SUCCESS is becoming all too familiar at the prestigious Hatherop Castle School (HCS) and its headteacher believes a strong focus on the arts and music has been the driving force behind its great accomplishments.

This year, the independent preparatory day and boarding school featured in Tatler’s annual schools guide and it also picked up two awards in the Independent School Association’s Schools awards` (ISA).

The school won an ISA award for Excellence and Innovation in Provision, which celebrates schools which display outstanding quality.

What's more the school was also handed an ISA award for Excellence in the Arts, which is given to schools that go the extra mile in terms of arts provision and achievement.

Head of the school Paul Easterbrook, who has been in charge for nearly 25 years, puts the success down to the school’s strong focus on the arts and its excellent Independent School Inspectorate (IPI) inspection results in recent years.

He said: “Music and performing arts are a huge part of school life. I want the children to have as many opportunities for success as possible in as many different areas of school life that we can offer. As a school we keep our curriculum broad but make sure it has the depth for academic success.

“I want the children to feel that when they move on they have a range of talents.Wherever you go in the school, you will find students taking part in the arts.”

Through the school pupils can enter an arts award provided by the prestigious Trinity College in London.

To enter the award, pupils put together an art project about someone that has inspired them before presenting it to the college so they can receive a bronze award.

Children are also regular winners at Cheltenham Literary Festival, including three whuch scooped awards at the 2015 event.

They are taught dance by Rebecca Scott, a teacher of fine calibre, who judges a range of regional and national competitions and are given individual and groups lessons in drama.

Music is also at the forefront of the pupil’s education and many show off their talents by joining musical acts at the school such as a swing band and a jazz choir.

In 2013 the early years section of the school achieved an Outstanding grade in its ISI inspection and in 2014 the same organisation graded the upper school as excellent.

As an ISI inspectorMr Easterbrook knows all too well what is required to get good inspection reports and he is elated that the school managed to do so well.

He said: “They [the ISI] realised that the school is constantly moving forward and striving to give the children the best quality of education.”

In 2016 HCS is set to forge strong links with China, as pupils and staff from the country’s schools are set to visit the school as part of an exchange programme.

Mr Easterbrook decided to set up the programme after visiting schools in the country earlier this year as part of a trip organised by the British Council.

During the trip Mr Easterbrook and other headteachers from the UK demonstrated British teaching methods in Chinese Schools.

Mr Easterbrook said: “If we have students from all around the world it gives the school a cosmopolitan feel.”

Academia and the arts is a big part of school life, but students are also encouraged to explore the world of work and think about careers from an early age.

Unlike many other schools, HCS allows students to do work experience at local businesses from Year 8.

And Mr Easterbrook said that he thinks it is important for children to learn about the world of work at an early age.

He said: “We do it a little bit early - they are developed enough. I think it is a challenge for them.Children should enjoy their childhood and they should be children for as a long as possible. Hatherop Castle School is somewhere where childhood is celebrated. But I also think it has to have value and depth to it by giving them things like work experience. I feel very strongly about this.”

The school may already be riding the crest of a wave but its future looks even brighter thanks to the Wishford Education Group, an organisation the school is part of.

Thanks to an investment by the organisation, which has already funded refurbishments of classrooms, the school is set to build a new performing arts centre next year.