The first hard evidence of Ipswich School is a bill, sadly unpaid, from 1399, though the school was probably in existence well before this date.
From these humble origins the school’s early history took on a very different course with the rise to power of former pupil Thomas Wolsey. Wolsey set about refounding the school with a view to providing pupils for his college in Oxford. Thomas Cromwell, Wolsey’s trusted adviser, took on the task and dissolved twelve local monasteries to pay for the school.
However, just over a year later Wolsey, unable to secure a much-needed divorce for Henry VIII, fell from grace and the monarch was keen to close his new school. Stones intended for new school buildings were shipped from Ipswich to London and used to build what is now the Palace of Whitehall. Against the odds Ipswich School survived. Cromwell persuaded Henry to grant the school its first charter, which was later confirmed by Elizabeth I.
By the nineteenth century Ipswich School moved to its current site next to Christchurch Park. Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the main school building in 1851. Shortly after this in 1883 the Prep School was established for children aged 7 to 11 years, providing a stepping stone to the Senior School. It moved to its striking new building in 2006. The Lodge Day Nursery was added in 2018 to provide childcare and early years education for children from 3 months.
Where passion creates success
Every teacher
at Ipswich School is passionate about educating young people. They know the key to a successful education is sharing their passion and capturing the imagination of those they teach.
That is the essence of an Ipswich School education
At the end of their time at Ipswich School, pupils will have discovered their passions in life. It could be for a specific subject - we have an exciting range to offer throughout the school. It might be for sport, drama or music, and we have outstanding facilities which provide the perfect environment to nurture skills in these areas.
Alternatively, pupils could develop an interest from our extensive co-curricular activities. We can offer a great choice of options here. There’s bushcraft, musical theatre, judo and skiing in the Prep, the Combined Cadet Force, community service and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in the Senior School, among many others.
Pupils will also leave with a fine set of exam results. We are very proud of our academic success which is one of the key features of Ipswich School. Our pupils realise their potential.
Prep School children are generally working above national expectations, with some considerably higher than this. In the Senior School our GCSE, A Level and BTEC results are outstanding and we are normally at the top of local results tables.
Choosing a school is probably one of the biggest decisions families have to make. Whether you know Ipswich School already, or perhaps are choosing an independent school for the first time, come and see how we can help you to create your own extraordinary future.
Nick Gregory Head Claire Jackson Prep Head
Our Core Values Care
For each individual. For the community. For each other. For others.
Children learn best when they are in a supportive and nurturing environment. When they feel safe and cared for they can push their boundaries, explore in confidence and feel brave.
Our caring culture is something we believe makes Ipswich School special and that is why we put this value first. From this everything else flows.
Our pastoral system is the basis of our caring approach. Pupils from the Prep right up to the Sixth Form have a teacher whose job is to look after their welfare.
This care extends beyond the school to the wider community. Our pupils - from the Prep upwards - raise thousands of pounds for charity each year.
Potential
Within each individual, our pupils and our staff to grow and excel in all they do.
With the right teaching in a supportive environment, pupils can do amazing things.
Those who might have believed it an impossibility can learn to draw, act, play a musical instrument, solve a complex equation, out-skill their opponent on the sports field and even speak anothe language.
We appreciate that pupils only push boundaries when they feel confident and supported. We encourage them to strive rather than play safe, to take calculated risks and move out of their comfort zones. Through this they truly learn and through this they unlock their potential.
Passion
For our subjects and activities.
For the transforming power of education to realise potential.
Ipswich School teachers are enthused about their teaching and their subject and are just as keen to enthuse others.
We have great story tellers and explainers, great musicians and actors, great linguists and scientists, great mathematicians and geographers, great sports coaches and artists.
We have highly experienced, skilled and qualified staff - a significant number have additional qualifications, and many are examiners and experts in their field.
Communication
Clear, comprehensive and timely.
The better informed parents are about their child’s activities at school, the better able they are to support their progress. We take communication very seriously and try to keep parents fully informed about all aspects of school life. Parents receive regular updates on their child's progress through parents’ evenings, timely reports and updates.
