ABOUT US

Every child has something valuable to offer. We think that in small groups guided by enthusiastic staff, we can find and nurture a child's gift and give each the confidence to tackle life's challenges with spirit and determination.

Yarrells Preparatory School is an independent 'country' school for boys and girls between 2 and 13, in the suburban village of Upton, near the breathtaking scenery of Poole harbour on the historic Dorset coastline.

We are very ambitious for our children because we firmly believe that every child has something valuable to offer.

We think that in small groups guided by skilled staff we can find and nurture a child's gifts and give each the confidence and sense of self-fulfilment needed to tackle future challenges successfully.

The school occupies a small late Georgian manor with additional cedar clad classrooms and is surrounded by many acres of woodland, playing fields and gardens.

There is a covered, heated swimming pool and new, top quality hard top courts for Tennis, Basketball, and Netball, etc. Indoors, the studio gym is well equipped with wall bars, rope ladders and ropes, balance rings, dance barre and other apparatus. The Music department has a good range of instruments including ample tuned and untuned percussion. There are well stocked Junior and Senior Libraries. PCs are standard equipment in the school.

Yarrells accommodates approximately 260 boys and girls aged 2-13 in total. Many academic classes are taught in very small groups. Teacher to pupil ratios average 1 to 16 in the Main School. There are several Tutor Rooms used to provide extra individual tuition for scholarship candidates or for students needing extra help. We are fortunate in having several staff members with specialist qualifications for teaching dyslexics.

Boys and girls aged 2 to 4 have their own well equipped building, garden and play area.

Children are encouraged to develop a questioning and enthusiastic approach to learning by a caring and well trained staff in a stimulating environment.

Following Montessori inspiration, they are helped to achieve as much personal independence as possible. High standards of courtesy and self-discipline are introduced from the start.

Foundations are laid for formal learning with particular attention to preliminary reading, mathematics and science skills. Children start learning to read through a very successful system combining phonics and whole word recognition.

Special music workshops for children aged 18 months (with parent) to 4 are available for those enrolled and pre-enrolled.

Nursery children have Main School facilities available to them, especially the pool for swimming in the Summer Term and the other sports areas. The average teacher pupil ratio is 1 to 6.

Parents receive a termly written report based on regular teacher assessment. There are frequent conferences and an 'open door' policy for discussion at the end of the day. Early years provision for 4 year olds received a glowing OFSTED Inspection Report recently.

Boys and girls join the Pre-preparatory Department at age 4 plus.

The curriculum is exciting in scope and presentation, with concentration on the mastery of basic numeracy and literacy. The children are taught in a combination of whole class, small group, and individual settings.

As well as foundation studies in Science, ICT, History, Geography and Religious Studies, the children enjoy French, Art, Design Technology, Drama, Music, Games, Gym, Tennis, Swimming and Dance.

Each year, parents receive detailed End of term Reports plus brief Mid-Term Reports and are invited to attend regular conferences.

Children study to a demanding standard; the usual National Curriculum and Common Entrance Syllabus subjects: English, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Physics and Chemistry), French, Geography, History, Religious Studies as well as Information Communication Technology, Reasoning, PE, Music, Drama, Art and Design.

Science has a particularly attractive profile for our children; the Yarrells estate is something of a nature reserve and the school also supports its own small menagerie of rabbits, dogs, cats, fish, hamsters and gerbils. William Yarrell, after whom the school building and estate were named, was a 19th century naturalist and our mascot is the green woodpecker which resides in our treetops. Environmental concerns fit easily into our daily lives.

From age 9 upwards, most subjects are taught by specialist teachers. Each year group is assigned a Form Teacher or Tutor who is responsible for the pastoral care and coordination of learning for the children in his or her charge.

Parents are given brief written Mid-Term Reports and detailed End of Term Reports. Children are assessed according to National Curriculum and recognised standardised testing. Careful profiles of each child's progress are kept by the school and provide a basis for conferences with parents. Sixth and Seventh Form children are carefully prepared for whatever entrance examination is necessary for Senior School placement.