A small independent prep for pupils aged 3 to 11, St Martin’s sits in a residential pocket of Bournemouth and leans into a close-knit, family-run identity that has defined it since the current proprietors’ family took ownership in 1976.
The school’s scale is part of the offer. A single early years class is noted in the most recent inspection, and the school frames its approach around individual attention and consistent routines. That small setting also shapes the practicalities: entry is non-selective, admissions are handled directly by the school (rather than local authority coordination), and places are secured via registration and deposit, with waiting lists used if a year group is full.
For parents, the key headline is not published exam tables, but the school’s emphasis on preparation for selective routes at 11 plus alongside a broad primary curriculum, plus a timetable that builds in coached sport and specialist teaching in languages and the arts.
St Martin’s started life in 1914, founded by Miss Haines and Miss Candy, and it still foregrounds continuity, both in ownership and in its sense of being a “small school by design”. That continuity shows up in the little details the school chooses to preserve. A particularly distinctive example is the stained-glass window now housed in the school building, first dedicated in 1964 at Holy Trinity Church, later restored and installed at the school, then re-dedicated on St Martin’s Day in 1977.
Leadership is current and clearly defined. Mrs Kerri Male is listed as headteacher and safeguarding lead, and the most recent inspection notes that a new head took up post in April 2023. In practice, that matters because small schools often feel leadership changes immediately. The 2025 inspection narrative describes warm, caring staff-pupil interactions and a strong emphasis on recognising individual achievements, a style that tends to suit pupils who respond well to adults knowing them closely.
The ethos is explicitly Christian (Church of England), but the school also presents itself as welcoming to families of other faiths and none. The inspection report reflects that balance, describing Christian ethos as central while also emphasising inclusion. For parents weighing fit, that usually translates into a values-led environment, with expectations around manners, respect, and kindness used as everyday behavioural language rather than treated as a separate “ethos” bolt-on.
A useful concrete indicator is the school’s own statement that, in the academic year 2024 to 2025, pupils who elected to take the 11 plus achieved a 100% pass rate. The implication is not that every child will take that route, or that a pass guarantees a place at any particular school, but that the school’s teaching and exam familiarisation are aligned to selective entry requirements for families who want that pathway.
External review evidence focuses more on the conditions that enable learning than on headline grades. For parents, the practical takeaway is that this is a setting that tries to combine traditional core skill building in English and mathematics with breadth, then adds targeted preparation in the older years for those moving towards selective tests.
The curriculum is deliberately broad for a small prep. Alongside the expected primary core, the school lists geography, history, digital technology, religious education, music, and art and design technology as part of the grounding all pupils receive.
Where it becomes distinctive is in the use of specialist provision that would be difficult for many small schools to timetable. Languages are a strong example: Spanish is taught in Years 3 and 4, with Mandarin offered in Years 5 and 6. The implication is both academic and motivational. Pupils get taught by adults with subject expertise, and older pupils experience the cognitive challenge of switching between languages well before secondary school.
Early years is framed as practical, creative, and outdoor leaning. The 2025 inspection notes a newly developed outdoor learning area for early years, and describes skilful early years teaching that builds oral language, mathematical understanding, creativity, and knowledge of the world. For families with a younger child, that combination of structured phonics and number alongside play-based exploration is often what determines whether Reception feels settled quickly.
St Martin’s talks about preparing children for a wide variety of secondary schools, including independent and state grammar routes, and frames 11 plus preparation as a deliberate feature in the later years.
Where the school is more cautious is in publishing a destination list by name, which many preps choose not to do publicly. Even without named destinations, you can still infer the model. A school that builds routine selective-test familiarisation into the upper years, and reports a 100% pass rate among those who opted into the 11 plus in 2024 to 2025, is likely to have a cohort where multiple pathways are normal, grammar applications for some, independents for others, and strong state comprehensives for families prioritising a local non-fee-paying route.
If secondary destination fit is a key decision driver for your family, the most efficient step is to ask directly which schools recent leavers have moved to, and whether the school supports scholarship processes for local independents as well as grammar admissions. The school itself states that many pupils go on to receive scholarship offers in areas such as PE, music and drama at local independent secondary schools.
Admissions are handled directly by the school, with tours offered and an opportunity to meet the headteacher. The admissions policy describes the school as academically non-selective. Instead of a pass-fail entrance test, prospective pupils are typically invited for tours or taster sessions where they are informally assessed, including play and interaction observation for early years.
The practical mechanics are clear. The registration form is available on request, and completion of registration accompanied by the deposit secures a place in the intended year group, subject to availability. If a year group is full, a waiting list is created in order of receipt of registration and deposit. Importantly, the policy also sets expectations around information sharing, particularly where a child may have special educational needs, a disability, or medical needs, so the school can assess whether it can reasonably make adjustments and meet needs safely.
Because this is not a local-authority coordinated intake, there is no single national deadline that applies in the same way it does for state primaries. In practice, that means earlier contact usually helps, particularly for Reception entry and for in-year moves where small cohorts can fill quickly. Families comparing several options can use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools shortlist to keep track of where you have toured, what year groups have spaces, and what each school’s process looks like.
