Inside The School House Spring/Summer 2026 Issue

The annual Spring/Summer issue of School House is here – complete with a new editor, a host of new regular columns and exciting new writers. Read on to find out what’s in the issue.

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Inside The Spring/Summer 2026 Issue Of School House

It is always an exciting time to be involved with independent school education, but now more than ever as the sector faces questions about its future – and, like it or not, the fact that VAT on school fees is now a lingering dinner party conversation and something for many to chew over. But we are feeling cheerful – and very excited to bring this issue to you, complete with new regular columns and a fresh stable of writers.

Former political sketch writer for The Times Patrick Kidd turns his hand to our new flagship interview, Lunch with School House, for which he sat down in the dining room at St Edward’s School, Oxford for lunch with its warden, Alastair Chirnside. Child psychotherapist Emily Samuel brings her wisdom to the magazine on helping your child deal with uncomfortable emotions; each issue she will consider a new hot topic in her column. Travel supremo Annabelle Spranklen visits Oakham for her new series on the towns behind the schools, and we introduce Flora Watkins’ first column exploring life with her young family in Norfolk, writing movingly and powerfully about the challenges faced by her SEND daughter Romy. There’s also plenty that will feel familiar to regular readers, with writers like Elizabeth Ivens and Frances Glover returning to bring their educational expertise to the page.

Winchester School

Also In The New Issue…

• Meet the new School House editor – and long-time writer for the magazine – Eleanor Doughty
• Esther Walker investigates how boarding schools gained the reputation of being cold, unfriendly places – and proves it wrong by taking a peek inside some of the country’s homeliest prep boarding schools
• For our new back-page Q&A, we speak to 25-time novelist Adele Parks MBE about divorce, inspiration and what it means to be a writer
• Have an outdoorsy child? Evie Calver picks eight of the best school kitchen gardens, where children grow their own food and learn hands-on about healthy eating
• Bringing clarity to the topic on everyone’s minds, Alice Smellie looks into how schools are tackling the issue of students using AI for schoolwork
• In our culture section, our guide to the upcoming season rounds up the best things to see and do; Eleanor Doughty finds the best stately homes for a family day out; and eight school librarians share their top reads for children and teens
• Susie Mesure looks into the growing appeal of international schools and why so many families are choosing to relocate abroad
• Introducing our new School Pet, School Hero and Top Scholar pages… Evie Calver shines a light on three important figures in their school’s communities: Lancing Prep Worthing’s guinea pig, Bryanston’s head groundsman, and Latymer Upper’s top scholar
• Eleanor Doughty gets the inside scoop on how to pursue a career in diplomacy from former ambassador Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles
• What’s the story of the Thomas’s empire? Elizabeth Ivens goes back in time for The Trailblazer
• In our Insiders’ Guide, four school experts share everything you need to know about studying art and design subjects
• Frances Glover speaks to Worth’s heads of school about their time in education and plans for the future
• Girls’ sport takes the spotlight as Rachel Hosie discovers why cricket is on the up and up for female students
• PLUS… We introduce this year’s School House Awards; Eleanor Doughty discovers the benefit of coed schools; Frances Glover goes behind the gates at St Swithun’s; Evie Calver rounds up the latest school news; and more…

School House Spring/Summer 2026 is sent to subscribers on Saturday 31 January – pick up a copy here. The issue is available to buy on newsstands from 11 March.