Head of Bedales Pre Prep School, Dunannie

Dunannie has been described as an "outpost of heaven down the road". The earliest years of a child's life are the most precious of all; their experiences will shape their future happiness. It is a magical time, full of discovery and excitement.

At Dunannie, we seek to foster a lifetime's love of learning through a rich and varied curriculum in a stimulating environment.

Dunannie has light airy classrooms, a fantastic library, a 20-place IT room, stunning playgrounds and a self-contained Nursery in an old barn.

The children also benefit from the shared facilities on the Bedales estate such as the Dunhurst hall, the indoor heated swimming pool, the sports hall and pitches, the outstanding music department, the Olivier Theatre and the farm.

Bedales comprises three schools situated in Steep, Hampshire (UK): Dunannie (ages 3–8), Dunhurst (ages 8–13) and Bedales itself (ages 13–18).

The vision of Bedales' founder, John Badley, was to create a school which would be profoundly different from the public schools of his day. From 1893, when Bedales began, there was a determination to shape the school around what was considered best for the individual child's educational welfare and happiness. Two strands predominated: breadth ("Head, Hand and Heart") and the cultivation of the individual's intellectual and personal qualities ("Intelligence, Initiative and Individuality").

Many of Badley's early innovations are now mainstream: co-educational boarding (at Bedales since 1898); the emphasis put on the Arts, Sciences and voluntary service; the importance of pastoral care; and listening to students' views (the Bedales School Council was established in 1916).

Even so, the contrast between Bedales and other schools remains strong. We believe that our informality engenders a genuine sense of partnership between teacher and student - a shared excitement about ideas and educational discovery. Educational innovation continues today with our Bedales Assessed courses.