Thorpe House School

Thorpe House School is an independent day school for boys in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire. We are a truly unique school as we offer a bespoke learning journey for boys from 3 years old when they join our Thorpe Explorers' Nursery through to 16 when they complete their GCSE examinations. We pride ourselves on our nurturing environment providing our boys with the support, care and learning experiences they require to reach their academic, sporting and creative potential. Thorpe House is much more than a school; it is a home from home where boys feel confident, valued and empowered to achieve beyond their potential.

We operate over three sites along Oval Way in Gerrards Cross - Pre-Prep (including Thorpe Explorers' Nursery), Prep and Seniors – and because of this we are able to focus on each individual stage of our pupils' education.

THORPE EXPLORERS' NURSERY

Thorpe Explorers combines the flexibility of wrap-a-round care with fun, engaging sessions that lay the foundations for a lifetime of learning. Morning ‘school ready’ sessions focus on academic preparation for starting school the following September and for this reason, boys can join us in the September following their 3rd birthday.

The nursery day is carefully constructed so that every Explorer has a full and well-paced day, with quiet time to ponder and reflect. Our ‘school ready’ morning sessions provide a strong academic foundation with preparation in number work, phonics, reading, handwriting, music, art / design technology, science and French, amidst free-flow, child-initiated learning opportunities. In the afternoon, Explorers enjoy twice weekly swimming lessons in the school pool; weekly music lessons with a specialist teacher; weekly French lessons with a specialist teacher; weekly cookery sessions in the Pre-Prep Food Room; and twice weekly Forest School sessions in the adjacent Austenwood Common.

The transition from nursery to reception can often be a big step which is why in addition to our ‘school ready ’ mornings, nursery and reception boys will regularly benefit from interacting with one another through free-flow activity. This will provide them with a smooth transition, as they will already be familiar with their surroundings, making moving to ‘big school’ much less challenging.

PRE-PREP DEPARTMENT

The Pre-Prep is a vibrant, inclusive and very happy school, where small classes ensure a high level of care and attention to every boy, and where boys are encouraged to embrace the values of friendship and respect, alongside perseverance and a love of learning.  We are dedicated to individual learning and guide the boys in becoming confident, capable and polite individuals, willing to take a risk and discover more about themselves in the process.  

Our classes are small with no more than 16 boys and teaching styles vary to create a positive and enabling learning environment.   Standards are high and boys are encouraged to be independent in their learning and ask questions about the topics they cover, though support and guidance is always available should a boy need it.  Music is part of daily life at Pre-Prep and is taught by a dedicated peripatetic teacher who knows how to encourage even the most reluctant musician: the boys love the opportunity to showcase their work in year group assemblies, school performances and end of term concerts.

PREP DEPARTMENT

The Prep Department is a warm, friendly, family-like community where each boy is known by his teachers and taught in classes of no more than 16 boys.  Due to these small class sizes, our teachers have the time, energy and experience to look after the individual needs of each and every boy, to enable him to feel safe and valued and therefore to blossom both academically and emotionally. As a school educating boys, we recognise the importance of delivering a learning experience tailored to the way boys learn, so we are constantly looking for contextual, kinaesthetic and visual learning opportunities to engage the boys and get them excited about learning. 

Although warm and friendly, we maintain high standards of discipline and pride ourselves in producing boys who are caring, tolerant and respectful as well as encouraging a love and curiosity for learning.

SENIOR DEPARTMENT

The Senior School opened in 2006 in response to the overwhelming demand from parents who were looking for continuity in their son’s education and a high quality alternative to the schools that were available at the time. Since its inception, the school has gone from strength to strength and is now oversubscribed year on year. Our aim is simple – to provide excellent teaching in a small school environment, where each boy is known by all of his teachers and is treated as an individual. Using our clear understanding of each pupil and how each of them learns, we develop the specific skills and strengths of our boys so that by the time they leave us, they are equipped to face the challenges of a new school and higher education.

The majority of boys stay with us to take their GCSEs at the age of 16, with two thirds of GCSE grades obtained typically being A*, A or B. This provides our boys with the opportunity to move onto a variety of different local schools to take their A Levels.