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The Mall School

The Mall School: Bringing Out The Best In Every Boy

Mr David Price, BSc (De Montfort) MA PGCE, talks to us about The Mall School – an independent prep school in Twickenham

Tell us about The Mall School and why it’s an excellent choice for boys?
The Mall is an independent prep school for boys age 4 to 11 in Twickenham. At The Mall, our mission is to bring out the best in every boy. We believe that all boys have potential and that it is through inspirational teaching, small class sizes and excellent pastoral care that we can develop this potential. We are a friendly and inclusive school and our independence enables us to find the right senior school for every boy and we have an impressive record of success at securing places at, and scholarships to, a range of academically selective senior schools.

Entry into the school at reception (4+) is non-selective. Entry into other year groups, including Year 3 (7+) and Year 4 (8+) is subject to our assessment process, which includes spending a day at the school. We understand boys and only having boys means we can tailor our curriculum and learning to them as they develop.

Boys come from the local areas of Twickenham and Teddington but also from Osterley, Richmond, Chiswick, Sunbury and Kingston via our network of minibuses.

Why is your extra-curricular and pastoral provision so important?
It is really important that the boys have lots of time to discover new interests and that they are all given opportunities in sport, music and drama. All boys have a swimming lesson each week and dedicated time for PE with specialist teachers. From Year 3, boys have two afternoons of games each week and they start to play competitive fixtures in rugby, football and cricket. By the time they leave us, the boys are used to performing in front of an audience. From reception, boys come to the 120-seat theatre to have assemblies and give their Christmas performances. In Year 3, the boys do their own play. Over two-thirds of boys play at least one musical instrument and there are lots of concerts and events for them to take part in.

Popular clubs include judo, chess, cookery, drama and computing. We offer wraparound care so boys can be in school 7.30am to 6.00pm with after school care and homework clubs running alongside our other clubs and activities.

We are committed to the boy’s wellbeing and hold regular events as part of our PSHE curriculum to support boys and give them the skills they need to become independent and resilient. In Year 6, in the run-up to 11+ exams, we run personal development sessions for the boys in small groups.

Can you explain why the decision was made to move The Mall to an 11+ from a 13+ school and what do you see as the result of this?
The decision to move to an 11+ exit came after a period of internal and external assessment of our local market and conditions for senior schools. We commissioned several pieces of research using independent consultants including interviews. This revealed that senior schools were experiencing an increase in demand for 11+ places, driven largely by parents’ preferences. In response, the supply of 11+ places had increased, with a corresponding decrease in the number of 13+. It was our view that this trend would only continue and over time, most senior day schools will move towards 11+ as their main point of entry.

Our first 11+ cohort left in 2019 with offers to over 20 schools, including St Paul’s Juniors, Westminster Under and King’s College Wimbledon so we are still sending boys to all the same schools we did at 13+, as well as many new schools that only take at 11+ including state grammars such as Tiffin. Our boys now have more choice over schools to progress to than they did at 13+ and they are ready to move on at the end of Year 6 to enjoy the space, facilities and opportunities on offer at these schools.

“There are so many things that I value about the Mall – where to start? Ultimately for me as a busy working mother it is a place where I know my children are very well looked after and cared for, happy and inspired to do their very best. It is also a wonderful community to be part of.” – Current parent

The Mall School
185 Hampton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW2 5NQ
020 8614 1082,
www.themallschool.org.uk