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What says..

Tellingly, teachers hail boys by their nicknames. They are their friends on the corridors but certainly have them on task in class. ‘They push you quite hard but they’re really kind,’ summarised one pupil. We observed lively lessons expertly managed by accomplished, energetic staff with classes of only seven to 14, and parents agree the teaching is of the first order. The tongue-and-groove dining room is painted (deliberately?) Eton blue, and as at Eton and Harrow, this place its own vocab – ‘going across’ means visiting the loo; the Tuppy is…

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What the school says...

Sunningdale is a small school with a unique family atmosphere which means the boys feel happy and secure and as a result are able to achieve their full potential. Our aim is to find each boy's strengths and give him the opportunity to shine in different areas of school life. Our academic record speaks for itself, with scholarships won on a regular basis. The structure of our forms means that boys move through the school at their own pace, challenged or supported where necessary. Three quarters of boys play at least one musical instrument; the chapel choir sings on Sundays and occasionally at Old Boys' weddings. There is a pipe band which plays on Sports Day and at other events. We produce a musical each year in which every boy takes part. The art department puts on a large annual exhibition and regularly wins awards at senior schools. We have a good reputation on the sports field and one of the benefits of being a small school is that almost all the boys get to represent the school in a team. This does wonders for their self confidence. Weekends are packed with activities to keep the boys stimulated and entertained. ...Read more

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Sports

Polo

Fencing

Shooting

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2005, Tom Dawson. Sunningdale may be a family heirloom but he could, one suspects, land a job anywhere. Educated here (naturally), then at Eton and Edinburgh (French and Spanish), he took himself off for a PGCE to Bristol to ‘check that I really wanted to do it’ before following the family profession. During a teaching post in a special measures school, he was rapidly hooked by ‘the magic of connecting and making a difference to the kids’ despite having to break up fist fights on day one. An enjoyable spell at Harrow preceded his return to the Dawson-owned Sunningdale where he undertook a range of roles under his father and uncle (identical twins who famously shared the headship) before taking the helm himself. Audible within minutes of anyone arriving, he is a tall...

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Special Education Needs

At Sunningdale we test all the boys' reading and spelling ability each September. If a boy requires extra help he has one to one tuition with our SENCO.

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
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)
Y
VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment

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