Mr. Joe Knight

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE PREP SCHOOL, LONDON

In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, Mr. Joe Knight spoke to us about the ethos of The White House Prep School, how it embraces its family-centric foundation and how it is preparing children for a fast-changing world.

Mr. Joe Knight’s journey into education spans the globe, from the U.S. to the Middle East and now to The White House Prep School in southwest London. Reflecting on his career thus far, he highlighted his experiences across diverse educational environments, including Millfield School in Somerset and Brighton College in Abu Dhabi, which shaped his philosophy on the value of a nurturing, “family-centric” school community. “It’s like a family. Everybody gets involved and everybody has an influence in some sort of way,” he told us, noting that this ethos stretches to every element of the school – from staff to pupils –creating a supportive atmosphere where children can flourish.

confidence and self-esteem:

“We far too often see children rush to grow up too quickly,” he expanded, “we want them to enjoy their childhood and explore, flourish and love their journey.”

Joe is optimistic about the school’s future, despite challenges facing the broader educational sector. He told us that the school has set its sights on “expansion and development” rather than regression. Recently, The White House School was granted approval for expansion, allowing it to increase enrollment and continue to thrive. With its affiliated nurseries and a clear plan for steady growth, the school offers a competitive advantage: high academic standards and placement success at secondary schools, all while maintaining accessible fees that are “substantially lower” than some of its “rivals.” As Joe proudly affirmed: “We’ve shown ourselves to be one of the fastest-growing schools in the sector.”

At The White House Prep School, family values are central to the educational experience. Joe emphasised the importance of “learning through play”, nurturing curiosity and allowing children to progress at their own pace. Drawing inspiration from Friedrich Fröbel’s philosophy, which encourages respecting children’s developmental stages, Joe explained that this approach fosters

The White House Prep School has designed an extended curriculum that prepares pupils not only for academic success but also for real-world challenges, teaching their students “to be prepared for and curious about the wider world” beyond the classroom. The school’s Enterprise and Choice lessons start from the early years and expand as students progress towards their senior years. “We’re teaching and preparing children for jobs

Introducing Mr. Joe Knight

that don’t exist yet, and so it’s creating those skills that are going to be important,” Joe explained. These life skills programs begin as early as reception, with initiatives designed to create “mini architects”, “budding scientists” and “little chefs.” These programs teach independence and practical skills, such as knife safety in the kitchen and essential first aid, all shaped to provide pupils with “some real life experience” as well as academic success.

For students in their middle years, the life skills sessions include “memorising parents’ phone numbers”, learning British Sign Language and exposure to alternative sports and activities such as “kayaking on the Thames”. These hands-on experiences ensure that pupils of The White House School enter their secondary schools equipped with confidence, resilience and a curiosity to try new things, where new experiences no longer seem quite so “intimidating”.

A key part of The White House Prep ethos is the emphasis placed on emotional intelligence and resilience. Joe pointed out that in today’s fast-paced, everchanging world, it is not only academic success that matters but also the ability to navigate personal challenges. The school encourages “empathy and humility” and the ability to “work through adversity.” This focus on character development is integrated into the curriculum, ensuring that children leave the school not just academically prepared, but emotionally equipped to thrive in secondary school and beyond.

Technology plays a significant role at The White House School. From offering coding lessons starting in reception, helped by a programme called Purple Mash, to subscribing to helpful platforms like Century Tech, the school ensures that pupils are ready to navigate the evolving digital landscape, “embracing AI” and exposing students to different types of learning. Joe acknowledged the balance needed between embracing technology and avoiding excessive screen time, though. “We want to embrace technology to enhance learning and develop skill sets,” he said, while also ensuring that children have a variety of learning experiences. Technology is therefore “not in replacement of the traditional teaching and important skill sets, such as reading and conversation.”

TURN TO PAGE 68 to read about academic excellence at Marlborough College

A core element of The White House Prep School’s ethos is developing children’s public speaking skills. Pupils are given numerous opportunities to speak in assemblies, on stage and at external events. According to Joe, this focus builds the confidence needed to speak to any audience, a vital life skill. The school size allows for regular opportunities for children to overcome public speaking nerves: “Every child from Year 1 to Year 6 will speak each year in an assembly or play or at some point during the year,” audiences that “could reach up to 400 people.” Joe shared that students demonstrate great “clarity and poise”, before joking that they are “sometimes putting their headmaster to shame!”

