WHAT? WHERE?

The Beacon is a smart independent day Prep for boys and girls (3-13 yrs) between leafy Chesham Bois and Amersham in South Bucks, amongst 18 acres. Classes are small, and the school prides itself on its pastoral ethos. The school remains on its original 1933 site, and you’ll see charming timbered barns (once farm buildings) still in use around the school Quad, along with some more modern additions.

FACILITIES

Aside from the usuals (sports hall, astroturf, tennis courts), the sports facilities worth shouting about include 16 acres of playing fields with a cross-country course set in the Chiltern Hills, and a jaw-dropping covered 25m swimming pool that puts most public pools to shame.

Interested in the arts? There’s an attractive 220-seat purpose-built theatre, a studio theatre, a music technology suite, eight music practice rooms and a drum pod. There are also dedicated LAMDA teaching rooms, with roughly 20% of the children taking exams here.

Academically, there are separate science labs for different ages of pupils, a purpose-built Art Studio with kiln, digital cameras, a DT workshop with laser cutter, a CNC router, vinyl cutter, 3D printers, computer-aided design programmes, as well as more traditional DT stalwarts (drills! saws!), oh, and an Interactive Augmented Reality sandbox used in Geography. The ICT room has pop-up computer workstations, an interactive 86-inch digital LCD, a robotic play area for programming and a 4K HD video recorder with green screen for filmmaking.

SPORTS

The ethos here is explicitly ‘sport for all’ and every child from Year 3 upwards represents the school in team matches. ‘Robinson’, the Director of the sports department, is super passionate about inclusion, and with over 750 fixtures played throughout the year, he ensures every child gets their moment in the sun. Nothing too unusual in the sports programme here – swimming, football, hockey, cricket, tennis, rugby and athletics are the main focus, with rugby, athletics and cross country particularly strong. The school recently introduced a basketball team, and the Nursery children are taught swimming, Games and PE by specialist Teachers at the age of 3.

MUSIC, ART AND DRAMA

Beacon School student's performing on stage

Musicians are well catered for here – there’s a full orchestra on offer, which is not something I see at many prep schools, pre-prep, lower, middle and upper school choirs, one training band, one brass band, Year 2 brass monkeys, mini strings and toot club as well as two guitar ensembles and a rock band. Unusual instruments, including a school harp. The take-up of 50% for instrumental tuition is around average.

With a large theatre plus a smaller drama studio located in the original 1930s Old Barn, drama is popular, with three major productions put on each year, plus Christmas carol concerts, showcases, and nativity plays for the younger pupils. Workshops from external theatre companies. A bi-annual trip to take a production up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A successful drama and music scholarship platform, and ‘Beacon Bard of the Year’ and ‘Young Musician of the Year’ competitions every year.

Art is big at The Beacon as all children are encouraged to explore their creativity, with colourful displays and exhibitions found around the school. The spacious Art Studio is bursting with energy, and it includes pottery, painting and printing facilities to inspire pupils. The annual whole school Art Exhibition is certainly a spectacle not to be missed.

ACADEMICS

The Beacon was one of the founding schools of the Prep School Baccalaureate (PSB) – an alternative to the Common Entrance curriculum criticised by some heads for its ‘rote learning’ reputation. Basically, the PSB encourages a set of learning skills – Communication, Collaboration, Leadership, Independence, Reviewing and Improving and Thinking and Learning – across all areas of school life within a spine of 10 core subjects, with the curriculum set not by a board but by each school.

In Middle School, the Future Sparks Programme was created to give the pupils in Years 5 and 6 challenges to develop their interpersonal skills inside and outside of the classroom. At the end of the year, pupils are awarded with a diploma, grading them with a pass, merit or distinction.

In Y7 and Y8, the children participate in a bespoke and dedicated upper school programme – the Shining Future programme, which runs for two years and is driven by specialist teachers. It is designed to bring the most out of each pupil’s individual abilities, strengths, and talents. Children further develop the skills and attributes necessary to achieve their utmost potential academically, emotionally, and socially.

At The Beacon, that manifests itself in both tradition (Latin and Classics both compulsory between Year 6-8) and progression, with a huge emphasis on areas like Cooking and Nutrition and International Studies, as well as initiatives like the ‘Self and Society Room’, a philosophical space that discusses the relevance of religion in the 21^st century.

The mix seems to be working – over the last three years, 45+ scholarships and exhibitions were awarded to pupils from the likes of Harrow, Eton, Oundle and Berkhamsted School. Local options include Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham, The Royal Grammar in High Wycombe and Chesham Grammar.

PASTORAL

This is an area The Beacon delivers particularly well on. The school ethos of kindness is a powerful starting point (compared to other schools and their mottos of ambition, strive, success, etc.), and this is backed up with active teaching of life skills like mindfulness from Nursery upwards, Years 7 & 8 mentoring the younger children, and the permanent school wellbeing coach and counsellor.  There are also two on-site Mental Health First Aiders and a team of 16 trained Mental Health Champions across the school, offering comprehensive support.

The Beacon Kindness Cup is sought after on a weekly basis by children eager to be acknowledged for their efforts. Initiated by Nick Baker, it is filled with sweets as an extra treat for the pupils nominated by the Teachers.

