📚 Castle House School: The Kindness Matters Ethos and Its Distinctive Curriculum Explained | Castle House School怎么样？深度解析其善良至关重要教育理念与独特课程
Castle House School is a small independent preparatory school in Newport, Shropshire, educating boys and girls from just three months old up to the age of eleven. It is known for its nurturing atmosphere, its broad extracurricular programme, and an educational philosophy rooted in Christian values - above all, the simple but demanding belief that kindness matters. As a member of the Haberdashers' family of schools, it also offers pupils a supported pathway towards senior education. This article looks in detail at how the school teaches, how it cares, what it costs, and who it suits.
Castle House School（城堡之家学校）是位于英国什罗普郡纽波特的一所小型独立预备学校，招收从仅三个月大直到十一岁的男孩与女孩。它以培育性的氛围、广泛的课外活动，以及扎根于基督教价值观的教育宗旨而受到认可，其中最重要的，就是那个简单却要求很高的信念——善良至关重要。作为哈博达斯（Haberdashers'）学校家族的一员，它也为学生未来的中学教育过渡提供支持。本文将详细分析这所学校如何教学、如何关怀学生、费用如何，以及它适合怎样的家庭。
1. Castle House School at a Glance | 学校概况速览
Castle House School is an independent, co-educational day school. It takes children from the age of 0.25 years - that is, roughly three months - right through nursery and pre-prep into prep education, finishing at age 11. There is no boarding provision: every pupil is a day pupil, which keeps the school closely connected to local families in and around Newport, Shropshire. Total numbers are small, at approximately 158 pupils on roll, which is a defining feature of the school's character.
Castle House School 是一所独立的男女同校走读学校，招收从 0.25 岁（约三个月大）开始的孩子，从托儿所、预备预备班一路读到预备班阶段，到 11 岁结束。学校不提供寄宿：所有学生都是走读生，这让学校与什罗普郡纽波特及其周边地区的家庭保持着紧密联系。学校规模很小，在校学生总数约为 158 名，这是塑造其学校性格的关键特征。
Being part of the Haberdashers' group matters here. The school sits within the Haberdashers' family alongside institutions such as Haberdashers' Adams grammar school, and those links help smooth the path when pupils eventually move on to the next stage of their education.
隶属于哈博达斯体系这一点很重要。该校与哈博达斯亚当斯文法学校（Haberdashers' Adams）等机构同属哈博达斯家族，这些联系能在学生最终升入下一阶段教育时，为他们铺就更顺畅的道路。
2. Location and Campus Environment | 地理位置与校园环境
The school occupies a Grade II listed historic building set within beautiful grounds, which gives pupils a learning environment that is genuinely distinctive and inspiring. Perhaps the most unusual feature is a mid-nineteenth-century brick folly - a small imitation castle ruin - standing on the site. It adds a real sense of history to everyday school life and gives the school its name.
学校坐落在一座拥有美丽园地的二级保护历史建筑之中，这为学生提供了一个别具一格且能鼓舞人心的学习环境。其中最不寻常的特征，大概要数校园内一座十九世纪中期的砖砌仿城堡遗迹（folly）——一座小巧的仿制城堡废墟。它为日常校园生活增添了浓厚的历史氛围，也让学校得名 "Castle House"。
Crucially, the campus is deliberately run as a family-like community. The school's ambition is that it should feel like a second home - the place a child goes after leaving home in the morning rather than simply an institution they attend. Small buildings, small classes and familiar faces make that ambition realistic rather than just a slogan.
更关键的是，校园被刻意经营成一个家庭式的社区。学校的期望是，它应当像孩子的 "第二个家"——是孩子早晨离开家之后所去的地方，而不只是一个他们被动就读的机构。小规模的建筑、小班额与彼此熟悉的面孔，让这一愿景不止是一句口号，而变得真实可行。
3. The Kindness Matters Ethos | "善良至关重要"的教育理念
The educational heart of the school is what it calls the Haberdashers' Castle House Way, a way of working built on the belief that kindness matters. This is not a decorative motto. It shapes how staff speak to children, how pupils are expected to treat one another, and how success is defined. The school's values are informed by Christian principles, expressed in an inclusive and practical way.
