Heatherdown School, formally called Heatherdown Preparatory School, was an independent preparatory school for boys, near Ascot, in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

county of Berkshire. Set in of grounds, it typically taught between eighty and ninety boys between the ages of seven and thirteen and closed in 1982. The school was a leading "feeder school" for

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, ...

.Heidi Blake & Murray Wardrop
Heatherdown Prep: the exclusive school that taught David Cameron his ambition
from ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

'' dated 27 February 2010 at telegraph.co.uk, accessed 20 June 2012

Heatherlea

During their first year at the school, boys attended classes in the main school building but at night returned to Heatherlea, a small house set back from the London Road near the Royal Foresters Hotel. Heatherlea typically had around eight boys and two matrons.

Railway

The school had its own miniature steam railway that ran around a substantial area of the grounds. It was set up by Henry May, who ran a garage in Ascot. The railway was used by enthusiasts from outside the school, although boys were regularly recruited as passengers and spectators. The railway had one station, a halt, a tunnel and a turntable.

Notable former pupils

The school's pupils included: * Prince Andrew, Duke of York * Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex * Andrew Russell, 15th Duke of Bedford * David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom * David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley * Alexander Cockburn, writer * Sir Edward Fielden, pilot and Second World War hero *

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Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne Bryan Walter Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne, (27 October 1905 – 6 July 1992) was an heir to part of the Guinness family brewing fortune, and a lawyer, poet and novelist. He was briefly married to Diana Mitford. Early life He was born to ...

* Victor Hely-Hutchinson *

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, actor *

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*John Eric Drummond, 9th Earl of Perth *

Oliver Shepard Oliver Shepard (born 1946) is a British explorer. He participated in the Transglobe Expedition, the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe from pole to pole. Shepard was educated at Heatherdown School, near Ascot in Berkshire, followed ...

David Carnegie, 4th Duke of Fife David Charles Carnegie, 4th Duke of Fife (born 3 March 1961) is a British peer and businessman. He is the only surviving son of the late James Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife, and his former wife Caroline Dewar. He was styled Earl of Macduff until ...

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*King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 4th King of Bhutan According to Francis Elliot and James Hanning's biography of David Cameron, the school was renowned for its academic and sporting excellence.

Closure

The last Headmaster of the School was James V. Edwards. After closing in 1982 for financial difficulty, the buildings were bought by the Licensed Victuallers, in order to set up a junior school. The buildings were eventually demolished in 1989 at which point the site was redeveloped to house both the LVS junior school and the senior school, which moved to Ascot from its previous location in Slough.

References

{{coord , 51.4126, -0.7033, type:edu_region:GB, display=title History of Berkshire Defunct schools in Bracknell Forest Educational institutions disestablished in 1982 1982 disestablishments in England Demolished buildings and structures in England Buildings and structures demolished in 1989 Winkfield

Heatherlea

Railway

Notable former pupils

Closure

See also

References