A leading independent prep school in Somerset, offering excellence in education for 2-13 year olds
Since 1946 our rural setting has shaped and defined the education we provide. It’s set out in our mission statement as this historic estate, with 28 acres of fields, formal gardens, and woodland, gives children time and space for a full education. In part this means spending time outside – the health benefits of which are well documented.
Connection to our environment is embedded in the curriculum. Our Forest School programme involves weekly lessons in the woods to promote independence, resilience, teamwork, and confidence. Children light and cook on open fires, whittle wood, and build dens. Our lawns are in constant use – for lessons, science experiments, battle re-enactments, capture the flag competitions and ‘slip and slide’ days, to name a few activities, while drama productions and the annual ‘Perrott Promenade’ concert take place in locations across the site.
Extra-curricular clubs also connect children to their rural surroundings. In Growing Club (run by one of our gardeners), they grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers. Nature Club sees them roaming the grounds observing, identifying, and recording plants, animals, and insects. Nature Craft Club gets them foraging for natural materials to use in craft projects, while a popular Great Outdoors Club develops strategy and turn-taking, as they enjoy ‘fresh air and great outdoors’. Further afield, our Young Farmers’ Club visit working farms to gain practical, hands-on insights into agriculture.
We aim to provide ‘a proper childhood’, and when our alumni return and reminisce about endless, carefree sunny days outside, we know we’ve achieved that.
To understand how we could support your child’s education, come along to our festive-themed Open Morning on Saturday 7 December.
Please contact our Admissions Registrar, Emma Picken, on 01460 72051 or by emailing admissions@perrotthill.com to reserve a place.
Our Autumn Term LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) Acting Examination results make for impressive reading.
Overall, our pupils achieved six Distinctions and seven Merits. Four of which were for Grade 5, making Eliza, Albert, Xanthe and James the first pupils (since 2019) to have reached this level.
LAMDA lessons are a great way to develop those all-important communication skills, so we are absolutely delighted with these results. Bravo!
We were delighted to welcome Adam Dance MP to the school on Friday.
It was a packed schedule which started with fish and chips in the Grundy Hall, where Adam was joined by the four Year 8 pupils (pictured) who stood as candidates during our school ‘mock election’ in June.
Adam then witnessed a debate in action, as the Year 8 students discussed the motion “Should the Monarchy be abolished?”, before he set off on a tour of the school.
He also joined pupils from Year 3 to 8 in the library to speak about his role as an MP, before taking questions from the floor. One such question was, “What do you think of your fellow politicians?”
Speaking of the visit, Daisie in Year 8 who was acting as ‘Head for the day’ said, “Adam was extremely easy to talk to and knew a lot more about farming and the countryside than I would have expected him to. I would very much like to see him again.”
We certainly second that. It was a fascinating visit for everyone concerned, and we hope to welcome Adam back to Perrott Hill again soon.
Our Year 7 pupils had a fun and highly educational week in France at Maison Claire Fontaine, while developing their language skills and learning about French history and culture. They spent the entire week speaking French – whether that was while shopping in local markets, playing Pétanque, enjoying craft activities, taking part in team challenges or going head-to-head in French-themed cooking competitions. They also got out and about exploring traditional and historical villages including Vezelay and Avallon.
A real highlight of the week was the day spent in Guedelon, a cross-curricular visit which supports their history Common Entrance curriculum, where a 13th-century castle and its environment are being recreated using period techniques, dress, and materials. Mr Finch was in his element!
“The children were great company,” said Trip Leader Madame Brooks. “And it was extremely rewarding to see their language skills and confidence improve as the week progressed.”
This week, Year 6 had the privilege of hearing from local Magistrate Mary Ellis, who gave an insightful talk about the justice system.
The children learned about the role of magistrates, the difference between Crown and Magistrate Courts, and how everything works in practice.
It’s all gearing them up for the Mock Trial in November which will see them compete against five local schools. A much anticipated event, and highlight in the Year 6 calendar.
We are delighted to confirm that Mark Davis, a former professional cricketer and experienced coach, has joined Perrott Hill.
He’ll be working with small groups as a development opportunity for experienced players.