学校的教育核心被称为 "哈博达斯城堡之家方式"（the Haberdashers' Castle House Way），这是一种以 "善良至关重要" 这一信念为基础的教育运作方式。这并不是一句装饰性的校训：它塑造了教职员工与孩子说话的方式、学生被期待如何彼此相待，以及学校如何定义成功。学校的价值观受基督教原则启发，并以包容而务实的方式表达出来。
The aim is to help every child recognise their own unique talents and, through that recognition, to ignite genuine enthusiasm for learning. In practice this means a child is not measured only against a cohort average, but against their own developing strengths. Confidence, self-identity, curiosity and courage are treated as educational outcomes in their own right, not as pleasant by-products of exam preparation.
其目标是帮助每一个孩子认识自己独特的才能，并通过这种认识点燃对学习的真正热情。在实践中，这意味着衡量一个孩子，不只看他与同龄群体的平均水平相比如何，还要看他自身不断发展的优势。自信、自我认同、好奇心与勇气，在这里本身就被视为教育成果，而不只是备考过程中令人愉快的副产品。
4. Curriculum Design: Creative, Integrated and Challenging | 课程设计：创造性、综合性与挑战性
The curriculum is described as creative, integrated and challenging. "Integrated" is the key word: subjects are not treated as sealed boxes, so a topic in history can feed into writing, art and discussion rather than sitting alone on the timetable. This approach suits young children, whose natural thinking is curiosity-driven and cross-connected rather than departmental.
学校的课程被描述为具有创造性、综合性与挑战性。"综合性" 是关键词：各科目并不被当作彼此封闭的盒子来处理，因此一个历史主题可以同时滋养写作、艺术与讨论，而不是孤立地占据课表上的一格。这种方式很适合年幼的孩子，因为他们的天然思维本就是由好奇心驱动、彼此关联的，而非按学科分门别类的。
A strong emphasis is placed on experiential and hands-on learning. Children are expected to do things, make things, test things and go outside, not merely to listen and record. The ambition is that learning extends well beyond the classroom walls, so that a pupil's education is continuous across the school day rather than switched on and off by the bell.
课程设计着重突出体验式与动手学习。孩子们被期待去动手做、去制作、去试验、去走到户外，而不只是听讲和记录。其目标在于让学习远远超出教室的围墙，使学生的教育在整个上学日里持续发生，而不是随着铃声被打开和关闭。
Core features of the curriculum | 课程的核心特征
- Creative teaching that links subjects together rather than isolating them
创造性教学，把各科目连接起来，而非彼此孤立 - An integrated, topic-based approach to planning
以主题为单位的一体化课程规划方式 - Genuine academic challenge appropriate to each child's stage
与每个孩子所处阶段相匹配的、真正有难度的学术挑战 - Experiential, hands-on tasks in and beyond the classroom
课堂内外皆有体验式、动手型的学习任务 - Individual talent-spotting, so that enthusiasm can be ignited
对学生个体才能的发现，从而点燃其热情
5. Outdoor Learning: Forest School and Weekly Swimming | 户外学习：森林学校与每周游泳
Outdoor learning is not an occasional treat at Castle House School - it is embedded in the week. Forest school sessions take children into natural surroundings where they build, explore, cooperate and take measured risks. Weekly swimming is a regular fixture, giving pupils a physical skill that lasts a lifetime as well as the confidence that comes from mastering something in water.
在 Castle House School，户外学习并不是偶尔的调剂，而是嵌入每一周的常规安排。森林学校课程把孩子带到自然环境之中，在那里搭建、探索、合作，并承担经过评估的适度风险。每周一次的游泳则是固定项目，既赋予学生一项受用终身的身体技能，也带来在水中掌握本领所产生的自信。
These activities are central to the school's stated goals of building curiosity, courage and a love of learning. Risk-taking in a controlled environment teaches children that difficulty is manageable, which is far more useful in later schooling than any single piece of content they memorise at age seven.
这些活动是学校所宣称目标的核心——培养好奇心、勇气与对学习的热爱。在受控环境中尝试风险，会让孩子明白困难是可以应对的，这相比他们在七岁时记住的任何单一知识点，对未来求学生涯都更有用。
6. Extracurricular Life: Sport, Music, Art, Drama and More | 课外生活：体育、音乐、艺术、戏剧及更多
The extracurricular programme is remarkably wide for a school of this size. It spans sport, music, art, drama and dance, alongside a range of clubs and trips. Breadth matters at this age because children cannot know what they are good at until they have met it. A timetable that offers many first encounters is effectively offering many possible futures.
