Moulsford is a thriving, independent day and boarding school of 370 pupils age 3-13. Based near Wallingford in South Oxfordshire and set in tranquil and picturesque grounds on the banks of the River Thames, the School is just 1 hour from central London.
At Moulsford, the message is straightforward. We want to ensure that every child is listened to, supported, encouraged and given the opportunity to flourish. We strive for excellent academic achievement, with foundations laid in the Pre-School to promote curiosity and a love of learning. Our down-to-earth, family-focussed approach embraces the fact that children of this age should be having fun at the same time as learning.
The Moulsford values of Kindness, Courage and Curiosity are embedded into the School at every level, so that we are living our values on a daily basis.
New Co-ed Pre-Prep
The Moulsford Pre-Prep (Pre-School to Year 2) is co-educational (since September 2023), giving girls of pre-prep age the opportunity to benefit from a Moulsford experience. The Prep School (Years 3 – 8) will continue to deliver an outstanding all-boys education. The Pre-Prep is housed in a state-of-the-art building next to the main school site.
The overriding aim of our Pre-Prep is to ensure that every child feels safe and secure in their learning environment. Our small class sizes naturally allow each pupil to work closely with teachers and assistants to form effective working relationships and to build solid friendships with peers.
Our stunning location and outdoor space provide a wonderful backdrop and the freedom to play and explore. A rich and varied curriculum provides stimulation and breadth of discovery, looking both to the past and to the future, preparing today’s children for tomorrow’s world. Art, Judo, Drama, Modern Foreign Languages, Music, PE and Forest School are all taught by specialist teachers within our Pre-Prep. Individual music lessons can be arranged in a variety of instruments, for example piano, drums and guitar. All pupils have lessons in ICT and use interactive technology daily in other lessons.
Moulsford’s Pre-School (the Bobcats class) welcomes boys and girls from the term after their third birthday and will continue the journey from nursery through to preparing children for school.
The Moulsford Pre-Prep education is designed to give the children the best preparation for their move into Year 3. For our girls, Moulsford will be on hand to advise and guide parents on ‘onward’ schools and for the boys, dialogue is ongoing with the staff in the Prep School to ensure an easy transition.
Moulsford is extremely fortunate to have a Forest School site which children in the Pre-Prep visit weekly. The sessions are always child-led so every time the children venture out into the woods it is different: den-building, tree-climbing, building a fire safely or learning how to whittle with a knife.
Top senior schools located nearby
For the boys in the Prep School, Moulsford prides itself on sending boys to a wide variety of senior schools, finding the best possible option for each individual child and family. In September 2023, 58 boys progressed to 17 senior schools (Abingdon, Bloxham, Bradfield, Cokethorpe, Cranford School, D’Overbroeck’s Oxford, Eton, Harrow, Magdalen College School, The Oratory, Pangbourne College, Radley, Reading Blue Coat, Shiplake, St Edward’s Oxford, Wellington and Winchester with 9 Scholarships (Academic, Art, Design Technology, Sport and Music)
Outstanding extra-curricular programme
A comprehensive extra-curricular programme includes many and varied opportunities for the children to try out new extra-curricular activities in school and discover and develop their own individual abilities and talents outside of the classroom. Boys in the Prep School work towards the Moulsford Award which covers five key elements, performance & arts, community, self – development, adventure and healthy living. The river offers multiple water-based opportunities including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, fishing and paddleboarding. During the Summer Term we had over 80 children on the river weekly. Other popular choices include coding, photography, circus skills, LAMDA, clay pigeon shooting, climbing and parkour. These activities are largely at no extra cost and also provide parents with wrap around care options.
School Life
Moulsford has an enviable sporting reputation, with a number of boys going on to first class sport in later life. Our A to F teams are all equally keen to play and win for their school.
Performing Arts is big news at Moulsford with both the creative and performing arts thriving, with termly opportunities to perform in music and drama.
The Accelerated Reader programme has resulted in reading levels improving across every age group.
Mental wellbeing for both staff and pupils is taken very seriously. An independent and professional counsellor visits Moulsford one day per week and AS (Affective Social) Tracking has been introduced to help identify pupils’ hidden emotional risks and aid appropriate additional pastoral support.
Our small and friendly boarding house is in the heart of the school, and offers flexi and weekly boarding to boys in Year 5 and above, from Monday to Friday (4 nights per week). We try to be as flexible as possible so that you can tailor boarding to suit your own family needs. Normally, boys commit to two consecutive nights or the full four nights per week. We also offer day boarding for boys who need to stay at school until 8pm.
Strong community
The Moulsford Parents Association organise a variety of events for parents to enjoy including the Headmaster’s Quiz, Escape Room, Bonfire Night, Christmas Fair and the always sold-out Summer Ball. These events are great fun and underline the importance placed on creating a welcoming community for parents and boys alike.
Admissions
We offer individual visits by appointment during term time, and hold three Open Days a year in September, February and May. Open Days offer an informal opportunity to meet the Headmaster, staff, pupils and current parents. They can be a useful introduction to the school, or an opportunity to bring your child and other family members to familiarise everyone with the surroundings prior to entry the following September, to help confirm your decision.
Please contact our Registrar, Mrs Jill Morrin on 01491 651438 or admissions@moulsford.com
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