Good Schools Guide
Who We Are
Barrow Hills is a lively and aspirational independent preparatory school and nursery for girls and boys aged 2-13.
We welcome children into a warm community set in an extraordinary woodland setting. Across our 33 acres, we harness forest school, eco-projects and adventurous education to promote sustainability, resilience and a deep connection with the natural environment.
Our specialist subject teachers bring a wealth of knowledge and use cutting edge technologies to deliver a curriculum that fosters critical thinking, creativity and future readiness. Curiosity and confidence drive high academic standards from Early Year Foundations Stage for our younger pupils to excellent Common Entrance results for our Upper Prep leavers.
Take a Look
Results & Statistics
Academic Life
Join us at an Open Morning
The best way to feel what life is like at Barrow Hills is to join us at an Open Morning. We warmly invite you to experience the magic of our school where our children flourish academically, socially and emotionally. A great opportunity to talk to our children and teachers about what makes our school such a special place.
Friday 15th May
From 9.30am to 11.00am
Join us to explore and experience everyday school life here at Barrow Hills
In the SPOTLIGHT
A Roundup of STEM Week 2026!
Our STEM focus on Flora and Fauna sparked some fantastic cross-curricular curiosity across the school. Children took part in a wide range of hands-on experiences, from recreating Leonardo da Vinci’s self-supporting bridges and engineering challenges, to exploring absorbent materials, running exciting science...
Hearts and Minds at the Cutting Edge of Learning
We are proud to share a recent article featured in the January edition of the Guildford Magazine. Bridewell Royal Hospital Schools (King Edward’s Witley, Barrow Hills and Longacre) are places of purpose and belonging offering accessible and transformative all-through education...
New Year Honour for Mr John Towers, Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
New Year Honour for Mr John Towers, Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), Head, Barrow Hills School, Witley, Surrey It is with immense pride and pleasure that we announce that our esteemed Bridewell Royal Hospital colleague, Mr John...
Sports Day 2025
What a fantastic day of competition for all the children at Barrow Hills! We celebrated an overall victory for Kean, and bravery was on full display – particularly from one boy who fell not once, but twice, in his hurdling...
Barrow Hills Ski Trip – Claviere Italy 2025
The 2025 Barrow Hills ski trip to Claviere, Italy, was a week full of adventure, achievement, and unforgettable memories. Though the trip began with an unexpected twist—an evacuation of Gatwick Airport due to a fire alarm—this moment of chaos was...
Join us for our Open Morning on Friday 15th May 9.30 - 11.00am
From Year 3 to Year 8, our Prep school offers a confident, joyful learning environment, where every child is prepared for greater things, supported in character, taught by passionate specialists and inspired across academics and co-curricular life.
“A small school with beautiful grounds, Barrow Hills has the environment, learning culture and pastoral care balanced perfectly to nurture success”. Good Schools Guide: Review 2025
Join us and experience first hand why Barrow Hills children flourish academically, socially and emotionally.
Book your place at barrowhills.org/admissions or contact us on 01428 683639 or registrar@barrowhills.org to learn more.
Join us for our Reception Open Morning on Friday 15th May 9.30 - 11.00am
We are a nurturing Reception setting, where the foundations of learning are built through creativity, confidence and joyful discovery.
“A small school with beautiful grounds, Barrow Hills has the environment, learning culture and pastoral care balanced perfectly to nurture success”. Good Schools Guide: Review 2025
Join us and experience first hand why Barrow Hills children flourish academically, socially and emotionally.
Book your place at barrowhills.org/admissions or contact us on 01428 683639 or registrar@barrowhills.org to learn more.
Join us for our Nursery & Kindy Open Morning on Friday 15th May 9.30 - 11.00am
We are an educational nursery, offering a journey brimming with wonder, growth and curiosity for every child.
“A small school with beautiful grounds, Barrow Hills has the environment, learning culture and pastoral care balanced perfectly to nurture success”. Good Schools Guide: Review 2025
Join us and experience first hand why Barrow Hills children flourish academically, socially and emotionally.
Book your place at barrowhills.org/admissions or contact us on 01428 683639 or registrar@barrowhills.org to learn more.
This week the children have been all abuzz with bee-themed learning and have absolutely loved diving into the world of bees! 🐝
We were very lucky to have a beekeeper come in and talk to us about the process of making honey. He brought in parts of a real hive and shared fascinating facts about how bees live and work.
The children were full of brilliant questions and loved sharing their own bee knowledge too. Of course, our bee-themed afternoon wouldn’t be complete without a delicious treat, and we were able to taste some of the honey that the beekeeper brought in with him, which was delicious!
#bees #naturesclassroom #ecology
Going sideways ➡️
At Barrow Hills, STEM week is all about discovery, but education shouldn’t only move forward. It should also move sideways.