对于这样规模的学校而言，其课外活动项目相当广泛，涵盖体育、音乐、艺术、戏剧与舞蹈，还有各类社团与旅行。在这个年龄段，广度之所以重要，是因为孩子在真正接触一件事之前，无法知道自己擅长什么。一份提供大量 "初次相遇" 机会的课表，实际上是在提供许多种可能的未来。
Parent feedback, as reported, singles out the chance for children to try instruments such as the cello, and to discover an unexpected love of - and talent for - art. That is exactly the mechanism the school designs for: exposure plus encouragement, repeated often enough that a hidden strength becomes visible.
据反馈，家长特别提到孩子有机会尝试大提琴等乐器，并发现自己对艺术产生了意想不到的热爱与天赋。这正是学校刻意设计的机制：接触加上鼓励，反复足够多次，隐藏的长处便会显现出来。
7. Pastoral Care and the Family Atmosphere | 关怀体系与家庭式氛围
Pastoral care is where a small school can genuinely outperform a large one, and Castle House leans into that advantage. With roughly 158 pupils in total, teachers know children as individuals - their moods, their friendships, their worries and their strengths. Staff can notice a change in a child on the day it happens, rather than at the end of term.
在小规模学校真正可能胜过大学校的地方，就是学生关怀，而 Castle House 正是充分利用了这一优势。全校约 158 名学生，教师能够把每个孩子当作独立的个体来认识——他们的情绪、友谊、担忧与长处。教职员工能在变化发生的那一天就注意到，而不是等到学期结束。
The explicit aim of being a second home shapes daily routines too: how children are greeted in the morning, how behaviour is corrected, how achievements are celebrated. For a child of nursery or pre-prep age, that consistency between home and school is often the single most important factor in settling happily and learning steadily.
"第二个家" 这一明确目标也塑造着日常生活的细节：孩子早晨如何被迎接、行为如何被纠正、成绩如何被庆祝。对于托儿所或预备预备班年龄的孩子来说，家庭与学校之间的一致性，往往正是他们能否快乐安定、稳步学习的最重要因素。
8. Preparing for Senior School: 11+ and Smooth Transition | 升学衔接：11+ 考试与顺利过渡
As a preparatory school, one of Castle House's central jobs is to prepare pupils thoroughly for senior school. The school's connection with institutions such as Haberdashers' Adams grammar school provides a helpful onward pathway. In Years 5 and 6 - the key upper years - the curriculum is deliberately reshaped to build independence and academic readiness, precisely the two qualities senior schools look for.
作为一所预备学校，Castle House 的核心任务之一，就是为学生的中学阶段做全面准备。学校与哈博达斯亚当斯文法学校等机构之间的联系，为升学提供了良好的通道。在关键的高年级阶段，也就是 5 到 6 年级，课程被专门重新设计，用以培养学生的独立性以及学术准备度——这恰好是中学最看重的两项素质。
Teaching in these years draws on a wider body of specialist teachers, particularly in the core subjects, so that pupils are stretched by subject experts rather than taught only by one generalist class teacher. Many parents report that their children were well supported in passing the 11+ with confidence and moving on to the senior school of their choice.
这一阶段的教与学，会借助更广泛的专业教师团队，尤其在核心科目上加以强化，使学生受到学科专家的推动，而不只由一位全科班主任授课。许多家长反馈，孩子在满怀信心地通过 11+ 考试、并升入心仪中学这件事上，得到了有力的支持。
9. Fees, Class Sizes and Learning Support | 学费、班级规模与学习支持
Castle House School is a private day school with no boarding option. Fees are charged by term and rise as a child moves up the year groups. As reported, Reception stands at £3,170 per term, while Years 5 and 6 stand at £4,355 per term - the highest point in the school. The school has stated that it does not offer scholarships or bursaries, so families should plan on the full published fee.
Castle House School 是一所私立走读学校，不提供寄宿。学费按学期收取，并随着年级升高而增加。据现有信息，学前班（Reception）每学期学费为 3170 英镑，而 5 到 6 年级为每学期 4355 英镑，是全校最高的一档。学校明确表示不提供奖学金或助学金，因此家庭应按公布的学费全额来做规划。
| Stage | 阶段 | Fee per term (as reported) | 每学期学费（据现有信息） |
| Reception / 学前班 | £3,170 |
| Years 5-6 / 5 至 6 年级 | £4,355 |
| Boarding / 寄宿 | Not available / 不提供 |
| Scholarships and bursaries / 奖学金与助学金 | Not offered / 不提供 |
On roll there are approximately 158 pupils, and class sizes are small, which allows teachers to attend to each child's individual needs. Around 30 pupils have identified special educational needs, a figure that reflects the school's inclusive character and its willingness to support a range of learners within the same small community.