In a highly competitive London market, consistently prepares its pupils for success in the 11+ process. With a dedicated 11+ coordinator and tailored guidance from the headmaster himself, the school ensures that each child is supported throughout the challenging journey. “It’s important that we work with our parents and the children to help guide them through this journey. It is daunting, particularly if it’s the first time they go through Joe explained, placing emphasis on the importance of having “open and honest conversations” with everyone involved in order to determine “the correct choice for their family.”

Being a school located in London also offers distinct advantages for children at The White House School. Whether it’s trips to London Bridge or the multicultural diversity reflected in both the school’s community and the community of London more broadly, Joe sees London as a vibrant, enriching environment that adds “a much greater and richer tapestry to our community.” Joe believes: “London offers so many opportunities to enrich lessons and the learning experience,” adding that the city’s diversity is always an invaluable asset.

As the school celebrates its 40th year this year, Joe is focused on continuing its growth while maintaining the family ethos that sets it apart. He emphasised the importance of staying grounded and supporting the school community while also celebrating its successes: “I’m delighted to be here to be blowing the trumpet loudly for the school [...] without losing our humility and character.” Looking forward, Joe endeavours to make sure “more children benefit from the outstanding education provision with family values that we believe in so prominently in our ethos and in our values,” understanding that the students are “the true heartbeat of the school.” www.whitehouseschool.com

We would like to thank Mr. Joe Knight, Headmaster of The White House Prep School, for giving up his time to speak to us.

EDUCATION CORNER PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH

Mr. Michael Hodge

PRINCIPAL OF BROOMWOOD GROUP AND HEAD OF BROOMWOOD BOYS

Mrs. Louisa McCafferty

HEAD OF BROOMWOOD

Girls And

Mrs. Caron Mackay

HEAD OF BROOMWOOD PRE-PREP FROM BROOMWOOD SCHOOL, LONDON

In this episode of Education Corner Podcast, Heads from Broomwood Pre-Prep, Broomwood Prep Boys and Broomwood Prep Girls discuss the school group’s unique “best of both worlds” ethos, how they prepare children for school transitions and equip them for future success.

In this podcast, we welcomed key staff leaders from Broomwood School: Mr. Michael Hodge, Principal of Broomwood Group and Head of Broomwood Boys, Mrs. Louisa McCafferty, Head of Broomwood Girls and Mrs. Caron Mackay, Head of Broomwood Pre-Prep. Formerly known as Northcote Lodge, Broomwood Hall Upper and Broomwood Hall Lower, the schools merged in September 2023 under the unified name of Broomwood, offering both co-educational and single-sex education.

Michael recently joined Broomwood after leading Prospect House, and now brings a “fresh perspective” to the Broomwood Group. He explained: “I’m very much about working together with the people around me.” He emphasised the importance of collaboration within the newly unified school, ensuring that all sites are “one unit” and “in-line, rather than three [...] individual sites working on their own.” Michael’s extensive experience in the “London day school market” for both boys and girls also plays a crucial role as the school moves forward.

Louisa, Head of Broomwood Girls, has a longstanding relationship with the school after “working at Broomwood for quite a long time now in different guises,” and is excited to begin the new academic year with the merge in place. She highlighted that the school’s unique model of singlesex education within a co-ed framework provides: “the best of both worlds.” Meanwhile, Caron, Head of Broomwood Pre-Prep, oversees the youngest pupils at Little Broomwood, setting the stage for their journey through the school.

At Broomwood, children start their educational journey together in a co-ed environment before transitioning to single-sex education aged 7. According to Louisa, the “Broomwood model” ensures that teaching is “age-specific” and developmentally appropriate. “Everything we do is geared towards the needs and interests of the [...] girls and boys,” she observed. However, the school continues to bring the children together for “purposeful and meaningful” interactions through co-ed opportunities such as joint sporting events, orchestras and residential trips. The school is “constantly thinking about what’s going to work really well in a single-sex setting” and where it is beneficial to “bring the boys and the girls together.”

One distinctive feature of Broomwood’s approach to education, particularly in the PrePrep, is “thematic learning.” Caron explained how this method integrates subjects such as History, Geography, Science and English under a common theme. “We hook the children in by doing […] a ‘Wow’ lesson at the beginning, not telling them what the topic is, seeing if they can start to figure it out.” she expanded. This approach prevents the traditional “stop-start” nature of learning separate subjects and encourages “continuous learning.”

