There cannot be many schools whose setting is as appealing as that of The Dower House in Quatt, near Bridgnorth - housed in a 17th century National Trust property and standing in almost five acres of green space, this small independent day school offers its pupils a unique learning environment.

The pupils, aged between two and 11 years old, have plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities on the school's own playing fields, paddock and tennis courts, while the walled garden, an original feature of the house, provides a delightful location for open-air drama performances, concerts and assemblies.

Headmaster Richard Ellis, who joined The Dower House in June 2003, has built on the school's existing qualities to enhance both its reputation and the pupils' learning experiences inside and out of the classroom. His hard work was rewarded with a favourable OFSTED report in June 2004, while parents are also pleased with the development of a solid school-home partnership.

"We have an 'open door policy' where parents know they can speak to the staff at any time - it's very important to have clear channels of communication between the two," he points out. This is all part of the ethos of offering pupils a friendly "home-from-home" atmosphere, and a network of parents - the Friends of The Dower House - is involved in supporting the school through fundraising activities.

The school's place in the local community is also important to Richard. The Dower House was the first independent school to hire regional catering firm Shire Services, and Richard made a special request for locally produced and organic food to be used in the healthy, hot lunches.

Richard's wife, Teresa, now runs a weekly mothers and toddlers group at the school as another link to the community, since Quatt and the surrounding area had no such facility for young families.

Richard himself is very much involved in local sport, being assistant coach for the Youth Development Squad at Stourbridge Rugby Club and running the under-17 side. "I like to encourage pupils to join sports clubs outside the school - Stourbridge Rugby Club in particular has an excellent youth structure."

Specialist sports teachers also attend The Dower House, with children from reception age upwards receiving sports coaching, while a full programme of extra-curricular activities is in place, including music tuition and after-school clubs. Regular trips take place in the UK, with the school taking advantage of the regional attractions such as Ironbridge and the Severn Valley Country Park.

Richard believes the happiness of his pupils is paramount in order to foster enthusiasm for learning, and he is now offering children from other local schools the opportunity to transfer to The Dower House for a two-year period (Years Five and Six), ahead of the Year Six SATs, so that they can benefit from smaller class sizes and individual attention.

The Dower House School, Quatt, Bridgnorth. WV15 6QW Tel: 01746 780309