WHAT? WHERE?

St Gabriel's School Seniors outside the main building best private schools near newbury

St Gabriel’s in Newbury is an all-through school and nursery (6 months – 18 years), set in 54 acres of Grade II listed Capability Brown parkland. It’s family focused, big on pastoral care and has a wholesome feel that allows children to be children, while developing independence at their own pace. Right now, big changes are on the horizon. The Senior School will be fully co-ed by September 2026, welcoming boys into Y7 – Y9 and Y12 for the first time in the school’s history. It makes sense. Nursery and the Junior School have been co-ed for some time, so rather than sending the boys elsewhere, they can now go right through. A huge plus.

St Gabriel's NEWBURY PERIOD WINDOWS AND LAVENDER

The Grade I listed building dates back to the 12th Century when it was known as Sandleford Priory. St Gabriel’s, founded in Mill Hill in London, moved here in 1948. Since then, it has expanded dramatically, adding the Junior School and Nursery to the offering. Juniors operates two-form year groups with class sizes of up to 20 pupils. There are just 500-ish pupils across all age groups. For an all-through school, that’s small.

FACILITIES

St Gabriel’s is not a place that spends money here there and everywhere, just for the sake of it. They are respectful of the building and wear its period past like a badge of honour. It’s actually what makes the place feel very homely. That said, there’s plenty of cool kit and refurbished spaces to ooh and ahh over, not least the science labs, DT and art studios, as well as ‘Gabbies’ – a cool café used by the whole school, but Y11 and Sixth Form privileges mean only they can use it at break.

SPORT

Feel the competitive buzz! With 54 acres to play, the facilities are very good and the number of fixtures in the calendar has soared in recent years. There is a large sports hall with new changing rooms, an outdoor pool, pitches for cricket, rugby, hockey and football, hard courts for netball and tennis, plus climbing wall and a cross-country course that stretches up to Greenham Common.

A huge number of weekly matches are played against local schools, with teams selected based on attendance at training as well as ability. The name of the game here is to ‘have a go’ – but don’t read that to mean they don’t want to win. They absolutely do. During our visit, football matches were about to kick off, and the girls were piling into a school minibus to play hockey. St Gabriel’s has forged strong links with Newbury Rugby Club and Falkland Cricket Club. The Senior School home cricket pitch is based at Falkland CC to avoid any costly sixes when a cricket ball goes through one of the heritage windows. Oops!

SENIOR SPORT AT ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BOYS PLAYING CRICKET WITH COACH

Football (several girls and boys play for top teams outside of school), hockey, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, athletics, tennis and netball are going from strength to strength, and swimming is also on offer. Not bound by gender stereotypes, teams can be girls, boys or mixed. Co-curricular clubs and regular house matches give everyone the opportunity to experience the emotional rollercoaster of winning and losing. It’s worth noting the quality of the sports teachers and coaching staff is excellent. A great asset, especially for talented and elite young athletes.

An all-weather pitch is on the development plan, but when you’re caretaking a Grade I-listed building and Grade II-listed grounds, there are many hoops to jump through before it gets signed off by the local planning department.

PERFORMING ARTS

The show-stopping space for me is the restored Oval Room. It’s an elegant space made for music lessons and concert recitals. Music plays a big part in St Gabriel’s life. I love that they cover everything from classical and 12-bar blues to Latin American dance rhythms and rock. Composing their own material is encouraged and the awesome teachers are on hand to nurture that enthusiasm.

BUGSY MALONE PRODUCTION ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BERKShIRE

If your child has been practicing their awards speech since birth, the black box theatre with tiered seating is a super space for drama fans and there is a specialist dance studio to perfect their arabesques. Pupils can also learn to use the lighting desk and the art of stage lighting for productions if they’re more excited about the backstage techy stuff.

WHAT ELSE?

Girl using machinery in DT St Gabriels' School Newbury Berkshire

Art & Design is spread across three classrooms, and the facilities are very good, boasting a photographic dark room, computer suite to support photography studies and a kiln for ceramics. There’s plenty of space to get creative with textiles (pupils have access to sewing machines, sublimation printer and heat press), canvas or mixed media. Very inspiring and pretty tidy as far as art rooms go.

