A practical guide for parents weighing up their options.

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions you will make for your son. It shapes not only how he learns, but the friendships he forms, the confidence he carries and the young man he becomes. Kingston and the wider Surrey area are home to some of the finest independent schools in the country, which is wonderful news for families, though it can also make the choice feel daunting. This guide sets out what we believe matters most when you are weighing up your options. Rokeby is a school for boys aged 4 to 13, guiding them from their very first days in Reception right through to their move on to senior school

Prospectuses tell you part of the story. The heart of any school is its character.

At Rokeby, for example, families often comment on the warmth they feel the moment they walk through the door; something no brochure can fully capture. Our guiding values, to be Smart, Skilful and Kind, shape the way boys learn, play and treat one another every day.

Ask how well the school will know your son. The most nurturing prep schools see each boy as an individual, not a number. At Rokeby, small class sizes and a close-knit form tutor system mean teachers genuinely get to know each child; his strengths, interests and the areas where he may need support. When you visit any school, ask how staff get to know pupils, how progress is tracked and how a teacher would describe a boy they have taught for a year.

The best schools take the time to understand a boy’s strengths, interests and needs, and use that understanding to bring out his best. At Rokeby, we call this bringing out the brilliant in every boy.

Consider the breadth of the education on offer. Academic results matter, but so do sport, music, drama, art and the many adventures that sit outside the timetable. A rounded education gives your son the chance to discover what he loves and to surprise himself. Look for a school where the curriculum is broad and where there is genuine encouragement to try new things. Rokeby boys benefit from a broad curriculum and a rich co-curricular programme that encourages them to try new things, from fencing to coding to Rock Squad.

Think about pastoral care. Happy boys learn well. Ask how the school supports wellbeing, how it handles the everyday wobbles of friendship and what happens when a child finds something difficult. At Rokeby, pastoral care is central to our identity, shaping daily interactions and ensuring boys feel known and supported. Peer mentoring, ELSA support and mindfulness sessions help pupils develop the emotional literacy and resilience needed to thrive academically and socially.

Reflect on the environment. Some families are drawn to a single-sex setting, others to co-education. Neither is right or wrong, what matters is the fit for your child. An all-boys environment, such as Rokeby’s, allows teaching to be tailored to the way many boys learn and grow, with space for humour and hands-on learning.

Look at where boys go next. For a prep school, senior school destinations are a useful measure of how well pupils are prepared. Ask about recent leavers, the range of schools they moved on to and the scholarships and awards they achieved. Strong outcomes are a sign of strong preparation. Rokeby boys are supported by a comprehensive preparation programme, and progress to a wide variety of leading day and boarding schools, including St Paul’s School, Epsom College, Reed’s School, Hampton School, King’s College School, Charterhouse, Winchester, Eton, Harrow and many more. Year after year, many achieve scholarships.

Finally, visit. No website, this guide included, can replace the feeling of being in a school while it is busy and full of life. Watch how the children behave when they think no one is looking. Notice whether they are engaged, courteous and happy. Then trust your instinct.

If you would like to see all of this for yourself, we would be delighted to welcome you to Rokeby. Come and meet our boys and our staff, and discover why families across Kingston upon Thames and Surrey choose us to give their sons the very best start.