UPPER PREP
A guide to Year 7 and 8 at Tockington Manor School
A message from the Headmaster We all want the best for our children and for parents choosing a Senior School can often be a more daunting decision than choosing their child’s first school. This guide is to help parents discover the many benefits of their child continuing onto, or joining, our Upper Prep (Year 7 and 8). At Tockington Manor School (TMS) we believe in allowing children to be children for as long as possible, whilst equipping them with the attitude and aptitude for Senior schools and beyond. The final two years at Tockington Manor School (Year 7 and Year 8) further help your child develop academically, socially and emotionally, but it also allows time to help identify the “right” school for their next step. As your child becomes a young adult, we support and nurture them, which in turn allows them to discover their strengths and become confident individuals. Working closely with you as parents, we identify the best Senior School for them to ensure they continue to flourish on their educational path. We are very proud of the curious, polite, compassionate, healthy and mature 13 year olds who leave at the end of their time with us. We are proud that all of our pupils in recent years have gained entry into their first choice Senior Schools with 58% being offered scholarships. We could not include everything in a single guide, but I hope you find this useful and it gives you some insight into Upper Prep at Tockington Manor School. Please do contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss our Upper Prep further.
Mr Stephen Symonds Headmaster
The Benefits of Upper Prep at TMS Maximum Class Sizes of 20
Curriculum Opportunities
Exam Preparation / Results
Sports Our sport and fixtures schedule offers every child the chance to take part in individual and team sports. In recent years our U13s have been National Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics champions. We encourage our pupils to pursue their interests outside of school with many representing their sports such as Archery, Swimming, Gymnastics and Cricket at County and National level.
With a maximum of only 20 pupils in each class, our classes are typically smaller than at a Senior School. This enables every child to fully participate in a class with more opportunity for class discussions and support for focused learning.
Upper Prep focuses on the preparation for Senior School and beyond. Our Academic Curriculum across a range of subjects prepares children for sitting Common Entrance exams indicative of high academic standards. Traditionally our pupils perform exceptionally well with many results above the National Standard. We believe this approach not only gives them an advantage when joining Senior School but also prepares them for their GCSE and A Level exams later in their school career.
We aim to provide our pupils with greater opportunities, both in the classroom and outdoors. We have found that by providing an environment that both challenges and encourages, children settle smoothly into their new school at Year 9 entry and are more confident in embracing new opportunities.
Tockington Talk
Mr Glanville, Deputy Head Academic, Head of Science and Year 8 Form Tutor The children benefit greatly by staying on to Upper Prep. They are given positions of responsibility, which is the first opportunity for some to demonstrate leadership qualities and for others to begin to understand the importance of leading by example. Year 8, in particular, are given almost celebrity status by the younger children and I often talk to the older children about the type of role model they are. Art, Music and Drama We have witnessed incredible performances by Year 8 pupils in their Drama productions. Children proudly demonstrate confident performance skills. Our state-of-the-art Music Suite offers a dedicated space for budding musicians and our peripatetic teachers prepare pupils for success in their Grade Exams. Scholarship Support Our curriculum and subject specialist teachers provide a strong base for success in Common Entrance and Scholarship Assessments. Extracurricular clubs and teacher support are available for those aiming for Subject Scholarships.
It can be a balancing act between having high expectations of the children who have leadership roles in House, Sports events or in Lower School whilst also remembering that they are only young themselves and will make mistakes. We try to provide them with an environment where they are challenged but still feel comfortable and supported. The time in Year 8 can mark the end of the longest time they will ever spend at a school. Many will have joined our Nursery and could have spent 11 years with their classmates. This stability in friendship groups is great; it allows for lifelong friendships to become established. As the Year 8 Form Tutor, I am always proud of the progress and work ethic the children develop in their final two years at TMS. They leave us as kind, honest and interesting young people and my Form Time often over-runs, as they are always good company!
