WHAT? WHERE?

Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire pupils sat outside the main building

Wellington College Prep (formerly Eagle House School) is a non-selective co-ed prep for 3-13 year olds on the Berkshire/ Surrey border. Set in 30 acres of playing fields and woodland on the outskirts of Sandhurst, the school offers places for day pupils, flexi and weekly boarders. Current numbers are 377 – 57% boys and 43% girls.

The main building of Wellington College Prep was originally a 19th century hunting lodge built for a flashy doctor. It retains the grandeur with lots of turned wood, wall panels, impressive staircases, stained glass and Manor-house style gardens. A number of sympathetic add-ons have popped up over the years, with the relatively new Golden Eagle Centre delivering an architectural wow.

Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire pupils in a science lesson

FACILITIES

Facilities are very, very good. Superb sports facilities, a stunning new music school, The Golden Eagle Centre is home to the drama studio, an enormous sports hall and a super-cool design lab with its robots, laser cutters and 3D printers. Not forgetting the state-of-the-art science labs and replica Tudor House (you don’t see many of those, that’s for sure).

SPORT

Like all busy prep schools, sport features heavily and you’ll find the usual array of all-weather pitches, playing fields, a big modern sports hall with cricket nets and 20m indoor pool. The pool is looking a bit tired, but it’s on the development list. Plans are being reviewed to ensure the school and pupils can squeeze as much out of the build as they can. Sport is played every day. Boys play football, rugby, hockey and cricket. For girls it’s netball, hockey and rounders has been retired (cue a chorus of cheers) for cricket. Girls cricket goes from strength to strength and girls are now featuring in the first team alongside the boys.

Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire pupils jumping in the swimming pool

It’s not a sharp-elbowed competitive school (much to the disappointment of some parents), winning is great but they just want to enjoy going out there and playing with their classmates. Don’t worry the trophy cabinet has an impressive haul. In addition to classic games, there’s the opportunity to have-a-go at a wide range of activities through the co-curricular programme which take place at lunchtimes and after school.

CREATIVE ARTS

Music is the beating heart of all good prep schools and Wellington College Prep is no different. After a hefty investment, it’s bye bye Portakabin and hello swish Music School! It’s an outstanding new addition that physically connects Nursery and Pre-Prep to Prep. The new space provides eight practice rooms, two large teaching rooms and a small concert space. The teaching is top notch (both are composers and musicians) and the list of peri staff is long. A whopping 85% have individual music tuition with the usual array of peripatetic teachers. You’ll find that rock, pop, gospel and world music can be found in WCP’s musical locker and the children showcase their talents at local care homes and termly performances.

It’s worth noting just how good performing arts are here with plenty of opportunities for budding Tom Holland’s and Zendaya’s to perform on a professional stage. It’s less school production and more youth theatre. It’s cool to tread the boards and the pupils audition in their droves. Production standards are consistently high with shows performed at the Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. How cool is that? LAMDA is also taught by Wellington College’s drama coach.

SCHOOL

Eagle House School Crowthorne Sandhurst Berkshire Design Technology Green Fuel Go Kart — Design Technology centre

The extra-curricular activities come under the school’s Golden Eagle Programme that aims to develop the children’s have-a-go spirit and leadership skills. They can do everything from the usual sports, cricket, sailing, yoga, rollerblading, brain training, Lego, physical theatre, music, dance – there are many many more, I’m exhausted just thinking about them, but you get my drift.

Schools are always working through a long wish list of improvements, and Wellington College Prep is no exception. The science labs have had a makeover and, the dining room and kitchen have been extended so mealtimes are more relaxed and less of a feeding frenzy. Dull but essential maintenance that will make a difference day to day.

LITTLIES

The Nursery and Pre Prep are incredible. The £2.5m investment has meant the space has been redesigned to flow better, physically connecting the littlies to the Prep and give them lots of light, bright spaces to learn and play with techy white boards that can be adjusted to their height. The Pre-Prep library is particularly swish – mirroring the furniture design of the Prep library, just scaled down to suit the mini pupils.

