Fernhill Lane, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 5SU
10 reasons to choose Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Main point of differentiation
Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep has a Schoolsmith Score® of 83, and offers the best value for money of all the New Forest prep schools. It also has an extensive arts curriculum and a wider languages offer than its neighbours.
School fundamentals
Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep is an independent prep day school for boys and girls (50%/50%) between the ages of 2 and 13 years. It is a Church of England school, open to all faiths and none. The school has a non-selective admissions policy. It is the prep school to Ballard School, an all-through school to age 16. Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep fees range from £3,455 (Rec) to £6,040 per term (2024/25). Fees exclude VAT but include lunches.
Average class size
Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep has one class per year to Year 2, two from Year 3, four from Year 7, and an average class size of 16 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
Most Prep pupils move up to Ballard Senior School at the end of Year 8.
The Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum with some additions and variations. It also includes PSHE, French, Spanish, German. Topic-led curriculum to Year 2. From Year 3 the STEM curriculum promotes cross curricular learning. The school offers each pupil between 5 and 10 different extra-curricular academic activities or hobby clubs.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups, visiting speakers, Forest School to Year 5 and residential trips from Year 5.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music and dance throughout, for languages from Year 1, for DT, science and computing from Year 3, and for most subjects from Year 5.
Sport at Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep
School offers over 15 different sports through the year, through both the curriculum and extra-curriculum. Competitive teams in major sports from Year 3. In recent years the school has enjoyed national success in sailing.
The Arts at Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Music is taught as a discrete curricular subject to all pupils. Art, DT and Food Tech are taught together to Year 5, with art a standalone subject from Year 6. Drama is part of the Expressive Arts Curriculum to Year 6. Dance is part of the PE curriculum to Year 6. All pupils learn an instrument in class and half take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Year 3. Two choirs, (whole school) orchestra and some instrument ensembles. Each pupil may participate in up to 10 different extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care for pre-prep from 8.00am to 6.00pm. After school clubs for prep pupils. Minibus service.
Find another school near Ballard School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Durlston Prep School (1.8 miles); Walhampton School (7.8 miles).
Brockenhurst Church of England Primary School (5.8 miles); Lymington Junior School (6.5 miles); St Katharine’s Church of England Primary School, Southbourne (8.2 miles).
Ballard School (0 miles); Bournemouth Collegiate School (10.5 miles); New Forest Small School (11 miles).
The Arnewood School Academy (1.1 miles); Twynham School (6.9 miles); Bournemouth School for Girls (10.3 miles).