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Change continues apace at this former all-boys’ prep where, from reception to Year 4, girls now make up half of the cohort. The next big news is that from September 2027 the school will continue through to Year 11. It’s already got the facilities and most of the staff have taught to GCSE previously, so no doubt it’ll smash the challenge in its usual impressive manner, all the while ensuring it keeps its special, home-from-home atmosphere.
Where?
A proper down-to-earth, country setting on the Berkshire/Hampshire borders, with 65 glorious acres to muck around in. Three miles south of Newbury and only minutes off the M4, Horris Hill is hugely accessible both by car and train. Local children head in from Winchester, Basingstoke and Marlborough; most come by car, but there’s also a morning taxi service from the surrounding towns and villages, as well as one to and from London for boarders at exeats and half term.
Head
Helen Wilkinson, formerly head at Brighton College Abu Dhabi and co-director of a top Swiss boarding school, took up post in January 2025 and tells us she is loving it: ‘The family atmosphere is more here than anywhere else that I have worked. Parents pitch in and are all passionate about the school.’
She has been dedicated to inspiring pupils to be the best they can be for over 30 years, having worked as a houseparent, head of English and headmistress of numerous 3-18 schools. And, being an English teacher, it’s no surprise to find that her big passion is reading. We love the sound of her ‘drop what you’re doing and read’ sessions which sees the whole school – and even parents – pulling out a book to read. Every pupil has to have one in their bag at all times and the twice half-termly sessions aren’t scheduled so come as a joyful surprise! Working with the school's inspiring head of English, Victoria Gorringe, Ms Wilkinson has also overhauled the library, showcasing pupils’ book recommendations with little signs under them explaining why they liked it.
She understands the benefits of a full boarding experience, and the joy that can be sparked through top quality teaching and learning at all ages. She is dedicated to ensuring that all pupils are exposed to a wealth of opportunities to enhance their development.
Deputy head of teaching and learning is the seriously impressive Melanie Lewis, who has completely modernised the way pupils are taught.
Admissions
There are no formal admission tests for entrance into the lower school – instead, children are invited to taster sessions and are observed in this more relaxed setting. For the upper school, prospective pupils sit a more formal CAT4 assessment, followed by an invitation to an interview with the head.
The school is selective, and not just in terms of academic ability – a good fit is as important as good test scores. Early registration is encouraged, as places do occasionally come up throughout the year.
About 40 per cent of families are international and, with the new nursery, greater numbers coming through from the lower school and increased interest from families moving out of London, day numbers are set to increase (the lack of housing stock in this popular area is something of an issue, however).
Academics and senior school destinations
The past year has seen significant changes to the curriculum to make it broader and more fluid. There is far more collaborative work, with pupils leading the learning and teachers given the professional freedom to deliver lessons that help to develop curiosity, independence and a zest for knowledge that goes way beyond passing exams. Marrying high academic ambitions with a richer learning experience is clearly paying off; the classrooms we popped our heads into were fun and bustling, and the buddying up of the scholarship set with reception is clearly mutually enriching and inspiring. Each term the whole school takes on a UN Sustainability Goal – on our visit they were diving into ‘life below water’, and from early years upwards they were engaged and excited.
A more creative curriculum hasn’t stopped pupils acing CE and gaining coveted places at top public schools – last year, half the Year 8s headed off to Winchester. A new interest in day, co-ed and all-girls schools reflects the changing attitudes of parents - 2025 leavers destinations include Marlborough, Harrow, Clifton College and Rugby School, amongst others, and the school is forging connections with Wycombe Abbey and Downe House to support their girls' aspirations for the future, as well as Sevenoaks and Shiplake. It’ll be interesting to see how many decide to stay for GCSEs – from the number of requests from parents Ms Wilkinson has had, we imagine a fair few.
