“I would like to extend my thanks to you and your colleagues for the amazing effort and dedication that you are inputting in tutoring our children. The tutors’ patience is limitless and we can see how much hard work and planning has gone into the lessons, with every effort being made to continually ask if the boys understand, and encouraging questions.”

“It is a great school for boys; not in the number of pupils because there are around 100 boys, but in the number of staff per pupil, which is one of the highest in the UK. This enables better and more personalized attention to each boy. Do not be discouraged by the state of the dorms, which are being upgraded each year, both my boys have spent their school years here and did not care about it because they were involved in so many activities offered in the school. The most important for us was that the boys were not pampered. They were taught to be themselves and given tasks and duties in the school events, which is an integral part of the education. While doing a wide range of activities, both of my boys have discovered their artistic abilities, thanks to the marvellous studio and teacher. Academically, the school has all the capacity to prepare the boys for any senior school selection. One of my boys got three offers and a scholarship, the other one got two offers from top senior schools. They both decided to join Harrow School. As foreigners with novice English, they have succeeded it within three years at Woodcote. Today, when I ask them which school they would pick for their own sons, they pick Woodcote. Because it is a small school but a large family.”

 “This school has exceptional values and does a superb job of instilling those values in their pupils.  There is a great diversity to the boys who attend and each are celebrated for their individual talents, whether they are academic, sporting or artistic.  For a school that may appear old-fashioned, the quality of the online learning during lockdown has been exemplary.”

“Sending our son to Woodcote House was one of the best decisions we made.  It is a school that really understands how to teach boys brilliantly, both in and out of the classroom.  It is a school that turns boys in to delightful young men ready for whatever their next step in education will be.  We can not rate the school high enough.”

“The best school a boy could hope to attend. Our son arrived at Woodcote with a number of learning challenges and lack of confidence in his academic abilities. Four years later and he has been offered places at every senior school for which he applied (6 of them), has won school academic prizes and come in the top echelon of the nationwide Townsend Warner History Prize. All that and a delightful set of friends too.”

“Finding the right prep school is no mean feat but people often say that you just know when it’s the right school for your kids. We certainly got this feeling when we went to see Woodcote. Two years in and our experience could not have been more fantastic. It’s a close-knit, family-run school with a great community, work ethos, fantastic pastoral care for the boarders and all the sports and extra curricular opportunities you could ask for. The reason I felt compelled to write this review is the way the school stepped up during lock down. The staff all pulled together and on the very first day after the Easter holidays started offering the most fantastic online homeschooling provision. We feel very lucky to be part of such a brilliant school and certainly feel we made the right choice.”

“Woodcote House School is a fantastic school. Our sons have thrived not just academically but socially and both have got places in their schools of choice for next level. It took only minutes of visiting WHS, and seeing how courteous but importantly happy the boys were, to decide it was the right school for our sons and we have not looked back once…best decision and no brainer that son number 3 will head there soon!”

“We were very lucky to find Woodcote House by chance. Both of ours boys had the privilege of attending this fabulous family run prep school and it was our best decision to send them to a magical school that really understands boys and has all the formulas for a really amazing education and life experience. It really does everything a prep school should do and our eldest son who now attends Sherborne really does look back on his time here as the best on his life.

A school with around 100 boys – a mix of day and boarders there is nothing more a young boy could want. Pastoral care is amazing- and One of the main reason a we chose this school. The boys are nurtured and also given responsibility and all the skills that will be asked of them when they leave for senior school. The school offers a child 30 acres of grounds, opportunity for excellent co- curricular activities such as golf, clay pigeon shooting, CCF and far more. Cooking is popular in the brand new kitchen and art, music and languages really stand out.

The teaching staff are just so committed and every teacher wears many hats and plays many roles within the school. The school plays are always amazing and the staff always get incredibly involved.
Whenever I go to collect my son he is normally playing table tennis with his friends or a master ( and doing quite well)! Or swimming in the pool or playing golf on the 9 hole course.

Woodcote House is unashamedly proud of what it does for all the right reasons- the senior schools that boys go to are the best in the country -Eton , Marlborough, Winchester, Charterhouse,Sherborne are all popular. We as parents are so happy our boys got the time they had here with so much happiness, encouragement and real care. We are with heavy hearts that our son will leave this July as the school has really over the last 5 years become so special to us all.”

All schools think they’re special, but Woodcote really is – ask any old boy. This small, all-boys boarding and day school has been run by the Paterson family since 1931. Head David Paterson is an old-fashioned schoolmaster in the best possible sense: engaging, thoughtful and inspiring, and an expert in finding the best-fit senior school for his charges, whether it be Sherborne, Oundle or Harrow. Boys are a well-rounded and cheerful bunch, a third of whom come to school on the bus services from south-west and west London. Woodcote’s sporting achievements are formidable for a school of this size, as are its music and drama. There are clubs to suit all tastes: we’d like to join the Turf Club boys, who have a share in a racehorse, and the Nutritional Ninjas’ healthy cookery classes.

Tatler Schools Guide 2019

WHY WOODCOTE???

From the first moment I walked into the school, everything just felt right and I knew instantly that any son of ours would thrive there. There was something magical about the atmosphere: warm, friendly, positive and yet, disciplined.

I passed a group of small boys covered in mud and grinning from ear to ear chatting about the rugby they had just been playing and wondering whether they could get away without a shower!  It was obvious that this was a place that boys could really be boys.

As an Army family, we needed a school for our sons that would provide a traditional  education, continuity, stability and a home from home.  It was clear that Woodcote ticked all the boxes. It was small enough to feel like a family, yet big enough to offer a wide range of activities.  The children seemed to reach the required academic standard for Common Entrance without stress and there was plenty of time to do sport, music, drama or simply play in the beautiful grounds. It was the best decision we ever made.