Repton Prep School, aims to provide the highest standard of teaching and learning, pastoral care and broad co-curricular and extra – curricular experience, in an inspiring and spacious setting where children are allowed to be children, encouraged all the while to develop in confidence and self-esteem into their best selves.
We are a co-educational day and boarding preparatory school of 450 pupils, aged from three to thirteen, set in the fifty-acre grounds of a beautifully proportioned eighteenth century Palladian hall in South Derbyshire.
As a school we believe that the most valuable education is one that is broad and balanced, enabling children to enjoy their childhood whilst benefiting from a wonderful range of opportunities both in and out of the classroom.
We aim to encourage our children to use their minds well, to understand that with privilege comes responsibility, to make wise judgements; to be able to discriminate between right and wrong, good and better.
We believe that physical activity is important for growing children and that many important lessons for life are learned in this arena.
Finally we believe that no education is complete without a spiritual element to it, teaching children to appreciate beauty, to be creative and to value faith.
With these elements in place, Repton Prep aims to produce young people at thirteen who are confident without being arrogant, who are achieving well in and out of the classroom and who are appreciative of the needs of others around them. Such young people will be well prepared for the senior phase of their education and for life beyond.
Boarding lies at the heart of Repton Prep, building a unique sense of community and ensuring children receive the very best start in life. The boarding houses play a key role in developing the school’s strong sense of family values, encouraging children to live and work together harmoniously, build friendships and develop their independence. Children flourish in comfortable surroundings where they are offered the attention, care and guidance they need.
Our experienced boarding staff are on hand around the clock, providing a happy home environment for boarders. All of our Houseparents have their own families helping to contribute to the family feel in the boarding community. We offer a range of different types of boarding including full, weekly, home and away (where children go home at weekends and on Wednesday evenings) and flexi boarding.
We have four boarding houses. Each house contains several family-style “bedders”, small dormitories shared by up to several other friends with resident staff always at hand. The rooms are decorated and furnished to a high standard. Children bring in their own posters, soft toys and duvet covers to make their room feel like a home-from-home. Children are encouraged to treat their house as their home – a place they can relax, study and build lasting friendships.
There are two boarding houses for boys
Burdett: For boys in school Years 3 – 6
‘Nurturing, warm, caring, purposeful but above all, fun!’
Burdett House for boys aged 7 – 11 (years 3 -6) is located in a separate building attached to the main house. The house has a warm, vibrant and busy feel to it with the emphasis most definitely on family fun. Whether it’s playing cricket in the corridor, deadly light sabre attack or hide and seek, Fifa World Cup X-box challenges, early morning runs, there is always something going on.
The house is well resourced with a common room with TV and X-Box, laptops and house wifi, books, and various board games. There are four bedders all named after superheroes (rather like the Burdett boys!): Iron Man, Superman, Batman and Spiderman
Burdett is the boys’ house for several months of the year so we don’t underestimate how important it is to create a home from home environment for the boys. Many of the boys comment on how safe and cared for they feel in the house. Whether it’s a chat, a hot chocolate, or a hug, all the boys are made to feel at home and part of the boarding family at Repton Prep.
Academically, the boys get teacher support with their prep and a time is set aside each evening for the boys to read to each other and the house staff. Strong communication between house parents and the boys’ teaching staff make sure that we help the boys be the very best that they can be.
Francis: For boys in school Years 7 – 8
Francis House is home to Year 7 and 8 boy boarders (age 11 – 13). The house comprises of four bedders, the Gun Room with an ensuite, the Wine Cellar, the Still Room and the Butler’s Pantry. Each bedder accommodates up to seven boys.
The boys take pride in personalising their own bed areas with posters, maps, photos and drawings. Such decorations are part of the prestigious termly, tidy bedder competition, developing house spirit and independence.
Evening routines are varied and the boys have the opportunity to involve themselves in activities organised by the resident house staff. The incredible facilities at Foremarke allow for plenty of space to let off steam, while also providing quieter areas for work and music practice. There is a games room for arcade games, air hockey, table tennis and pool. The boys also have access to all manner of communication, should they have time to contact parents!
The houseparent is Mr Edward Saunders. Mr Saunders is also a Year 5 teacher and Year 5 Form Tutor. He is supported by his wife, Bella. They have one son called Toby is just seven months old. The house assistant, Mrs. Margaret Hollioake, is undoubtedly the world’s greatest maker of hot chocolate! She is ably assisted by a male GAP student. There are two academic house tutors, Nick Wells and John Whitmore, as well as the school’s Head of Football, Ian Clarkson.
Nightingale: For girls in school Years 3 – 8 (aged 7 – 13)
Nightingale House is a happy and relaxed boarding house for girls aged between 7 – 13 who all live in comfortable bedders (our name for dormitories) of 3 – 6 beds. The house is named Nightingale after the well-known lady with the lamp, and her caring concerned nature is aptly represented in our lovely home.
Nightingale is built in the converted stables located in the Quad, giving it a really homely feel, right in the heart of the school. We have a large common room where girls can relax, play games and share hot chocolates. Some of the more popular activities are dance competition, Chinese night, cake making and film night.
Though the activities and facilities in the house are excellent, what we are most proud of is our family atmosphere and warmth. Our lovely gap students, whom the girls see as big sisters, help to create that atmosphere and foster our core school values with a particular focus on respecting other people, their space and their belongings.
We have high expectations of the girls and the awarding of daily ‘bedder’ points is one of the many ways the girls are encouraged to be tidy and look after themselves and their belongings.
The Houseparents are Mike and Rachael Casey. Mr Casey is Head of Boarding and teachers PE. Mrs Casey is Head of Art. Mrs Casey love for art is very apparent throughout Nightingale with the interior decor beautifully decorated in Cath Kidson soft furnishings and pupils art work. Mr and Mrs Casey have two children, Alistair and Hannah, both of which are at the school. The Casey family also have a cat called Pip.
Knowle Hills: Our Flexi-Boarding House (Girls and Boys aged 7-13)
Children can book in for one, two or three nights a week, or on an occasional basis, to fit in with parents’ commitments.
The Flexi-boarding house is situated right at the top of the main Hall and accommodates our day children. The boys and girls have their own separate areas and sleep in bedders named after mountains. The boys stay in Mont Blanc and Everest and the girls stay in Kilimanjaro, Ben Nevis and Snowdon.
Our Flexi boarders have access to all the facilities and activities available to the full-time boarders and join in with the boarders during their stay. They have tea and breakfast with the boarders in the dining room. They can choose to relax in the cosy environment of the boarding house if they wish. We do have the occasional movie night and monopoly and chess challenges are amongst some of the activities on offer. There is also a very much anticipated Annual Flexi Summer Party complete with chocolate fountain!
The children have the opportunity to receive plenty of support with their prep and Mrs Waldock is always on hand to help. We are ably assisted by gap students and the children enjoy getting to know them better outside normal school hours.
Supper in the boarding house usually includes the legendary hot chocolate, iced water, squash, milk and crusha as well as plenty of fresh fruit, biscuits and toast. The boarding house routine mirrors the full-time boarding houses with a real emphasis on getting a good night’s sleep. Full time boarders thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to join their Flexi-boarding friends in the Flexi boarding House for sleepovers.
The Flexi House-parent is Mrs Claire Waldock (Head of Science). Claire is supported by her husband Nick and her four children William, Katherine, Lizzie and Harry.
