Chair of Governors: Mr D Eggar
Head: Miles Chester, BSc Hons, PGCE, NPQH, MBA
Deputy Head: Mr Tony McConnell, MA Hons, PGCE, FHA
Deputy Head: Mr Andrew Crook, BA Hons, PGCE
Age range. 3–13.
Number of pupils. 365 Day Boys.
Fees per annum (2024-2025). £14,133 (Nursery), £19,629 (Reception, Years 1 and 2), £20,604 (Years 3–8).
The School is located amid 14 acres on a former farm in an idyllic park and woodland setting. The Grade II listed buildings have been stylishly converted to provide a complete and unique range of classrooms and ancillary facilities. The medieval Manor of the More, once owned by King Henry VIII and used as a palace by Cardinal Wolsey, was originally located within the grounds and provides some interesting and historical associations.
The School is divided as follows: an off-site Nursery & Reception School for children aged 3+ and 4 + based at Merchant Taylors’ School; then on the Merchant Taylors’ Prep School site, there is the Pre-Prep (Year 1 to Year 2) and the Prep Department (Year 3 to Year 8).
Pupils are admitted to the school after an assessment by Heads of Section. The main entry is into Nursery at 3+ when boys are admitted in the September after their third birthday. We also have a small 4+ and 7+ entry. Pupils are expected to remain until the age of 13. Parents of pupils at the Prep School will be given an assurance at the end of Year 5 as to whether their son will be able to progress to Merchant Taylors’ School at the end of Year 8. Continuity scholarships are awarded to some pupils in the Prep School in Year 6.
Work of a high standard is expected of everyone. The curriculum is interpreted as richly as possible and includes Technology, Music, Art, Drama, Physical Education and Games. We focus on a genuinely holistic education that emphasises values and dispositions as much as academic skills. The School has a fully qualified and experienced staff team that complements modern teaching facilities including The Sir Christopher Harding Building for Science and Technology with two state-of-the-art laboratories, a new Art Design Technology workshop that opened in 2018, an ICT suite and a Library. A 200-seat theatre with tiered seating and a separate music school provide a Centre for the Performing Arts. A Centenary Trail and outdoor classroom accommodate a range of outdoor learning activities. A bespoke nursery school was opened in the grounds of Merchant Taylors’ School in April 2008, known as The Manor. Additional classrooms were added as part of our centenary celebrations in 2010. In 2014, a new dining hall, kitchen and common room were added. In September 2016, the Reception year joined the Nursery in The Manor to create a specialist Early Years Foundation Stage.
Swift access to London by train from nearby Moor Park Station (Metropolitan line) allows easy access to places of historical and cultural interest as well as concerts and lectures.
The school was originally founded as Christian, but children of all faiths have always been welcomed.
There is an extensive programme of extracurricular activities in which all pupils are encouraged to take part. A key feature of the School’s ethos is a strong tradition of caring, both for those within our community and for the wider community, through regular charitable activities.
Rugby Football, Hockey, Association Football and Cricket are the principal team games. Athletics, Golf, Swimming, Table Tennis and other sports are also coached. The School has the benefit of a fully equipped Sports Hall with indoor cricket nets and a floodlit AstroTurf facility.
The School has a flourishing Parents’ Association which arranges social and fundraising activities, and an association for former pupils, The Old Terryers.
Charitable status. Merchant Taylors’ School is a Registered Charity, number 1063740.