscopes.

Children begin Latin as a language from Year 6.  From Year 7, pupils who have an interest and aptitude for the subject will continue with it through to Common Entrance or scholarship.  Greek can be taken as a timetabled subject in Year 7 and 8 for those sitting scholarship exams.

Children of all abilities enjoy learning an appropriate portion of the ancient languages and to tap quickly into the myths, characters and creations of these amazing civilizations as well as understanding the root of so many words in English.

We are one of very few prep schools to still teach these two subjects to a high standard and we have an excellent scholarship and Common Entrance record in both Latin and Greek.

Our Modern Languages department promotes an appreciation and passion for language learning. Recognising the importance of understanding the history and traditions of other countries, children also learn about festivals, food & drink and customs as part of our curriculum.

We recognise the effectiveness of traditional methods of teaching, but are constantly experimenting with new strategies and resources to ensure that our children are engaged and excited by their lessons. Through learning another language, children’s literacy and communication skills are improved, and we encourage them to be independent and resilient when faced with new challenges.

In Years 4 and 5, pupils are taught in forms, being set by ability from Year 7 onwards. We use the target language as appropriate and employ a variety of teaching methods ranging from drama, ICT, interactive whiteboard, songs and games. There are regular unit tests and an annual exam in the Summer and Autumn terms for years 5 to 7. 

In Years 7 and 8, pupils also start to learn Spanish.

Other curriculum experiences include an annual French trip to Normandy for Year 7, une Journée Française link with a French school in Year 6.