Cottesmore article in London's SW Magazine: "A Rounded Education"

There are many things that people claim leads to a well-rounded education. For some it is to know a little about a lot of things; for others it’s the ability to take on familiar and new challenges with equal vigour.

With Academies springing up all over Britain, each specialising in a particular subject, is there anywhere to get a truly well-rounded education? Academia naturally takes a leading role in wellroundedness, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. Sport, art and music making all have an essential place in the modern education process.

The marking guide for AQA’s General Studies syllabus says that “art develops skills and techniques that are transferable to other areas of life and enriches the lives of many people, providing therapeutic and relaxing experiences.” Knowing how to wind down is obviously a good skill to have, and for establishments such as boarding schools this is vitally important.

One school where the work-play balance is right is Cottesmore Prep School (pictured) in Pease Pottage, West Sussex. In its latest Ofsted report it was marked as an ‘Outstanding Provider’, and it claimed the title for ‘Best School Food 2009’ at the Tatler School Awards.

The virtues of a balanced diet are well documented, no small thanks to celebrities like Jamie Oliver. Good food fuels pupils’ bodies and minds, but only exercising their minds is a waste of fuel. Sport is therefore wholeheartedly encouraged and every pupil at Cottesmore has the option of not only playing sport, but also has the opportunity to represent his or her school playing for a team. The Good Schools Guide comments on a third XI match against another school, which was played “with all the zest of a cup final”.

Music and the dramatic arts play an important role in pupils’ lives. Four fifths of the school play a musical instrument and there are three choirs as well as several enthusiastic drama groups. For boarders, the weekends are set aside for extracurricular activities. The ratio of staff to pupils is 9:1 and classes are never more than 14-strong.

Tom Rogerson, the Head at Cottesmore, explains: “Excellent classroom teaching is not enough! A child’s long term success and happiness will depend on their ability to communicate intuitively, to empathise, to lead. These immeasurable skills that will ultimately put your child ahead of others cannot be learnt in the classroom. They are learnt on the sports field, in a debating team, on the stage. Real gumption and resilience is achieved by letting children be independent. Indeed what a privilege it is to be allowed to gain confidence through independence and self discovery. This is the mark of a rounded education.

” A strong sense of community is, perhaps, the last piece of the jigsaw. The 2009 Ofsted report for Cottesmore summarised it perfectly: “The children are encouraged to live as part of a close community to look out for each other.” Learning how to get on with one another is a skill some of us seem to lack in the modern world. Let’s be thankful that it is still an important and considered part of communal life in schools today.

Cottesmore School is located at Pease Pottage, Buchan Hill, West Sussex, RH11 9AU; 01293 520 648; www.cottesmoreschool.com