Welcome to St. Margaret’s Prep School
We know that finding the right school for your child is one of the biggest decisions parents face. That perfect environment, suited especially to your child, where they will learn, grow and embark on a journey of discovery and adventure. At St. Margaret's Prep, we pride ourselves on being just this.
Our children are happy, curious and kind. They thrive in our beautiful, countryside school, where we prioritise a holistic education, fostering character development alongside academic excellence.
Whilst academic achievement is high, so is our focus on wellbeing, as we know that happy children are high achieving children. We nurture our pupils and develop the characteristics and qualities we know they will need to build bright futures. We ensure they are fully prepared for the next steps in life, both in the classroom and beyond.
Day Nursery Awards 2025 Winners
We’re delighted to have been awarded the ‘Top 20 Day Nursery Award’ for the second year in a row!
The annual Nursery Awards recognises 20 of the top-rated Nurseries in each region of the UK based on reviews from parents/individuals responsible for a child.
We are St Margaret’s
We have a strong family ethos and instil a sense of great pride in our school community. We look after, support and encourage each other to always be our best.
Welcome to St. Margaret’s Prep School, we make education fun and stimulating. We have a reputation for developing exceptionally well-rounded pupils with a love of learning. Our results speak for themselves, with our excellence in scholarships, sports, arts and music.
"I believe strongly that a happy child is a successful child and here at St Margaret’s we excel in providing a warm, welcoming and supportive community for your family."
-Carolyn Moss, Headteacher
Awards
An excellent all-round education
We were delighted to be awarded European ‘School of the Year 2022’ at the Cognita O-wards, we offer specialist teaching across the curriculum, combined with a home-from-home family feel, to give your child the very best start.
The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), rated St. Margaret’s as ‘excellent’ in October 2021. The inspection report concluded that the quality of the pupil’s academic and other achievements is excellent and the quality of the pupils’ personal development is also excellent.
"Pupils’ enjoyment of school life is evident in every aspect of their activities in and out the classroom. This is a result of the high quality of pastoral care, which focuses on the well-being of each individual to ensure they all flourish.” ISI, 2021
Join us for a Personal Tour
We warmly welcome families throughout the year, offering tailored personal tours on a day that suits you, including school holidays.
Enjoy a guided tour of the school, arranged by a member of our friendly Admissions Team who can answer any questions you may have
FACILITIES & LOCATION
A beautiful parkland setting
Our idyllic countryside setting, in rural north Essex, means we are surrounded by stunning scenery, including parkland, fields and woodland.
The former coach house and stables of Gosfield Hall make up the partly Grade 2 listed school buildings.
The school offers two classrooms per year group, plus dedicated rooms for music, science, art, languages and computers, as well as a sports hall and a well-stocked library. There are three music practice ‘pods’ where children have individual music lessons.
The grounds include netball courts, playgrounds, an adventure playground, and outdoor classrooms. Forest School and various sports are also available. Additionally, the school uses nearby facilities for cricket, hockey, and swimming.
School News
We have enthusiastic pupils who are eager to showcase their accomplishments, and we join in celebrating their triumphs through various engaging activities throughout the year. These activities, such as outings, concerts, sports events, and numerous other exciting events, are designed to enhance our pupils' learning experience.
Follow St Margaret's School on Social Media
Our Reception children have been learning all about fireworks and why we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night on the 5th of November! 🎆
The children loved getting creative afterwards with some fun activities, including blow painting with a straw! Well done Rafe for some brilliant step by step instructions and a beautiful example of their work! 🎇
Our Butterflies Nursery class are loving being back at nursery and look so smart in their winter uniforms! 🦋
They’re thriving in our warm, home from home setting, and it’s been wonderful welcoming a few new faces as they begin their journey with us here at St Mag’s. 💙
Join us for our monthly Stay & Play at our award-winning nursery on Friday 14th November from 9am - 10am!
Your little one can explore fun early years activities with our Caterpillars class, while you chat with our Early Years experts and Admissions team.
It’s a great chance to meet other local parents and carers, and give your child an hour of confidence building fun in a safe, nurturing space.
Book your FREE place by emailing admissions@stmargaretsprep.com or call 01787 273 050
Today, Year 1 stepped back in time to learn all about King James and The Gunpowder Plot! Through acting and story telling, they immersed themselves in history, making learning both exciting and interactive 🎇 🧨 👑
We’re Back! ✨
It’s the first day back after half term and there’s so much to look forward to! ✨
From learning all about Guy Fawkes in Assembly this morning, our upcoming Kinetic workshop, the arrival of our new greenhouse and our pending gardening club, and even the launch of the ISA Esports competition!
What an exciting week ahead and we can’t wait to share the highlights with you! 💙🎆🎇
#ExcitingWeek
#BackToSchool
#AutumnTerm
Watch out… Mrs. Moss has swapped her Headteacher’s hat for a witch’s one! 🧹👻
Happy Halloween from everyone at St Mag’s! 🕸 We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday 🎃
Have fun trick or treating or whatever frightful fun you have planned! 🧙♀️🍬
Reception have loved learning their colours in French this half term! 🇫🇷🎨
Madame Oakley makes every lesson so much fun and interactive. There’s always lots of smiles, songs, games and learning along the way! 💙
Don’t just take our word for it, see why parents rate us so highly! 🏆
We’re proud to be a Day Nursery Award Winner for the second year in a row, recognised among the Top 20 Nurseries in our region based on parent reviews.
If you’d like to see why our nursery is award-winning, we have spaces available for a January start! 🌟
Contact our friendly admissions team to arrange a tour, or join our Stay & Play on Friday 14th November from 9am – 10am.
☎ 01787 273 050
📧 admissions@stmargaretsprep.com
We can’t wait to welcome you!
