A CHILD-CENTRED APPROACH
Beech Hall in Macclesfield is a family school where pupils’ individual needs are at the heart of their learning journey
Beech Hall is a non-selective school for boys and girls aged six months to 16 years, situated in a beautiful 16-acre site on the edge of the Peak District. e school prides itself on providing a truly childcentred approach to education and pushing the boundaries of what is possible – as was recently demonstrated by two teams from the school swimming the English Channel to raise money for Mencap.
Beech Hall is a small school and this ensures sta can evaluate and prioritise the needs of every individual pupil. Sta not only monitor the academic progress and pastoral welfare of each individual child from an early stage in his or her career but also put in place an individually devised academic pathway through to 16 – that evolves as children’s capacities and interests develop. Beech Hall is a school with a family feel where pupils thrive and realise their potential.
Pupils bene t from a team of expert specialist teachers and dedicated learning support sta , as well as the opportunities o ered in terms of extracurricular activities outside scheduled lessons. e school believes that young people bene t greatly from contributing to the ethos of the community, and encourages every pupil to participate in the sporting and cultural life of the school.
e school has a long and proud history of sporting achievement, and plays all the major team sports including football, rugby, cricket, netball, hockey and rounders. Pupils also have the opportunity to represent the school in sporting activities such as cross country, athletics and swimming.
Small class sizes and excellent communication between sta and families ensure that the Beech Hall sta focus on every child as an individual. It also enables the school to provide a mainstream educational environment for all pupils, including those (around a third) who have an additional educational need, such as dyslexia or autism.
is approach, fully supported by the highest levels of pastoral care is, the school believes the best way to support children with learning needs and help them reach their full potential. As part of this approach, the school groups children by ability for the core subjects and starts the GCSE programme a year early, in year nine. Talented and experienced teaching sta are also supported by a learning support team, which includes a full time SENCO and school counsellor.
Beech Hall children work hard, play hard and achieve great results. e school is proud of its pupils’ academic success, particularly being a non-selective school, and in 2021 there was a 92-per-cent pass rate of GCSE exams.
Beech Hall School knows what makes children happy, knows how to help them achieve academically, and knows how to provide them with opportunities to shine.
is ensures children leave Beech Hall hugely con dent in who they are as individuals, and ready for their next step.
To nd out more, visit beechhallschool.org, and to organise a visit, email secretary@ beechhallschool.org or call 01625 422192.
SMALL CLASS SIZES AND EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION between staff and families ensure that BEECH HALL STAFF FOCUS ON EVERY CHILD AS AN INDIVIDUAL
to spend a term in France at the Château de Sauveterre. And you can expect a wealth of extracurricular activities at every independent school: at Loughborough Grammar School for instance, the music department alone runs dozens of groups and ensembles and there are clubs ranging from bee keeping to model-car racing. Everyone can nd something they’re passionate about, giving every pupil a chance to shine or as Downe House’s Matthew Godfrey puts it, “pupils are nurtured and challenged in equal measure to be the very best versions of themselves.”
You’ll also nd rst-class sports facilities and coaching, with many schools having their own tennis courts, tness centre, or swimming pool, as well as the usual sports pitches. There are schools o ering fencing, rowing, skiing or equestrian sports. And sports opportunities are open to everyone. At Stamford, all junior school pupils represent their school in at least one sports team each term, “Our Sports For All philosophy exposes students of all abilities to the bene ts of a lifelong a liation to sport, and instils a commitment to tness,” says Jo York.
Strong connections
All of these extracurricular activities lead to a very full school life – and it’s one where lasting friendships are made. Strong bonds are made in and out of the classroom and of course, pupils will have access to a network of alumni contacts with role models and mentors to inspire them and connections across the globe.
“Our alumnae are invited to contribute as keynote speakers at Downe House events and we provide the opportunity for alumnae to gain new connections through networking,” says Matthew Godfrey. “is is very useful for our younger alumnae, who bene t from the support early in their careers, as well as for those looking to change their career path.”
ALL OF THESE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES lead to a very full school life – AND IT’S ONE WHERE LASTING FRIENDSHIPS ARE MADE