The DT studio looks like the R&D lab of The Conran Shop. Seriously impressive product design going on in there, making full use of the power tools, 3D printer, laser cutter and 10 computer workstations. The standard of the work is incredible, and many pupils go on to take GCSE Art & Design – that’s fine art, textiles, and DT. Some of the GCSE pieces being created showed a confidence of ideas in scale, skill and concept.

ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BERKSHIRE SCIENCE LAB AND LESSON

You’ll also find Thinking Skills on the timetable. It’s a first for me, but these weekly lessons aim to develop pupils’ understanding of their own abilities and learning styles via the Multiple Intelligences approach of Howard Gardner. You’ll be thanking them for doing this when it comes to exams, knowing how to mind-map and apply lateral thinking, problem-solving and reasoning is not given enough importance in schools. A big tick in my book.

St Gabriel’s seems traditional, but there’s just enough progression to satisfy forward thinkers. Blended learning is very much the norm here. Touch screen laptops and iPads are used by all age groups to support trad teaching methods. The idea is to enhance learning, not replace basic skills.

OUTDOOR LEARNING

Making the most of the stonking grounds and the mental health benefits, outdoor education is now a curriculum subject, with a Director of Outdoor Education appointed to ensure the kids are banking those softer skills like collaboration, communication, problem solving and team building. Fresh air and fun without really knowing it’s educational. I saw an army of Y1s booted up and heading out into the parkland. Not a single one was dragging their heels.

The youngest children have their own woodland area with fire pit, bug hotel and tree swing, while the older Juniors head to the big woods to build shelters, learn survival skills, build and light fires, and eventually cook. Sign us up for that and the hot chocolate and s’mores. Lots of practical skill are taught, and the wellbeing benefits of fresh air and stepping out of the classroom are huge.

Think Forest School is just for little ones? Think again, Outdoor Education is just as relevant and beneficial to teens – and there are timetabled lessons at St Gabriel’s for Y7-Y9. It’s all pitched at their age, so they won’t be heading to the woods in a waterproof onesie. For Seniors, it comes under the heading, ‘sustainability’, and they learn all the softer skills mentions above, plus they look more critically and academically at the environment, climate change and eco initiatives. All very on the mark in today’s world.

SIXTH FORM

St Gabriel’s Sixth Form welcomed its first boys this year – three have joined and more are registered for a September 2025 start. The ethos is the same, but there’s a shift in focus as these older teens look at life beyond school. Sixth Form centres around the farmhouse. It’s a separate building away from the main school and is used for tutorial-style lessons, coffee and a catch up in the kitchen, study or hanging out. It bridges the gap between school and university/work for the 45 students who are lavished with individual support and opportunities – academics, leadership roles, wellbeing, study and practical life skills as well as UCAS applications for degree courses and apprenticeships. It’s a 360° approach that delivers an academic and life skill toolkit – the robustness of it can only really be achieved in a smaller setting.

A Level subjects available to study are relatively traditional, with the exception of photography and lens-based media, DT and graphics. Even if only one person wants to study a subject, the school will always offer it. The EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is compulsory with many unis loving the dissertation style skills developed. It boosts your UCAS points too.

There are also lots of enrichment activities based on practical skills they’ll need – future med students can have sessions in suturing and preparing for tests, young entrepreneurs are offered the Business Diploma, and careers advice is backed up by the Microsoft Mentoring Scheme. The latter is a pioneering initiative – St Gabriel’s is the first school in the UK to offer this unique program, where students receive 1:1 support and expert guidance from Microsoft professionals. Alongside all of this, St Gabriel’s also offers an 8-week cookery course that sees pupils create a 3-course meal every week, plus more survival cooking classes to ensure nobody starves in adulthood. World Challenge, Gold Duke of Edinburgh, safe driving, business challenges and debating are all popular too.

