Our Secret Garden is home to our Pre-Prep and Nursery, for children aged two to seven. The warm, welcoming and friendly environment, purpose-built spaces and idyllic walled garden offer a perfect nurturing environment, full of opportunities to develop and extend your child's interests, strengths and passions.
Our school day in the Pre-Prep offers flexibility during term time to suit busy families and also to cater for the differing interests of all our pupils. Children develop a respect for themselves, for others and the world around them in our unique and memorable setting.
Come and visit and see the magic for yourself. I would be delighted to give you a tour of our Secret Garden.
Pennie Parry
Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery
Within the Pre-Prep, we value the importance of nurturing the whole child, fostering childhood and developing a deep love of learning. Children are naturally curious, and we feed this with our creative approach to learning, focussing on creating memorable opportunities and taking children on a journey of discovery, so that they are excited and engaged in their learning every day.
The core part of the school day provides an excellent balance of learning through work and play both in the classroom, around the wonderful setting of the Secret Garden and within the superb facilities and grounds of the Prep School. Our broad curriculum is delivered by well-qualified and truly inspiring teachers.
Our Pre-Prep is a kind and nurturing environment where childhood is celebrated and every day is filled with discovery. With a strong focus on outdoor learning, children spend much of their time exploring our dedicated Forest School, playgrounds designed for free-flow learning, and a large, enchanting Secret Garden complete with climbing equipment, allotments, and blossom trees. Seasonal highlights such as Bluebell and Blossom Day, along with regular beach school trips to Brighton, help foster a deep connection to nature.
Our children benefit from the expertise of highly trained nursery practitioners and teachers. Subject specialists from the Prep School also visit to teach music, sport, and languages, including Spanish from Nursery and Mandarin from Year 1. Our children also have the opportunity to visit the Prep School for art, swimming, music, and sport, ensuring a smooth transition when they move to Year 3.
Memorable trips enrich their learning - from visits to the local library and Drusillas Park, to Hever Castle, the theatre, and the much-loved sailing experience at Hove Lagoon. Daily walks in our extensive school grounds with Tilly the dog, add to the magic of their school day.
Music, drama, and performance play a key role in Pre-Prep life. Children take part in LAMDA and dance lessons, and perform regularly in celebration assemblies and the annual end-of-year production on the Prep School stage.
In Year 2, every child is paired with a Year 7 buddy to help them prepare for the exciting transition to Year 3, creating lasting friendships and easing them into the next stage of school life.
Our Pre-Prep is a truly magical place where curiosity is encouraged, friendships flourish, and childhood is treasured.
For busy families, we offer wraparound care with a breakfast club from 7.45am and supper available until 6.00pm, as well as holiday club provision for up to 51 weeks of the year. The Pre-Prep Holiday Club is run by our inhouse staff team, so children are always welcomed and looked after by familiar faces.
There are also a vast array of school clubs to choose from in term-time. These include dance, yoga, rugby, pottery, sewing, choir and many more!
The best way to experience what life is like at Brighton College Prep Handcross is to join us at an Open Morning, where you will have the chance to talk to pupils and teachers about what makes our school such a special place, and to ask any questions you might have.
We also offer Mini Owls Toddler Club for families interested in joining our Nursery or Reception classes. Sessions are held weekly in our Nursery during term time and provide the ideal opportunity for parents and children to explore our school. Please email registrar@handxpark.com if you are interested in joining.