The little people at Wellington College Prep can start at the term they turn three. There is no fair weather learning, Wellington College Prep’s youngest pupils suit up in wet weather gear and are booted out every day – and they love it. There’s a fab outdoor learning area, adventure playground, lots of green spaces and woodland to run around, have fun and experience nature first hand. They also use all the facilities of the main school – not least specialist teachers who teach ICT, French, Music and Sport. It’s hard to find fault with it.

Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire pupils sat outside the main building younger pupils looking at a vase of bluebells

Pencil skills are taught one-to-one and phonics and maths in small groups from Reception – and there’s a sweet indoor writing den. The children follow International Primary Curriculum, and with the exception of maths and english, subjects are taught thematically. Each topic has a ‘wow’ kickstarter – a hands on, get involved activity – to engage pupils and set the direction of learning.

ACADEMICS

The school’s Latin motto is Sublimiora Petamus. A quick Google and I discover it means, ‘Aiming high’ and there’s a lot of that going on. An ISI inspection at the end of 2017 reported excellence across the board. The results speak for themselves with a record 24 scholarships awarded to Y8 children to 11 different schools, including Wellington College, Radley, Bradfield College, Queen Anne’s, Charterhouse and Millfield. For a non-selective school, that’s impressive.

Wellington College Prep released itself from the shackles of Common Entrance some time ago. It was replaced with Curriculum 200 – a rich, robust, assessment-led curriculum that swerves the CE exam factory vibe for a more engaging curriculum. On the horizon, there are plans to bring in more one-to-one tutoring and to use artificial intelligence as an educational tool to create bespoke learning opportunities, based on a child’s interests and abilities.

THE HEAD

Ed Venables Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire

Ed Venables has beens head of Wellington College Prep since Sep 2023, but for the existing parents and staff he’ll be as familiar as a pair of old slippers. Many will know him from his role as Wellington College’s Head of Admissions and his three boys have attended the prep, and are now at Wellington College. Venables could be described as a bit of a Wellington College cheerleader. After 12 years working in the City, he left the high octane world of finance and moved to Wellington College (his old school) to teach Business and Economics (much to his old teacher’s horror). That was 16 years ago. During that time he was House Master, Head of Department, and then in charge of admissions.

Venables has a genuine enthusiasm for Wellington College Prep, the children and has the energy of a Duracell bunny to write the school’s next chapter. He’s overseen the school’s recent rebrand, working with Wellington College to create stronger links between the two schools. The Prep and Senior schools will have their own identities, but now with a shared mission and a professionalisation of education (started at Wellington by Sir Anthony Seldon) as well facilities, expertise and a joined up curriculum

He’s also looking at the school’s development plans – the swimming pool refurbishment is being reviewed to ensure every inch of space benefits the children. He hopes to incorporate a Wellbeing Hub and has big plans to use the positive power of AI to create very individual learning, particularly in maths and english comprehension. He’s a warm head, brimming with ideas. I defy you not to be charmed.

BOARDING

Eagle House School Sandhurst Berkshire pupils around a campfire

Boarding is available for 65 boys and girls and the rooms are upstairs in the main house – which is acts as a hub for all the homely bits (sleeping, eating and relaxing). With more children joining Wellington College Prep in Y7 and Y8, plans are being worked on to increase capacity a little.

The boarding areas are looking very smart having been redecorated in a sophisticated, neutral colour. The girls’ rooms have a bit more personality, decorated with posters, pictures and bunting; while the boys’ are homely but a bit more functional. This is place to rest their weary heads after a long day, not to channel their inner Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen. It has a very home from home feel and the spectacular staircase leads downstairs to eat and hang out on the squishy fireside sofas. If children are staying away for home for the first time, it’s a gentle entry point with flexi boarding a popular option.