Tockington Talk
Mr Jones, Director of Sport, Deputy Head Pastoral Watching our Year 7 and 8 children grow in confidence and make the most of every moment in their final two years at TMS is a joy to behold. Children are allowed to mature and flourish in a nurturing, stimulating environment guided by staff that know them well and understand their individual needs as young adults. By the time they leave TMS our pupils are grounded, tolerant, inclusive of others and possess a well-developed work ethic which stands them in good stead for the next step and their future workplace. Our leavers depart TMS proud of their achievements and academic progress, as well as their contribution to school life. The Year 8 pupils are given responsibility as Monitors and are superb role models to all the younger children in the school. All the pupils are given the opportunity to shine and realise their potential at TMS.
Pastoral Programme Lifelong Friendships
Many of our Upper Prep pupils have been part of the Tockington family from Nursery and these strong bonds carry them beyond the school. The smaller class sizes make the transition for new pupils really easy as they are welcomed and guided by their Year group. Pupils who join Tockington in Year 7 and 8 quickly settle and greatly benefit from their two years with us.
Leading by Example
As the oldest in the school, the Year 7 & 8 pupils are given both more responsibility and opportunities to support those in younger year groups. They thrive as the “big fish in our small pond, ” becoming strong role models for our younger pupils, supporting them through activities such as Paired Reading and House meetings, as well as volunteering to help around the school. Every Year 8 pupil is given the chance to shine with new responsibilities and Monitor roles and they are keen to fulfil them to the best of their ability. It is a great opportunity for the children to develop their leadership skills with opportunities to speak publicly, represent the school and guide younger pupils. As well as Head Boy and Girl these roles include Head of House, Head of Sports, Head of Music, Head of ICT and many more.
Upper Prep Enrichment Programme
Whilst a smaller school allows children to stay children for longer, our enrichment programme recognises the importance of encouraging independence, developing confidence and a sense of self and responsibility. The Upper Prep Leadership programme begins with a Year 7 residential trip in the Autumn Term. This is a great opportunity for pupils to understand the leadership skills expected from them and is a great exercise in team building. A trip to Normandy in Year 7 is a chance to practise the French oral skills they have been learning since Nursery. In addition to this strong academic opportunity, the memories made on this trip of baking bread, playing cricket on the beach or talking around the bonfire last a lifetime. In Year 8, pupils attend a field trip to carry out Geography fieldwork as part of the Academic Syllabus. This trip is taken whatever the weather and is a great test of resilience and team work. In the pupil’s final term, a trip to the Forest of Dean for camping, canoeing and
climbing gives pupils a chance to spend valuable time together before they head off to their Senior School. In the Summer Term for Year 8 a special prom is held, which the pupils help to organise by deciding the theme and the catering. This annual event brings the pupils, their parents and teaching staff together for a memorable evening celebration.
Reward and Recognition
At the end of the Summer Term we hold our annual Speech Day and Prize Giving ceremony. This is a wonderful occasion where the Tockington family of pupils, parents and staff come together to celebrate the achievements of the year. The Year 8 pupils excitedly collect their awards and the younger pupils watch in awe as they look forward to their chance to win these prizes in the future. Some of the prizes have been awarded since the school opened in 1947 and it is an honour for the children to have their name added.
Making the next step Working Together to Find the Right School
Common Entrance Exams and Scholarship Assessments
As a fully independent school, we are not linked with any Senior Schools and this allows us to recommend the best school for your child. We have forged close partnerships with many Senior Schools and they value the additional strengths TMS pupils bring with them into Year 9 by staying with us for those last two years.
Those with outstanding ability are encouraged to work for Scholarship exams and receive individual tutoring. Our pupils regularly receive awards from a significant number of prestigious Independent Senior Schools with last year’s Year 8 boasting an 80% Scholarship rate. In recent years, these have included Sports, Arts, Music, Drama, Design & Technology, Academic, All-rounder and Headmaster’s Scholarships. They are all displayed on our Honours Boards dating back to 1950.
When it comes to finding the right Senior School for your child, Mr Symonds works closely with parents and children to ensure a smooth, stress-free transition. We base recommendations for Secondary Education on a detailed knowledge of each child’s strengths and capabilities and an excellent relationship with Senior School Headteachers.