Our Art Department shows us how! While STEM explores flora & fauna through systems and classifications, our artists interpret the same natural world through line, texture, colour and form. A leaf is not just a specimen, it is light and shadow. An insect is not just anatomy, it is pattern and perspective.
In a world that pushes children to specialise earlier and earlier, schools can protect range and depth. Going sideways doesn’t dilute excellence, it’s strengthens it.
#stemweek #creativity #discovery
Our STEM focus on ‘Flora and Fauna’ sparked some fantastic cross-curricular curiosity. Children took part in a wide range of hands-on experiences, from recreating Leonardo da Vinci’s self supporting bridges to planting our very own beanstalks!
We were thrilled to welcome some inspiring visitors too, including The Hedgehog Man and Mr Middleton, who delivered a brilliant paramotor workshop.
We finished the week with an inspiring speaker - Sasha Dench, who spoke about her conservation work and the journey of making her film, ‘Flight of the Swans’.
It was a wonderful week of discovery, creativity and problem-solving. A brilliant reminder of how STEM helps us understand and care for the world around us.
#stemweek #engineering #scienceexperiments
As part of our ongoing learning for STEM week, we had a very special visit from the Hedgehog Man! 🦔
He brought 2 adorable hedgehogs with him and taught the children all about their habits, diets and unique behaviours. There were some very insightful questions asked about what we can be doing to look after hedgehogs, especially as we start coming into the warmer months.
Hands on experience like this makes learning fun and unforgettable!
#stemweek #hedgehog #handsonlearning
🚒 🔥We were thrilled to welcome our local firefighters from Godalming Fire Station into school as part of our STEM week. The children had the chance to explore, learn about the specialist equipment firefighters use, and even have a go at spraying the fire hose!
It was a fantastic opportunity to see how science, technology, engineering and maths are used in real life situations - from understanding water pressure and pump systems, to learning about the engineering behind the fire and the technology used in emergency responses, the children saw first-hand how STEM skills help firefighters keep our community safe.
A big thank you to our amazing firefighters for taking the time to inspire our children and showcase how STEM plays such an important role in their work.
#stemweek #inspiringyoungminds #learningbeyondtheclassroom
Unlocking the power of STEM through nature 🌱
With an inspiring line-up of engaging expert speakers, high-energy interactive workshops and hands-on challenges, our Flora and Fauna focused STEM week is set to be an exhilarating celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Igniting passions for STEM through creativity, collaboration and problem solving at an early age is just one of many reasons why Barrow Hills children ask bold questions and excel in their studies. Realising exceptional outcomes our pupils regularly go on to secure Science, Design Technology and academic scholarships at prestigious independent senior schools at 11+ and 13+.
Curiosity switched on? What’s your question?
#stemweek #preparetobecurious #wearepreparedforgreaterthings #bridewelleduction
The creativity of costumes on show for World Book Day was incredible - from classic characters to modern favourites. It was lovely seeing everyone celebrating their favourite stories and sharing the joy of books together. The appearance of the sun made the day even better and created the perfect setting for our literary celebrations!
Days like today remind us all how powerful reading for pleasure can be. Books open doors to new worlds, build imagination and help us discover stories and ideas that stay with us long after the final page.
Than you to everyone who took part and made today so special - a wonderful celebration of reading!
#worldbookday #readingforpleasure #loveofbooks
📚 World Book Week 📚
To mark the start of World Book Week we spent the morning enjoying Buddy Reading Sessions. Seeing older children, side by side with younger children, sharing stories and helping with tricky words was a real joy. It’s amazing how a book can bring different year groups together and create a strong sense of belonging across the school.
We are incredibly proud of our thriving reading culture:
📖 100% of EYFS pupils achieved all literacy early learning goals
📖 90% of pupils are working at or above expected levels, with 42% at greater depth or above
📖 85% of Year 1 pupils met the expected standard in the 2025 phonics screening (5% above the national average)
All children have weekly library lessons, led by our expert Librarian, who encourages a love of reading and the importance this can have both academically as well as personally.
#worldbookweek #buddyreading #loveofreading
🎶 “We’re all in this together!” 🎶
Our Year 5 & 6 pupils are ready to light up Charter Hall in High School Musical! ✨
Expect show-stopping ensemble numbers, unforgettable solos, and an evening packed with creativity, confidence, and pure joy. This is Barrow Hills at its most vibrant - teamwork, talent, and imagination on full display.
🗓 Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th March
⏰ 7:00PM
📍 Charter Hall, King Edward’s School, Witley
Don’t miss it - a performance that proves every pupil can reach for the stars! 🌟
#barrowhills #HighSchoolMusical #weareallinthistogether #creativeconfidence #prepschool
