Good Schools Guide
Friday 12th June 2026
Welcome to the Barrow Hills Bulletin, your weekly newsletter with a snapshot of life at School.
Message From the Head
Dear Parents,
Year 7 and 8 Market Day provided an opportunity for our budding entrepreneurs to develop products and bring them to parents and peers. They did exceptionally well, despite the weather, raising £660 for the charity Halow Project.
The Upper Prep children are currently en route to a week of adventurous activities in Spain, having boarded overnight at King Edward’s to facilitate a 4am arrival at Gatwick. Everything has gone smoothly so far, and a special mention must go to Mr Mullins and Mr Hinds for the early hours bus run. I was surprised to find Mr Hinds at his desk when I arrived at 7.30am; having eschewed bed, he had returned to work and was already cracking on with reports. Staff who go the extra mile, alongside children full of curiosity and kindness, are what make this school so special.
Elsewhere, Reception enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Arundel Wetland Centre, bringing their learning to life through hands-on exploration of the natural world. Midweek, Year 7 also treated family and friends to an excellent Evening of Music and Drama, showcasing both their talent and growing confidence on stage.
As well as being a magical place, we are increasingly a school that delivers academically, and I would encourage parents to shout loudly about this. Warmth, kindness, and strong academic outcomes are not competing priorities; they are mutually reinforcing strengths of a great school.
We continue to use the ISEB examination board in Year 8. It is low risk (as it does not affect senior school places) and high reward in terms of cognitive development and preparation for GCSEs. Pupils sat papers in Maths, English, Combined Science, French, Geography, and History. Overall, 56% achieved grades A* or A, while 93% achieved grades A*, A, or B. This represents a slight improvement on recent, and strong, years.
The other headline is whole-school attainment. We use standardised, externally marked assessments to complement our teachers’ judgements throughout the year. Nationally, 62% of pupils achieve scores that are “in line with” or “above” expectations in English and Maths combined. At Barrow Hills, our combined figure stands at 85%, a testament to the strength of teaching and learning across the school and the significant value added to our children’s progress in these core subjects.
Have a great weekend.
Mr Towers, Head
We’re thrilled to invite little ones into our Nursery and Forest School for a our weekly toddler class – Tree Tots @ Barrow Hills!