The school frames wellbeing as central, and the 2025 inspection evidence backs a high-support approach: staff know pupils well, celebrate individual achievements, and create conditions where pupils build self-esteem and confidence. Behaviour expectations are explicit and modelled consistently by adults, which is particularly important in a small school where culture is shaped quickly by a handful of pupils.
Safeguarding is treated as a core operational priority. The June 2025 ISI inspection states that safeguarding Standards are met and describes the approach as thorough, supported by oversight and regular staff training.
Communication with parents is structured around regular reporting points, parents’ evenings, and online tools used for early years learning journals and for practical tasks such as booking clubs and trips. For many families, that matters as much as any policy, because it determines how quickly small worries get handled before they become larger ones.
Sport is unusually built into the week for a school of this size. Pupils have gymnastics coached by Avonbourne Gymnastics Club from Reception, and Years 2 to 6 receive weekly swimming lessons taught by Bournemouth Swim School. The school also states it uses a local leisure centre about a quarter of a mile away for gymnastics, which adds variety without needing a full on-site sports complex.
The “why” here is practical. Regular coached sport builds confidence, coordination, and routine, and for some children it becomes the place they most enjoy school. The school also runs an annual swimming gala and an athletics sports day held locally, which gives pupils a clear seasonal rhythm of participation and performance.
Creative arts are given real timetable status. Weekly drama lessons are part of the programme, with a drama teacher listed on staff, and music is taught as a structured progression with regular performances and end-of-term concerts. Pupils can also take additional group or individual music lessons in guitar, ukulele and violin. For a child who gains confidence through performing, those repeated small opportunities to present work, play in front of others, and build stage comfort can be as developmentally valuable as any academic intervention.
Fees are published per term, and for the 2025 to 2026 year the school lists the following termly tuition fees (from January 2026, exclusive of VAT): Reception £2,791; Year 1 £2,919; Year 2 £3,109; Years 3 and 4 £3,292; Years 5 and 6 £3,561. The school also states that from January 2026 fees will be subject to 20% VAT.
Several commonly chargeable items are stated as included in fees, specifically swimming, music, drama and gymnastics. A sibling discount is also published: 10% discount for siblings after they reach age 5, and 25% discount for a third child with two elder siblings in school (with the stated caveat that no sibling discount applies to children under 5).
One-off costs are also set out. The terms and conditions list a £320 registration fee, described as non-refundable, with £200 deducted from the first fees payable.
On financial support, the school’s terms reference scholarship and bursary awards being reviewable in light of a pupil’s progress and contribution, which indicates that awards may be used in some circumstances. If financial assistance is important to your decision, it is worth asking what is currently available, what it typically covers, and how it interacts with any sibling discount.
Nursery and early years funding support is also referenced, with the school stating it accepts Early Education Funding up to the term after a child’s fifth birthday, plus tax-free childcare and childcare vouchers against wraparound care and extra-curricular clubs. (For nursery fee details, refer to the school’s official information rather than relying on older third-party summaries.)
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
The published school day structure is straightforward. Morning Club starts at 8:00am; gates open 8:45am to 9:00am; registration is at 9:05am; the school day ends at 3:25pm; and after-school clubs run from 3:25pm to 5:15pm.
Sport logistics form part of daily life. Pupils use the on-site field, and the school uses a nearby leisure centre for additional sport and weekly coached activities. For many families in this part of Bournemouth, that translates into a mix of walking routes and short drives at drop-off, with the additional consideration that some activities may happen off-site as part of the normal timetable.
VAT change. From January 2026, the school states fees will be subject to 20% VAT, so budget planning needs to account for both the published termly fees and the VAT change.
Assessment targets consistency. The June 2025 inspection recommends ensuring all pupils understand their individual targets to strengthen learning and progress. If your child thrives on clear next steps, ask how targets are communicated day-to-day.
Spaces can be limited. The admissions policy explains that waiting lists may be used when year groups are full, and are ordered by receipt of registration and deposit. In a small school, availability can change quickly.
A small, values-led prep where the core proposition is personal attention plus specialist teaching that is unusually structured for the size, languages, coached sport, drama and music all sit clearly within the weekly rhythm. It suits families who want a traditional primary foundation with the option of serious 11 plus preparation, and who value a close relationship between staff, pupils, and parents. The key challenge is that small cohorts can limit flexibility, so it is wise to engage early if you are targeting a specific year of entry.
The most recent ISI inspection (June 2025) reports that the required Standards are met across leadership, quality of education, wellbeing, and safeguarding. The school also reports a 100% 11 plus pass rate in 2024 to 2025 among pupils who opted to take the exam, indicating a strong preparation focus for selective routes.
Fees are published per term. From January 2026, the school lists termly fees from £2,791 (Reception) up to £3,561 (Years 5 and 6), exclusive of VAT, and states that fees will be subject to 20% VAT from January 2026. A £320 registration fee is also published.
Admissions are direct to the school, not local-authority coordinated. The admissions policy describes the school as academically non-selective, with tours or taster sessions used for informal assessment, and waiting lists used when year groups are full.
Yes, the school’s age range includes nursery, and the school states it accepts Early Education Funding up to the term after a child’s fifth birthday. For the current nursery fee schedule and session structure, use the school’s official information.
Morning Club starts at 8:00am and after-school clubs run until 5:15pm. Registration is at 9:05am and the school day ends at 3:25pm, which can work well for parents needing a longer school day without separate third-party wraparound.
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