Halstead St Andrews School is a co-educational independent prep in Woking for ages 2 to 13, shaped by a relatively new structure that brings together two established local schools. For families, the practical headline is the two-site model; younger children are based at Woodham Rise, with older pupils at Church Hill House, alongside a clear emphasis on sport, outdoor learning and structured wraparound care across the week.
Leadership has also recently changed. Mr Andrew Ward was appointed as the new Head and took up post in September 2024, which matters because many of the school’s current messages to parents focus on consolidating a combined identity and building consistency across the age range.
The school is not inspected by Ofsted, and does not publish the state-style performance metrics parents may expect from maintained primaries. What it does publish is a strong set of practical information for daily life, plus inspection documentation and a clear fee schedule for 2025 to 2026.
The school’s tone is values-led and family-facing, with a lot of emphasis on confidence, kindness, and community. You see this most clearly in the pastoral messaging, where the school foregrounds pupil wellbeing, safeguarding systems, and an open-door culture for parents.
Because the school spans ages 2 to 13, the day-to-day atmosphere is intentionally different depending on stage. Early Years is presented as a “happy beginning” style setting, with a strong transition focus for new starters, while older pupils are described in more formal prep-school language, particularly around scholarship pathways and competitive sport.
There is also a deliberate sense of “two communities becoming one”. The school’s published materials regularly reference alignment across the age range and opportunities that run through the whole school, especially sport, outdoor learning, and a broader programme after lessons. That can suit families who want continuity from nursery through to Year 8, but it also means parents should probe how consistent routines, expectations and communication feel across both sites.
As an independent prep, Halstead St Andrews does not provide comparable England performance tables in the way a maintained primary does. The better lens here is curriculum intent and how progress is described through external review and the school’s own systems.
The school places a visible emphasis on communication, confidence, and pupils developing secure knowledge across subjects, which fits a traditional prep aim of building strong foundations for later senior-school entry. You also see a clear focus on extension pathways for pupils with particular strengths, especially in music, sport, drama and art through the scholarship framework.
The most useful “how it feels in practice” indicator, based on published detail, is the combination of structured enrichment and a clear improvement mindset. There is a repeated message that pupils are expected to engage and work hard, alongside a stated focus on making feedback more actionable so pupils understand how to improve their work. That latter point matters for parents of children who either thrive on precise guidance, or feel anxious without it, because it indicates the school is actively trying to strengthen consistency in teaching routines.
In practical terms, the school’s teaching offer is best understood through three pillars that show up repeatedly in official materials:
strong breadth through to age 13, including structured preparation for senior school entry routes
specialist extension in performance and scholarship areas from mid-prep upwards
learning beyond the classroom, particularly outdoor and sport-led provision
Forest School is explicitly referenced by the school and supported by specialist staffing, which suggests outdoor learning is not an occasional theme week but a real thread in the experience. For pupils who learn best through hands-on exploration, this is a meaningful differentiator compared with more classroom-bound preps.
For older pupils, the scholarship framework provides a window into expectations. For example, drama scholarship assessment is described as including practical group workshops and improvisation alongside a prepared solo piece, while music scholarships expect a level of technical competency and the capacity to talk about musical experiences. Even if a child is not applying for an award, those requirements usually signal what “strong” looks like in the department, and the level of stretch some pupils will experience.
As a prep to 13, the school’s endpoint is senior school transition rather than GCSE outcomes. The key question for families is how well the school guides pupils towards the right next step, and how early it starts that work.
Older pupils appear to have structured pathways for senior school applications, including scholarship timelines and assessment days for pupils joining senior school in September 2026. Parents considering entry into the upper years should pay attention to these dates and the internal milestones, as they shape the rhythm of the Year 6 to Year 8 experience.
Families shortlisting multiple senior schools can use FindMySchool’s Local Hub comparison tool to weigh likely next-step options and academic fit side-by-side, then use Saved Schools to keep admissions milestones in one place.
The school states it is taking registrations for 2026 and beyond, and it is clear about how admissions works by age. Entry from Nursery up to Year 1 is described as non-selective and run on a registration basis, with registrations considered in the order received, and siblings given priority where relevant.
From Year 2 onwards, families are asked to provide the most recent school report for review before a place is offered, which is a common prep-school approach that aims to ensure children can access the curriculum without unnecessary pressure. The same page also notes that waiting list places for a forthcoming September can sometimes be confirmed at the start of the summer term, when places occasionally become available.
Open events are a meaningful part of the admissions flow. The school says it usually holds three open mornings each year, one each term. For the current cycle, the published schedule includes a Whole School Open Morning on Friday 6 February 2026 and another on Friday 1 May 2026, plus a Reception Open Morning on Friday 23 January 2026.
Pastoral messaging is one of the school’s most developed public areas. The school highlights a dedicated pastoral team, a safeguarding lead structure, and regular training. It also describes an open-door policy that explicitly includes families, which is often the difference between a school that is good at solving problems and one that lets small issues grow.
