Setting and Facilities

The school is set in beautiful grounds of 130 acres in rural Berkshire, with gardens and woodland in which to play. The boys are free to build dens and camps in the woods and many choose to grow their own flowers and vegetables in small, shared gardens. There are extensive playing fields and a wonderful nine-hole golf course. Other facilities include two squash courts, a sports hall / theatre, two Eton fives courts, four tennis courts and a magnificent 20 metre indoor swimming pool. There are thriving Music and CDT departments and boys involve themselves in a number of drama productions, concerts and exhibitions.

The library is well stocked and is overseen by a knowledgeable and experienced librarian. The main library houses the majority of the fiction collection and reference works. There are areas where boys can come and work or read quietly on their own, or do some research for a project or prepare for their speeches. The Reading Room houses the Millennium Collection – a comprehensive set of the most famous works of fiction. This too is a room where boys can come and work quietly or play a board game with friends.

There is always a collection of reproductions of famous pictures, which is changed termly. This is either a collection of the work of one artist or a number of pictures on a particular theme.

The school has a rolling programme of modernisation and updating and classrooms are spacious and well resourced with multimedia equipment and networked computers, as well as the more traditional teaching equipment. Two new Science laboratories opened in September 2007 and the I.T department was completely updated in July 2008.

The private chapel is at the heart of the school and reflects the importance of the Christian faith and values explored within the school. We hold a chapel service on Sunday mornings, during which the chapel choir will sing an anthem, senior boys read the lessons and a visiting preacher will often talk to the boys. We have close links with the local Catholic church which some of our boys attend on Sundays. Special chapel services are held to mark important occasions such as Remembrance Sunday and Harvest Festival and our Carol Service is held on the last day of the Michaelmas Term. The boys attend evening prayers after prep on weekdays and morning assemblies involve boys reading prayers or performing a short musical piece.

The school's excellent facilities and beautiful surroundings give the boys a wonderful opportunity to develop their interests and talents and they are encouraged to involve themselves in a wide variety of activities.