WHAT? WHERE?

Dair House School occupies a leafy site in a former private house in Farnham Royal. The property and adjoining field were bought by a group of parents from the then nursery school in the 1970s to secure its future and it’s since grown to a full prep up to Year 6, whilst remaining a charitable trust. At 120 pupils, it’s around 20-or-so kids off full capacity, so you can imagine this is the sort of place where every teacher knows every child, and as the head puts it, every member of staff gets their hands dirty, mucking in with clubs, break time, trips and more. Class sizes are small – 12 on average and capped at 19.

The site comprises a modest façade and long rectangular main building with three wings running off it and two Portacabins, which are top of the new head’s kill list – attractive cedar-clad replacements are in mind to be built in the next couple of years. There are two and even three floors to the building in places and it’s something of a tardis, with much more to it than what greets you on arrival.

FACILITIES

/SPORT

The gated school is off the main road between Slough and Beaconsfield but despite the setting, it feels positively verdant at the back, where there’s a large playing field surrounded by trees that feels a world away from the suburban surrounds. The field hosts athletics, rounders, cricket, and softball in the summer and rugby, football and hockey in the other two terms. There’s two tennis courts which double as a netball court with both boys and girls trying all sports and year groups often doubling up to make up numbers for a sports team.

There’s no dodging competitive sport here – as is common in small educational settings, from Year 3 everyone gets a go at representing the school, most in several sports. Swimming takes place at a leisure centre down the road (weekly for Year 2 & 3 and one term in three for the rest). There are four houses which compete regularly in not just sport but also music and curricular activities.

CREATIVE ARTS

If it’s what’s on the inside that counts, then the music department here counts for a great deal (the exterior is a little underwhelming). Step inside and it’s impressively kitted out for a school of this size, with keyboards, ukeleles, recorders and more plus computers for editing (the school head was the former Head of Music). Kids have one music lesson a week, and over half learn an instrument. There are also choirs, ensembles and a jamboree for the youngest.

This is a school that sings together at any opportunity with frequent low key chances to perform (a recent talent show unearthed a Year 5 boy band who in a bigger environment may have been too hung up on their street cred to perform). With productions, concerts, assemblies and the nativity on the calendar your son or daughter will likely grace the stage on numerous occasions. And it’s an impressive set up – the hall can take the whole school and has lighting and audio rig so kids can master performance but also behind-the-scenes roles.

There’s now a dedicated Art and DT space which is a great opportunity to let the creativity and imagination of teachers run riot. When I visited a Year 4 class were making masks to accompany their work on ancient Egypt. And kids are encouraged to think big – three of the school’s pupils had work awarded distinctions at the Primary Engineer Competition and their work is now on display at Southampton University.

Meanwhile, the science room in the naturally light loft of the original building is well kitted out and the enthusiastic Head of Science is a big fan of practical work.

SCHOOL FACILITIES

The classrooms on the ground floor are purpose built and bright while upstairs they are more restricted by the layout of the original house and get a little more quirky, rising right up to the second floor loft science room.

The library is a cute and inviting space on the ground floor that’s shared with the SEN office. There’s comfy seating, a jungle theme and carpet space for the kids to relax on – this is a school where kids get out of seats and onto the floor regularly if my visit is anything to go by.

LITTLIES

The nursery takes littlies from the term that they turn three and has a spacious classroom that, like the rest of the school is neat and bright with various activity areas, no wanting for resources plus specialist teaching for music, forest school and French. Good use is made of storage throughout the school and I imagine that teachers need to be the tidy sort to keep surfaces clear as space is at a premium. The outdoor play area for reception has tons of ride-on’s, climbing frames and regulation sand pit and mud kitchen and merges with early years, so nursery kids have plenty of chance to get acquainted with where they’re going next and who will be teaching them.

ACADEMICS

Dair House isn’t selective but its results are solid and most kids get their first choice of destination school with a strong 11+ record. It’s a feeder to local grammars as well as independents and state. Of last year’s 20 leavers, eight went to grammars and the rest to independents like Merchant Taylor, Piper’s Corner, St Mary’s, Claire’s Court and Berkhamsted School. Scholarships have in the past been achieved for Pipers Corner, LVS, St Mary’s Gerrards Cross and Reading Blue Coat. There’s no streaming in subjects due to the small class sizes but activities are differentiated in class and support available through TAs and the SEND co-ordinator. There’s also a gifted and talented programme mainly delivered through differentiation and accelerated work within class. Specialist teachers take Forest School, French, music and PE plus science in the older years but everything else is delivered by the form teacher.

