Hampshire &amp; Isle of Wight


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Top-image-min.jpg" alt="Children at Churcher's Junior School in Liphook Hampshire" class="wp-image-34472" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Top-image-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Top-image-min-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Top-image-min-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Top-image-min-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Just one hour from London and on the borders of Surrey and West Sussex, Churcher’s College Junior School &amp; Nursery is a 15-minute scenic drive from the famous Churcher’s College Senior School and Sixth Form campus in Petersfield, located in a self-contained campus of mostly modern buildings in the nearby village of Liphook, Hampshire. &nbsp;</p>



<p>The school takes children aged 3 – 4 years in the nursery and 4 – 11 years in the Junior School. On the current roll call are 257 junior pupils and 1062 senior and sixth formers, with a new minibus network for Junior School children coming in 2025 which will serve multiple locations. </p>



<p>One of the best-known and most historic schools in the county, Churcher’s was founded in 1722 by local philanthropist Richard Churcher and became fully co-educational in 1988. Set up to educate boys from Petersfield and equip them to become apprentices to masters of sailing ships, nautical nods to the past continue throughout the modern-day school.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facilities">FACILITIES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/01/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-SWIMMING-POOL.jpg" alt="Pupils at Churchers Junior School Liphook Hampshire independent school Muddy" class="wp-image-35189" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/01/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-SWIMMING-POOL.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/01/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-SWIMMING-POOL-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/01/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-SWIMMING-POOL-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2022/01/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-SWIMMING-POOL-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Set in the rolling countryside of the South Downs National Park, the 14-acre Junior School has no shortage of outdoor space; there’s a wide expanse of playing fields, tennis courts, an open-air music and sensory garden and plenty of wooden playground equipment, including a huge pirate ship (play-time, me hearties!). There’s also a hugely popular outside classroom used for lessons and outdoorsy fun like cooking marshmallows over a campfire.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Facilities-2-min.jpg" alt="Child painting at Churcher's Junior School Liphook hampshire" class="wp-image-34463" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Facilities-2-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Facilities-2-min-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Facilities-2-min-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Facilities-2-min-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Inside, the school’s stand-out equipment can be found in the
dedicated art room, a creative heaven with its own kiln and ceramics equipment,
as well as a laser cutter and ultra-modern, mixed-media digital sublimation
printer (go on, look it up). As you walk around the school, a multitude of
imaginative art installations are proudly shown-off in corridors and reception
areas. </p>



<p>Newly refurbished reception classrooms have their own toilet facilities (ideal for avoiding near-misses) and the large, well-stocked school library is packed with children’s literary award winners and Early Years favourites.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sport">SPORT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1043" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Sport-1-min.jpg" alt="rugby churchers college junior school hampshire" class="wp-image-34466" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Sport-1-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Sport-1-min-800x556.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Sport-1-min-1000x695.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Sport-1-min-768x534.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Girls and boys participate equally in competitive sports
such as rugby, netball, non-contact pop lacrosse and tennis. Infants up to 7
years participate in mixed sex lessons and teams and its single sex afterwards,
with occasional mixing optional: one girl was part of an unbeaten Under 11 rugby
squad (true Muddy spirit!) and boys can opt to play in the netball fixture
programme.</p>



<p>Along with grass pitches as far as the eye can see, there are tennis and netball courts with a multi-use surface pitch and an all-weather cricket strip. For swimming, pupils transfer to Churcher’s College Senior site in Petersfield which has at its own 6-lane, 25-metre pool heated pool. Infants get a block of 10 weeks of swimming lessons over the year and juniors get 8 weeks. For the keenest, there’s an elite swim squad that forms part of the extra-curricular activities programme.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-music-drama">MUSIC + DRAMA</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Drama-1-min.jpg" alt="Drama production children running churchers college junior school hampshire" class="wp-image-34467" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Drama-1-min.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Drama-1-min-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Drama-1-min-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Drama-1-min-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Drama lessons start in the nursery and there’s workshops and breaktime clubs for the older children in the large performing arts studio. Summer and Christmas productions are a real highlight for the kids &#8211; the most recent were the <em>Bee Musical</em> and <em>Bugsy Malone</em>.</p>



<p>A respectable two thirds of pupils take music lessons and there are string and brass ensembles, a school orchestra and the occasional virtuoso rock violin performance, as well as choirs of all ages. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-head">THE HEAD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-HEAD.jpg" alt="Ffion Robinson Head of Churcher’s Junior School and Nursery" class="wp-image-35192" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-HEAD.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-HEAD-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-HEAD-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-HEAD-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Ffion Robinson has been Head of Churcher’s Junior School and Nursery since 2016 and was previously Head of Junior School of Lady Eleanor Holles in Twickenham and Assistant Head of King’s House, Richmond. She places an importance on pastoral support and broadening therapeutic learning by introducing activities such as art therapy and mindfulness.&nbsp; </p>



<p>Previously heading-up a single-sex London junior school, her measured, analytical approach has helped bring about changes to benefit all her young wards. Specifically, she’s a strong believer in using books as a gateway to learning and has introduced an accelerated reading programme.</p>



