Our pupils, parents and friends are Pinewood’s best ambassadors, here are some of things that they say about what makes us one of the country’s leading co-educational country prep schools:
“In a world where fear trades against hope, Pinewood is an island of love, safety, understanding and warmth, helping to shape the children for the world ahead of them with humility and kindness.”
(R. E. – current parent in Years 5 & 7)
“We visited several prep schools for our daughter but were blown away by the atmosphere that exuded from Pinewood. The children we met on our tour were all friendly with exuberant smiles and had superb ‘un-prompted’ manners… We absolutely loved everything about the school, it has an unpretentious demeanour and traditional ambience that evokes everything you would want from a prep school.”
(B. T. – current parent in Year 3)
“The staff members are genuinely outstanding, totally dedicated and manage to combine exceptional teaching, fun, energy and care. Their enthusiasm and positivity filters through every aspect of the school. They are approachable, hugely responsive and always go the extra mile with both pupils and parents. The difference in a child once they have joined Pinewood is incredible. They all truly develop a ‘can do’ attitude – not just academically but in all their extracurricular activities. It is an extremely happy school!”
(C. C. – current parent in Years 3 & 5)
“We love Pinewood’s ‘all-encompassing’ approach to education. The school has such a happy, kind and enthusiastic atmosphere with an exciting future ahead, it would be difficult to resist!”
(Z. L. – current parent in Years 3 & 8)
“We continue to be amazed by how well our son is progressing academically, physically and socially, but the inter-house ‘Rubber Legs’ challenge really shone a light on how Pinewood is promoting the qualities that mean so much to my family. The show of endurance, resilience, determination and teamwork was outstanding. Seeing our son cross the line with a tackle bag, drop it and head straight back out to help teammates carry the tyres really does show how special the school is and how our decision to bring him to Pinewood was the right one; it is such a wonderful place for our son to learn and grow.”
(D. N. – current parent in Year 4)
“Pinewood is able to combine all areas of support to children with outstanding skill. When life at home has been rough, Pinewood has worked closely with us to ensure our child’s welfare has been put first. The school leadership and teachers have offered solutions to ensure our child continues to learn, thrive and progress to her full potential. This has been proof to us that this school is outstanding in every regard. It offers a whole child approach. We have been blown away by how they get the balance right between excellent academics and sports, nurturing individual excellence right, and developing strong social relationships. Pinewood is a remarkable school during the foundational years of a child’s life”.
(M. H. – current parent in Year 6)
“The staff are warm and friendly; as a parent you really feel they are rooting for your child and genuinely celebrate every achievement. In turn the children are happy, confident and excited to learn. All of this results in very happy parents!”
(S. M. – current parent in Years 2 & 4)
“Mr Bailey is taking the school from strength to strength. It is definitely an exciting time for Pinewood. He is visible, approachable and the children love him.”
(A. H. – current parent in Years 2 & 5)
“Pinewood really is the most beautiful and impressive school I have ever visited. The pupils were all walking around the school smiling, happy and being extremely polite. It really wasn’t hard to see why all of the pupils and staff are so happy and engaged. The school has stunning grounds and a wonderful positive energy and warmth, which could be felt as soon as I walked in. You are all incredibly lucky to be in such an inspiring school!”
“Just to say a big thank you for today! What a happy place to go to school, such a wonderful atmosphere in the most beautiful setting. Everyone made us feel so welcome. From the lovely lady generously plying my son with baked treats to Mr Lang (Head of Pre-Prep) who spoke so highly of his time at Pinewood. It was also lovely to meet other parents, particularly those with children already at Pinewood who couldn’t praise the school more.”
“The thing I love most at Pinewood is that you know that we need to play and need a break from school sometimes. It’s just really nice how you do that. You let us have fun and sometimes we have hot chocolate and marshmallows too! Mr Bailey is nice, he’s got inspiration and he thinks about others. He’s not like one of those grumpy headteachers. He’s really lovely when you need him.”
(G. H. – Year 2)
“The food is very good and everyone looks forward to fish and chips and pasta!”
