Registration

It is recommended that a child is registered two years before entry, but he/she can be registered at any time after birth.

Most local children start by the day in Years 3 & 4. A few children join as boarders in Year 4, but realistically the majority will come as boarders in Year 5 or 6. Occasionally there are entrants in Year 7. We ask for reports and any scores from a child’s previous school the term before entry and, if relevant, an educational psychologist’s report. We do not have an entrance test, but interview with the child and his/her parents along with current schools’ reports will ensure that we are right for him or her.

Please ensure that you keep us abreast of any changes of address – or indeed if you want to remove your child from the lists.

Overall view on curriculum

We are proud of a broad-ranging curriculum, both in and out of the classroom. In their penultimate year at Ashdown, children will spend a term at the Chateau Sauveterre in France and The Old Malthouse in Dorset will ignite every child’s scientific interest with tuition and guidance given from Natural History museum experts. We are proud of our reputation for teaching languages: both modern (French throughout the school with the capacity to cater for bi-lingual children) and classical (Latin for all for three years and Greek for most children for either one or two years). The headmaster would be happy to discuss other aspects of the curriculum when you visit the school. A purpose built Science block was completed in 2000.

The Boarding Community

As a full boarding school from Year 6, we are also very happy to welcome day pupils at the bottom of the school and, when parents live reasonably locally, this can make the transition less of an ordeal (for parents mostly!). Day children come to school on Saturdays and there may be occasional Sunday events they are expected to attend (notably Choral Day in March). We do, however, hope all children will board by Year 6.

There are five ‘landings’ in the school and they are divided between year groups with girls having two houseparents (Years 3, 4 & 5 have one and Years 6, 7 & 8 another) and the boys three houseparents (split between Years 3, 4 & 5; Year 6; and Years 7 & 8). Each landing has several dormitories and the children’s are looked after by the houseparents and, of course, the headmaster and his wife. The school is small enough to ensure that the pastoral side of life reflects the family atmosphere of the school – often chaotic and busy with the usual ups and downs, but always caring.

Behaviour

The school ‘rules’ can be found at the back of the Calendar and Good Mark Cards that every child carries and are based upon common courtesy and awareness of other people in the community. We operate a system of rewards (good marks, ‘show ups’, Beech House breakfasts) and punishments (bad marks, detention, being sent to the deputy or headmaster). At the start of every term, the headmaster reminds the school of three rules that are easier to remember: 1. Be Kind 2. Be Kind 3. Be Kind.

We are required by law to also tell parents that we reserve the right to exclude (suspend) a pupil for serious offences or for failing to respond to previous sanctions. In extreme circumstances a permanent exclusion or agreed withdrawal of a child may be a last resort (something that hasn’t happened at Ashdown in many years).

Spiritual Life

Ashdown House is an Anglican school and our Sunday service and morning prayers are an important part of school life. We aim, however, to provide an ecumenical approach appropriate for children of other denominations and faiths. A Roman Catholic priest visits two or three times a term to take Mass.

Policies

Ashdown parents may request information relating to, or copies of, the school’s policies. Specific policies of which you need to be aware are those on the Curriculum, Bullying and Health & Safety both in school and on trips away.

Complaints

The school’s Complaints Procedure may be requested by parents. Records of any complaints received will be kept and the school will provide, if requested, the number received during the past year.

Staff and Trustees

A list of Staff can be found in the front of the Calendar and on the website.

 The School is part of The Cothill Educational Trust whose Trustees can be found on the CET website.