A New Forest school for Nursery through to Year 11 with a focus on pastoral care and happiness, and where “exam results only tell a fraction of the story”.

This co-ed, day and boarding school offers children age 2.5-16 years an education that focuses on individualised learning. Far less pushy and hot-housey than other schools in the area, Moyles Court focuses on offering small class sizes, individual attention and the encouragement that students need to achieve their potential. 

Situated in the New Forest National Park and housed in a stunning 17th Century Manor House, the school has a beautiful setting for learning. The school was founded in the 1940s in Bude, Cornwall, and moved to its present site in the very beautiful New Forest in 1963. Today, it is home to a Pre-School, Junior School and Senior School, offering children an all-through education from the very early years to GCSEs.

It’s a small school of just 230 students, which is certainly one of its strengths. It fosters a close-knit, supportive that promotes strong relationships among staff, students, and families. Where a child may get lost within a larger school community, Moyles Court can boast of discovering children’s hidden talents and abilities. It also creates a family-like environment for the small community of international students here coming from China, Thailand, Korea, Spain, Guinea, Germany, Italy, Albania and Ukraine.

The school’s motto ‘Resurgam’, which translates as ‘I shall rise again’, suggests a culture where students learn from failures, and use them as opportunities to grow and improve. Moyles Court says that it values “individuality, excellence and kindness”, which are all important qualities for developing well-rounded students.

The school clearly respects students’ unique strengths and interest; promotes a culture of high expectations and ongoing improvement; and encourages a friendly, happy atmosphere. This is not an academically selective school and classes are filled with children of all abilities. You’ll find there’s less talk about the number of top grades and more about every child’s “personal rate of progress”; there’s also a caring and inspiring atmosphere where students are encouraged to recognise and enjoy others’ successes.

It all provides students with an excellent grounding for the next stage in their education, and Moyles Court is preparing children for success in entrance exams to some of the UK’s leading sixth form colleges. Students are receiving offers from Canford, Gordonstoun, Charterhouse, Hereford Cathedral School, St Michael’s School Wales and Cardiff Sixth Form – an impressive list of independent sixth forms.

Richard Milner-Smith has been Headmaster at the school since 2014.

When asked what makes a great school, he has said: 

“Quite simply, great teaching and learning. Great teachers inspire, motivate and generate a love of learning. Great teachers make learning fun and encourage children to be curious. Great teachers recognise the needs of each individual child and give them the confidence to be independent. Great teachers are at the heart of every successful and happy school and I am very fortunate to work with such great teachers every day.”

Curriculum

Moyles Court combines a traditional academic curriculum with a focus on individualised learning, outdoor learning and arts opportunities.

There’s a “warm and welcoming” Pre-school that’s open from 8.30am until 5pm for 38 weeks of the year – a huge benefit for working parents. (In the Junior and Senior schools, there’s also wraparound care for day students from 7.30 am - 5.15pm, Monday – Friday.)

Students can then move into Reception with the confidence needed to start a more teacher-led curriculum. Both Pre-School and Reception children get off to the strongest start in their education, with specialist lessons in French, PE, music, dance and cookery. It’s one of the many benefits of belonging to an all-through school, where the very youngest students can use the facilities and teaching resources needed for the very oldest.

In the Junior School the core curriculum is balanced with more specialist lessons and independent learning, and Senior School students then work towards their GCSEs.

Options include art and design, computer science, design and technology (resistant materials), French, geography, history, media studies, music, philosophy, ethics and religion, photography, PE, Spanish and textiles; there’s a strong mix of traditional and modern subjects to suit students with varying interests and abilities. Students also take the school’s own Certificate in Personal Finance and ICT Qualification.

As part of the school’s philosophy, all children are given general learning support and individual attention; however, there is also a small Enhanced Learning Programme for those children who need additional support. There’s also an English-language (ESOL) programme for international students who are quickly brought to a level where they can benefit
from the mainstream teaching in the school.

Beyond the classroom

Moyles Court offers a well-balanced and enriched education that can bring out the potential in the academic, the sporty, the arty and many more. There’s also a range of sporting, musical and creative activities in the extra-curricular programme.

As we see a growing trend in outdoor education in UK schools, Moyles Court is no exception. As you’d expect from a school in the heart of the New Forest National Park, there’s plenty of outdoor learning. As well as timetabled lessons in the school grounds, the Duke of Edinburgh award is hugely popular and there are annual summer ‘camp outs’.

There’s an inclusive ‘sport for all’ ethos here, and a focus on having fun; you don’t have to be elite to get a chance to shine and all students have the opportunity to represent the school in competitive matches. As well as all the traditional sports (rugby, football, cricket, netball, hockey and tennis), students can try sailing (the school is only a short drive from a very scenic stretch of the coast), trampolining, horse riding, cross country and basketball.

Facilities include a sports hall, outdoor multi-sports courts, sports fields, Astroturf cricket green, bouldering & abseiling wall, and tennis courts. While it’s true that a larger school will have more sporting fixtures, Moyles Court students still compete in a range of local regional and national competitions.

Creativity is celebrated at this school too. There are regular performances in weekly assemblies and termly concerts, and annual productions as diverse as Annie, The Wizard of Oz, and Beauty and the Beast. The school has musical groups, as well as a good uptake of peripatetic music lessons in everything from piano/keyboard to brass and drums, and LAMDA classes. 

Boarding

There are weekly, full and flexi boarding options offered to children aged seven and above, and Moyles Court has a mix of British (40%) and international boarders aged eight to 16 years. It offers a fantastic environment for international students to improve their English skills, and the school shares many positive stories of students from countries including Thailand, Republic of Guinea and China settling into the UK education system with confidence.

Boarders live in a 16th Century manor house set within the school’s 14-acre grounds, and three dedicated houseparents provide round-the-clock supervision. 

There are separate boarding programmes for junior and senior boarders to meet the varying needs of younger and older children. For example, houseparents sit with Juniors at mealtimes to model good manners and be a listening ear, while Seniors learn valuable life skills such as how to do their laundry and basic cooking.

As well as using the sports facilities, art room, ICT suite and gym, boarders choose two evening activities each term and enjoy various weekend excursions.

Academic results

2022 GCSE results: 90% of students gained five or more GCSEs at Grade 4 and above (including Maths, English and Science), and over 20% of all grades reaches either 9 or 8.

As the school says, “academic results will only take you so far in life” and, in terms of Value Add, students achieved over a grade more than they would normally be expected to achieve 

Headmaster Richard Milner-Smith said: 

“Exam results will always only tell a fraction of the story and behind every set of results is a young person who has their own story to tell. Let us also not forget that a good education is not just about examination results. Our pupils have grown and developed as individuals during their time with us and are leave our school as well balanced and broadly educated young people with very positive futures ahead of them.”

Admission and fees

Moyles Court enrols children from age 2.5-16 years, and the main entry points are Pre-School, Reception and Year 7.

Annual fees range from £8,085 for Reception through to £16,980 for Year 11 for day students; boarding fees start at £23,935.

Our view

Good for: From Nursery through to Year 11, Moyles Court has created a well-disciplined, caring and happy environment for its students. If you want a school that focuses on being pastoral care and happiness, then Moyles Court could be an ideal fit. 

Not for: While Moyles Court offers personalised teaching, some students may prefer the more rigorous style and competitive nature of a selective, very academic school. As the school only continues through to GCSEs, students will need to apply for sixth form elsewhere, so there is that transition to consider.

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