<p>Senior School Head Simon Williams has been headmaster at the school since 2004 and is a familiar face among the juniors. He regularly pops up at Junior School assemblies and parent events and even spends time as a teaching assistant, with an impressive knack for remembering names.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-littlies">LITTLIES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-LITTLIES.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-35194" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-LITTLIES.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-LITTLIES-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-LITTLIES-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/09/Churchers-Junior-REPLACE-LITTLIES-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>The purpose-built Churcher’s College Nursery was added to the grounds of the Junior School in 2017. ‘Owls and Pussycats’ meet in Honeypot Hall, looked after by a male and female nursery team. As well as the usual books, show and tell and ever-popular messy play (when I visit, they’re happily smearing foam around a tuff-tuff table). There’s also Spanish lessons – Ola! – with a dedicated languages teacher (which continues until Year 4), dance, theatre and plenty of outdoor games in the vast fields right on the nursery’s doorstep. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks">QUIRKS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Quirks-1.jpg" alt="Child jumping over a cricket wicket at Churcher's College Junior School Liphook Hampshire" class="wp-image-34470" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Quirks-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Quirks-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Quirks-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Quirks-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Churcher’s kids are madly enthusiastic about extra-curricular activities including school’s own ‘Guild’ award scheme of activities that starts in Year 3, geared to encourage community awareness and connect with their activities and hobbies outside school. A throwback to the college’s early nautical training, children work to become Apprentices, Journeymen and Masters. The school and pupils regularly devise innovative fundraising initiatives including walking enough steps to climb Everest, which are wildly popular.</p>



<p>A rather sweet quirk: community values are taught to younger children using accessible, mascot-style animal characters to embody school values: Resourceful Squirrels, Respectful Penguins, Resilient Swallows, Reflective Owls and, of course, Responsible Dogs are relatable and, importantly, super-cute.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrap-around-care">WRAP AROUND CARE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Wrap-around-care-min-1000x667.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-34471" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Wrap-around-care-min-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Wrap-around-care-min-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Wrap-around-care-min-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/hants/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2024/07/Churchers-Junior-Wrap-around-care-min.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Churcher’s has a number of free clubs that run for an hour after the regular school day finishes. There’s also a paid-for breakfast club from 7.30am and tea club from 4.30 – 5.30pm.&nbsp;At the nursery, earliest drop off is 7.30am for early birds and latest after school pick-up is 5.30pm.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mobile-phone-policy">MOBILE PHONE POLICY</h2>



<p>Pupils at Churcher&#8217;s College Junior School and Nursery are not permitted to bring a mobile phone to school.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fees-amp-scholarships">FEES &amp; SCHOLARSHIPS</h2>



<p>Nursery sessions are charged from £39.50 per 3-hour session. Early Years Funding (EYF) is available for children up to and including the term in which they turn 5 years old,&nbsp;subject to a termly Parent Declaration Form. Currently, reception, with EYF is £3,317 per term. Otherwise, annual fees for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are £4,445 per term and for Years 3 &#8211; 6 it&#8217;s £4,745. For 2025 fees see the website <a href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/admissions/school-fees" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here.</a></p>



<p>Scholarships at the Senior School are a 5% or 10% reduction in fees primarily based on general academic ability and are offered on the basis of the Churcher’s entrance exam at age 11+, 13+ or interview and GCSE results at 16+. There are also limited music scholarships and means-tested bursaries for scholars of up to 100%.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transport">TRANSPORT</h2>



<p>There’s a daily shuttle bus that connects Churcher&#8217;s College Junior School with Churcher&#8217;s College in Petersfield, ideal for families with siblings at both schools. To further help busy parents with logistics, a <a href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/our-school/travel-bus-routes/junior-school-minibus-routes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new minibus network</a> for Junior School children will be introduced in 2025 which will serve multiple locations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-on-the-ground">WORD ON THE GROUND </h2>



<p>Churcher’s College is known and rated well beyond East Hampshire. The children seem to love it too: a lively group of Year 5 children tell me their favourite things are sport, drama, computing and art, and there’s a surprisingly strong showing for maths, too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p>A great springboard to the Seniors without all the usual
stress of Year 7 applications coupled with the already friendly figure of the Headmaster
popping up in class, Churcher’s College Junior School has loads to offer in its
own right. There’s no shortage of choice round here but it’s easy to see why Churcher’s
extensive grounds, all-rounder curriculum and easy transition to Senior School
make it an appealing option. Quieter kids are encouraged to have a go and raise
their head above the parapet and big characters to be responsible leaders. </p>



<p><strong>Good for:&nbsp;</strong>A confident, community-spirited ‘one-stop’ through school in a countryside setting with outdoor fields and play space galore. </p>



<p><strong>Not for:&nbsp;</strong>The ‘all-rounder’ curriculum and citizenship emphasis might not appeal to those looking for a specific specialism and the 5.30pm last pickup could be a bit tight for some working parents. </p>



<p><strong>Dare to disagree?!</strong> Be my guest! The next <a aria-label="whole-school open events  (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/admissions/visits-and-open-events/junior-school-and-nursery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Junior School and Nursery Open events</a> are on Friday 17 January and Friday 28 February 2025, followed by <a href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/admissions/visits-open-events/junior-school-nursery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">A Bear Hunt preschooler event</a> on Friday 14 March.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/"><em>Churcher’s College Junior School and Nursery</em></a><em>, Midhurst Rd, Liphook, GU30 7HT. Tel. 01730 236 870. </em><a href="https://www.churcherscollege.com/"><em>churcherscollege.com</em></a></p>


Churcher’s College Junior School and Nursery, Liphook

You may also like