The boarders common room, has the vibe of a London loft apartment. Large squishy sofas, table football, large screen TV, beanbags and an area to make drinks and snacks. It’s a really lovely space to hangout. Cool yet cosy – you’ll often find teachers sneaking up here when the children are in lessons.

QUIRKS

I’ve not come across a school yet that has its own Tudor House, but there’s one here. Built in 2003 by staff and parents, using authentic building methods, it’s become an invaluable and fun learning facility. I feel a Horrible Histories reenactment can only be a matter of time.

Eagle House School Berkshire Children's Literary Festival Spy Dog author Andy Cope — Author Andy Cope at the Children’s Literary Festival

It hosts a Children’s Literary Festival for the whole community. It is held every two years and kids from local prep and primary schools join the bookish fun and meet the impressive visiting authors, like Marcus Sedgwick. Katherine Rundell, Ali Sparkes and Matt Dickinson, to name drop a few.

ANYTHING ELSE?

All children take part in the Learn For Life+ programme, a school initiative that encourages self-esteem, goal-setting, analysing personal strengths and weaknesses and becoming a good role model. I’m picking up this kind of initiative more and more at schools as they identify how central EQ (emotional intelligence) is becoming to future employability. Travel wise, a daily minibus picks up from Sunningdale, Ascot, Windsor, Winkfield Row, Twyford and Wokingham areas and Greywell, Hants.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Eagle House Prep school Berkshire Girl and boy playing table football in common room with urban artwork on walls

Once upon a time Wellington College Prepl was a full-boarding school, but more kids using the Nursery and Pre-Prep has meant that increasingly families come from the local community so it’s all about flexibility – early starts and a choice of end times to the school day. The kids can be dropped at 7.45am for Breakfast Club and Nursery and Pre-Prep can head to The Hideout after school until 6pm where they will be given a light tea. Frazzled parents rejoice, because The Holiday Hideout runs during the school hols too. Phew!

Also worth mentioning is that Saturday school runs every other weekend for all kids in Y5+, with optional Saturday activities for Y3 and Y4. It’s the best of both worlds. Enjoy a guilt-free coffee with a mate one week and the hang out with your angelic child the next. Everybody wins.

ISI REPORT

A Regulatory Compliance inspection took place in May 2021. Read it here. The last full inspection was in 2017, achieving Excellent across the board. Inspectors talked about the pupils’ positive attitude, think critically and flourish learning from a rich curriculum and exciting co-curricular programme. Inspectors said consistency in marking could be improved but it sounds like they were scratching their heads for something to say – and an easy fix.

FEES

Nursery is £2,755 per term (5 mornings inc lunch); Reception to Y2, £5,020; Y3-Y4, £7,585; Y5-Y8 £7,855 and Boarding) is £10,555 and Flexi Boarding is £60 per night. I’d say that’s pretty average for this neck of the woods. There’s an additional fee for learning support and individual music lessons.

WORD ON THE GROUND

It’s hard to find anything but pro remarks – happy with the academics, sport and co-curricular opportunities. Although many Wellington College Prep pupils scoot down the road to Wellington College, if children choose a different Senior School path, parents feel their kids are given all the support they need to thrive during testing and interview. If children join in Y7 and Y8 the murmurings were overwhelmingly positive – settling in quickly and an exciting curriculum that’s not laser-focussed on Common Entrance.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Anyone looking for a buzzy prep with positive values, but with all the extra curricular trimmings that feeds into the top national Senior Schools. It’s also right up your street if you prefer the non-selective ethos.

Not for: Parents looking for English eccentricity; starchy uniforms and a pressure cooker environment. Wellbeing, fun and academics are all important here.

Dare to disagree?! The next Open Morning events are on 15 Nov, 25 Jan, 28 Feb, and 14 Mar.

Wellington College Prep, Crowthorne Rd, Sandhurst, Berkshire GU47 8PH.

MORE MUDDY REVIEWS…

Read the reciew of Wellington College, Crowthorne

Wellington College Prep (formerly Eagle House School), Sandhurst

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