PASTORAL CARE

This is the school’s big selling point, with full visibility of every child – there are only 120 of them to 33 staff members, which is a pretty compelling ratio. Staff meet regularly with the opportunity to discuss pupil welfare and the head, Janine Bull, has an open door policy as well as making herself available to chat to parents every morning at the school gates. The school’s values of the three Cs – courageous, committed, caring, aren’t just words for the school blazer but are frequently referred to in classrooms and on sticker and reward charts. A ‘Kindness Cup’ is awarded each week and the recipient’s photo posted on a noticeboard holding the cup aloft as one usually sees a sporting trophy celebrated in school corridors. There’s also a Free Thinking assembly to discuss anything from global issues to news-led moral and ethical dilemmas. And as of 2023, an ESR session is taught to every year group weekly. The Education for Social Responsibility programme covers responsible consumerism, charity work and environmental issues alongside building a sense of responsibility, both for their surroundings and for other people. Plans are also afoot from the warm and friendly deputy head pastoral Emma Haward, to bring in wellbeing workshops that parents can attend.

THE HEAD

Alongside the school values and the integration of music and singing throughout the school, Janine Bull’s short tenure (she took the role in September 2022 but has taught there for over 10 years) has also seen the introduction of laptops for Key Stage 2 children and STEAM events throughout the year. She’s also very big on Forest School (called Dair to go Wild – punnage respect!) with a dedicated mucky space off the playing fields with log seats, fire pit, mud kitchens and an old caravan. She wants to see kids getting outside as much as possible to the early years and prep outdoor classrooms and is big on giving kids responsibility, whether that’s the weekly rotated jobs in reception – there’s both a front and back of the queue monitor, right up to the prefects, heads of house, school council and eco committee – it’s hard to see how your child couldn’t have something for their ‘CV’.

QUIRKS

Not every kid relishes playtime and in acknowledgement of this, a quiet space is offered for kids who don’t want to don their mucky over-trousers and get stuck into football or the mud kitchen and instead want to read or do some colouring in the upstairs reading/wellbeing room.

The PTA is really active here and events frequently engages parents and teachers in anything from steeplechase races on hobby horses to a family camp out on the school playing field.

WRAP AROUND CARE

A boon for busy parents, Breakfast Club is offered from 7.30am for £6.90 and drop off is from 8.15am, while at the end of the day kids can stay until 6pm with tea and outdoor play offered (for a punchy £5.35 per half hour after 4pm). There are also clubs, including chess, cookery, Spanish, debating, music, and copious sports clubs – yoga, netball, cricket, rounders, kickboxing, gymnastics and so on. Clubs are free if staffed by teachers and charged if an external organisation runs it.

SEND

Alongside the dedicated head of SEN offering one-to-one and in-class support there’s a second SEN-trained staff member. The session that was taking place when I poked my head around the door looked light-humoured and fun with plenty of hands-on activities to keep students focused. Kids with SEND have Individual Education Plans that are shared with their teachers and parents.

TRANSPORT

The majority of parents are really local with kids making their way to school by car. Drop off is streamlined by teachers meeting kids at the car so there’s no need for parents to park and get out.

FEES

At the upper end for a school of its size, reflecting the competition and the affluence of the area. Reception costs £3,646 per term, Year 1 & 2, £4,840 and Year 3 and 4, £5,335 and the final two years, £5,555, although there are loyalty discounts for staying in continuous education at Dair House and sibling discounts plus money off for those paying deposits promptly.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents love the intimacy of Dair House and the relationships they develop with the parent community as well as staff. Kate Richards, the science teacher, is well known for her imaginative ideas, and Amy de Sybel, head of music is a favourite for her endless enthusiasm. Suzie Dangerfield, the deputy head and forest school leader is another name that pops up regularly. It’s not all female teachers though, with the SEN co-ordinator, PE teachers and head of English among the male members of staff, albeit in the minority as with most preps.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

The vibe here is of a happy, family-feel environment, with bad behaviour or unkindness quickly snuffed out, which wilder kids may find challenging with everything they do in plain sight. Equally, there’s a clear nurturing spirit here with achievements of all kinds routinely celebrated and pupils at ease chatting to teachers and the head, as well as feeling confident to just give it a go.

GOOD FOR: Whether it’s sports, drama, DT, music or in leadership and representation, every kid will have their moment in the spotlight and an opportunity for recognition that might not be forthcoming in a larger environment. Boys in particular who may be daunted by the sporting prowess of their cohort in a larger school can shine here – the boys gymnastics team, drama and music definitely punches above its weight in the older age groups. In March 2023, the boys gymnastics team was the south regional winner at the Milano National Finals – seriously impressive for a school of this size.

NOT FOR: Parents who dream of adorning their walls with 1st XIV rugby team photos and attending concerts in grand halls need not apply. Very sporty kids (and their parents) need to be prepared that selection for sports is based on inclusion not ability.

DARE TO DISAGREE? Go see the school in action for yourself by booking an individual tour admissions@dairhouse.school .

Dair House School, Bishop’s Blake, Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire SL2 3BY

Dair House School, Bucks

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