Windlesham House School
Windlesham House School is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 4 to 13 on the South Downs, in Pulborough, West Sussex, England. It was founded in 1837 by Charles Robert Malden and was the first boys' preparatory school in the United Kingdom. In 1967 it became the first IAPS co-educational school. The school moved to its current location in 1934. It caters for over 300 pupils. Children aged 4 to 7 are taught in the pre-prep. From 2011 onward, the school has been inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, who  awarded it 'excellent' in its 2017 report. The school received an 'outstanding' award in its Ofsted inspection in 2010. Boarding and Pastoral Care. Male and female students are accommodated in dormitories based in separate areas of the school. Each wing is run by the Heads of Boarding, who are supported by matrons. The dorms vary in size and children sleep in bunk beds or single beds. Each wing of the boarding house has a 'comfy' room, much like a common room, for recreational use outside of lesson times. There are six houses, each of which are led by 'houseparents', one  male and one female, that provide limited pastoral care for the children. These houseparents are key contacts between the headmaster, the head of pastoral care and the parents. In addition, each student has a personal tutor and subject teachers. The school has an international presence, with over 15 nationalities represented by its students. Mobile phones are not allowed, but the boarding houses have phones for calling home and access to Skype for students with parents based overseas. In the 2017 ISI inspection, the boarding facilities were judged to be of an excellent quality. Charles and Elizabeth Ann Malden were the  last of five generations of Malden heads from 1837. Their joint headship lasted nearly 40 years (1957 to 1994). They were leaders of their time, insisting on being known not by their surname, Malden, but by the more informal Mr and Mrs Charles. In 1963 the School was among the first to become a trust and in 1967 Windlesham was the first traditional boys' boarding prep school to become co-educational. The Headmaster, Ben Evans took over from Richard Foster in September 2020. The Chair of the Board of Governors is Douglas Moody-Stuart and the Deputy Head is Andy  Nuttall. School Facilities. The school has been recognised for its school grounds and facilities available to the students. The school has a 9-hole golf course, playing fields and woodland that the children are allowed to play in. Bush craft and survival lessons are often taken in the woodland. The sports facilities are extensive, with an astro pitch, tennis courts, netball courts, athletics track and sports fields that cater for cricket, football, rugby and hockey. In 2014 a new playground was opened by Lord Denman after the Parents Association raised money for its construction. Additionally, their work enabled them to  donate £3,000 to Cystic Fibrosis, Cardiac Support, Sanchat Charitable Trust, Worthing Food Bank, Sussex Autistic Society and Canine Partners. In 2015 the school applied for permission to begin the phase of the expansion of its sports facilities. This was completed in February 2018. The new sports and swimming building incorporates a 25-metre six-lane swimming pool and four indoor playing courts with supporting rooms. It also has areas for spectators watching basketball, hockey, tennis and badminton. There will also be male and female changing rooms, boot rooms and storage areas for the project. The project was undertaken by  Kier construction. In July 2018 the complex was awarded 'Highly Commended' at the Sussex Heritage Trust Awards. Curriculum. The school does not follow standardised tests. However, in the 2017 Independent Schools Inspectorate data from the school were seen to indicate that the majority of the students were working above the national average. Uniform. The School does not have a uniform, but rather a dress code in place. Headship. The headship of Windlesham remained within the Malden family for 157 years spanning five generations. From its founding in 1837 until 1994 each headmaster had been the son of his predecessor, with  the exception of Grace Scott Malden, who succeeded her husband, and Charles Christopher Malden, whose elder brother, Roger, led the school while he completed his national service and degree. Christopher Scott-Malden, who had expected to run the school in partnership with his more scholarly elder brother, Gilbert, structured his role as principal, appointing subordinate headmasters. Gilbert held the title of Head Master between 1914 and 1921, but in a subordinate role to his mother, Grace. Both Grace Scott Malden and Elizabeth Ann Malden were known to the pupils as 'Mrs Charles', a tradition that stretches back to 1880 when  Charles Scott Malden was styled as 'Mr. Charles' to distinguish him from his father, 'Mr. (Henry) Malden'. Notable former pupils (ordered by date of birth). Former pupils are traditionally known as Old Windleshamites, though the term 'OWLs' (Old Windlesham Leavers) has been used by the school in recent years.