在校学生约为 158 名，班级规模较小，这有利于教师关注每个孩子的个体需求。大约有 30 名学生具有特殊教育需求，这一数字体现了学校的包容性，以及它愿意在同一小型社区内支持不同类型学习者的态度。
10. Who Thrives at Castle House School? | 什么样的孩子在 Castle House 如鱼得水？
This is a school for families with young children who want a small, family-style primary setting - one that prioritises the individual, offers genuine pastoral care, teaches values explicitly and develops the whole child rather than only the academic slice. Parents who value breadth, outdoor learning and the arts alongside examination preparation will find the offer coherent.
这所学校适合那些正在为年幼孩子寻找小型家庭式小学教育的家庭——这种教育重视个体、提供真诚的关怀、明确地进行价值观教育，并实现孩子的全面发展，而不只关注学术的那一部分。那些在备考之外同样看重课程广度、户外学习与艺术的家长，会觉得这里的教育主张是内在一致的。
Conversely, families needing boarding, or looking for a large cohort with an extensive scholarship programme, will need to look elsewhere. It is also worth noting that small schools suit some children enormously and feel too intimate for others, so a visit matters more than any written description.
反过来，需要寄宿安排，或者希望进入学生规模庞大、设有大量奖学金项目的学校的家庭，则需要另作考虑。同样值得提醒的是，小型学校对某些孩子极其合适，对另一些孩子却可能显得过于亲密，因此实地访问比任何文字描述都更重要。
11. Questions Worth Asking Before You Apply | 申请之前值得提出的问题
Because published summaries never tell the whole story, it helps to arrive at an open day with specific questions. Ask how progress is tracked in a mixed-ability small class, how the school identifies a child who needs extra support, and how it stretches a child who is already working beyond their year group. Ask, too, how the transition to senior school is handled in practice.
因为公开的信息摘要从来无法讲出全部故事，带着具体问题去参加开放日会很有帮助。可以询问：在小型混合能力班级中如何追踪学习进展？学校如何识别需要额外支持的孩子？又如何为已经超出本年级水平的孩子提供拓展？同样也要问：升入中学的过渡在实操层面是如何处理的。
A practical checklist | 一份实用清单
- What does a typical week look like in my child's year group?
我孩子所在年级的典型一周是怎样的？ - How often do forest school and swimming take place, and who leads them?
森林学校与游泳多久开展一次，由谁带领？ - How are children prepared for the 11+ and for interviews?
孩子如何为 11+ 考试与面试做准备？ - How is special educational needs support funded and delivered?
特殊教育需求支持如何获得经费与落实？ - Total cost per year, including trips, music tuition and clubs?
每年总花费是多少，含旅行、乐器课与社团？
12. Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways | 总结与核心要点
Castle House School is best understood as a coherent whole: a small school, in a historic building with a nineteenth-century brick folly on the grounds, teaching a creative and integrated curriculum outdoors as well as indoors, wrapped in an ethos summarised by the phrase kindness matters. Its membership of the Haberdashers' family and its links with schools such as Haberdashers' Adams give that ethos a practical, forward-looking edge.
理解 Castle House School 的最好方式，是把它看成一个内在一致的整体：一所小型学校，坐落在带有十九世纪砖砌仿城堡遗迹的历史建筑之中，在室内外同时开展富有创造性且高度综合的课程，而包裹着这一切的，是那句 "善良至关重要" 所概括的教育理念。它作为哈博达斯家族成员的归属，以及与哈博达斯亚当斯等学校的联系，让这一理念有了务实且面向未来的落点。
So what is the real key to its success - the small, intimate environment, or the distinctive philosophy combined with a rich programme of activities? In practice the two are inseparable: small scale is what makes individual attention possible, and the philosophy is what gives that attention a direction. For parents of very young children weighing up a caring, values-led, non-boarding prep school in Shropshire, Castle House is a serious option worth visiting in person.
那么，它成功的关键究竟在于小而亲密的环境，还是在于独特的教育理念与丰富课程活动的融合？在实践中，两者不可分割：小规模让个体关注成为可能，而教育理念则赋予这种关注以方向。对于正在为年幼孩子寻找一所注重个体、给予关怀、重视价值观教育且不提供寄宿的什罗普郡预备学校的家长而言，Castle House 是一个值得亲自走访的认真选项。
Published by TutorHao | UK Preparatory Schools Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
或截图后用「扫一扫 → 相册」选择本图