It is essential that every child feels that they are achieving success in some area of school life. The educational philosophy at Summer Fields is to provide a breadth of education, endless opportunity and bags of encouragement that allows every boy to do well.

While some children thrive academically, others will be sporty, musical, creative or theatrical. Yet some have hidden talents that are yet to be discovered — it is this discovery, this feeling of achievement, which is crucial to a child’s success in school.

Summer Fields is a forward-thinking prep school which has maintained its history of excellent academic achievement and is best known for its caring and happy atmosphere, excellent teaching and results, wonderful sense of community and dedicated staff.

However, the extensive school facilities and exceptional drama, sport, art, design technology and music departments provide a scope of opportunities for boys to discover their talents.

As a school, we aim to help our pupils learn new skills and develop interests that they will take with them through life.

The 2009 leavers secured some of the greatest scholarship and entrance results in recent years. All 43 boys earned a place at their first choice school, and eight Summerfieldians won scholarships to Eton, Winchester and Shrewsbury. In total, 18 Summerfieldians were accepted to Eton, seven won places to Radley and four to Winchester.

Four boys gained places to Stowe, two each to Abingdon, St Edward’s, Sherborne and Shrewsbury. One Summerfieldian was accepted by The Leys School, Cambridge, and one by the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe.

Every boy at Summer Fields will be coached in football, rugby and cricket; but there is also the opportunity to learn to play tennis, golf, swimming, Eton Fives, shooting, riding, fencing, squash and much more.

Based in more than 70 acres of delightful school grounds, which extend from Summertown to the River Cherwell, Summer Fields also has a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, an indoor and an outdoor pool, squash courts, a climbing wall and Fives courts.

The music department offers extensive training, first through class lessons, where all students are introduced to as many areas of the subject as possible.

All pupils gain experience on the violin, cello, recorder and keyboards through year-long courses as part of their class tuition.

The boys are also encouraged to fulfil their individual musical potential, and as many as 220 lessons are taught by a visiting team of 30 specialist musicians, with more than 80 per cent of the school learning an instrument.

Summer Fields has two school choirs and enjoys an enviable record of music scholarships to notable senior schools.

There is at least one theatrical production every term and drama lessons are built into the curriculum. The classics department regularly puts on Greek and Roman productions, making use of the outdoor amphitheatre.

The art and design technology departments are integrated into the academic timetable, and each has a modern lab with state-of-the-art equipment; while art club and DT club provide extra tuition and access to facilities for those boys who elect to join.

The school offers chess and bridge lessons, train club with its model railway set, gardening club in the boys’ gardens, science club to further explore the practical side of science, the action adventure programme with camping and survival training — the opportunities are endless.

Academic distinction, excellent teaching and outstanding pastoral care stand at the centre of a Summer Fields education, but the opportunities offered beyond the classroom are what make life at Summer Fields such a special experience.