Age Range. 5–13 Co-educational.
Number of Pupils. 241.
Fees per term (2023–2024). Day £4,240–£8,785; Weekly boarding: £8,825 (Year 6), £9,345 (Year 7), £11,895 (Year 8); Full Boarding £13,580.
Seaford College Prep School (Wilberforce House) is an integral part of Seaford College, having the same board of governors, but with its own buildings, playground and corporate organisation. There is very close cooperation between the two schools and there are many shared facilities such as the games fields, a new Sports Centre, the Music School, Science Department, and Art and Design Department. Wilberforce House is named after Samuel Wilberforce, the son of the anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce. Samuel is buried in the grounds of the School’s chapel. The School is set in a magnificent 400-acre site adjacent to the South Downs National Park.
The Prep School educates boys and girls from the age of 5 and the vast majority of children continue their education at Seaford College until 16 or 18. The main entry points for the Prep School are at 7+ and 11+ although children are welcome to join the school at any age.
The school aims to nurture a love of learning through a broadly based curriculum and classroom activities are often complemented by day and residential visits. In Years 1–5, the majority of lessons are taught by form teachers with subjects such as Music, French, PE/Games and Design and Technology taught by specialist staff. Year 6 are form based for English, Maths, History and Geography with all other subjects taught by subject specialists. From Year 7 all subjects are taught by specialist staff, many of whom also teach in the Senior School. All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards while a Special Educational Needs Coordinator oversees the school’s learning support provision which further enhances learning and achievement. The majority of children complete most of their homework in school and the school day finishes at 5.20pm.
Boarding provision, from Year 6 upwards, is an important aspect of life in the school with the aim being to be as flexible as possible in order to meet parents’ and pupils’ needs as well as providing a warm and caring home-from-home atmosphere.
Pupils are able to benefit from the impressive range of games facilities on site, including the new Sports Centre, an AstroTurf hockey pitch, indoor swimming pool and a 9-hole golf course, with practice greens and driving range as well as the services of a golf professional. Expert coaching is provided in the main sports of football, rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, rounders, tennis, athletics and swimming. The school also has excellent facilities for music, art and design and technology.
The standard of pastoral care is high and the school has its own Chaplain who takes a weekly assembly. The Prep School aims to treat each pupil as an individual and to establish the firm foundations necessary for success in the Senior School and beyond. (See Seaford College entry in HMC section.) Charitable status. Seaford College is a Registered Charity, number 277439.