About Us

Invest now and inspire an early love of learning in your child and you will have far more options open to you when your child reaches 11. Your child is more likely to pass the 11+ examination and gain entry into selective state schools or even gain scholarships to public school.

We have small class sizes, usually fewer than 12 in number; enabling your child to gain the individual high-quality attention and care they need. Our teachers know each pupil well, encouraging the development of confidence and challenging pupils to take the next steps in their learning journey. Teachers plan carefully to ensure that each child flourishes and progresses well.

Being smaller than most schools has huge advantages. All of the children get more of a chance to shine. We have a wonderfully warm family atmosphere and every child feels valued. The classes are small, so every pupil receives a personalised education with a great deal of care, attention and tailored support. Our pupils are happy, challenged and fulfilled. Once new parents have visited Colston Bassett School, often with their children, the majority apply for a place. 

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Smaller class sizes enable much more individual attention and monitoring of progress in all areas of a pupil’s development. We have created an inspirational educational environment which does not rely on Key Stage testing. This allows a broad and balanced curriculum to be maintained, resulting in a better all-round education for your child. 

Another benefit is the children receive a PE lesson most days of the week with us as opposed to limited sessions within the State system. We provide an exceptional learning environment within safe, rural and beautiful grounds.

£607 a month or £2,366 a term. 

We live in a co-ed world. The opportunity for boys and girls to grow and learn together, especially during the early stages of their education, is one not to be missed. We believe that at this stage in a child’s education their social interaction and development is every bit as important as the development of their academic potential. Your children will also benefit from the much broader range of activities provided in the co-ed school environment.

Three things: Smaller class sizes that will hugely benefit your child, our amazing easily accessible location (only a few minutes from the new A46 dual carriageway) and the fact that we are not on the same site as a senior school. This gives Colston Bassett School a very strong family atmosphere.

We feel it is too early to choose a senior school for your four-year-old child as their academic, sporting, musical or artistic potential has not yet become fully apparent. A prep school which feeds into a variety of senior schools allows you to make the most appropriate choice near the approaching transitional time. There are huge benefits for children moving schools at 11. They have the opportunity to make new friends and experience a wider range of cultures and ethos. Another benefit of a separate site prep school is the opportunity the children have to experience being the senior pupils at the top of the school and taking on essential leadership responsibilities such as becoming a prefect. Also, being the eldest children on the school site really helps boost their confidence levels in the last vital year before moving on to senior school.

Your child may start in our school during the academic year in which their fifth birthday falls. From May each year, we offer a Half Term of free weekly visits, usually seven in total. This ensures a seamless transition into our Reception class in September.

Although the majority of children do join at the start of the academic year we do understand that job relocation, house move or other circumstances can mean that a family may not be in a position to join us until later on in the year. Therefore, children are welcome to join us at any time during the year. We pride ourselves on enabling children to settle in rapidly. Teachers take time to make sure they quickly feel part of the class and are cared for and supported in their individual learning during the school day.

Our children come from quite a wide area. Some parents car share and we have a few who walk in, but the majority do live in various villages throughout the Vale of Belvoir.

Yes, children are required to bring a packed lunch to school each day. We firmly believe a well-balanced, healthy, nutritional lunch greatly helps maintain a child’s concentration throughout the afternoon, so please do your best to provide a balanced packed lunch (i.e. no sweets or fizzy drinks). 

Microwave facilities are available at school if children require any food to be warmed. Fresh fruit snacks are offered during the day, particularly to the children staying for extra-curricular clubs.

We pride ourselves on enabling children to settle in quickly. All staff take the time to make sure that new children feel part of each class and are supported not only in their learning but in all areas of school life. An advantage of being a small school is that each new child is warmly welcomed to “the school family” by all of the school pupils and there is regular contact between parents and their child’s class teacher too.

We must not forget Mums and Dads - All new parents are extended a warm welcome by the Chair of our wonderful Parents’ Association and soon feel an integral part of our ever growing Colston Bassett School family.

All our children learn French and Spanish as part of the curriculum from Reception to Year 6. French is taught by a specialist external French teacher and Spanish is taught by one of our Key Stage 2 teachers who was born in Spain. We also hold a Spanish Club after school each Monday. 

During class music lessons all children have the opportunity to learn to play and experience a range of musical instruments. We also have a large number of children who have individual instrumental tuition with an external professional music teacher during the day.

We have wonderful grounds and like to make the most of them come sun, rain or snow. In addition to regular playtimes, we hold many lessons out of doors in the school grounds, local woodland or in our front garden under the shade of trees.

Children are encouraged to look for minibeasts in the woodland, study wildflowers, note seasonal changes, go on local village walks to old historic buildings and participate in a wide variety of other enjoyable outdoor activities.