Thematic learning is not confined to the Lower years, though. Louisa shared that a version is also employed in the Upper years: “In Year 7 and 8, we bring some of that thematic learning back into the curriculum,” particularly within the humanities, where students are encouraged to find connections across subjects and topics “to make sure the children are understanding how everything, to some degree, is interlinked.”

Moving from the co-ed Pre-Prep to singlesex Prep schools at age 7 could seem daunting, but Broomwood’s leadership has developed a well-structured transition process. “We do it very gradually. They know it’s coming. It is not a surprise!” Caron observed. The children are prepared long before the move, with staff working across the sites and children visiting their Prep schools in the summer term. Moreover, the introduction of a buddy system, where Year 8 students mentor the younger pupils, has been particularly successful. Of this system, Caron said: “They meet that buddy the day before they join Prep school, and they’ve already received a handwritten letter from them during the summer as well,” to allow new students to feel “happy” and wellsupported.

Louisa added that by the time the children arrive at the Prep schools, they already feel confident. “All those worrying moments that the children might be feeling anxious about,” such as what lunch might look like or where the changing rooms are, have “been covered before they get here,” she noted, highlighting how this careful planning and support ensures that each child’s transition is “smooth” and enjoyable.

While Broomwood maintains single-sex education from Year 3, Michael emphasised that the teaching methods are not gender-specific. He said: “Good teaching is just good teaching.” Rather than separating teaching styles by gender, Broomwood’s teachers adapt their methods so that “Excellent teaching meets the needs of children” as individuals, irrespective of their gender. “Some pupils may be a little more sensitive, some may not,” he explained, “it’s not gender specific.” www.broomwood.com

That said, the single-sex environment does allow the school to explore areas that might be more challenging in a co-educational setting, making sure they don’t “pigeonhole children into certain areas.” Michael pointed out that activities like school plays offer both boys and girls the chance to take on non-traditional roles without the stigma of gender stereotypes. As an example, he explained that “Currently we’re doing Matilda,” and that, “some of the boys are playing girls,” adding, “there’s no stigma attached to that.” This freedom also extends to sports, where both girls and boys are encouraged to participate in sports that may be traditionally gendered, such as rugby or netball.

Although Broomwood separates boys and girls into single-sex schools, collaboration remains an integral part of the educational experience. “When students move organically to Year 3 and Year 4 […] they’ve already built up those relationships,” Michael commented and the school wants to allow these to grow. This collaboration continues through regular joint activities such as sports, music and trips. These events help to maintain connections and friendships across genders while allowing each child to benefit from focused single-sex learning environments.

At Broomwood, academic education is just one part of a well-rounded experience. Louisa emphasised the importance of life skills and leadership development throughout the school. From offering children opportunities to take on “leadership responsibilities”, such as “giving tours on open morning,” to fostering “organisation and independence.” Broomwood ensures that pupils are prepared for the next steps in their educational journeys. Louisa noted that it is “wonderful to hear […] how many of our pupils go on to be head girls, head boys and prefects,” a testament to the confidence and leadership skills students develop during their time at Broomwood.

Michael added that Broomwood’s extended school day, which includes time for pupils to complete their homework during prep sessions, helps to build a strong work ethic. Not only does this extra hour at the end of the school day allow children to organise themselves, but also allows for “genuine family time” when they return home. This routine also sets them up for success in their “secondary school journey”, where students are expected to manage their own workloads independently.

As Broomwood enters this new chapter, the leadership team is excited about what lies ahead. Michael is clear about the school’s core mission going forward: “We just want to continue to be a really great school for great kids. I want children to look back on their journey and go, “I loved my time at Broomwood.” That’s really what we should always remember.” Importantly, Michael wants Broomwood students to “know who they are” and “be proud of who they are”, understanding themselves and their passions in the fast-paced world of today.

For Caron, who oversees the youngest children, the future is about continuing to build on the solid foundations established at Little Broomwood. She added: “It’s so important to set these foundations when they’re little.” As the school continues to grow these Early Years will play a key role in shaping students’ futures, both in Broomwood’s Prep schools and beyond.

We would like to thank Mr. Michael Hodge, Mrs. Louisa McCafferty and Mrs. Caron Mackay from Broomwood for giving up their time to speak to us.