Our parent portal - my.ipswich.school - provides all parents with online access to essential information including timetables, team lists, attendance records, revision guides and the most comprehensive of school calendars. Parents also receive regular newsletters summarising events that have taken place in school.
Our door is always open should parents want to discuss anything.
Teaching individuals
At Ipswich School, each pupil is treated as an individual
That’s because our teachers know their pupils really well. We have ideal class sizes and teachers have the time to understand each pupil. There’s a relaxed respect between teachers and pupils. This means that learning can be adapted to suit individual pupils’ needs. The result is that pupils enjoy lessons and thrive academically.
This approach extends beyond the classroom. Sport, music and drama all develop individuals and help them discover their other talents. By teaching individuals and nurturing a passion within we can help pupils achieve success both at school and beyond.
Achieving academic success
Ipswich School pupils thrive academically. From the Prep to the Sixth Form, we have the teachers who can challenge the most able while also supporting those who find the going harder. This is because we have created an atmosphere where all pupils want to learn and are keen to succeed to the best of their ability.
Skilled, specialist teachers have an excellent record of success. One-to-one support is always available and we have highly experienced Learning Support Teams at both the Prep and the Senior School. Close monitoring and regular goal setting guide pupils throughout their life at school. All of this creates an environment where academic success becomes the norm.
As a result, our Prep pupils are working a year ahead of expectations. At the other end of the school we have shown year after year that we can help pupils secure higher A Level and GCSE grades. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of our Sixth Form leavers continue their studies at university, either in Britain or abroad, with the vast majority getting into their first choice university. We have a proven ability to help get the right students into Oxbridge and medical school. Increasingly students find places on competitive degree apprenticeship programmes too.
Teaching beyond the classroom
What happens outside the classroom is just as important as what happens inside. Indeed it complements academic work. That’s why we refer to it as our co-curriculum. We encourage all pupils to get involved in our extensive co-curricular programme. It builds confidence, engenders team spirit and develops new and incredibly useful skills.
This co-curricular programme runs throughout the whole school - from the Prep right up to the Sixth Form. It offers a range of opportunities that appeal to every child’s sense of adventure while also developing important interpersonal and life skills.
Our co-curricular programme has huge benefits. Pupils love it. They grow as a result of it, and because of it their learning prospers.
Preparatory School
Turning potential into reality
Ipswich Preparatory School is a happy school where children grow in self-confidence, develop a love of learning and experience a plethora of opportunities.
A happy child is a learning child so we ensure that learning at the Prep is fun. All staff exude a passion for education and children benefit from small class sizes to enable a more personalised learning experience. We also have a great mix of specialist teachers - music, drama, art and design, languages and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) - who craft lessons which are enjoyable, exciting, engaging and ignite a love of learning.
Staff are genuinely interested in achieving the best outcomes for the children in their care so get to know each child as a unique individual. Our pastoral care is outstanding.
Our curriculum is intentionally broad - find your passion and we will take you to the limits of your potential. As they journey through our rigorous core academic curriculum and extensive co-curricular programmes, Prep children become increasingly self aware and discover their own gifts and talents. Beyond the classroom, children are challenged to do something different every day. This could be climbing a tree, learning survival techniques on a residential course or going for a walk in the rain and jumping in puddles - going on a real adventure and having tremendous fun.
We want all children to reach their potential and we help them to stretch themselves. Our school’s learning dispositions create scholarly habits which foster a growth mindset where children are able to take risks and learn from mistakes in a supportive and nurturing atmosphere. We encourage our children to be relentlessly curious and teach them to be critical thinkers and effective communicators.
Our FRIENDS programme, delivered in Reception to Year 6, develops emotional resilience and positive mental health. We encourage children to treat others as they would wish to be treated. This provides a friendly environment in which children feel valued and trusted and have a voicecritically important to their personal development and self esteem.
At Ipswich Prep, we care about the whole child - mind, body, soul and spirit - ensuring that we help them to develop life skills, ready for seamless transition to the Senior School. Our fabulous Life Skills programme builds character and helps children connect with others and the world around them, so as to become global citizens ready for the future world beyond school.
The Lodge Day Nursery gives children the best start to the Early Years Foundation Stage, and Ipswich Prep creates opportunities where children succeed. We put everything in place to enable this to happen - excellent teachers delivering a first class education in a happy environment with superb facilities.
