Bromsgrove Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School
The Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School, together with the Preparatory and Senior Schools, provide continuity of education for children from age 3 to 18 years. It has spacious and light classrooms, equipped with interactive whiteboards, with high teacher to pupil ratios and small class sizes, to ensure each pupil's individual needs are met.
All children at Bromsgrove Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School wear a uniform. Full uniform can be bought at the school shop, which is situated within the Senior School grounds.
A Note from the Headmistress
I extend a very warm welcome to you and your child from everyone at Bromsgrove Pre- Preparatory and Pre-School. Our School was founded in 1943 by Mrs Ottilie Hild as a private day school and was originally called Ottilie Hild School. In 1986 it became part of Bromsgrove School and moved to its present spacious and rural setting, on the outskirts of Bromsgrove, in 2000.
The Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School is a place where children have a memorable and positive start to their educational journey. We believe it is the early years, from the ages of three to seven, when the educational foundations are laid for everything that follows. Very young children are curious and enthusiastic; they are learning to learn. Our aim is to harness these qualities in an active, stimulating, happy and secure environment. We nurture children into confident, well prepared and highly motivated learners who will go on to achieve the best for themselves. At the same time, we help them to develop with good manners, self discipline, honesty and consideration for others, working and playing in a positive and rewarding way. The friendly, secure family atmosphere of the school encourages children to become independent learners and caring members of our community.
We would be delighted to show you around our school so that you can experience for yourself the happy and caring atmosphere that underpins all we do – please call or email Mrs Liberty Chance in our Admissions Department to arrange a visit.
Jacqui Deval-Reed
Headmistress
Pre-School
Children may start in Pre-School at the beginning of the term in which they turn three years old. Pre-School provides a safe, secure, happy and stimulating environment and is set in its own building, within the grounds of the Pre-Preparatory School.
Pre-School has full access to Pre-Prep's amazing facilities and extensive play areas and the children enjoy being part of the wider Bromsgrove community and take part in school assemblies, plays and many other activities.
Pre-School has a semi open-plan environment with a separate outdoor play area and covered area. With a dedicated outside play area and separate cloakroom facilities the very youngest children in our school feel safe and at home.
We follow the National Curriculum guidelines taking children through to the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2). The Early Years Foundation Stage (Pre-School and Reception) follow the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum consists of three prime areas of learning: Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Communication and Language; Physical Development and four specific areas: Literacy; Mathematics; Understanding the World; Expressive Arts and Design.
Following this we have three Reception classes, each taught by a qualified teacher and a full-time qualified assistant.
Pre-Preparatory
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are based in the main part of the old house, where the modern facilities sit alongside sympathetically restored period features of the original stately home.
Each of the three year groups in the Pre-Preparatory School is divided into three parallel classes with highly qualified teachers and classroom assistants. The School follows, but is not restricted by, the National Curriculum. Learning is enhanced and enriched by an exciting and creative curriculum which follows on from the Early Years Foundation Stage. Each classroom is fitted with an interactive whiteboard and there is a purpose built ICT suite which is used by all children from the Pre-School to Year 2.
The beautiful grounds also provide unique outside learning opportunities for all children in the School. We have an accredited Forest School, a wildlife pond and bog garden, an outdoor theatre, an adventure trail and an all-weather play lawn as well as large gardens for play and PE lessons.
The Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School operates an ‘open door’ policy, so that parents can talk with staff, at convenient times, about any aspect of their child’s academic progress and welfare.
The class teacher is the appointed Key person for a child’s academic and pastoral care during their time at School. The classroom assistants support the class teacher in this capacity. All our staff are continuously extending their training and developing their knowledge to ensure that the children in our care receive the most appropriate learning opportunities, in line with their individual needs.
During the academic year there are two formal Parents’ Evenings and one open afternoon, when the children share their work with their parents.
Please visit our
Admissions page for more information about joining the School.
After School Care
‘Aftercare’ is available from 3.15 – 6.00pm Monday to Friday during term time. Advance booking is usually required as places are limited due to statutory staffing ratios. Please contact the Pre-Prep office for details about booking and charges. In ‘Aftercare’ the children are divided into three age groups; Pre-School, Reception and Key Stage 1.
All of the children have the opportunity to participate in a variety of free choice activities, in a friendly and relaxed environment supervised by experienced Pre-School and Pre-Prep staff.
Tea is served at 4.30pm when all three ‘Aftercare’ groups join together in the Dining Room. The menu varies daily and includes hot and cold choices which are nutritious and extremely popular.
Holiday Club
The Holiday Club at the Pre-Preparatory School is open to current pupils from Pre-School up to Year 2. It is based in the Pre-School unit with free-flow access to the securely fenced garden area. Our main aim is for children to have fun in a safe but familiar environment supervised by our own experienced and qualified staff. Sessions involve daily arts and craft activities, outdoor play and the freedom to choose from a wide variety of toys, games, role play opportunities and construction activities.
We open from 8.00 a.m. until 6.00 p.m. during most school holidays. A morning snack, cooked lunch and afternoon tea are all provided and during the summer holidays breakfast is also available too. A minimum of 6 pupils is necessary for any session to run.
During the summer holidays, pupils who have just left Year 2 are included in the Activity Camps based at the Preparatory School instead of the one at the Pre-Preparatory and Nursery School.
To book either Aftercare or the Holiday Club, please click the links on the right hand side of this page. Forms are also available from the Pre-Prep Office.
Transfer to Preparatory School after Year 2
It is expected that children will transfer to Bromsgrove Preparatory School but this is dependent on achieving a certain standard of work in Literacy and Numeracy. Issues of behaviour are also considered, where appropriate, during consultation between the Pre-Preparatory & the Preparatory School, prior to transfer.
Parents' Association
From running the uniform exchange to raising money for the School, the Parents’ Association at Bromsgrove Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School is a hard working and, it has to be said, social group.
Our goal is to provide our School and the children with extras that help to either add value or create a memorable experience. From ice creams on school trips, birthday stickers for all pupils, decorating a school playground, additional IT equipment to providing the vast array of outdoor play equipment; the PA works closely with the teachers to pin point areas where additional funding or support is needed.
With pupils from the age of three years old to seven, the focus is always on providing fun as well as educational initiatives. The Christmas Fair, with seasonal visitor, is a key time of year for us as well as the annual visit by the Easter Bunny in the spring.
The PA has helped with a number of projects in recent years, including:
• Wildlife Pond
• Digital Camera and equipment
• Educational toys, books and puzzles for all year groups
• Whiteboard ‘magic wands’
• Forest School tools
• Equipment for science boxes for foundation stage
• Trikes and scooters
• Christmas presents for each class
• Chocolates for every child at Christmas and Easter
• A birthday sticker for every child
• Ice creams or other small gifts on school trips
• Funding towards the Year 2 trip
• Funding for the children’s entertainer at Pre-school fun day
• Leavers’ booklet
• Leavers’ chalices
• Educational puzzles
• Additional library books
• The History Man for Year 1 and Year 2
• Wall mounted activities in the courtyard
• Outdoor wooden play equipment around the School grounds
• SNUG outdoor play equipment at a cost of approximately £15,000
When you look around the School you will see the difference the PA makes. All the equipment in the school grounds, for example, the play lawn, the activity trail, the outdoor stage, the pirate ship, the wooden outdoor play equipment, sun shades in the nursery garden, SNUG play equipment on the play lawn, even the Pre-School path has all been funded by the PA.
We want the children to have an enjoyable experience at Bromsgrove Pre-Preparatory and Pre-School and we encourage parents to get involved with the committee and to help out at events or have any ideas then please get in touch.