Welcome to Cricklade Manor Prep

Dear Rendcomb College parents

Firstly, we would like to say how sorry we were to hear the news. We have been friendly rivals for many years and have shared many families and colleagues over the years. We understand that uppermost in your minds will be minimising the impact on your children, socially and academically.

Cricklade Manor Prep is a successful, happy and high-achieving nursery and day prep school in the pretty Saxon town of Cricklade, just 20 minutes from Rendcomb. With 250 pupils from age 2 to 11, an average class size of 14 and two classes in each year group, our excellent and ambitious staff offer pupils a highly tailored education. Our Cricklade Pupil Development programme, which builds personalised education into every school day, was recognised as a Significant Strength in our recent school inspection.

The facilities here are exceptional, with fully equipped science labs, a large sports hall and 8 acres of sports fields, play areas and forest school. Our community is friendly and approachable and new families settle in quickly. Our broad curriculum, high academic standards and fantastic facilities lead to outstanding outcomes for our pupils, who move on to a wide range of local independent, grammar and state schools at the end of Year 6.

Cricklade Manor Prep is a member of Wishford Education, a leading group of independent schools with a commitment to delivering the highest standards of education and customer service. Being part of the group offers significant benefits to pupils, parents and staff, as well as security in an uncertain and fast-changing environment.

We understand that this is a challenging time for you. Our registrar Penny Kelly has many years’ experience supporting parents and their children through the admissions process, and if you would like to explore Cricklade Manor for your child, she will do everything she can to make the experience as smooth a possible.

Our commitment to you

• Smooth transition – we will ensure a swift and easy admissions process, giving you certainty as quickly as possible;
• Pastoral care – we will support your child to settle in quickly and with confidence;
• Fees – we will match fees currently being paid, including honouring scholarships and bursaries;
• Uniform – we will gift you a voucher to cover the cost of new uniform;
• Devices – we will provide a personal device for students in Year 4 and above;
• Transport – we will work with you to make the logistics as easy as possible, including adding new bus routes if required.

Next Steps

Contact Us: You can call Penny on Tel: +44 (0)1249 713 908 for an informal chat. No one knows our school better, and she will be able to answer all your questions. Alternatively, click on the ‘Register an Enquiry’ button below, and we will get straight back to you.

Visit Us: Come alone or with fellow parents, with or without your children. We will arrange a bespoke tour, time with Headmaster, Guy Barrett, and a chance to ask any questions you have. If there is anything you would particularly like to experience on the day, please let us know.

Open Day: Our whole-school Open Day takes place on Friday 6 February, with appointments from 9am onwards. If you would like to attend, you can book it through the enquiry form, or simply mention to Penny when you contact her.

Taster Day: Following your visit, if you feel that your child will be happy and thrive here, we will invite them to spend a couple of days with us. Again, this can be arranged individually or with friends. It provides an opportunity for you and us to ensure that Cricklade Manor is where your child will reach their potential. They will be buddied up with a current Cricklade pupil, someone with whom they have shared interests, who will show them around and help them to feel at home. We will report back at the end

Offer & Acceptance: Once you are happy to proceed, and we are satisfied we can offer the appropriate level of support, we will confirm your offer and deal with the paperwork.

About Wishford Education

Wishford Education is a group of 11 schools across the south of England. Local to Rendcomb College are Westonbirt School, Cricklade Manor Prep and Hatherop Castle School. Each has its own character, but they share a core ethos, providing high-quality learning, outstanding opportunities and a happy, caring environment in which children achieve amazing things.

Having planned carefully for the changes which have impacted the independent schools sector in recent years, the group is secure and well positioned, with a strong balance sheet, an agile governance and leadership structure, and access to significant capital.

For more information, please visit www.wishford.co.uk

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.