Twyford School

[EduCativ]

Twyford School is one of the oldest prep schools in the country. We are proud of our heritage and the beautiful history and architecture around the school. The worn stone steps in the corridor to Upper School are a wonderful reminder of the two hundred years of education provided at Twyford. We embrace Christian values and teach children from the earliest ages to be kind, considerate, and respectful of others.
We are also proud of having some of the most up-to-date facilities and forward-thinking approaches to education. Our innovative, progressive, and ‘structured play’ curriculum aims to provide young, creative minds the opportunity to learn and to be stretched inside and outside the classroom. Classrooms are modern, bright, and well-equipped with the latest technology. Our sports and outdoor facilities are simply outstanding.
We understand that children develop their mental and physical learning at different stages. This is at the heart of our teaching and proven academic success. We shape and nurture each learning journey so children never feel overwhelmed, but maintain their confidence and enthusiasm for creative learning throughout their time here.
We strive to find new ways to teach the curriculum and are not shy about reaching beyond it. By developing a child’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning and the world around them, we hope to inspire a self-belief that will serve them well in life.
At Twyford, we pay attention to the detail of day-to-day life because it’s very often the little things we do that can make the biggest difference.
The boys, girls, and staff are the heartbeat of the school – please come and see for yourself.
At Twyford, we invest all our energies into helping each child learn in a secure and nurturing environment where they can confidently thrive, become resilient and self-sufficient, and able to positively respond to challenge and change.
We pride ourselves on our exceptionally high-quality pastoral care that is woven and delivered throughout every aspect of school life here. Our nurturing approach starts from Nursery where regular communication with parents and the School is paramount to ensuring happy children.
We celebrate success in all areas but we value most the child who goes the extra mile to embrace our School values Honesty, Kindness, Friendship, Respect, and Responsibility. Our overriding aim is that all children will flourish in our care as individuals and through this wrap-around approach acquire the tools and skills to move to their secondary school and successfully continue their journey to adulthood with confidence and capability.
The structure of our pastoral care is designed to support these aims by providing opportunities and encouragement to empower a child to be the best person they can be. All children in both the Prep and Pre-Prep have a class/form tutor they see every day who is responsible for their academic and pastoral well-being. The tutors get to know the child very well, very quickly, and are best placed to help and support them through good and bad. Years 7 and 8 have a personal tutor specifically skilled in helping them make the transition to their Senior school, with a particular responsibility to help them to flourish. These children meet with their tutors twice a week to touch base on pastoral and academic matters, as well as sharing any news with their tutor or tutor group.
Mental health awareness classes are part of well-being modules in PSHEE which is taught as a discrete subject from Reception upwards. Each week there is a pastoral topic linked to the Chapel theme and covered in both assemblies and tutor time. We run a full program of pastoral talks for parents and also for children and staff. We also support girl-specific issues using the “Girls on Board” philosophy. We are a talking school but more importantly, we are a listening school. Our School Listener is a trained counselor and our fully trained Peer Supporters are on duty at all times should the children feel their best listener is another pupil. We also have a specific ‘bullying@’ email address and multiple whisper boxes around School if children have any concerns. All the pastoral staff is Mental Health First Aid trained and we have robust systems in place for spotting a child who needs some extra assistance, recording, and helping as required. Well-being is a core part of the School’s PSHEE curriculum, as is resilience and independence.
Matrons are at the very heart of the school and play an integral part in boarding life as well. The Matrons’ Room is warm and welcoming and is often the first port of call for both parents and children they hand out medical help as required but most of all is a sympathetic listening ear for all. They are a very special group of ladies to whom many turn to.
We aim to ensure that all our children share in our strong sense of community caring for each other and understanding and embracing difference. Christian family values and community lie at the heart of Twyford School and we welcome children from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and all faiths. Children in the Pre-Prep have a daily assembly along with several special services that take place either in the School’s beautiful 150-year-old Victorian Chapel (which is quietly nestled within the school buildings) or in the village parish church. Prep School children gather regularly in Chapel, enjoying a morning service with hymns. Parents are invited to share in the Prep School Saturday morning services when we have visiting preachers, and also to join us for other services, such as Harvest Festival and Carol services. Younger children enjoy the traditional Nativity and other festive celebrations.

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