Halstead St Andrew's School (Woodham Rise)

Nestled away in a leafy suburb and yet minutes from the centre of Woking sits Halstead. Halstead is a vibrant and caring school where girls can thrive and truly be themselves. The Nursery and Reception provision are excellent. Girls benefit from specialist teaching in music, dance, drama, PE and gym from dedicated and well-qualified staff who know each child as an individual. The small class sizes and dynamic yet family feel, ensures that girls explore and challenge themselves in their learning and meet their potential in a secure and nurturing environment.

Halstead also puts itself in a rather unique position to other independent preparatory schools in the area – that of being an all-girls school. For Sharon Maher, who arrived September 2020 to lead Halstead from a highly successful all-girls preparatory school in London, she makes no apologies for her passion for, and belief in a single sex education. “Our girls are happy, bubbly, confident and well rounded, and the single sex learning environment allows them to be themselves, to feed their hunger for learning and immerse themselves in whatever subjects excite and inspire them the most”.