June diary: Prep School Open Days in Cheshire & Manchester
The countdown to the long summer holidays has begun. School bags are looking a little more tired, children are getting excited about six weeks off, and parents thinking ahead to September (or even beyond) are asking the big question: which school feels like the right fit?
The good news? June is a brilliant time to find out.
A handful of leading prep schools across Cheshire and Greater Manchester are opening their doors over the next couple of weeks, giving families the perfect opportunity to look around, meet the teachers and get a feel for school life before everyone disappears for the summer.
And the timing works quite nicely. With a little planning, you could visit several schools, compare the atmosphere, ask all those practical questions and go into the summer feeling much clearer about your options.
First up is The Grange, Cheshire, on Thursday 11 June. Their Discover Days are designed for current Year 5 pupils considering 11+ entry into the Senior School, giving children the chance to experience the school, meet staff and get a taste of what comes next. The final Discover! Day event in June is happening tomorrow, so if this one is on your list, it’s time to get moving.
If you’re visiting Lady Barn House on Friday 12 June bear in mind that the school is next to the lovely Bruntwood Park, which offers a great opportunity to combine a visit with a bit of a family outing. Join one of school’s tours at 9.30am or 10.30am, then afterwards you can let the children run wild at Bruntwood Park Playground or enjoy a relaxed lunch and coffee at the café. Sometimes seeing how a school fits into everyday family life is just as useful as seeing the classrooms.
Tuesday 16 June brings the Altrincham and Bowdon dilemma. The Altrincham Preparatory School and Bowdon Preparatory School are practically neighbours, and both are holding open events at the same time — so the question is: could you squeeze in both? If you had to choose, which one would win you over? The best way to find out is to walk through the gates, see the classrooms in action and notice where your child feels most at home.
Finally, Thursday 18 June brings Wilmslow Prep into the mix – and it’s a lovely one to finish with. It’s a school where there’s a real emphasis on helping children discover interests beyond the classroom and building confidence through a wide range of experiences and activities, something we looked at in more detail in our recent article on learning beyond the classroom.