We have an exceptional record of achievement in Common Entrance Examinations with all pupils gaining entry to their first choice of Senior School. We celebrate every awarded place in our school assembly, weekly school newsletter and on our social media channels to illustrate that we are proud of every single one of our Year 8 pupils finding their next step.
Parent Point of View Mrs Edwards, Mum of Old Tockingtonian Pupils The decision to stay at Prep School rather than move on at the end of Year 6 can feel daunting but for us, it was quite a simple choice really. Both our children were extremely happy at TMS with strong friendships, as well as a happy relationship with the school and teaching staff. We felt that they would benefit from continuing to enjoy and draw strength from those, whilst they navigated the sometimes stormy waters from becoming children into young adulthood. This was able to be done at their own pace, whilst being part of wonderful surroundings and with teachers and pastoral staff that had known them since they were very young. This led to them being able to make informed, well-advised decisions about their next school, possible subject choices and exam technique. They were able to recognise their strengths and of course, just as importantly, areas to work on, all whilst in a small and nurturing environment where they felt safe and secure. We feel that this produced two confident and well rounded young adults, who were able to move on with a sense of having completely ‘finished’ one part of their schooling and being prepared to enter the next. They quickly fitted in with new friends, as they were more assured of who they were as people, being slightly more mature, and were also well-prepared academically to effortlessly adapt to GCSE courses with no problem. The communication between TMS and their new schools, was strong and consistent, so we felt happy that they knew everything they needed to. Tom and Lily left TMS with very happy memories, ready to embrace new challenges, feeling as though they had really lived TMS life to the full.
Tom gained an Academic Scholarship to Monmouth School for Boys. He later became their Deputy Head Boy. He is now reading Economic History at London School for Economics and is a full member of the National Youth Choir, GB. Lily is at Cheltenham Ladies College on a Day Girl Scholarship.
“We feel as parents that having given them those extra two years really helped them become who they are today.”
“It is clear that pupils who join us from Tockington have benefitted from the opportunities for leadership and growth in their final year at Prep School and are well prepared to negotiate the step up to Year 9.”
Teacher Talk Do Headteachers really recognise the benefits TMS pupils have from those extra two years in our Upper Prep? Local Headteachers share their views with us... Andrew Gordon-Brown , Headteacher and Principal of the Foundation, Kingswood School “Children moving from Tockington Manor to Kingswood School at 13 follow a well-trodden path at the important 13+ entry point. “Each year we recruit an additional 20 pupils to join the 100 or so leaving Westwood, our Junior House, and starting afresh in our vertical house system for Years 9-13. Our small, house based tutor groups are the bedrock whereby each child is known and cared for. “Having found and developed their talents at Tockington, at Kingswood we will help them to nurture these, as well as nudge them to find and develop a few more.”
Dr Tim Greene, Headteacher of Clifton College “The warmth of seeing the faces of other pupils from your old Prep School will happen to Tockington pupils a lot at Clifton. We encourage old friends to meet and Housemasters and Housemistresses will give ‘buddies’ to new Year 9s who are often from the same Prep School. “The induction process has been very carefully designed to ensure the friendly family atmosphere they are used to at Tockington is replicated at Clifton. Tockington pupils are so keen to explore their new school; there is an infectious aspect to their positivity. They are very used to contributing fully, to draw on all they have learnt at Tockington and make the most of their time at Clifton. “Children feel comfortable and secure within such a short time of starting Year 9 at Clifton. Ask any former Tockington pupil.”
Natasha Dangerfield, Headteacher at Westonbirt “We are delighted to welcome TMS pupils into Year 9 at Westonbirt School. The ethos at Westonbirt well matches the broad and balanced curriculum at Tockington, the holistic approach to educating the whole child and the expectation that each student should be nurtured to reach their potential and beyond. “The natural entry point into Year 9 at Westonbirt complements a traditional Prep entry that is underpinned and endorsed by a strong relationship between Mr Symonds and I. Year 9 is a key entry point; all pupils joining Year 9 enjoy a robust induction programme and warm welcome into our vibrant school community which supports day, flexi and full boarding opportunities. “We very much look forward to welcoming both boys and girls from TMS into the Westonbirt community this coming academic year.”
