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One non-selective prep school in Clapham stands out for its commitment to an all-round education: Oliver House
Thirteen years ago the face of primary education in SW London changed for the better with the opening of Oliver House, a non-selective, co-educational prep school with a Catholic ethos. Over a decade later, Oliver House continues to push the boundaries of a first-class education, championing a ‘character first’ approach. “This means that we strive to develop in children those qualities that will enable the achievement of their academic potential and also help them to develop in all aspects of their lives at school and into adulthood,” explains headmaster Rob Farrell. “At Oliver House, we offer a service to parents to help them raise their children, so that they grow up to be outstanding young men and women.”
This vision is underpinned by three fundamental commitments: an all-round education – an uncompromising commitment to personal, academic, cultural and sporting excellence; education and virtue within a Catholic ethos – children follow a unique programme of character development based on a Christian vision, tailored to the needs of each child via the personal tutorial system; partnership with parents – a practical working partnership with the family of each child, where parents and teachers work together in the shared endeavour of raising children who can fulfil their potential and become responsible members of society.
The combination of these three commitments with small class sizes, outstanding teaching and a nurturing environment make Oliver House a stand-out choice for families, with this year seeing the highest number of applications for places in the school’s history, and being the most successful for scholarship offers. “We are a non-selective school, so our pupils go on to a range of schools, including many which have the highest number of applicants per place in the country,” says Mr Farrell. “Popular destinations include Dulwich College, Whitgift, Trinity, Emanuel, Alleyn’s, Streatham & Clapham, Woldingham, JAGS, Mayfield, and our sister schools The Laurels and The Cedars. We spend a great deal of time working with parents to find the right school for their child, as we recognise that this is an incredibly difficult decision.”
“OLIVER HOUSE PUPILS ARE HAPPY CHILDREN
WHO WORK HARD AND ENJOY SCHOOL”
Secondary school head teachers consistently remark to the headmaster how much Oliver House children have brought to the life of their school, with their excellent character shining through, proving how the ‘character first’ approach really means something, staying with the children well beyond their time at the school. “Oliver House pupils are happy children who work hard and enjoy school. They are good friends who think of others and who are kind,” Mr Farrell notes. While the school continues to enjoy great success, it is also working hard at improving on the fantastically located site by Clapham Common, conveniently near Clapham South tube. “We recently installed a new multi-sport surface on site and we have also introduced iPads as an effective teaching and learning tool across the school. Our next planned developments are improvements to our library facilities and art room. We have also recently been given planning permission for a major redevelopment of our Early Years facilities, so it is a very exciting time at Oliver House,” says Mr Farrell. “The school has been open for 13 years and has grown a huge amount in that time. Facilities and resources will continue to change, but at its heart the school will remain the same and its approach to education founded in character development will not change.”
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