ACADEMICS

St Gabriel's NewburySENIOR SCHOOL PUPIL SCIENCE

There’s one word you hear a lot at St Gabriel’s – BALANCE! Although selective, it’s not aggressively selective to clamber to the top of the league tables. Expectations are high, but it’s the polar opposite of an academic hothouse creating a galaxy of A*. The exam results have improved a lot over the years, but the emphasis is still very much on being well-rounded, discovering individual passions and helping them achieve their career goals – be it a shoe designer, doctor, lawyer, crime investigator, politician or cheese farmer. Success comes in all shapes and sizes.

All that individual attention has paid off: 2025 GCSE results saw 42% achieve grade 9-7 (A*-A). At A level 52% got A*-B, 23% A*-A and they smashed the hot right now EPQ with 80% scooping up A*- B. Destination unis include big names like Bath, Exeter, Bristol, Loughborough, Durham, Cardiff and Oxford as well as coveted degree apprenticeships at AWE.

PASTORAL CARE

One of its standout strengths. Pastoral care and wellbeing are not ‘nice to haves’ here, but integral to St Gabriel’s success. Happy, well-rounded children do well in the classroom. FACT. There’s a warmth that emanates throughout the school, children are free to be children. All ages climb trees and play outside – white markers gently reminding them how far they can go. An orienteering course has been created and Y3-Y8 can now do a mini-Duke of Edinburgh, before graduating to do their bronze, silver and gold. The school is mindful of the pressures that teens and tweens are under, being outside as much as possible to let off steam, gives them that all important balance and opportunity to decompress.

PSHE covers trickier topics like bullying and sex education in an age-appropriate way and pupil surveys flag any simmering issues. A recent survey on homework highlighted negative feedback from six pupils – through 1:1 chats they were able to get to the root of their dissatisfaction and make any necessary changes. St Gabriel’s also has a school counsellor, school nurse and an independent walk and talk therapist (a private arrangement between parents and pupils) who will see children in or outside of the school day.

THE HEAD

Head ricki with students at St gabriel's School Newbury Berkshire

Principal, Ricki Smith, arrived at St Gabriel’s in 2016. He’s an English teacher by profession (Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is his must-read), with a love for the dramatic. Ricki’s often roped into help bring subjects alive – he has been known to play the role of King Polydectes in a classics lesson, wearing a crown at his desk, speaking lines (although he would have liked more).

He has overseen the transition to co-ed, a meticulously planned operation that continues to evolve. He did a huge amount of research, speaking to other schools to find out what worked and what didn’t, so they didn’t make any avoidable mistakes. This meant from the facilities and academics to the communication of the plan, everything was plotted to create a positive atmosphere of change.

He welcomes feedback from parents and pupils. For instance, the Y7 and Y8 boys hated being called ‘pioneers’, so it went. Sport was an initial concern for some parents, but not anymore – sporty kids, who play for elite external clubs are choosing St Gabriel’s. The aim now is to reach the magic number of 65% girls and 35% boys throughout the school.

SCIENCE AT ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BERKSHIRE

He’s professionally very vocal. Not in a desk thumping, ranty way. But he is happy to put his head above the parapet to voice his concerns about VAT on school fees, the need for GCSE exam reform, and how AI can be used in a positive way.

Ricki is witty, engaging and mindfully ambitious. He’s got a great team around him and is always keen to give his teaching staff credit for St Gabriel’s success. Humility and humour are a killer combination. Plus, prospective parents with young children rejoice – Ricki keeps a selection of toys in his office, so while little ones play, you can have a proper chat without wrestling with a toddler.

LITTLIES

One of the best nurseries in the area, so names need to go down the minute you leave the maternity ward. The Nursery and Pre-school have its own building that’s very much part of the school but safely tucked away. The home-from-home vibe starts here, which is a blessing for guilt-ridden mums heading off to work. Open 50 weeks a year (7.30am – 6.30pm), your littlies can join from 6 months to 4 years, and will be based in one of the three rooms: Baby, Toddler and Pre-School.

Having their own dedicated space means classrooms and facilities are age appropriate and designed to give the kids a safe space to learn, explore and grow. That said, it’s not a prison and the youngest St Gabriel’s pupils frequently use the sports hall, junior music studio, dance studio and theatre. They head out into the grounds every day for fresh air, bug hunts, sound walks, den building and tree climbing.

