PREPARING FOR
The Future The Richard Pate School is owned and operated by Pate’s Grammar School Foundation which is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales under Registration No. 14111232, and Registered Charity No. 1202002
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WELCOME from the Headteacher My sincere thanks for taking the time to find out more about our school. Within 15 minutes of my first visit to The Richard Pate School, two moments told me this was where I wanted to be. Firstly, a 3-year-old girl approached me in Nursery, beamed, and gave me a picture she had drawn of a shark. It is on the wall next to me as I write. Moments later, a boy in Year 5, walking at the back of a quiet line from his classroom to the science lab, stopped to engage out of pure curiosity, offering me a warm handshake and asking if I liked the school. This lovely balance of gentle confidence and character is so prevalent among the pupils here that I felt something uniquely special must be going on. The Richard Pate School provides its pupils with a community where a deep sense of belonging enables them to grow in confidence and kindness. The design of our curriculum and site, talented teachers and school values combine to provide a truly outstanding primary education. The values they learn here are to Be Kind, Be Curious and Be Your Best.
We share in the aspirations of our parents that our pupils will fulfil their potential, discover their strengths, do their best, and find a secondary school that is right for them. We want them to take risks, big and small, with mistakes and failures welcome and learnt from. But above all, we want them to be kind. We want them to champion each other, be respectful to all, and of course be kind to themselves. I hope you enjoy finding out more about our school. This prospectus will give you a glimpse of the awe and wonder our children experience, but I would of course encourage you to come and experience it for yourself.
With best wishes,
Sam Morgan Headteacher
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Richard Pate didn’t force you to be any one thing. FORMER PUPIL
AN EDUCATION WITH direction, depth, and heart.
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The Richard Pate School has deep roots. It is owned by the Pate’s Grammar School Foundation, a charity established by Richard Pate in 1574 to bring quality education to the people of Cheltenham. Our own school began in 1946, it was previously the junior department of Pate’s Grammar School, and while the two are now separately governed, strong links remain.
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That heritage matters. It means we are part of an organisation with a long track record of evolving to meet the needs of each new generation, and have every intention of being part of the Cheltenham educational landscape for another 450 years. Today, our focus is entirely on the children in front of us and their onward journey. At the heart of the school are three simple ideas: Be Kind, Be Curious, Be Your Best. They’re not something we talk about ‘in theory’; you see them in how the children approach things, and in how they look after one another. We are a co-educational, non-selective school of around 300 pupils aged 3 to 11. Children arrive with different strengths, different temperaments, and different ways of seeing the world, and here they are given the time and space to develop those fully. We nurture and celebrate each child as an individual. Rather than narrowing possibilities too early, our role is to ensure each child is ready, academically, socially, and personally, for whatever comes next.
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The sport builds up team spirit and creates good friendships. The teachers help us to work together so we can do our best. CURRENT PUPIL
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WHERE imagination IS PART OF everyday LEARNING Learning here begins with understanding the individual. Each child is taught by a class teacher who understands them well, supported by specialists who extend and deepen their experience. With small class sizes, we see more. We notice more. And as a result, we get to know your children as individuals.
centre all play their part. But it is the quality of teaching, and the strength of relationships, that define it. Excellence is expected and standards are high, but never forced; it becomes something children come to expect of themselves.
No two children follow exactly the same path. Some move quickly, others take time, and many do both at different points. What matters is that each child is nurtured to grow in confidence.
There’s also a lot of learning that takes place outside the classroom, particularly in the 11 acres of grounds, which include playing fields, astro pitch, hard courts and the beautiful woodland around the site at the foot of Leckhampton Hill. It’s a different pace, but just as valuable, and gives children a real connection with the natural environment.
From the earliest years, curiosity is not something we simply encourage; it is something children begin to carry for themselves.
Children do well here. That comes from being understood, being stretched when needed, and building strong foundations early on.
Facilities support this experience: our purpose-built site gives pupils a natural flow through the day, and our science lab, art studio, astro pitch and music
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SPACES THAT INVITE curiosity What shapes a child happens just as much beyond lessons as within them. Here, children begin to take part without hesitation.
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In sport, every child represents the school. In performance, opportunities begin in the earliest years and continue throughout, allowing children to discover interests and
Experiences beyond the classroom, whether through residential trips, wider co-curricular programmes, or simply time spent learning in different ways, OF SPORTS F help children develop ES independence and resilience. These are not lessons taught in isolation, but qualities that emerge ND N over time and are carried WO O DL A forward naturally. A
The woodland that runs through the school is part of that. Through our own Forest School and time outdoors, children learn to work things out for themselves, to take a bit of risk, and to become more independent.
abilities they may not yet recognise in themselves.
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They stand up, contribute, and try things they might once have avoided, supported by a culture where encouragement matters more than judgement.
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Imagination is as valued as knowledge. CURRENT PUPIL
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LOOKING ahead A significant part of our role is supporting families to make the important decision about what comes next. Being a standalone prep school means we only care about what is best for your child and your family. It’s a process we guide closely, and take time over. There is no single pathway here, nor should there be. Our pupils move on to a wide range of grammar, independent and state schools, each chosen because it is right for that individual child rather than because it fits a particular expectation. They move on well prepared, and ready to make the most of the next stage. We work closely with parents throughout this process, offering clear, honest guidance and drawing on our deep understanding of both the child and the wider educational landscape. We know parents value our impartial advice and genuine knowledge of the local schools. Decisions are made thoughtfully and with confidence. Because success is not simply gaining a place. It is arriving ready to thrive.
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PREPARING for life
Beyond the next step, what stays with a child is not only what they have learned, but who they have become. They will always remain part of the RPS family, and we love reconnecting with alumni and strengthening the bond between past and present pupils. We hope they leave us comfortable in themselves, curious about the world around them, and ready to take their next step with quiet confidence. They are ambitious without losing their footing, confident while remaining thoughtful of others, and prepared not simply for the next school, but for everything that follows beyond it.
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THE perfect START
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I have extremely positive memories of this wonderful school and couldn’t have asked for a more supportive start to my education.
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ALEX GREGORY, FORMER PUPIL MBE and two time Olympic Gold Medalist in Coxless Four Rowing, London 2022 and Rio 2016.
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COME AND see A printed page can only offer a partial sense of a school. To understand it properly, you have to experience it, to walk and feel the purpose-built design of the site, to meet the staff, and to see the children as they are every day: engaged, supported, and growing in confidence. We would be delighted to welcome you and your family and to show you what makes the Richard Pate School such a special place to learn and grow.
BOOK YOUR VISIT TODAY Call 01242 522086 or email the team at admissions@richardpate.co.uk. Visit richardpate.co.uk to find out more information about us.
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