A Bright Beginning
Big imagination, small classes, and a whole lot of adventure – welcome to Early Years at Sherborne Prep.
The Right Start – The Sherborne Prep Way
Early Years education is about more than pencil grips and phonics – it’s about sparking joy, building confidence and giving children a strong start.
At Sherborne Prep, we do just that in a warm, nurturing environment where children feel seen, supported and excited to come through the door each morning.
Our brilliant staff know that young minds are made for movement and imagination – so our classrooms buzz with hands-on learning and joyful discovery. We blend academic challenge with play and outdoor adventure, all designed to nurture curious, confident learners.
Small class sizes mean big attention.
With a little help from our specialist subject teachers and the magic of Outdoor Learning, music, sport and drama, every child is encouraged to develop their interests and discover what inspires them.
Parent FAQs
| What does a typical day look like in Pre-Prep? |
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| A day in Pre-Prep balances focused learning with play, Outdoor Learning, swimming, music, English, Maths, DT, Art, ICT, Drama and Science. Structured yet joyful, each day is thoughtfully paced. Click here to explore a typical day. |
| What sports facilities do the children use? |
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Pre-Prep children enjoy access to excellent on-site facilities, including our indoor swimming pool, sports halls, all-weather pitches and extensive outdoor space, giving them plenty of room to run, learn new skills and grow in confidence. |
| What do the children eat for lunch? |
| Children enjoy nutritious balanced home cooked meals prepared freshly each day onsite and served in our dining hall in the heart of the school. Click here to view our current menus. |
| Do you offer Wrap Around Care? |
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Yes, we fully understand the busyness of parents' lives and offer offer Wrap Around Care from 7.30am - 6.00pm every day but Wednesdays. Click here to view our timetable. |
| How do parents communicate with the school and teachers? |
| We believe in open, regular communication. Parents can speak to staff at drop-off or pick-up and meetings and reports ensure a strong partnership throughout your child’s journey. |
Learning That Leads Somewhere & Everywhere
We follow the EYFS and Key Stage 1 curriculum – but this is no tick-box education. It’s learning with layers.
Alongside core subjects like mathematics, English, science and phonics, pupils also explore geography, history, ICT, RE, sport, swimming, languages, music and drama. Oh – and did we mention pond-dipping and den-building?
Our thematic approach helps children make meaningful connections between subjects, turning facts into stories and knowledge into something they can use. Lessons are full of big ideas, while termly trips into the community keep everything grounded in real-world experience.
From solving problems to asking big questions, pupils develop a spirit of enquiry and the confidence to think independently. That natural curiosity? We harness it – and teach them how to run with it.
Confidence, Community & A Calendar Full of Fun
Life in Pre-Prep is full of moments that matter – from quiet milestones to show-stopping highlights.
Whether it’s tackling a new topic, standing tall in the Nativity, or sprinting across the finish line at cross-country, our youngest learners are always discovering what they can do.
We love a celebration, and the calendar is brimming with them: the inter-schools football festival, gymnastics competition, music recitals, the End of Year Extravaganza… You might want to block out some dates – seats go fast.
Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children flourish in our close-knit, carefully designed setting – but they’re never boxed in.
With shared spaces, mixed-year plays, and whole-school events, even our smallest pupils feel part of something bigger.
And with Wrap Around Care running from 7.30am to 6.00pm – from Breakfast Club to Stay & Play – we’re here to help busy families keep things smooth, calm and covered.
Where Next?