At the Prep, we turn potential into reality. We love our school and we hope you will too.
Claire Jackson Head, Ipswich Preparatory
School
We encourage our children to be relentlessly curious and teach them to be critical thinkers and effective communicators.
The Prep Curriculum
The Lodge Day Nursery
Before children join us in Reception, they are able to attend our wonderful Lodge Day Nursery which is part of the Prep School campus. We offer full childcare in an excellent setting from three months until the term children join Reception.
The children are given opportunities for structured and unstructured play and they learn through a range of first-hand experiences. The Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum is followed throughout with dedicated areas for art, water and sand play and various secure areas for outdoor play.
Some specialist teaching for PE and Music is introduced at Preschool, located with the Lower Prep building to aid transition to Reception. The Preschool team, where ratios are very generous, includes a class teacher which enables us to offer teaching of phonics, reading and mathematics, as well as nursery supervision and care of the highest quality.
The Lower PrepReception, Year 1 and Year 2
All children are welcomed to our Reception Class, whether they come from our Lodge Day Nursery or from elsewhere. They can join from the September following their fourth birthday.
In the Reception Class, children continue the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and enjoy the continuous provision in the well-equipped outdoor area but also at wooded grounds of Westwood Victorian mansion, a short walk away.
The school day starts at 08.30, with lunch around noon and ends at 15.30. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of the basic skills of numeracy and literacy, particularly phonics and early reading, in the context of a broad curriculum which encourages creativity and personal development.
There are extensive opportunities for practical learning experiences. The children are taught on the whole by their form teacher but there is some specialist teaching in music, French, PE, swimming and computing.
The Upper Prep - Years 3 – 6
The upper part of the Prep School is for children aged 7 - 11. The school day starts at 08.30, with lunch at 12.30 and ends at 15.50.
From Year 3, children are introduced to more discrete subject areas such as history, geography, art, design technology and computing. As they journey through Upper Prep, increasingly children move from room to room where they work with specialist teachers in excellently resourced facilities. Generally children are taught humanities, PHSE, PRE by their Form Tutors with whom children develop a special bond necessary for pastoral care and personal and social development.
In modern languages, children study German, Spanish and French and from September 2024 will learn Latin and classics. English, mathematics and science form the backbone of our broad and balanced curriculum. Children are encouraged to develop skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening so that they can communicate clearly.
The aim in mathematics is to provide children with a richly enjoyable experience, developing appropriate knowledge, reasoning and problem skills and mathematical concepts in a range of contexts. Provision is available for children who require learning support in English or mathematics.
All children in the Upper Prep follow a homework timetable and are encouraged to read regularly at home. Parents are encouraged to take an active interest in their child’s learning.
As they journey through Upper Prep, increasingly children move from room to room where they work with specialist teachers in excellently resourced facilities.
When pupils feel safe and cared for they can push their boundaries, explore in confidence and feel brave.
The Prep Co-Curriculum
Drama, music and sport add breadth and variety to children’s time at school. More than anything it ensures that school is always full of fun and adventure. All Prep children have drama each week. Each year the Lower Prep children perform wonderful Christmas plays and in Year 6 there is a major production involving all children. All Year 3 children learn a stringed instrument as part of their music curriculum, which culminates in an end of year concert.
Games and PE are another significant part of our curriculum. Pupils experience a wide range of sports, including athletics, rugby, touch and contact rugby, netball, hockey and cricket. All classes from Reception to Year 4 have one swimming lesson a week in the school’s indoor pool and one PE lesson. In Year 5, the timetable splits termly between PE and swimming. In Years 3 - 6, all children have two longer sessions of Games, delivered by specialist coaches and PE teachers.
Trips and visits out of school happen regularly as part of school life at Ipswich Prep. These are predominantly day visits but children in Years 4, 5 and 6 will also experience residential outdoor activities, including Bushcraft and outward bound activities, all of which are included in our fees.
