Sandroyd School A GSG School
- Sandroyd School
Rushmore
Tollard Royal
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP5 5QD - Head: Mr Alastair Speers
- T 01725 516264
- F 01725 516441
- E office@sandroyd.com
- W www.sandroyd.org
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 13.
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Wiltshire
- Pupils: 233
- Religion: Church of England
- Fees: Day £12,978 - £31,410; Boarding £30,528 - £38,574 pa (last updated on 13/01/2025)
- Open days: A meeting with Mr. Speers (by appointment only) or a virtual
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
‘If you want a hothouse, it’s not the place for you,’ said a parent of the academics. ‘But what it does offer is a first-class education where they combine learning with experiences and a lot of time outside.’ History lessons are a firm favourite – easy to see why from the classroom alone, every inch decorated with old flags, memorabilia and even an ancient axe. We saw an English lesson come to life as pupils analysed a poem about refugees. ‘No,’ she said gently when pupils got an answer wrong, ‘but a very good try.’ In another classroom, pupils…
What the school says...
Sandroyd is a wonderfully unique family school, set in an idyllic environment, that ‘prepares’ children in the very broadest sense – offering academic excellence, and so much more. Sandroyd nurtures a child’s confidence and self-esteem whilst encouraging each individual pupil to fulfill all aspects of their potential: academic, artistic, cultural, sporting and social.
Childhood should be relished, enjoyed and remembered fondly. That’s why pastoral care is absolutely central to everything that we do at Sandroyd. Our friendly and nurturing boarding environment equips children with the confidence and skills to really challenge themselves, to be happy, and to succeed. We are unequivocally proud of being a small school and the benefits it offers to all of our pupils. Our size creates a wonderfully unique family atmosphere, and it allows us to properly focus on the individual needs of each child at every stage of their education.
Sandroyd offers an academically rich and rigorous education that goes far beyond preparing pupils to just pass entrance exams to the country’s leading senior schools.
We inspire interests and develop talents - both inside and beyond the classroom - from music, dance and drama, to a variety of sports (which pupils play every day). Pupils are encouraged to develop the qualities and skills they’ll need for life beyond their school days. We explicitly teach pupils to reason and think, and our challenging ‘Thinking Friday’ questions encourage them to form and express their own opinions.
The result is that Sandroyd pupils really do stand out from the crowd. Don’t just take our word for it; we’re repeatedly told that our pupils are better prepared to successfully face the demands of senior school. Not just in their academic abilities, but, far more importantly, in the vital ‘soft skills’ of confidence, resilience and self-motivation.
All of this takes place in our idyllic rural location, set in 400 acres, on the Wiltshire/Dorset border. There’s always time in the day for pupils to just play and enjoy their childhood – be it riding horses or riding bikes, playing with pets or paints – or perhaps adventuring in the playgrounds or in the woodlands! ...Read more
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Sports
Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.
Fencing
Shooting
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmaster
Since 2016, Alastair Speers BSc MEd PGCE. Runs school with wife Alice, also a trained teacher – ‘the eyes and ears of the school,’ according to her husband. Both were educated ‘just down the road’ (he at Sherborne, Alice at Bryanston) and are ‘delighted to be back in Dorset’. Similar in temperament – calm, measured, laid-back – they share a gigantic study with stunning countryside views. Their home is on site and shared with their children, Hattie and Isla, both at the school.
A career changer, he was a jet-setting consultant engineer for seven years following his degree in building engineering from Loughborough and UWE. ‘Engineering is still my passion,’ he muses, though a role as mentor to new graduate engineers inspired him to think about a career in education. PGCE...
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Special Education Needs
Sandroyd has a Learning Support Unit staffed by [two] fully qualified teachers, who have further training in dealing with children with special needs. If it is felt that a child requires a degree of individual assistance with their academic studies, we have the expertise and facilities to help them. 33 children currently receive some help. Parents may discuss the support at any time. External support services, such as an educational psychologist, speech therapist and paediatricians are consulted for further specialist support when needed. Individual lessons last 40 minutes and take place at a convenient time for the students. Mainstream staff are kept informed of any specific difficulties. On average children receive two lessons a week but this varies depending on individual circumstances. We pride ourselves on the improvements and successes achieved by our students.
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Might cover/be referred to as;
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), PDA , Social skills, Sensory processing disorder |
|
| HI - Hearing Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Hearing Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment |
|
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Learning needs, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty |
Y |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment, Sensory processing |
|
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic , OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, Tics, Tourettes |
|
| PD - Physical Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
PD - Physical Disability |
|
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty |
|
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Might cover/be referred to as;
Anxiety , Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Trauma |
|
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
Might cover/be referred to as;
DLD - Developmental Language Disorder, Selective mutism, SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication |
|
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, Cerebral Palsy (CP) |
|
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing, DCD, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting, Other specific learning difficulty, SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) |
|
| VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment |
Leavers' destinations
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlborough College | 2024 | 9 | 2 | Academic Scholarship; Music Scholarship |
| Sherborne Girls | 2024 | 7 | 3 | Drama Exhibition; Drama Scholarship; Art Scholarship |
| Eton College | 2024 | 5 | ||
| Sherborne School | 2024 | 5 | 3 | Sports Scholarships (3) |
| Bryanston School | 2024 | 4 | 3 | Sports Scholarship; Performing Arts Scholarships (2) |
| Radley College | 2024 | 4 | 1 | Drama Scholarship |
| Monkton Combe School | 2024 | 2 | 1 | Monktonian Scholarship |
| King's Bruton | 2024 | 1 | ||
| Millfield School | 2024 | 1 | 1 | Sports Scholarship |
| St Mary's Calne | 2024 | 1 | 1 | Sports Scholarship |
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