3RD SEPTEMBER 2026


FAMILY VALUES AN ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE DISTRIBUTED WITH


Education & Schooling 9 An extraordinary, wholesome education


Cottesmore is half an hour from London by train, making it a conveniently accessible country boarding school for families living in and around the capital


Cottesmore has recently been


awarded the titles of Prep School of the Year (Tatler), Boarding School of the Year (Times Educational Supplement) and Independent School of the Year (Edufuturists), reflecting the strength of its academic provision and overall educational experience. Founded in 1894, Cottesmore has a


long history of providing a rigorous, broad, balanced education for girls and boys, with a strong emphasis on both academic achievement and personal development. It caters to children from the ages of around four to 13, and combines traditional educational values with a modern approach to education and boarding life. Cottesmore is typified as ‘country house lifestyle education’, giving children the best of both town and country worlds. As a boarding school, Cottesmore


offers traditional full boarding, typically starting from Year 4 (age eight).


Its boarding facilities are


described as warm and homely, promoting a ‘home-from-home’ environment where children are cared for by the whole team and the experienced house parents. Tere are a select number of day places available, but the main thrust is that of a boarding school. Te academic curriculum at Cottesmore covers a wide range of


subjects, from core areas like maths, English and science to languages, arts and technology. Te curriculum is designed to nurture each child’s talents and prepare them for entry into world-famous UK boarding senior schools — academic public schools with a similar dynamic vision to Cottesmore’s. Te school prides itself on fostering confidence, curiosity and independence — qualities that boarding life helps


to develop as


children manage their routines, build relationships and engage in shared and exciting responsibilities. Beyond its academic drive, the


school offers a rich co-curricular life with sport at least once a day and a varied and thorough creative programme, including music, art, design, coding, 3D printing and drama. Outdoor pursuits are a natural part of the Cottesmore country equation. Furthermore, the school’s pastoral care is frequently praised for its strong emphasis on wellbeing and community spirit.


T: 01293 520648 cottesmoreschool.com


Private tours available


Raising truly creative thinkers


In 2008, Australian toy designer Paul Justin watched his children turn ordinary cardboard into extraordinary things, and it made him pause for thought


Paul Justin’s own industry was building toys around fleeting fads that lost their lustre within weeks and were bound for landfill, while his children invented endlessly from cardboard that cost nothing. Te answer arrived in three short phrases: tools, for kids, for cardboard. Tat became Makedo,


the original cardboard construction


system


by instant answers, and a machine will happily write the essay or draw the picture. What it can’t do is have the idea in the first place. Following instructions is what machines are for; imagining what doesn’t yet exist is a human skill, and like any skill, it grows with practice. Practice is what Makedo is


for


— old-fashioned fun with proper tools and whatever


for children. Tree tools to build your world: a Safe-Saw that cuts cardboard, but is safe in small hands, a Fold-Roller that scores a clean crease and a Scru-Driver for the reusable blue Scrus that hold a build together, then twist straight out for the next one. Te range has since grown to make those builds move: a Roto-Ring for wheels, a Spin-Hinge for doors, Deco- Props for character. What a Makedo kit deliberately


leaves out is instructions. Hand a child numbered steps, and they’ll dutifully follow them. Hand them tools and an empty box, and they must decide what to make, work out why the roof keeps collapsing and try again. Tey learn by doing, and have a very good time doing it. Tat matters more than it used to: children are growing up surrounded


Makedo’s Back to School sale is on now: get up to 25% off kits, bundles and accessories at make.do (offer ends 7 September 2026)


cardboard is


stacked by the recycling bin. It’s screen-free, costs next to nothing to keep going and will occupy a five- year-old and a 12-year- old at the same table. As the new school year begins, Makedo makes the case for an after-school hour spent thinking rather than watching,


and for raising children who invent


answers rather than look them up. Free project ideas, guides and lesson plans are available at hub.make.do


Visit Makedo’s store


make.do instagram.com/makedo


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