Best primary schools around Hindhead/ Haslemere

[Lostforestmama]

So we have recently moved to Hindhead from Nottinghamshire and are looking at schools for our DD. We haven't lived here long and I don't have any local mum friends yet who's brains I can pick for advice.
Our DD is due to start reception in September 2026 , so we have time but understand some schools fill up faster than others.
I would like her to go to state school , beacon hill primary is our closest and looks like a nice school but my husband is keen on sending her to private school ( his mum is going to be funding it) I'm however not convinced of the benefit of private school for primary school .
We've looked at 2 schools so far, St Ives which was our initial preference but we then looks at St Edmunds and we're incredibly impressed with the child led approach.
We are obviously spoiled for choice with schools in the area and had also planned to look at Amesbury, churchers and Highfield & Brookham.
So can anyone point us in the right direction? Any schools to avoid ? Or ones to definitely consider ?

Basically you are spoiled for choice in this area, though no longer if you want single-sex education. It’s all co-ed now.

I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with any of them but only you can decide which will best suit your daughter. Most (or possibly all) of them have nurseries, so you could pick your favourite and try it out at that stage, which will give you a feel for the school more generally.

You have obviously started to visit schools already, which is good. Although it seems very early, I would start to think about the sort of school you might want them to go to afterwards - and at what age.

Amesbury and Highfield go up to 13, so probably offer a more typical “prep school” experience. According to a friend who sent her children to Amesbury years ago, many of the girls left at 11, so if you wanted yours to stay on until 13, she might be one of very few girls doing so. The other schools that go up to 13 might have similar issues.

St Edmund’s goes up to 16, so your daughter could stay on there until then, but would have to move for 6th form.

Churcher’s has its own linked senior school which caters for those from 11-18. I think most children from the junior school move up to the senior school, so stay with their friends.

I don’t know how much pressure either school puts on parents to stay on/move up, but I imagine both are keen to retain pupils, especially these days.

St Ives only goes up to 11, probably because until recently it was a girls’ school and all the local girls’ senior schools start at 11.

Other local schools you could look at are Frensham Heights (goes up to 18) Edgeborough, and Barrow Hills (both 13).

I don’t have any personal experience of any of these schools myself as my children went to a local state primary. However, I know people who send/sent their children to all of the schools listed except Highfield and Edgeborough and all are/were very happy with their choices with the exception of one family who weren’t happy with Barrow Hills (but that was over 10 years ago).

Good luck with your search!

We're in the area and the previous poster is right - there is loads of choice. We've done a mix of state and private which helps to see the differences. The private route has a lot more sport, matches, drama, art, languages, IT. Not to say the state schools don't cover these but in our experience they didn't cover them all every week/term. I also agree that with private you might want to think about the likely preferences for senior school and work back.

We've been really happy at Churcher's, both junior and senior. There is always loads going on at the juniors in terms of shows, concerts, author visits, trips, camp fire days etc. Lots of clubs at both lunchtime and after school. It's academically selective but not as much as the top Guildford schools - "average and above" is what they quote. Junior school children still take the entrance exams to the senior school which means they would also be prepared fairly well for external exams if you wanted to go elsewhere for senior, though the majority do move on together. I'm not sure if St Ed's does the same; I think it's more straight through.

With falling birth rates and fee increases for VAT, there will be less demand in most private schools especially from age 5 so you probably don't need to worry too much about the possibility of getting a place for reception. There are fewer places in years 3 to 6 especially the higher years in the all through schools.

I think there are still some open days this term so worth visiting all the options if you can. Churcher's Junior have events on 6th & 7th June so very soon! Also consider class sizes/year group sizes - some are bigger than others. Larger ones give more chance that they will find their tribe and any friendship issues are diluted. Smaller class sizes probably give more adult attention if that's needed.

Good luck.

Agree with others that you're spoilt for choice around here. State schools are very good and there are plenty of co-ed private options. My kids are not at the schools you mention, but have friends with kids that are. Out of them all, I've probably heard the most positive things about St Ed's and Churcher's. Highfield comes across as a very "traditional" (and expensive!) prep, Amesbury more modern. I would personally be wary of St Ives, due to the very small size. Possibly an unfair criticism, but it is owned by United Learning who recently shut the Royal school nearby due to falling rolls, which caused a lot of local upset.

Welcome to Hindhead! It's a lovely area to raise children, and as pp have said you are really spoiled for choice for schools so you can find the one that's best for you and your family.

The school that was right for our children is Amesbury. We really like its emphasis across the full breadth of the curriculum, and the equal balance on sport, performing and visual arts. It is a place where our children can be themselves, and where they have so much fun every day. We also didnt want an all-through school as full preparation and choice for senior school entry is important to us, and Amesbury sends children on to a wide range of senior schools.

There's a recent Muddy Stilettos review that really captures the feel of the school, or happy to answer any questions if you want to DM me. Good luck - you'll know when you've found the right one!

Hi, welcome to a lovely a place to live. I am an Amesbury mum, it's a super happy school, the school works very hard to deliver an all round academic curriculum with loads of exposure to sport (5 hours a week vs 2 x 30 min PE session with your teacher in state), performing arts, dance and visual arts also very important. Pastoral care is outstanding. The parents are lovely, hard-working and just want the best start for their children's education. Lots of children boys and girls now stay until 13 and then move on to the right school for them.

There are loads of independent schools in the area and they all offer something different, go and visit and see which one 'fits' your family.

