Basic Information & Location
Clayesmore School is a school where each child is known, and noticed, and all its pupils flourish. Situated near Blandford Forum, Dorset, the school is a member of The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) as well as a school with ambition, confidence and compassion.
The school is renowned for its warm, family feel but it is ambitious – for its children and for the school community. The school is confident in the steps it takes to ensure every one of its pupils, from Nursery to Sixth Form, reaches their fullest potential, with the aim they leave Clayesmore with the brightest possible path ahead of them.
School Motto
Dieu premier donc mes frères (God first then my brothers)
Academic Development
Solid academic achievement is a key focus at Clayesmore and with the school’s dedicated Teaching & Learning Centre and experienced, passionate staff, it offers first class learning facilities for all pupils to reach their potential.
The school places great importance on knowing the profile of individual pupils in order to teach to the strengths of each child, whilst working to improve and support more vulnerable areas. After specialist assessment, targets are set for lessons within the Teaching & Learning Centre and reinforced cohesively right across the school and in consultation with pupils and parents.
Teachers are experienced in differentiating content and style of delivery to make topics accessible to every pupil, while keeping expectations high. Even when pupils have challenges with their learning, the focus is on higher order thinking skills. Within the Teaching & Learning Centre, some pre-teaching and reinforcement of topics can take place, across the curriculum, as necessary.
Pupils with specific learning difficulties benefit from skills-based teaching. “Overlearning” through games, puzzles and computer software provides an enjoyable experience. Reinforcing underlying auditory and visual skills is essential to improve attainment and is an important thread running through all learning support sessions.
Pastoral Care & Boarding
Boarding life at Clayesmore closely resembles the atmosphere and diversity of a busy, loving and happy family, but with the advantage of being surrounded by friends 24 hours a day.
Over 70 girls and boys board with Clayesmore and are cared for by devoted House Parents with a team of Matrons, Nursing Staff and Tutors, whose focus is to provide a home-from-home environment.
When their child becomes a boarder here parents or guardians can be sure of two things: the pastoral care is excellent and the activities programme is very full. Every evening is cheerful and weekends are busy. Children’s houseparents, Simon and Jess Porter, are experienced teachers and they and their team of tutors, matrons, and nurses look after every aspect of a boarder’s life and every student is well known and understood.
At weekends, after chapel there are matches on Saturday afternoons and in the evening a film, games, pizza or time with friends, just like at home. Boarders also make good use of the pool, the pitches and the adventure playground. Every Sunday the children set off on an expedition – the coast for beach games, the Haynes Motor Museum and Monkey World have been three recent trips. Time spent on-site is equally entertaining, with activities around the grounds, including big tree climbing (with ropes), karaoke competitions, baking brownies and enjoying barbeques.
Extra-curricular & Personal Development
Clayesmore is incredibly lucky to be situated in the outstandingly beautiful county of Dorset, and to have all that this south coast county has to offer.
There is excitement and challenge outside the classroom too. Students has been fossil hunting on the Jurassic coast, become vikings at the Ancient Technology Centre, learned about William the Conqueror in Bayeux, and re-lived the battle for Pegasus Bridge in Normandy. Closer to home, students build rafts, stay in adventure centres and visit the cinema, the theatre and the beach.
The activities programme is designed not only to stimulate and enrich young minds but also to offer inspiration to try a new skill or polish a talent, as well as to provide fun and relaxation away from the classroom.