Spending time outdoors is huge at St Gabriel’s – and they start young. The Pre-school outdoor area has had a swish upgrade with model roads, ride on train, stage area for role play, construction zone, a dedicated Dinosaur Town, story time area and busy board wall. It’s creative and fun but delivers that juicy education through play that kids love. Outdoor Education also starts in preschool with the new Outdoor Explorers program – timetabled sessions that teach curiosity and a love of nature.

The Nursery and Pre-School are considered stepping stones to St Gabriel’s Juniors, and places are highly sought-after. Inevitably they lose a few before Reception due to changes in circumstance, but there’s an expectation to go the distance.

QUIRKS

The only school to have Dame Betty Day. It’s the name given to a day off on the last Friday of November. This was a gift from the late Dame Betty Ridley – a school governor and quiet trailblazer who spent her life campaigning for the ordination of women priests in the Church of England. Everyone downs tools to spend the day doing something or nothing. Nail the Christmas shopping, write Christmas cards, enjoy a movie marathon, go to the theatre… you decide. But it really is the gift that keeps on giving, and there was not a single person I spoke to who didn’t say it was their favourite day. No school/work is the kind of joy we love. Well done, Dame Betty.

Not many schools boast Capability Brown gardens, but St Gabriel’s has the honour. In fact, the parkland here is Grade II listed and the old priory building is Grade I listed. This could be a nightmare for schools trying to adapt period houses so that they are fit for purpose. But there’s a real sense of St Gabriel’s working with the building rather than fighting against it. The payback for the pupils is the unique and special classrooms.

FEES

PUPIL PLAYING DRUMS AT ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BERKSHIRE

Blissfully straightforward. From September 2026, for full-time nursery 5 days a week it costs £81.22 a day. Term time only is £85.88. Then, the termly fees are Reception: £5,743; Years 1 & 2: £6,878; Years 3 – 6: £7,718; Years 7 – 9: £9,046; Years 10 – 13: £9,377 – all including VAT, lunch, and after-school care from 4pm – 6.30pm. Expect to pay extra for individual music and drama lessons and public exams. In Sixth Form, there’s an additional termly charge of £99.25 to cover the many additional activities and events.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Frazzled working parents, there is hope. St Gabriel’s runs a Breakfast Club from 7.30am to 8.15am (£5.30 per day) and supervised prep sessions from 4pm to 6.30pm which won’t cost you a penny more than you’re already paying. There’s also an excellent network of minibuses which head out to the surrounding villages scooping up kids from Ramsbury, Lambourn, Hermitage, Pangbourne, Basingstoke, Overton, and Andover, plus a shuttle from Newbury train station.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Pupils may not use mobile phones during the school day, and they will be confiscated if found on it. As a privilege, Year 11 may use their phones at break and lunch.

PUPIL IN LIBRARY AT ST GABRIEL'S SCHOOL NEWBURY BERKSHIRE best private schools near basingstoke

ISI REPORT

The latest 2024 inspection report can be found here.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Very positive. St Gabriel’s is the antidote to those hot-housing schools that talk happiness and all-round ability but have a gimlet eye on silverware at every turn. Parents love the nurturing, family atmosphere and the teachers work very hard to ensure individuals thrive rather than survive. The sport provision has been transformed for all year groups, and the outdoor education continues to go from strength to strength. The St Gabriel’s vibe can be felt from Nursery to Senior – calm, kind with a thirst for learning. Word is spreading about this under-the-radar school, for all the right reasons.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Those looking for a calm, kind, inclusive school that puts pastoral care and happiness at the top of the agenda, expecting achievement to follow from that. The academic results show it’s working.

Not for: St Gabriel’s is not flash, but that is part of its charm. If you’re looking for all bells and whistles, move on!

Dare to disagree?! Be my guest! Check out their upcoming Open Days here. Individual tours are by appointment only.

St Gabriel’s, Sandleford Priory, Newtown Rd, Newtown, Greenham, Newbury RG20 9BD. Tel 01635 555680.

St Gabriel’s School, Newbury

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