At Winchester House, we often talk about Serious Fun. It captures something essential about our school, the laughter and energy you would expect from a joyful childhood, combined with a deep commitment to academic excellence.
Wander through our corridors and you’ll hear giggles, gasps of excitement, the hum of lively discussion and you’ll see pupils utterly absorbed in their learning.
Traditionally, high academic outcomes have been linked to rigid discipline and tightly structured classrooms.
But that isn’t the Winchester House way. Here, enjoyment is the engine of achievement. Fun is not the opposite of rigour, it’s what allows pupils to engage more deeply, think more boldly and remember what they have learned.
Last year, a significant percentage of our Year 8 pupils moved on to their senior schools with academic scholarships and awards, and many more with scholarships across disciplines from Design Technology to Sport. Something is clearly working.
Educational theorists have long recognised this. Piaget and Vygotsky championed play as central to cognitive development. Neuroscience supports it too: positive emotions improve memory retention, executive function and motivation. Put simply, children learn more when they’re enjoying themselves. One study even found that we remember most vividly the three minutes before we laugh – which makes our classrooms exceptionally memorable places. Plenty of laughs will lead to plenty of learning!
And yes, sometimes Serious Fun gets wonderfully messy. When Reception learn about load-bearing, it’s one thing to stand on a board supported by uncooked eggs… and quite another to see the Deputy Head Academic stand barefoot on the eggs without the board. The squeals of disbelief are matched only by the clarity of the scientific concept they’ve just grasped. They will never forget it and that’s the point.
Across the school, fun becomes a catalyst for deeper thinking.
- In Year 3, pupils arriving to find a ‘Roman archaeological dig’ in the Secret Garden aren’t just thrilled, they’re immediately engaged, motivated and ready to follow their curiosity into a term-long Creative Curriculum project.
- In Year 5, staging the trial of Charles lin our Hogwartian Manor House ensures pupils don’t simply memorise history; they inhabit it. Argument, debate, critical thinking – all wrapped in theatrical delight.
- In Pre-Prep, discovering ‘alien crash debris’ prompts empathy, storytelling, early science and imaginative play in equal measure.
And even on the sports pitches, Serious Fun drives performance. A warm-up at Northampton Saints that turns into a competitive, fast-paced game of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes is great fun and it strengthens reaction time, focus and teamwork, all of which fuel higher achievement. Gamifying learning and activity means that learning remains stimulating, fun and higher achieving.
Fun at Winchester House is intentional. It enhances engagement, builds resilience, strengthens relationships and supports ambitious learning. It is a powerful pedagogical tool. This is why Winchester House pupils step into their senior schools confident, curious and ready for the challenges ahead. They don’t just know things – they love learning. And that love of learning is what will carry them through GCSEs, A Levels, university, the workplace and a world where creativity and adaptability matter more than ever.
Fun isn’t frivolous. At Winchester House, it’s serious business – Serious Fun. Just don’t tell the children!
Winchester House is a prep school for children aged three to 13 years in Brackley, and is part of The Stowe Group.
Find out more about Winchester House School via their website.
Head at Winchester House School
