Your child’s first school lays the foundation for everything that follows – both inside and outside the classroom. Here’s why we believe Ardingly Prep is the perfect place to start their journey through school and beyond.
“The passion for educating children at this rural prep in West Sussex is inspirational. The friendly atmosphere, the beautiful environment, the happy pupils all add up to a school it’s hard not to fall in love with.”
A Nurturing School Where Every Voice is Heard
Our small class sizes and high staff-to-pupil ratio mean we really get to know every child and hear every voice, not just the loudest. By taking the time to understand our pupils’ individual characters and quirks, how they learn best, and what truly motivates them, we develop a bespoke learning approach for each child that brings out their best – academically, personally and socially. What’s more, by placing real emphasis on pastoral care, we make sure nobody struggles unseen and everybody is supported to grow more confident, resilient and ready to take on life’s challenges.
A Prep School with Senior School Facilities
The co-curricular offer at Ardingly Prep is also very attractive, with our Prep pupils having access to all the outstanding onsite College facilities for Music, Drama, Dance and Sport, as well as specialist teaching in these subjects from a young age. Our Prep children benefit from having a huge breadth of opportunities to try new things; to discover and nurture their talents. With over 40 after school clubs, together with the wrap-around care options from 7.30am until 6.30pm, this co-curricular offer means busy working parents don’t have to spend their afternoons and evenings ferrying children around different after-school clubs and activities. Instead, Ardingly Prep offers a ‘one stop shop’ for a broad and enriching education, so that every child can find their passion, both inside and outside the classroom.
The Benefits of a “Through School"
As an integral part of Ardingly College, almost every pupil in the Prep school makes a smooth transition to our Senior School. This gives our families peace of mind and allows our pupils to avoid the stress of the 11+ process. Crucially, it also enables us to offer a broad, enriching and engaging curriculum throughout our Prep School, without the constraints of having to ‘teach to the test’ in Years 5 and 6. Instead, we can focus on ensuring that the Prep pupils receive the best possible education and preparation to thrive academically in their Senior School years.
Extensive Wrap Around Care and Holiday Provision
We understand the challenges of juggling work with a young family, especially for parents commuting to London, which is why we offer high-quality, flexible wrap-around care. With breakfast club from 7.15am to fun after school activities running until 6.30pm, plus on-site holiday clubs and Nursery open 50 weeks a year, our timetable is packed with activities that extend far beyond the first and last bell. This way our pupils get to enjoy more hobbies, hot suppers and quality time with their friends too.