For parents, the practical implication is to ask detailed questions about how concerns are logged, who follows up, and what the escalation route looks like across both sites. In two-site schools, the best pastoral experience is usually the one where routines are consistent and parents know exactly who their first point of contact is at each stage.
The January 2024 ISI progress monitoring inspection judged safeguarding, provision of information and leadership standards as met.
Sport is a major pillar here, both in day-to-day curriculum time and in the breadth of facilities. Published facilities include an indoor sports hall, an all-weather sports surface, seven tennis courts, netball courts, an outdoor heated swimming pool, football pitches, a climbing wall, an athletics track, and dedicated cricket facilities including a square and nets.
The sports programme is described as running across the year, with football and rugby prominent for boys in autumn and spring, netball and hockey for girls, and summer options including cricket, athletics, swimming and tennis. For Years 7 and 8, the school also references enhanced games experiences such as golf, high ropes and trampolining.
After-school life is structured around two distinct layers: optional activities (booked via the school’s activities platform) and formal after-school care. Even if a family does not use wraparound every day, having it reliably available can transform workability for commuting parents.
Outside school life, the school also highlights community engagement, including hosting events on its playing field for a local school and supporting local hospice and wellbeing care charities, plus a relationship with Horsell Cricket Club that includes shared use of pitches and grounds.
For 2025 to 2026, termly day fees (inclusive of VAT) are published as follows: Reception £5,134; Year 1 and Year 2 £5,670; Year 3 £6,720; Year 4 £6,980; Year 5 and Year 6 £7,412; Year 7 and Year 8 £6,067 with a senior discount applied.
The registration fee is £120 (inclusive of VAT) and the deposit is £600 (inclusive of VAT). The school also states it is passing on only part of the VAT impact for 2025 to 2026 and that it has a cap on increases of 3% for 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027, alongside a 5% sibling discount.
Scholarships are offered in a limited number at Year 5 and Year 7 across academic, drama, art, music and sport, with fee remission determined through assessment. The school distinguishes scholarships from bursaries, which are means-tested and based on financial need, subject to eligibility and available funds.
Nursery pricing is published separately; families should check the school’s official nursery fee information directly, particularly if they plan to use extended provision and funded hours.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
The daily logistics are one of this school’s key selling points, because wraparound is defined with unusually clear pricing and timing. Breakfast Club is available 7:30am to 8:00am at £4.65 per session (term time only), with before-school care free of charge from 8:00am until the start of the school day. Provision is split by site: Nursery to Year 2 at Woodham Rise, and Year 3 upwards at Church Hill House.
After-school care runs to 6:00pm on weekdays in term time. At Woodham Rise, sessions are priced as 3:15pm to 4:15pm £5.00, 4:15pm to 5:05pm £6.00, and 5:05pm to 6:00pm £6.00, with tea included in the middle session. At Church Hill House, after-school care is 5:05pm to 6:00pm at £6.00.
Term dates are clearly published for 2025 to 2026, including half terms, and the school notes earlier finishes on the last day of term.
Two-site model. Split campuses can be brilliant for age-appropriate spaces, but it also creates a transition point. Ask how routines, communication and pastoral systems align when pupils move up.
Senior school focus in upper years. The scholarship and assessment timetable starts shaping the year early, especially for pupils targeting competitive senior school entry. This can suit ambitious, resilient pupils, but may feel pressured for others.
Fees are clearly set, but extras still exist. Lunch and snacks are included in termly fees, and wraparound pricing is transparent, yet families should still plan for the typical prep-school extras such as uniform and optional activities.
Sport is a major pillar. Facilities and timetable emphasis are strong, which is excellent for active pupils, but families prioritising arts as the main focus should ask how drama, music and art look week to week outside scholarship routes.
Halstead St Andrews School will suit families who want a structured independent prep with clear wraparound provision, strong sporting infrastructure, and a throughline from nursery to early teens. The best fit is a child who enjoys being busy, likes practical learning, and responds well to a school culture that values confidence and participation. Entry is straightforward in the early years and more selective later via school-report review, so the main challenge is less “getting in” and more “matching fit”, especially for pupils joining in the upper years.
For families seeking an independent prep to age 13 with strong practical wraparound and a sport-led co-curricular offer, it presents well. The school publishes recent inspection documentation and detailed operational information for parents, including fees and wraparound structures.
For 2025 to 2026, termly fees (inclusive of VAT) range from £5,134 in Reception to £7,412 in Years 5 and 6, with Years 7 and 8 set at £6,067 per term with a senior discount applied. Scholarships and means-tested bursaries are also available.
Entry from Nursery up to Year 1 is described as non-selective and operated on a registration basis, with applications considered in the order received and siblings prioritised where relevant. The school also states it is taking registrations for 2026 and beyond.
Yes. Breakfast Club runs 7:30am to 8:00am at £4.65 per session, before-school care is free from 8:00am until the start of the school day, and after-school care runs up to 6:00pm with priced sessions.
Published facilities include an indoor sports hall, all-weather sports surface, seven tennis courts, netball courts, an outdoor heated swimming pool, football pitches, a climbing wall, an athletics track, and cricket square and nets.
Get in touch with the school directly
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