Nick Gregory, Headteacher of Wycliffe College “For a 13-year-old embarking on life after Tockington, I think Wycliffe is just the right size: we enjoy the ‘economy of scale’ – with just over 400 Senior School pupils - to have brilliant facilities but we are also small enough to know every single individual, have some sort of assembly gathering for the whole school almost every day and have class sizes that very rarely go beyond 12-15. “This overall ethos has worked well for a range of Tockingtonians in recent years. From Tockington we have girls with enormous creative talent in our Sixth Form; a Year 12 Academic Scholarship holder with ambitions to be an equine vet; a Drama Scholar and a Sports Scholar in our Year 11 and Year 10 boys holding Scholarships for Sport and Academia - and many more besides. “All have found really positive and productive Senior School ‘pathways’ just right for them (academic, extracurricular and social/pastoral), having joined us from Tockington in Year 9.”
“My best friends today are friends I made at Tockington all those years ago and I am so grateful for the start in life I had from attending this wonderful school.”
Pupil Perspective The Tockington Family
When you join TMS you become part of the Tockington Family and this link continues from Year 8 when you join our alumni, the Old Tockingtonian Society. The alumni are encouraged to keep in touch with the school and our annual Bonfire night has become an unofficial reunion for former Year 8 pupils to return to the school. We are very proud of our many former pupils who have gone on to achieve success in the Arts, Academia, Sport and Business. Their achievements are a great incentive for our current and future pupils. Here some Old Tockingtonians, along with current Year 8 pupils, share their Upper Prep experiences...
Elles Bailey, Award winning Bristol based singer and songwriter: “I spent 10 years at Tockington, starting in the Nursery all the way until Year 8 and it was the most incredible way to start my schooling. At Tockington, you are encouraged to be who you want to be; you can be a square peg and they don’t push you into a round hole like so many other schools do! The teachers also encourage you to not be afraid to try new things. “Not only was the teaching exceedingly engaging but I was fortunate enough to be involved with lots of extracurricular activities like drama, all kinds of sports, art and music. The skills and confidence that these activities gave me, I have taken into adulthood and used as a touring musical artist travelling the world.”
Logan, joined TMS in Year 7 and was awarded a Sports Scholarship to Clifton College:
“When I joined in Year 7 everyone was very welcoming and I didn’t have to worry about trying to fit into a new environment. I have made lots of friends. I would really recommend coming here. The teachers are amazing, really encouraging. I am now looking forward to, and feel prepared for joining Clifton College on a Sports Scholarship in Year 9.”
George, currently studying at Cardiff University:
“I believe that staying for Year 7 and 8 at Tockington was vital to my personal growth and development. Tockington Manor is the ideal environment to be able to develop emotionally, socially and academically. Those final two years allowed me to explore my leadership and organisational skills; both of which have been key to my Senior School experience. “The lessons learnt from the teachers at Tockington Manor made it possible to achieve Head Boy at my Senior School and permitted me to navigate A levels in an unusual Covid-19 setting. Having now finished school, I look back on Tockington with such fondness. I am grateful for the helpful staff and stunning environment that I was able to grow up in.”
Amy, gained a Scholarship to King’s School, Gloucester:
“Tockington helps you to improve in all aspects: Sports and Academic. I received help to decide which would be the best school for me for Year 9 and Mr Symonds helped me to find a school that I wanted to go to and where I would fit in. I got lots of encouragement with my Scholarship application and had plenty of support in preperation for the interviews and tests. Staying for Year 8 means that you can spend the last weeks at school on camp and taking part in lots of activities with all the friends you have made during your time at Tockington. It’s also nice to not be the smallest at your next school and stay younger for a bit longer.”