Speaking of his appointment, Mr Sheldon, Director of Sport said, “We currently have six players training with the Somerset County winter squad, and with Mark’s expertise, we look forward to further developing the emerging talent we have here.”
The whole school gathered today to celebrate Ian’s 60th birthday, and the significant role he’s played at Perrot Hill over the last 30 years.
As Mr Silk said in his address. “It’s easy to take what Ian does for granted, as so much of it happens behind the scenes.
“But whether it’s driving the school minibus, building sets for school plays, teaching carpentry, or generally fixing things across the entire site, he plays an important role in so many areas of school life.”
The children presented Ian with home-made cards, and a jug they had designed and created in their pottery classes before it was over to the Heads of School, Willoughby and Xanthe, to lead a rousing three cheers.
A very jolly and memorable moment for us all.
We are delighted to announce that in recognition of our commitment to welcoming international boarders to Perrott Hill we have won the BSA Supporting Excellence Award 2024 for Belonging and Inclusion Initiative Award.
This award represents our ongoing efforts to work directly with agents, and schools to increase our international community welcoming pupils from far and wide to the beautiful Somerset countryside.
Our most recent endeavours include extending our immersion programme with schools in Beijing and welcoming a group of fifteen children in January 2024 aged between nine and thirteen. The groups are staying with us for the remainder of the academic year, and we hope to repeat the model in years to come.
We earned a place on the shortlist for this years’ BSA awards alongside two of the most reputable boarding schools – Millfield and Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate. Perrott Hill is a small rural school with an average roll of 185 pupils within the stunning 28-acre site and it is renowned for its nurturing family atmosphere and strong sense of community.
Mr McCullough, Headmaster at Perrott Hill, “We are especially proud to win this category as it recognises the hard work that has gone in behind the scenes and acknowledges the way in which staff, pupils, parents and the wider community have supported our Beijinger pupils and teachers and helped to integrate them successfully into life at Perrott Hill”.
After welcoming fifteen children from Beijing to Perrott Hill Prep School at the start of the Spring Term, the group has gone from strength to strength and returned for the Summer Term, with equal amounts of energy and enthusiasm.
The children who are aged between nine and thirteen have travelled to the UK, many for the first time, to join the Perrott Hill community as boarders for two terms. The small rural school in Somerset has an average roll of 185 pupils within the stunning 28-acre site and is renowned for its nurturing family atmosphere.
Whether they are local children or from further afield, boarding at Perrott Hill is an extremely popular choice. Most day pupils opt to board at the school at some point, with the offer of flexi, regular and weekly boarding, and an extensive activities schedule, which means that the full boarders from the UK, China and Europe establish friendship groups very quickly.
It is common for our international pupils to be found staying with local families over weekends as they form friendships and adapt to living in the community. The school is fully aware of the benefits of having a strong diverse community and has recently worked hard with agents and direct contacts to build a full and sustainable international programme of which the children from China are a key component.
Perrott Hill has a reputation for excellence in providing a well-rounded education, and international pupils are encouraged to participate in everything from the Easter Service to the Lunar New Year celebrations, from Art and Orchestral Community events to House Poetry Recitation Competitions.
All the pupils have excelled in their spoken English and comprehension which is a key indicator of the success of the programme.
Alex McCullough, Headmaster of Perrott Hill, said: “We are delighted at the success of the programme and the level of integration and progress made by our new pupils. Witnessing our children from Beijing chairing debates and taking on solo performances in theatre performances in their first term was extremely satisfying and a credit to all those involved. Our hope is that we will continue to provide similar experiences for other Chinese pupils in the coming years so that future cohorts of pupils will benefit similarly from the benefits of attending Perrott Hill, a quintessentially English prep school.”
The House Poetry Recitations last Friday were truly impressive, with excellent performances of some classic, new and personal poems. All the pupils effectively used intonation, emphasis, tone and their own style to deliver the poems, featuring winning recitations of ‘Nick the Naughty Nicker’, ‘The Dragon in the Cellar’, ‘Boogy Woogy Buggy’ and ‘Not Now Nigel’. Everyone who performed should be very proud, so with very little between it, Mendips were announced the winning house. Congratulations Mendips!
