School Profile – The White House

The White House Preparatory School between Balham and Clapham, a co- educational school for three to 11-year- olds, is brimming with engaged, happy children who are confident and enthusiastic, achieving fantastic results in a nurturing environment that delivers for every pupil’s needs.

Parents are drawn to the school because of this reputation rather than focusing solely on the outcome. There is a rigorous academic agenda, a vast selection of co- curricular clubs, easy access to excellent sports facilities, an Outstanding rating from the ISI, and – this year – an amazing 50 offers for the 15 children leaving in Year 6. The 11+ is not a process to be feared but instead children are excited about their learning and their successes. Teachers prepare their pupils for the world without compromising on their happiness and wellbeing – a tough remit successfully met for each and every pupil.

Established in 1985, its secret may be that The White House remains a family school with a strong family ethos run by the founder, Mary McCahery. now joined by her daughters, Grace and Laura. Teachers are known by their first names and every child is greeted by Headmaster, Tony Lewis and the senior team each morning, allowing staff to spot if a child doesn’t seem themselves.

The team here strongly believe in positive behaviour management – good work is rewarded with a trip to the Head’s office to be congratulated and approaches such as this build a child’s confidence and encourage them to learn in a positive way.

As more parents value the whole picture, the school has grown to two forms. To accommodate the growing numbers and improve the facilities, The White House recently purchased the adjacent building which will offer more classrooms, STEM facilities and a large hall for indoor sports and performances for 2022.

Strong peer-to-peer relationships are another successful technique. All 170 pupils gather in assemblies to celebrate each other’s achievements and milestones. Public speaking is a key aspect of The White House Preparatory School between Balham and Clapham, a co- educational school for three to 11-year- olds, is brimming with engaged, happy children who are confident and enthusiastic, achieving fantastic results in a nurturing environment that delivers for every pupil’s needs.

Parents are drawn to the school because of this reputation rather than focusing solely on the outcome. There is a rigorous academic agenda, a vast selection of co- curricular clubs, easy access to excellent sports facilities, an Outstanding rating from the ISI, and – this year – an amazing 50 offers for the 15 children leaving in Year 6. The 11+ is not a process to be feared but instead children are excited about their learning and their successes. Teachers prepare their pupils for the world without compromising on their happiness and wellbeing – a tough remit successfully met for each and every pupil.

Established in 1985, its secret may be that The White House remains a family school with a strong family ethos run by the founder, Mary McCahery. now joined by her daughters, Grace and Laura. Teachers are known by their first names and every child is greeted by Headmaster, Tony Lewis and the senior team each morning, allowing staff to spot if a child doesn’t seem themselves.

The team here strongly believe in positive behaviour management – good work is rewarded with a trip to the Head’s office to be congratulated and approaches such as this build a child’s confidence and encourage them to learn in a positive way.

As more parents value the whole picture, the school has grown to two forms. To accommodate the growing numbers and improve the facilities, The White House recently purchased the adjacent building which will offer more classrooms, STEM facilities and a large hall for indoor sports and performances for 2022.

Strong peer-to-peer relationships are another successful technique. All 170 pupils gather in assemblies to celebrate each other’s achievements and milestones. Public speaking is a key aspect of improving confidence and every child will perform to peers and parents each year. Recently, a five-year-old in Reception talked to the whole school about Ramadan, Year 6 pupils plan regular Gathering of The Houses activity days, and on Enterprise Day year groups run fun stalls for each other to raise money for charity.

Choice is a weekly session when children can choose an additional lesson in either DT (including Computer Aided Design and Coding), Performing Arts or Art. Child- led initiatives and child-focused learning allow pupils to thrive, and these kind of opportunities unite year groups and foster a nurturing, caring school environment where every child has a voice that is heard.

Putting pupils’ mental health first has always been important here, and Mental Health Week saw children trying a range of practices to help strengthen their emotional toolkit – gratitude journals, resilience activities and meditation.

What The White House continues to prove is that you can be ambitious and achieve amazing results in such an environment – you do not need a hothouse to excel. “The White House feels like home,” concludes Sophie in Year 6.