North Bridge House Prep School: A Well-Rounded Education

Rated Excellent by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, North Bridge House Prep School, Regent’s Park, London, looks beyond the extra-curricular activities typically associated with a well-rounded education. Headteacher Tom Le Tissier combines progressive and traditional teaching methods to deliver more than a broad, balanced curriculum; going to school here is to gain life experience.

Pupils enjoying an art lesson at North Bridge House Prep School

Indeed, there are endless extra-curricular opportunities at North Bridge House Prep School, with close to 40 clubs taking place every week. Beyond this, however, is a potentially overlooked approach to developing well-rounded individuals.

‘We sweat the small stuff here,’ says Tom, NBH Prep School Headteacher. ‘Let’s not forget just how important it is for our future generation to be able to conduct themselves appropriately – to practise good manners, articulate with confidence and make a lasting impression,’ he continues. Outside the classroom, the school uses passings by in the corridor, interactions at lunchtime and healthy debate to engage children in meaningful conversations with their peers and, most significantly, with staff. 

‘The relationships that our teachers form with the children are so important. Cultural capital is a currency that increases in value day-to-day, particularly with young people, and it is through these rich conversations with their teachers that our children become invested members of society,’ explains Tom.

Outdoor play at North Bridge House Prep School

Connecting with others from different age groups and backgrounds is vital to children’s character development, equipping them with a strong set of core values as they progress into adulthood. Peer mentoring is a powerful tool at North Bridge House Prep: in reading to the Reception children, older students identify as role models and develop key social-emotional capacities. Similarly, pupils’ collaboration with ZSL London Zoo empowers the next generation of sustainable thinkers. ‘In talking to experts in zoology, our children gain an understanding of how science is applied in the wider world –  beyond the science lab – as well as current perspectives on conservation and ideas as to what they can do to help our environment.’

At the core of what North Bridge House Prep School does is a progressive, knowledge-rich curriculum, designed to help pupils remember what they have been taught. Alongside a broad academic and creative offering, at Key Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4), Critical Thinking and Philosophy, Politics and Economics are added to the curriculum. Come Year 5, a General Studies course broadens pupils’ cultural, political and global awareness, with modules including Film Studies and Art History.

Pupil learning at North Bridge House Prep School

‘While being explicit about the knowledge that needs to be acquired in order for our children to achieve, we also prioritise the learning of powerful knowledge – worldly knowledge. Knowledge that not only allows our children to understand Pythagoras’ theorem, but to thrive in the society they’ll be working in when they grow up,’ explains Tom.

‘We look at the bigger picture when it comes to providing a well-rounded education. Our school is more than a building, our curriculum extends well beyond the exam syllabus… We are a community with learning at the heart of it, adapting and growing together to thrive in a rapidly evolving world,’ concludes the NBH Prep School Head. 

Find out more: For admissions enquiries, call 020 7428 1520, or to find out more about the school, visit northbridgehouse.com