Extensive co-curricular programme
Ipswich School prides itself on the extensive co-curricular programme on offer. Children from Reception upwards can participate in a wide range of clubs such as art masters, ‘fun with food’, sewing, gardening, computing, robotics, animation and drama clubs, plus a plethora of different sports clubs held after school, including fencing, skiing, judo, tennis and sailing (please note - some of these clubs may incur an additional cost).
Parents often meet up on the touchline at the weekend or when the teams are on tour, where friendships are forged for life.
There are a multitude of music clubs including Semi-Quavers for young children, Prep Orchestra, brass group, ukuleles, a percussion ensemble and Chamber Choir, which result in ‘Tea Time Tunes’ concerts, chapel performances and music festivals.
House Competitions and Friday Activities programmes also give children the opportunity to make choices in their own learning and to try out new clubs each term such as Eton fives, mindfulness, weaving, Lego and multimedia.
Wrap around care
We provide a breakfast club, the very best in school lunches for all dietary requirements, and late stay options. We also offer some holiday clubs at an additional cost.
All a child and parent needs, all at Ipswich Prep.
Senior School
Creating extraordinary futures
As our Core Values set out, it is really important to us that by the time they leave the Senior School, pupils have fulfilled their potential in a range of areas and discovered a number of passions.
We offer an extraordinary mix of classroom success and co-curricular opportunities. Pupils achieve excellent exam results (and go on to top universities) - in a recordbreaking 2024, 84% A*-B at A Level and 67% of grades at 7, 8 and 9 at GCSE - but also achieve exceptional all-round success in music, drama, art and sport, and many more areas besides.
At the core of our education is a desire to inspire our pupils so that they leave us with a body of knowledge, a portfolio of skills and a strong sense of self-worth, self-knowledge and their place in the world. We expect them to be fully aware of the responsibility that should accompany the privilege of having received a great education. We want them to develop skills in collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.
We have a strong pastoral system to support your child, with tutors who know their pupils well, and specialist support throughout the school which includes learning support, study skills, wellbeing and counselling. Through this we ensure pupils are nurtured to become confident, self-assured and resilient young people. One of our key aims is to “...provide an environment where pupils feel safe and brave in all that they do …”.
Importantly, our co-curricular activities give our pupils the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills outside of the classroom, not only by way of sport, music and other performing arts, but also putting their teamwork and leadership skills to the test through activities such as the Combined Cadet Force, Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and our Thursday afternoon activities programme.
Sixth Form pupils all take part in ‘The Edge’ which is designed to give them exactly that (an edge!) as they get ready for life after school. This includes the much-loved residential week away in Devon towards the end of Year 12, a new module working with the London Inter-Disciplinary School on complex problem-solving, group sessions on study skills and wellbeing, and a carousel of taught modules on a diverse range of topics including cookery, public speaking, financial literacy and positive mental health.
When I talk to our pupils, I explain to them that I want their time at Ipswich School to be an experience in itself, something to be enjoyed for its own intrinsic qualities and where they will make memories and friendships that will last a lifetime, whilst at the same time preparing them (through the knowledge, skills and personal development mentioned above) for their future lives beyond school.
Nick Gregory Head
Senior School Curriculum
Lower School, Years 7 and 8
In Year 7 pupils are placed in tutor groups and they are looked after by their form tutors. They are taught in these groups for all of their subjects apart from maths. Pupils stay in the same forms as they progress to Year 8, and their form tutor will normally be with them for both Year 7 and Year 8.
Lower School pupils study maths, English, principles of science, French or Spanish (they can choose which), classics, drama, music, PE, geography, history, art, PRE, sport and life skills. Maths is taught in sets that are arranged part way through the year. In Year 8 pupils learn individual science subjects - biology, chemistry and physics.
The school day starts with registration at 08.40. There is a mid morning break at 10.30. Lunch is either at 12.05 or 12.15 and the school day ends at 16.15.
There are eight lessons each day on a two weekly cycle. There is around 40 minutes of very carefully focused homework each night (we call it PSC - so it is either to Prepare for future lessons, encourage pupils to Stretch themselves, or Consolidate work done).
Middle School, Years 9 - 11
In the Middle School, from Year 9, pupils are placed in Housebased tutor groups and their House tutor will normally look after them until Year 11.