Parent Point of View Mr & Mrs Huby, parents of Old Tockingtonian Pupils We are very glad our children stayed at TMS until the end of Year 8 because: Our children were given responsibilities in Years 7 & 8, which led to them having a greater self-confidence. Both our children were awarded Monitor roles in Year 8, which empowered them to speak to teachers, staff and school visitors about a variety of topics. In these Upper Prep years our children were encouraged to act as role models and often provided mentoring to the Lower School children. Our children were given the opportunity to lead House Sports, Drama and Music competitions; they organised all the rehearsals, selected the teams etc. Our children were able to represent the school in Senior InterSchool competitions right up to National level. When our children were in Years 7 & 8 they were at the top of the school rather than being the youngest in a large Senior School, giving them chance to stay younger for longer and grow in confidence. All of the above resulted in confident students joining their Senior School, not daunted at all by the size of their Senior School and feeling excited for the next step in their educational journey. Staying at TMS for Year 7 & 8 also provided an excellent chance of Scholarship to Senior School, this meshes well with intakes in Year 9, especially at Public Schools.
Parent Point of View Mrs Gaulton, parent of a current and Old Tockingtonian pupil: TMS, as a Prep School, does as the name suggests - it prepares the children for Senior School. It does this in a nurturing way, both educationally & pastorally, giving them increasing levels of responsibility during Year 7 & 8, which I feel challenges them and grows their confidence in a safe and familiar environment. Prep school teachers are not distracted by having to prioritise their GCSE or A level students and the school is not judged on its results or how many students they get into top flight universities. They can fully concentrate on the children and their success, helping them secure a place at their first choice school, with a Scholarship where relevant. The teachers and indeed the Head know the individual children so well by Year 7 & 8 and can guide families accordingly. Tockington’s extensive grounds and facilities (for us the pool and now the new Music Suite) were one of main reasons for choosing the school in the first place - it offered our children a truly safe environment in which to grow, learn, try new things and broaden their horizons. Our children were and are very happy there and felt supported academically & pastorally. Why would we take that away from them 2 years before we needed to? As my Dad tells me often ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t try and fix it!’ A Senior School environment is a very grown up place to be - let children be children for as long as we can - but safe in the knowledge that at 13, when they do move on, they will be prepared for the wider world out there.
Your Journey with TMS Our pupils go on to join Senior Schools throughout the UK. Our strong relationships with Senior Schools will help your child secure a place in their first choice school for Year 9 entry. This following list indicates the variety of Senior Schools our pupils have attended from Year 9, many being awarded a variety of Scholarships. We recommend starting your discussions with Mr Symonds as early as Year 5 so that we have the time to consider and match your child’s personality, strengths and weaknesses to the school that will help them thrive. To discuss the next steps for your child in further detail, please book an appointment with Mr Symonds via: admin@tockingtonmanorschool.com.
Destinations of TMS Year 8 leavers: All Hallows Badminton Bloxham Blundell’s Bristol Cathedral Bristol Grammar School Castle School Cheltenham College Cheltenham Ladies College Clifton College Clifton High School Colston’s Collegiate Dauntsey’s Dean Close Eton Framlingham Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls Haileybury Harrow King Edward’s, Witley King’s Bruton King’s College, Taunton
King’s School, Gloucester Kingswood Malvern Marlborough College Marlwood Millfield Monkton Combe Monmouth Oundle Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital Radley Redland High Redmaid’s Repton Royal School, Bath Sherborne Shrewsbury St Francis College Taunton Wells Cathedral Westonbirt Wrekin College Wycliffe
Scholarships have been awarded by the following schools: Badminton Bloxham Cheltenham College Cheltenham Ladies College Clifton College Clifton High School Colston’s Collegiate Dauntsey’s Eton Framlingham Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls Haileybury Harrow King Edward’s, Witley King’s Bruton King’s College, Taunton King’s School, Gloucester Kingswood Malvern College
Marlborough Millfield Monkton Combe Monmouth Oundle Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital Redland High Redmaid’s Repton Royal School, Bath Sherborne Shrewsbury St Francis College Taunton Wells Cathedral Westonbirt Wrekin College Wycliffe
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