12 | Wealth & Finance - Private Education Awards 2024 Most Inclusive Prep School 2024 – London In September 2023, Broomwood Hall Lower School, Broomwood Hall Upper School, and Northcote Lodge School joined forces to teach under one name – Broomwood. Though the schools have been combined, Broomwood utilises the three spaces in a unique manner to give its students as much educational opportunity as possible. First, children are educated together at Little Broomwood and Broomwood Pre-Prep until they are old enough to move to Broomwood Prep – Boys and Broomwood Prep- Girls. Broomwood recognises that girls and boys have different academic and pastoral needs when they approach the prepubescent years and have addressed this by delivering lessons in a single-sex environment from the age of seven. However, unlike many single-sex schools across the country, Broomwood encourages the boys and girls to come together for an extensive range of activities that take place in a co-ed setting. Children belong to the same House system and share uniforms so that they still feel a part of the same school. Telling us more about the culture, the Head of Broomwood Girls, Louisa McCafferty says, “It provides an extraordinary education, full of fun and adventure, where children learn that growth and development come as much from making mistakes as getting things right.” Broomwood takes a student-first approach in its practices, something that Louisa believes has a huge positive impact on their development. She tells us, “We are so proud of the people our children become. Broomwood pupils leave us as confident, resilient, enthusiastic, and kind individuals who make a positive contribution wherever they find themselves. This, we believe, is in a large part down to the wellbeing and pastoral care that we provide. We have an unusual approach, which places a huge emphasis on listening to our pupils and addressing their needs immediately.” The school conducts an annual survey amongst students to gain a better understanding of their well-being. Any issues that arise are swiftly addressed, though Broomwood is delighted to see that the vast majority of recipients answer, ‘very happy.’ Additionally, students at Broomwood Girls can choose the member of staff that they trust the most to care for them, acting as a tutor over the academic year. This member of staff will meet with them regularly for one-to-one and small group sessions to discuss academic concerns, social issues, and provide unlimited support throughout the year. Broomwood’s learning support dog, Lyra, is a popular member of Broomwood Prep – Boys and provides additional educational support to the students. Another interesting approach that Broomwood takes is that it teaches its students to learn through play. This means allowing the children to get involved in their education by making it fun, for example having life-sized dinosaurs roaming the corridors and garden or simulating a teddy bear’s hospital to teach students about the history of vaccinations. These experiences catch the students’ interest and make them want to learn more. “This enables children to see how the world is connected, stimulating both the left and right sides of the brain, enhancing linguistic and creative capacity. It also enables our pupils to develop creative thinking, planning, and teamworking skills,” Caron Mackay, Head of Broomwood Pre-Prep explains. As for the future, Broomwood is undergoing an extensive refurbishment that will continue over the summer. Following the recent launch of Little Broomwood, which is complete with brand new classrooms and an exciting adventure playground, the school is looking to make improvements across all Broomwood sites. Broomwood takes an utterly unique approach with its students that has proven successful time and time again. Through ensuring that students feel heard and supported, the school can allow them to focus on their education with no additional worries. From annual surveys and the assignment of tutors to co-ed socialisation and learning through play, it is evident that Broomwood has painstakingly developed its methodologies with its students’ best interests at heart. It is for this reason that Broomwood has been rightfully named the Most Inclusive Prep School 2024 – London. Contact Details Contact: Victoria Davies Jones Company: Broomwood Web Address: www.broomwood.com Apr24707 Situated between the green spaces of Clapham and Wandsworth commons, Broomwood is a family of independent schools located in south-west London, dedicated to providing an enriching, interactive education to children between the ages of 3-13. With a unique approach to learning, Broomwood is a leader in the education sector. As the school receives its title in the Private Education Awards 2024, Head of Admissions Victoria Davies Jones tells us more.
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