“Children are not the people of tomorrow, but people today. They are entitled to be taken seriously. They have a right to be treated by adults with tenderness and treated as equals. They should be allowed to grow into whatever they were meant to be – the unknown person in each of them is the hope for the future”

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Preshil takes a whole school approach to mental and physical health. Students’ positive wellbeing is an integral part of their school experience and must be treated as such.

At Preshil, wellbeing foundations are forged and allowed the space to grow and flourish. Acceptance nurtures and inspires individuals with the courage to be and become themselves.  The Preshil ideal of wellbeing extends to nurturing and valuing relationships, creating safe spaces, and building strong communities.  Wellbeing at Preshil is an ongoing state of healthy loving support that inspires resilience. It is through such resilience that the often-harsh realities of life can be more gracefully weathered.

We acknowledge that the importance of wellbeing is emerging as a foundational concept. The skills which create a powerful wellbeing practice can be learnt, and are required to be worked on and progressed throughout the schooling journey. As such, these ideals are being filtered through into specific curricular endeavours and through adapting pedagogic approaches of all staff. Keeping with Preshil’s progressive nature, wellbeing, being contextual to all persons, is intrinsically evolutionary and will be consistently reviewed.

Supportive Learning

“Teachers remain highly responsive to individual needs and preferences, knowing that the more their skills and overall environment can be tailored to meet the individual, the greater the likelihood of their successful learning and general flourishing within and beyond the school”

Margaret E Lyttle

Differentiation is employed by all teachers within their professional practice across all subjects. Developing ‘Individual Education Goals’ for all students underpins the potential for a successful Preshil experience.  Individual Support Plans created in conjunction with the student, parents/guardians, teachers, and any external professionals, for students who require specific extra support, ensure a holistic approach is taken to allowing optimal student achievement. Inclusive arrangements are made for students if there are unique needs that cannot be met solely by differentiation by teachers within the IB Diploma Programme.

Our Philosophy

“At Preshil we encourage students to think of Preshil as their own, to be able to change it and improve it, and to make their world a better place”

Margaret E Lyttle

We understand that mistakes happen and issues will arise; ultimately these mistakes are the hallmark of learning. Our behaviour management aims to ‘set things right’ rather than to punish or to blame. This learning, rather than being narrowly curriculum-based, applies more broadly to wellbeing through informal interactions that play out in classes, in the schoolyard and online. When issues arise within social contexts there is a strong emphasis on empowering students to apply the same restorative practices we value at Preshil. Specific mediation can be employed if those issues persist within a circle, bringing with it an ‘Open Dialogue’ approach, where sharing pertinent information with relevant friends, teachers and family can become helpful in providing ongoing success in social and emotional landscapes.

Physical and Health Education

The priority of physical and outdoor education at Preshil is to promote physical health, balanced wellbeing and a life-long appreciation for physical and outdoor activity.

The school does not promote fierce competition, rather, the emphasis is placed upon participation and enjoyment; the final score is important, but soon forgotten.

Preshil does not require students to participate in competitive sport, but does keenly support our sports-loving students. Students have instigated the formation of successful Preshil teams in many different sports including skiing, cycling, cricket and basketball.