I am delighted to be Housemaster of the new Drake House for day and boarding boys in Years 7 and 8. I am married to Sarah, who used to be a pre-prep teacher before giving up her job to be at home with our daughter Lottie. My interests are sport and history and I coach boy's rugby and cricket. In a previous life, I was the Staffordshire Women’s cricket coach for five years before working with the Counties elite player development program and was the Head of History and an Assistant Housemaster at Tettenhall College.

Drake House has been specifically created to aid the transition from a primary education to secondary. By providing dedicated pastoral care, tailored academic guidance and a comfortable, friendly environment for our younger pupils, the transition to the senior part of the school at Year 9 becomes an easy process.

Our resident matron, Alison Kirkham is hugely important in the boys lives and their personal Tutors mentor academic progress, extra curricular activity and social development .

Both day and boarding pupils have timetabled prep sessions and day pupils are encouraged stay in School until 6pm, when they can make the most of all the extra curricular activities available. For the boarders, there is full programme of evening and weekend activities and entertainment and day pupils are offered the opportunity to "try out" boarding on an ad hoc basis in the flexi boarding room.

It is our aim to ensure that Junior pupils learn to develop a hunger and motivation for learning. We teach them values for later life, instil confidence and assist their personal development outside of the classroom. This is a unique period in a child’s school life and we place great importance on the foundations laid at this time.

I look forward to welcoming you to Drake House.

Mike Barraclough - Housemaster

Click here to download the October Newsletter

Contact + 44 (0) 1473 326242

drake@royalhospitalschool.org