(D. S. – Year 4)
“I love SKILLS – especially ‘Pinewood in the Community’ where we visit elderly people in a care home.”
(R. G. – Year 6)
“I love the diverse range of co-curricular activities on offer for us to participate in after academic lessons.”
(O. N. – Year 8)
“I loved my time at Pinewood, it felt like a home after just a term and everyone was friendly and warm. The school has a buzzing and happy energy to it in lessons and out. You could walk through any part of the school and hear laughter, chatter and play. I learnt a lot about myself. I’m more capable than I think and Pinewood showed me that. The encouragement, laughter and warmth I received made me come home wanting to spill every detail of my day, each one different from the last. I learnt to persevere and organise myself to work hard in lessons and out of the classroom.”
(C. R. – OP24)
“I joined Pinewood in Year 7 and went straight into the scholarship set. Although there were many areas in many subjects that I had no idea what they were or how to do them, I was given so much help and the teachers were so considerate and scheduled extra help, which brought me up to speed really quickly. I was worried that it would be hard to make friends in Year 7, but this absolutely was not the case. I found it really easy to settle in and made lots of friends really quickly. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and quickly it felt as if I had been there for years already. In Upper School (Year 7 & 8), the trips are absolutely fabulous, even though I had missed out on some of the other trips further down the school, these trips more than made up for it. In particular, I loved the leavers’ trip and the French trip. Overall, I would absolutely recommend this experience, I had an absolutely brilliant time at Pinewood and still wish I could back and live it through again!”
(I. E. C. – OP24)
“Joining Pinewood from a London prep school was one of the best decisions of my life. I was lucky enough to attend Pinewood from Year 7-8; although it may seem like a short time, I made so many lifelong friends and have endless fun memories. When I first joined Pinewood I found myself settling in very easily and by the second day, Pinewood already felt like home. Everyone was so welcoming, including all of the staff and especially the pupils. I quickly managed to find a perfect group of friends, started feeling very comfortable in the classroom and more ambitious on the sports pitch. One of the things I enjoyed most at Pinewood was boarding, from the cosy movie nights to the mixed football on the astros. Coming from a London day school the idea of boarding blew my mind, but once I started, all I wanted to do was stay more. I started by doing boarding once or twice a week, progressing to boarding weekly from Monday to Friday. It was great. Another big factor I loved about Pinewood was the sport, at my old school I was only able to play sport once a week, but transferring to Pinewood allowed me to play five times a week!”
(B. P. – OP23)
“I was a weekly boarder, and my two years at Pinewood were some of, if not, the happiest years of my childhood. It was such a familial environment, with teaching that strayed away from textbooks and really ignited my thinking and interests. I learnt to think for myself at Pinewood, thanks to my English and History teacher, who instilled a life-long love of reading and poetry in me.”
(S. K. – OP08)
“I love photographing for Pinewood School – my objective to capture the spirit is all too easy at Pinewood – as Pinewood is pure spirit. Children are children, with muddy knees from climbing trees, full of zest and passion for life and for learning. It’s a slice of heaven and the most idyllic start to life you can offer a child. I only wish I could rewind and go to school there myself.”
(Millie Pilkington – professional photographer)
“Buzzing with creativity, the school encourages experiences beyond the classroom… Eighty-four acres of grounds equal playing fields galore and ample space for a holistic, outdoorsy approach to childcare.”
(Tatler Schools Guide)
“A traditional, muddy, rosy-cheeked prep school with an unusual warmth… this gem is absolutely worth a visit.”
(The Good Schools Guide)
“Welcoming, warm, thoughtful, busy, varied, thriving and all about the children, Pinewood is a must-see.”
(Talk Education)
“Top marks go to this seriously family-friendly school in acres of rolling countryside on the edge of The Cotswolds. Pinewood offers a seriously fun-filled day and boarding education for boys and girls aged 3-13. Sport is strong, academics are excellent and there is a huge emphasis on adventure and experiences.”
(Muddy Stilettos)