“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. The school itself is set in beautiful grounds and the main building with its panelled entrance hall, comfy sofas, roaring fire and the beautiful drawing room evokes homely country house vibes. In contrast to this is the new Hoyland building, which is light filled, contemporary and has an uplifting mood ideal for learning. 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. It is an incredibly friendly school with a wonderful family atmosphere and staff that are approachable. Mr Bailey has an aura of approachable gravitas about him. He is revered and adored by the children and gives the parents a sense that there is someone very capable at the helm of the school. He has a wonderful commitment to get to know all of the children and does this by teaching them tennis. Mr Bailey is full of enthusiasm for the school and its future ethos, and wants every child to be happy and have a sense of achievement, whatever their ability. Mr Bailey is supported by Mr Knapp, the Deputy Head, and they make an amazing Batman and Robin duo! Mr Knapp’s enthusiasm and personable nature are infectious and he is equally adored by the children.”
“We chose Pinewood over other schools because of the behaviour and absolute contentment of the pupils at Pinewood, combined with the emphasis on the outdoors.”
“Families do join Pinewood from all over (within an hour), but they are a very friendly bunch and new families are quickly scooped up by those that live nearby. The diversity of the families is something that attracted us to the school.”
“We loved Pinewood’s ‘all-round’ approach to education. The school has such a happy, kind and enthusiastic atmosphere, it was difficult to resist!”
“We were moving back from living as a family overseas and were looking for a school which exuded all of the qualities of an English prep school: holistic and experience-based education, sport, boarding, nurturing and supportive staff.”
“We felt that the school encouraged each child to reach their full potential without being pushy. The wide variety of SKILLS/Clubs offered means there is scope for every child to excel whatever their interests, including areas such as calligraphy and Frisbee! We were drawn to the school’s ability to produce well-rounded children who were excited to learn. We moved to the area specifically for Pinewood; we felt it offered something truly unique. The children are happy, learning really is an exciting adventure and so far, the school has only exceeded our expectations.”
“We joined Pinewood 5 years ago from London. We wanted a school where our children could enjoy being children without the pressure of having to be the best at everything all of the time. We chose Pinewood because we wanted happy children, not stressed children. We wanted our kids to get muddy and learn through adventure and real experiences. It hasn’t disappointed!”
“We initially chose Pinewood due to its proximity to our new home, following our move from The Netherlands. However, we truly ‘lucked out’ when we discovered the exceptional quality of the school. Like many families relocating from larger cities, Pinewood has played a huge role in helping us settle in and was brilliantly attentive to our daughter starting mid-year.”