There is a strong sense of community at the Preparatory School.

 

At the core of the Preparatory School is a sense of community. Despite its size, the school manages to maintain a family atmosphere where everybody knows each other. As expected in a Woodard School, St Augustine’s Chapel is central to the life of the school. The community is underpinned by six Core Values which are based on Christian principles. The pupils learn to live and work together and be tolerant of each other’s needs.

 

All pupils have a teacher or tutor who is responsible not only for their pastoral care but also for ensuring good communication between school and home. Boarders are looked after by committed Houseparents and Gap Students who make sure that our boarders feel at home. The wider net of care for each child includes senior staff, the School Nurse and the Chaplain.

 

Pupils in the Prep school are members of one of four Houses. The Houses compete with each other on the sports field as well as in other areas of school life including academic achievement, effort, tidiness and conduct. The Houses are smaller ‘families’ within the larger whole school family.

 

Within each House, the Year 8 pupils are assigned buddy groups of younger pupils to look after and look out for in the daily life of school. The Buddy Groups meet at least once a week. This system encourages the older pupils to take more responsibility for looking after the younger ones who, in turn, grow to know the Year 8 pupils as helpers rather than people to be wary of.