THE HEAD

Nick Baker, Headmaster, joined The Beacon Summer of 2022 and has made a lasting impact on the community and the school.

Nick grew up in Amersham and has always had a desire to attend The Beacon School. Since his appointment, Nick has already overseen the implementation of several initiatives, including a new play area for the littlies, an upgrade to the cookery and ICT room, the paths around the school and the fitting of solar panels. He brings over 20 years’ experience in the education industry and is excited about what the future holds for The Beacon as a co-ed school.

LITTLIES

The Beacon has its own educational Nursery for boys and girls aged 3-4. Cutely named ‘Little Beacons’, the children are based in the gorgeous and spacious Oakway building shared with the pupils in Reception aged 4-5. Nursery children have their own fully-qualified Teacher and Teaching Assistant for sessions in Maths, Phonics, Languages, Cooking, IT, Art and Outdoor Learning and enjoy exciting activities in PE, Music and Singing- all led by specialist staff.

Children in Pre-Prep aged 3-7 are all in small class sizes. There is a separate building for children aged 5-7 that also has plenty of room, space, light and all the school facilities close at hand for pupils, led with plenty of passion and creativity by Lucy Gordon, who is Head of Pre-Prep. Specialist taught subjects include Music, Games, PE, Drama, ICT, and International Studies. There’s also a breadth of after-school clubs, from Chess and Lego Robotics to Yoga and Coding Club, but I particularly liked the outdoor space for the littlies – stretched across the breadth of the building with plenty of room for invention (puppet show area, sand pit, wooden shop and building zone).

Beacon School students exploring outside

The Beacon offers its own regular outdoor learning for Pre-Prep rather than the official Forest School programme. This includes a weekly welly walk for Nursery kiddies to get familiar with outdoor learning and to foster a love of nature. A dedicated, safe, outdoor learning area was recently created in partnership with the parents, for the littlies to explore freely. That said, it’s not all bombing around and mud kitchens here. One of the sweetest things I’ve seen in a school is The Beacon pre-prep children having a yoga class, complete with cuddly toys. And kindness starts early here – the children who are recognised for being thoughtful to others get a hot chocolate on a Friday.

SEND PROVISION

The Beacon is a selective school but takes a wide range of abilities – it’s not just about academics here. There’s specialist SEND provision in a new dedicated space on offer in a light and airy space that has displays celebrating famous dyslexics and emphasising that everybody has different gifts is the order of the day.

QUIRKS

If a quirk is ‘not the norm’, then I have to say the food, because these are the best school lunches I’ve ever come across. The breadth on offer, but also the thought that’s gone into Taste Buddies, a kitchen-led initiative getting the kids to try British seasonal food (when I was there – Jerusalem artichokes!) was seriously impressive. The emphasis on cooking for the children is unusual too, weekly lessons that culminate in a Yearly MasterCook competition judged by famous local restauranteurs, such as  Laurie Gear of the Michelin-starred (and former Muddy Award winner) Artichoke restaurant, as well as Atul Kochhar, twice Michelin-starred chef and TV personality who owns 7 Indian restaurants, including Riwaz in Beaconsfield. Daniel Crump, Proprietor at The Greyhound in Beaconsfield, also adjudicated the event.

More a footnote of history than a quirk is the dining hall where Sgts Mess’ has been carved over the doorway, a throwback to the Second World War when the army was billeted in the buildings.

FEES

Average for this part of Buckinghamshire, I’d say. Per term: Nursery £405 (per morning or afternoon session). Reception £5,485, Y1 & Y2 £6,558, Y3 & Y4 £8,309, Y5 £8,674, Y6 – Y8 £8,995.

The Beacon is now registered for universal 15-hours per week government-funding for 3-4 year olds.

ISI REPORT

The Beacon successfully met standards across all categories. View the latest inspection and compliance reports here.

TRANSPORT

Bus links are excellent for those in surrounding towns and villages with routes from Beaconsfield, Berkhamsted, Gerrards Cross, Chorleywood, Great Missenden, High Wycombe and surrounding villages. View the bus route service. Amersham to London Marylebone via train takes 35 minutes. An under-6-year-old chauffeured transport service is also available.

WRAP-AROUND CARE

You can drop off your child from 7.30am for breakfast, and using the after-school club provision, pick them up at 6pm.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Glowing. The view from parents is that it’s strong across the board, academically (as you’d expect if you’re paying good money), but also across the arts, which are seen as just as ‘cool’ as sports.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Parents looking to turn out modern, independent, outward-looking ‘all rounder’ children in a nurturing environment. As a leading prep school in the UK, it can cater to bigger personalities whilst still being small enough to nurture the less extroverted.

Not for: If you like your schools to look like stately homes, start squinting now.

Dare to disagree?! The Beacon offers private tours of the school, and should you wish, you can also have an informal chat with the Headmaster about your child and their education. To book a tour and register your interest, please click here.

Seeking admissions for your son or daughter? Visit The Beacon at the next Open Morning on Sat 26 Sept. Book a place here. There is also an Early Years Stay & Play (music themed) on Wed 20 May – click here to book this.

The Beacon, 15 Amersham Road, Chesham Bois, Amersham, Bucks, HP6 5PF. Email: office@beaconschool.co.uk. Tel: 01494 433654

The Beacon School, Amersham

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