Learning to Thrive

The White House is a co-ed prep school where happiness and achievement go hand in hand.

There’s a huge sense of momentum at The White House Prep School. When you walk in, you feel the energy bursting from pupils and teachers alike. Another year of fantastic results for Year 6, who continue to excel and prove this small school delivers when it comes to securing scholarships and attaining academic excellence. “Academic and sport scholarships have been achieved by our leavers and they’re going to a wide range of schools including Dulwich College, Alleyn’s, Trinity, Woldingham, Emanuel, Royal Russell, Seaford and Graveney,” Headmaster Tony Lewis announces proudly.

The momentum is shown not only by these excellent results but also with the arrival in September 2017 of the first two-form entry at Reception. Class sizes remain small with an average of 16 per class, part of their secret to success. The attention to detail every teacher can give every pupil, and the pastoral care and academic support the school achieves as a result, nurtures each child and allows them to explore their potential and discover their talents.

“We’re proud of what we do but we want to develop further and provide children with a vibrant, aspirational and relevant experience,” smiles Mr Lewis. The expansion of the school buildings continues from last year, when a new block was opened, including smart music and art and science facilities, as well as a new senior library and bright, airy classrooms for the top two year groups. “We are developing a Chrome Books project so children can access up-to-date ICT when needed alongside the teaching of computing skills and e-safety,” says Mr Lewis, “and we’ve done lots of STEAM work, including a visit from the Science Museum, robotics days, CAD projects and a trip to the Apple store.”

Teachers have a chance to run with their own ideas within the academic framework of the school. As a result, pupils have learnt critical thinking skills and developed emotional intelligence and creativity by learning topics about which their teachers are passionate, including Apartheid, a ‘Stormbreaker’ day of high-level spy and espionage activity, and an exciting day of science wizardry. “It empowers their imaginations and allows them to take risks in the classroom, both of which help their creative writing skills at 11+ and their wider preparation for life beyond the school,” adds Mr Lewis.

For the pupils of The White House, this is very much their school. They have a voice, an opinion which counts and a say in what happens here. “There is a ‘can do’ attitude and every child has their moment, from the Harvest Festival to the final Summer Assembly,” explains Mr Lewis. “We have a culture of empowering our friends and feeling empowered in return.” This is a school where changes happen because words and actions count for something. During Enterprise Week, Year 3 proposed a trip through a Dragon’s Den-style forum and raised money to go to HMS Belfast; Year 4 designed different theme park concepts for the younger children which developed into a funfair; Year 5 presented and constructed different board games which were trialled by their juniors; Year 6 created popular safety manuals for the younger children. The crossover in year groups along with the collaboration within the same year is testament to this happy, productive school. “We encourage relationships across all years through our house team-building days,” explains Mr Lewis.

With a rigorous academic agenda, a vast selection of co-curricular clubs, impressive sporting success, an Outstanding rating from ISI and Ofsted and an impressive percentage of leavers achieving scholarships at London’s top secondary schools, The White House Prep School is preparing its pupils for the world without compromising on their happiness and wellbeing – a tough remit successfully met for each and every pupil.