Co-curricular
Sport is a big part of life at Horris Hill, and with small teams and a real emphasis on sportsmanship, everyone gets to play all the time – and they love it. Football, rugby and cricket are the main sports, but pupils also swim in the outdoor pool and play tennis, hockey and basketball, as well as golf on the nine-hole course. One teacher noted that the course is of the perfect standard for children: good enough to learn and progress on, but not so flash that they can’t play unsupervised at breaktimes. Girls join in happily and newly introduced netball has just seen them play their first tournament.
The sports hall has recently emerged from a refurb (including the reinstatement of indoor cricket nets and bowling machines, much to the children’s delight), and a makeover of the outdoor pool is next on the list. Incidentally, pupils don’t have to buy their own sports uniform – instead, there’s a set fee upon joining the school and kit is provided, labelled and laundered on site, meaning that parents don’t have to deal with festering sports bags or constantly re-buying uniforms.
The multi-million-pound theatre is a beautifully crafted, acoustically perfect work of art, with lots of design awards to its name. Drama is timetabled throughout the school and the productions are fabulous. ‘Every child is on stage every year,’ says Ms Wilkinson.
Music is big too, with almost every child in the upper school learning at least one instrument. The music block boasts a huge performance area with a spectators’ gallery, individual practice rooms and more drum kits than you can shake a drumstick at. A passionate new head of music has brought a new sense of fun and enjoyment to the subject, and there is now as much laughter as music ringing out from the department, and the huge number of bands, orchestras and choirs is truly impressive for such a small school. ‘Everyone gives it a go,’ says Ms Wilkinson.
The art and D&T department is housed in a large, dedicated space; pupils flock there at break times and after school to play chess and make Lego creations.
Clubs and activities are wonderfully varied, with Lego, chess and table tennis especially popular – we’ve never encountered so many table-tennis tables set up in the sports hall for competitions.
Boarding
From a small handful in Years 3 and 4, the number of boarders increases to about 90 per cent by Years 7 and 8. New head of boarding and pastoral Jade Vidler, who came from Downe House, is leading the integration of the girls. A dedicated girls’ house is currently being developed, but in the meantime, there are two houses – The Hill, in the main school building, and The Wood, a self-contained house in the grounds (for boys only). The single-sex dorms are light and bright, with lovely large bathrooms and super-tidy co-ed common-room spaces.
Meals are eaten and homework is done in school, so that when pupils get back to their houses, they can relax and unwind with games or maybe a midweek film night. It’s a refreshingly screen-free zone (apart from the games console, which the pupils enjoy together) and it’s clear that house staff go above and beyond to take care of their charges. Weekends see a full programme of activities – compulsory Saturday school in the upper school and an optional enrichment programme for Years 3 and 4, which 50 per cent of pupils attend.
School community
Pastoral care is superb, and there’s even a health centre manned by trained nurses to ensure that children can get medical care (or just a friendly ear) whenever they need it. A dedicated SENCO has been employed, and Horris Hill is successfully breaking down the stigma of needing extra support. The small size of the school means everyone knows everyone and staff are all very approachable. It’s clear that a lot of care goes into ensuring all the children’s happiness and wellbeing. Meals feel like family affairs, with staff serving food and lots of conversation at the table – they have a list of conversation starters to teach them how to talk at the dinner table, as well as some dos and don’ts regarding table manners. An extended morning break gives more time to play – in the summer pupils can bring their own bikes to ride. And Bob the stuffed toy dog is constantly on hand as a comforter. Ms Wilkinson walks round school with him, pupils take turns to have him on weekends, writing a diary of what they got up to, he joins them in lessons and if a child is crying, more often than not they’ll rush to find Bob.
Parents are very involved here, with regular pupil feedback keeping them fully in the loop. The annual Horris Hill Day in the summer term offers sports and events all day and live music in the evening.
And finally....
‘Children have a childhood here,’ says Ms Wilkinson, and we saw this in action everywhere we looked. Being small means every child is known and receives wraparound care from the whole community from kitchen staff to teachers to boarding parents. And, being part of the Forfar ¿´Æ¬¿ñÈË group means horizons can be big, with international exchanges (for staff as well as pupils), sleepovers with other UK schools and campouts abroad.