Welcome to the South, my family originally all from Nottinghamshire! We moved to the area a few years ago from London and it’s such a lovely part of the world to raise children — you're definitely spoiled for choice when it comes to schools.
Both of our children are at Amesbury — one is currently in Reception and the other is further up the school. We looked at a number of private schools in the area (including a couple you've mentioned), but Amesbury really won our hearts.
My Reception child is always full of beans and seems to know everyone in the school! There’s a real emphasis on younger and older year groups mixing, which creates such a warm and inclusive community. The school offers so many activities, even from Reception — dance, sport, coding, arts and crafts — all of which happen during lunch, before or after school. It's been great for us as working parents not to have to cram everything into the weekends.
It’s a very nurturing school and our two are thriving there — happy, confident, and genuinely excited to go in each day.
Happy to chat more if you’d like — feel free to PM me any time 😊

There are so many to choose from it will depend on yr & DD priorities (academic, sport, arts/DT, performing arts, social status, all-through, prep to 11+/13+, or day/boarding senior). Agree with Scoopdedoop that Churchers has the most generally positive feedback. Yes they’re all-through, but also a healthy outside intake at 11+ and the most academic. Also strong at sport (featuring highly in regional and national competitions) along with Amesbury. Amesbury also especially strong at performing arts and arts, but less academic. Fifthtimelucky is right that although it goes up to 13+, many leave Amesbury at 11+. Highfield is the most expensive and the traditional 13+ with classic country-club ethos, particularly strong at swimming. Edgeborough also goes to 13+, a general all-rounder, is part of the Charterhouse family. St Ives remains small - said to be nurturing for the shy child, but with low numbers and broad range of abilities/interests. Perhaps also consider Bedales along the A3 for the more creative and outdoorsy child.
Pastoral is a bit of a misnomer as all schools claim it, but no one school stands head and shoulders above the others in this respect. The most “pastoral” for DD will be the one that’s most suited to DD’s/yr family’s interests, abilities and priorities.

At the risk of being very repetitive, we are genuinely spoilt for choice in this area. I know children who are / are at all of the following and this is my take on them:

St Ives -very small, gentle school. Nurturing and perhaps best for non sporty girls. I'd worry about numbers and financial viability. Sweet Hogwarts-esque uniform.

St Ed's - was a traditional prep until about 10? years ago. Now through to 16, so good if you are certain you want to have a change pre A level. Lots go to Godalming. Still the same site, so quite a lot of children on a site that was intended for prep school numbers. Low pressure academically. I don't know any who have left at 13+, so not sure whether or not they'd prepare for that, or if all are encouraged to stay. Lots of buses.

Aldro - quite boy-heavy, traditional prep. Did lots of discounts for girls a few years ego, which enraged the parents of boys. Don't really hear much else as the boys I knew there left a couple of years ago.

Edgeborough - more Farnham-centric, all-round. Newish partnership with Charterhouse, but by no means all go there. Happy children. Again, quite a few buses. Young popular Head.

Amesbury - similar, all-round, sends to the widest variety of senior schools, I'd say looking at the children I know. Parents rave about the pastoral care and getting the best out of each child. Lots to Charterhouse, Seaford, some to further boarding but also have a friend whose child went to Bohunt from there. Again a popular Head.

Highfield - acres of beautiful grounds, traditional prep to 13+, most recently have heard of extensive learning support provision, so worth looking into if you think your children may need that. Privately owned, so a different set up to most. Good match teas!

Barrow Hills - another all round, possibly less academic than Amesbury and Edgeborough. Now part of the Bridewell Foundation and I don't know how that has / will impact them.

Churchers - different from the others, more of a half way house between state and private. Large classes. Good if you want an all through school, less so if you want your child to change at 11+ or 13+ as they won't prepare for it. Mainly seems popular amongst those who want certainty earlier for senior places. Don't hear much from the junior school parents, but some moaning about lack of value-add at senior, BUT it is much cheaper than other all bells and whistles seniors so perhaps unfair to compare. More of an ex-grammar feel a bit like RGS, but less academic. Petersfield is a nice town and on the trainline. Although junior on a different campus in Liphook. Buses between the two.

There's also Lanesborough, which I know less about, Frensham, Bedales. The latter two both being quite arty and alternative. Wouldn't choose Bedales for an academic child, would for one into dance / music etc. Frensham feels a bit like Bedales-lite to me.

As I said, we are very lucky!

Some out of date info here - Lanesborough has been RGS Prep for a few years now. Edgeborough has very few buses I think - two routes per their brochure in 2022/23 and just adding a third.

A strange review of Churcher's. I suppose it is in between state and other privates in that the core day is shorter, prep is not an integral part of the day. However, there are loads of after school clubs and tea club til 5.30pm. Specialist teachers in many subjects. Weekly matches. Class sizes are 20-22 in juniors so bigger than some privates but smaller than state. Overall, definitely nothing like the state we experienced before joining or the Grammar school I went to! It's academically selective but yes a wider intake than RGS/GHS.

Junior School pupils sit the same assessment for the senior school as the external candidates and are well prepared in English, maths and VR so similar to many other entrance exams. So maybe not tailored preparation for other schools but much more preparation than some through schools.
Also an extensive range of minibus routes started this year for the junior school.

Lots of interesting stuff in the senior school to break up the normal learning as well as loads of clubs at lunchtime and after school. In the top 10% for value added per Cambridge University analysis. Very happy senior school and junior school parent here.