Lower Preparatory Boarding at Clifton College Preparatory School

Scholarship applications closing soon!

Clifton College offers pupils a unique opportunity to achieve academic distinction and personal excellence. Each year, we offer a number of scholarships to pupils with that spark of potential in their chosen area.

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Just like boarders, day pupils are assigned to a House, which becomes their base throughout the school day. They have the same access to tutors, matron and the Housemaster or Housemistress as the boarders.

Our Houses feature comfortable modern facilities set in beautiful historic buildings.

Many day children board occasionally and the school’s flexible approach to this not only meets the needs of increasingly busy parents, but also helps to enhance the 24-hour care ethos in which we all take pride.

Mansfield's House

Mansfield’s is a Junior Day House for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6, located on Northcote Road. It is run by the Housemistress, Miss Harriet Crombie, and the Matron, Mrs Eve Wood, who work closely with a fantastic team of staff to provide a warm, homely environment for all pupils.

Mansfield’s House is fortunate to open directly out onto the Rose Garden, creating a lovely open-plan environment for students to enjoy both inside and out during their break times. If you visit Mansfield’s during this time, you will find exciting table-tennis competitions, the electric piano in full use, a chess match, hula-hooping, quiet reading on the sofas, basketball and football as just some of the activities taking place in and around the house!

The staff in Mansfield’s House encourage students to take part in all that Clifton has to offer as well as helping them to stay organised with their uniform, games kit and prep, for which daily after-school sessions are run by a House tutor.

Mansfield’s pupils are always encouraged to look out for one another and show support to a Housemate in need. ‘Aim High, Be Brave, Be Kind’, our school motto, is echoed throughout the House and are the standards we expect of all of our pupils.

Tait's Town

Tait’s, as a Lower Pre House, has Year 4 and 5 classrooms directly upstairs which is awfully convenient during inclement weather. We are also fortunate to have Whatley pitch immediately adjacent for use at break times and for the Football Club. Many music teachers confirm that we have the best upright piano in the school, complete with Royal Seal of approval. Finally, we are also the hub for the Team Lego Club, the Hornby Railway Club and the whole school Chess Club.

We organise lots of activities for the pupils. House trips are primarily at the end of the Michaelmas Term for the whole House, and at the end of the Summer Term for the departing Year 6 boys. Occasionally we attend plays. The annual House Song performance is always a high priority.

Wollaston's

Wollaston’s House is named after George Hyde Wollaston Esq (1844-1926) who was assistant master at Clifton College from 1870 to 1899.

It is a Junior Day House for boys and girls in Years 4, 5 and 6. Pupils can arrive any time after 8am, and can stay until 6pm in the evening if they need to. The House is the pupil’s base during the day and they come back to the House for break time and after lunch before going off to play, read or relax.

There are several communal rooms in the House, which have been recently decorated and upgraded. The Registration Room is a very comfortable and welcoming room, with sofas and armchairs and two separate bookcases for fiction and nonfiction books. Pupils have use of the upstairs Games Room, which houses two snooker tables, a table football game and a piano. The Year 4 children always seem particularly attracted to this room. Downstairs (along with the changing room, showers and bathroom) there is the Table Tennis Room, where you will usually find the Year 5 and 6 pupils practising their skills.

The staff in Wollaston’s House understand the demands of trying to balance school and home life. It is our aim to help the pupils stay organised so that they are able enjoy their School life, and all the opportunities it presents, to the full. All the staff and Tutors make the boys feel that the House is their home-from-home. Wollaston’s offers a warm, family atmosphere where each pupil feels valued and their specific needs are catered for.

In addition, the pupils themselves are very aware of their duty to each other. They are encouraged to look out for one another wherever they may be on the school campus, and to always offer help to a Housemate in need.

Scholarship applications closing soon!

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Lower Prep

Mansfield's House

Tait's Town

Wollaston's