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Headmaster's Introduction

Preparation for a Changing World

Pupils at Brandeston Hall are very proud of their school. They find their preparatory years exciting, rewarding and great fun. The youngsters explore their talents, discover new ones and feel valued in a friendly, caring and supportive environment. We are also conscious of the very different adult world for which we are preparing them, of the qualities they will require to prosper, and of our responsibility in nurturing these qualities.

The world is changing rapidly, with technological, demographic and political developments dictating that when your child grows up he/she needs to be ready and prepared for a world that is a much smaller place and where many of the careers they will follow have not even been invented yet. Naturally your child will need to achieve his/her academic potential – and this will always remain a core aim of our school - but the key is how we enable them to do this. We believe the key to success in this area is not through teaching to test, but through enabling children to become independent, flexible, creative and inquisitive learners. The teaching and learning culture at Brandeston Hall embraces these values, both in and out of the classroom, with a dynamic and forward-looking approach – which supports many aspects of the new Independent Curriculum - that engages and inspires our pupils.

This approach is proving very effective for our pupils. Not only do they achieve impressive Common Entrance results  (and the Independent Curriculum is now fully endorsed by the ISEB, the Common Entrance Examination Board), but they also leave with a profound joy of learning. You will not find a single league table that can measure the skills that produce the adaptable, interesting and confident boys and girls that we send on to their senior schools, and it is these attributes that we believe will serve them well there and in the adult world of the 21st century. 

Our curriculum extends well beyond the classroom. We offer a broad, balanced and diverse programme of activities to complement our academic teaching, including outstanding provision for Sport and the Performing Arts. It also includes the ‘hidden curriculum’; children need their free time and need to learn how to use it properly. Throughout all of this we are committed to developing key lifelong qualities in our children, articulated by the Independent Curriculum:

• Curiosity
• Creativity
• Confidence
• Discernment
• Global awareness
• Independent Thinking
• Resilience
• Self-motivation
• Self-respect
• Tolerance & empathy

These qualities infuse Brandeston Hall boys and girls, and we believe will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives. Pupils here develop a real appetite and zest for life, and leave us with the best possible academic passport, well on their way to becoming well-rounded, well-mannered and successful young men and women, whatever their chosen path in life.

There are many schools out there ‘striving for academic excellence’. This is of course quite right, but we would argue that it is not enough, and at Brandeston we are passionate about preparing our children for the real world of today and tomorrow. We must be careful because children still need to be nurtured and to have the freedom to enjoy their lives as children. However we are confident that we have the right balance and I warmly invite you to make an appointment for a visit. I would be delighted to meet you and would be very proud to show you around.

Martin Myers-Allen
Headmaster, Brandeston Hall

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