'Our junior informants were wowed by Papplewick, by the Ripstick flotilla at breaktime, the air of easygoing informality and, of course, by the legendary herpetology club (note to less successful schools: get snakes). The easygoing air belies the seriously hard work that goes on in the classrooms, yielding a hefty awards haul: a King’s Scholarship, and a Music Scholarship to Eton last year, among a host of others.  Two London bus services to and from Chiswick and Brook Green and fabulously flexi-boarding keep the parents happy.  There are plans for a new stand-alone boarding house for Years 8s, as well as new art/DT facilities (art here is nothing short of amazing).  Says Head, Tom Bunbury: ‘Papplewick is designed for boys to the very core of its being – their boundless energy needs to be celebrated.’  Our young spies heartily agree.