Opinions on Manor House School Bookham Prep

[1SurreyMum]

We’ve recently moved to the area and heard good things about Manor House Bookham’s prep school and St Teresa’s Effingham’s prep. We’re considering Manor House as a potential option for our DDs for Year 1-6. We liked St Teresa’s but one DD is too young to start at the St Teresa’s prep and we’d like them on one school site for prep. I’ve heard Manor House has formed a partnership with St Teresa’s for seniors which is likely to be our first choice senior school.

Interested to hear honest up to date opinions on Manor House Prep.

Thank you.

Anyone? 🙂

I’ve heard amazing things about St T’s prep and Cranmore Prep. My understanding is that from next September pre nursery and Year 3 girls will start at Manor House instead of Cranmore and St T prep. Lots of mixed opinions on this mostly because Manor House is much smaller, only one form per year. But if you want St T’s for Year 7 then you need to be in the trust or you might not get in is what the vibe is.

Thank you, KatieJ2023. Much appreciated.

My daughter was in nursery and prep at Manor House. We moved her away after year 5 to Notre Dame school. We also looked at St Ts but they didn’t have any places available at the time. We left Manor House because there was a very small year group with bullying issues that school would not address, and also a lack of SEN recognition. Notre Dame has been brilliant. She was diagnosed with dyslexia within the year, was given brilliant SEN support, there have been no bullying issues at the school and the pastoral care there has been outstanding.

Thank you, this is helpful to know.

My daughter is at Manor House (in infants) and she absolutely loves every single day. Class sizes have historically been small but this is set to change after the partnership with Cranmore and St Teresas which will start to send their whole nursery and Year 3s to the Manor House site in phases starting this September.

DDs teachers are very caring and excellent educators. The staff looking after DD are very experienced and she is thriving across the board. We moved her from another school because she wasn’t being stretched enough and at Manor House she is being supported to excel in all her subjects. It really feels like an all round education with the benefit of being a small traditional prep. I’ve viewed all of the (much talked about on mumsnet) competition in the area and really felt that Manor House will still allow my DD to enjoy her childhood while also achieving her best. The setting is stunningly beautiful (also a wedding venue so what more can one ask). All the girls in my DDs class are bright, happy children and they are given the best opportunities to excel every day.

The preps and infants have the opportunity to use the whole site for stimulating lessons in senior school science labs, a heated pool, forest school etc. They are now also sharing facilities with the other partnership schools, for example infants are already taking trips up to St Teresa’s for swimming lessons in their big indoor pool etc. There will be free shuttle buses between sites soon to ease drop off and pickup for siblings at Cranmore, St Teresa’s and Manor House. The shuttle is already running between Cranmore and St Teresa’s.

I’d say get in quick if you can, lots of developments on the horizon. Manor House infants and prep has been a hidden gem for little ones up to now.

They used to be one form in most years but are set to grow to at least two form from September in Year 3 when the girls from partnership schools join. Just the ticket for healthy competition once they’re older but in infants my DD is currently really benefiting in the smaller home from home atmosphere in such a beautiful setting while she’s still little. It is rare to still find this atmosphere in the surrounding preps where numbers are going through the roof and it feels like one’s child can easily become ‘just a number’. You’re welcome to inbox me if you want to know more. Do a tour soon and you’ll see what we all are lucky enough to enjoy each day.

Just been to look at MH for my DD. It’s very small, reception up to yr2 taught together for many subjects. Any current lower prep parents out there with a view on this…

Hi KatieJ2023. I have a daughter currently in infants at Manor House. The children are taught together only for a few of the specialist classes such as Forest School, PE and Swimming where the group is led by specialist teachers with their year group staff supporting them. I find this beneficial for my sporty daughter as it means her abilities are not limited to her year group but she can for example play netball in Year 2 matches if she makes the team despite being younger in age. It is also lovely for the older ones as they enjoy getting to know the younger children too. They are friends across infants which is lovely for friendship opportunities.

They still receive their core learning subjects from their year group class teachers. Mixing the classes is limited to sessions where the teaching is delivered by specialist teachers (swim coaches, PE coach, Forest School teachers etc). They still have their own school trips and learning themes and each class functions as a single class with their own dedicated class teacher. The staff don't limit the outcomes for lessons to specific year group goals and are skilled at differentiating. If your child is working beyond their year group for example they will be stretched to aim for a higher year group's goals.

Ring the school if you need more information as I know they will be happy to help. 🙂

Year groups from especially nursery to Year 3 are set to grow from this September due to the partnership between Manor House, St Teresa's and Cranmore. They've joined forces so all children in nursery and Year 3 within the trust will start at Manor House from this coming September. We are very happy with Manor House infants and my daughter loves it there.

That’s really helpful, thank you. Such a gorgeous environment to learn in.

The MH / St Ts marketing department have indeed been busy in the threads above!

Smiling that my post read like a marketing post. 😉I am just a happy parent and my opinion is my own. DD’s happy so I’m happy and therefore happy to leave a positive review. I doubt marketing has seen this post but if they did they should feel very proud that parent feedback is positive. 💐

They have indeed!
The state primaries are fantastic in Bookham so worth a look unless you feel you need to get into private early to ensure your daughter can move into the senior school.

Manor House marketing department always been very active on here. They have probably sent PMs too…. They used to do this….

As anywhere, I am sure there are some happy parents but they were very few in my daughters’ years. I would not recommend the school, and know of no parents who would.

Incidentally there never used to be shared year group classes in anything when my daughters were in prep. That is a definite sign of far too few girls. I would not necessarily rely on numbers increasing just because the school is joining the trust. The primary focus for parents will be choosing the prep school they think will be best for their child, and not necessarily a school trust for their child’s entire educational journey.

I would look at Notre Dame and Tormead if I were you.

We go to a different school - but our friends are at MH and have found it great, their Daughter is happy and doing well academically. Some of the older children at Manor House help out in an external club we attend and I've been impressed at how well rounded they are, lovely girls.

MH wouldn't work for my Daughter as she enjoys a bigger pool of friends and happy in co-ed, so we choose differently.

I think there's a quite a swing towards all the way through education to avoid the stress to child / parents and uncertainty of 11 plus. Along with associated costs of it - tutoring, atom, fees, etc. I do wonder if less places will be available at 11plus too as some feeders schools have increased number of classes or indeed took over other preps to become feeders. So I think the St T's link up will make MH more attractive.

Haha I thought the exact same thing. I smiled as I read it and wondered if anyone else noticed.