Year 9 pupils study maths, English, biology, chemistry, physics, French or Spanish with additional options of Latin, classical civilisation, German, PRE, geography, history, art, drama, and sport. Maths is setted on ability, and the sciences follow these sets. Other subjects, notably English, history and geography follow sets drawn up to reflect language options.
Many subjects start to teach the GCSE curriculum in Year 9. During the course of the year, pupils decide which GCSEs they are going to take.
In Years 10 and 11 most pupils take 10 GCSEs. We offer the following subjects at GCSE:
• Art (one from Fine Art, Textiles or Photography)
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Classical Civilisation
• Combined Science
• Computer Science
• Design Technology
• Drama
• English Language
• English Literature
• French
• Geography
• German
• History (IGCSE)
• Latin
• Mathematics and Additional Mathematics
• Music
• Physics
• Philosophy, Religion & Ethics (PRE)
• Spanish
• Thinking Skills (outside the timetable)
Maths, English and science GCSEs are taught in groups setted by ability, with languages banded where possible. We offer triple science, combined science or even double science GCSE for those wanting to take an additional non-science subject. Top set mathematicians take maths and freestanding additional maths in Year 11.
Optional subjects are taught in sets which reflect the particular subjects chosen by individual pupils.
The school day starts with registration at 08.40. There is a mid morning break at 10.30. Lunch is at 13.00 and the school day ends at 16.15. There are eight lessons each day on a two weekly cycle. There are more double lessons from Year 10 onwards. There is around an hour and a half’s PSC a night.
Academic Excellence Programme
We run a programme to support and stretch the more academically able pupils in the Senior School. Conferences, competitions and seminars are run by departments. There are regular lectures open to all and weekly lunchtime discussion groups.
GCSE Results 2024
Across a year group of almost 140 pupils, over two-thirds of all exams were graded at 7, 8 or 9.
These best-ever GCSE exam results were across the full range of our 23 subjects, from performing and creative arts to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths).
The GCSE results show 22% of exams at grade 9, 42% at grades 9 and 8, and 67% of exams at grades 9-7.
38 students achieved all their GCSE exams at grades 9-7, and 100% of pupils achieved at least 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Maths.
Senior School Co-Curriculum
We believe that a rich and varied co-curricular provision complements an excellent academic education, giving our pupils the opportunity to develop many valuable transferable skills and allowing them to realise their full potential.
Co-curricular activities provide a variety of settings where pupils can take a break from the rigours of their academic study, they promote physical and mental wellbeing and foster a sense of belonging and community spirit.
Music
The Britten Faculty of Music caters for everyone, from enthusiastic beginners to gifted musicians. All pupils have music lessons as part of their timetable until Year 10 and we can guarantee that everyone will be involved in some type of music making.
Our Music School provides the very best in teaching and practice rooms. It also has a large rehearsal room, a keyboard laboratory and a music technology centre. We offer high academic standards in a creative musical environment, provided by dedicated teachers supported by approximately thirty visiting instrumental teachers.
A wide variety of groups rehearse and perform regularly: symphony, intermediate and chamber orchestras, school and chapel choirs, the student-led show choir, Wolsey Consort choral society, chamber music groups, ensembles for strings, brass, flutes, clarinets and saxophones, Ipswich School Big Band, stage band, jazz and rock bands.
Our students take part in national music competitions, and in 2024, the U14 Quartet were the winners of their age group in the Pro Corda Chamber Music Competition. Students may enter Trinity and ABRSM music exams.
Each year we have a Young Musician of the Year compeition for soloists, and our Spring Concert takes place at the prestigious Snape Maltings Concert Hall, giving ensembles the opportunity to perform on this world-famous stage.
Drama
Drama is a thriving part of the school community and everyone has the chance to take part. It’s in the timetable in Years 7 and 8 and each year everyone has the opportunity to perform in a play or a musical which is directed to professional standard.
We have a purpose-built theatre with professional sound equipment and a lighting rig. Some play casts span the ages across the school; others can involve the majority of a year group. Drama is very popular and much encouraged, both in its own right and because we feel it is invaluable in developing confidence and the ability to speak in public.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is also very popular at Ipswich School, giving pupils the chance to acquire self-knowledge and confidence whilst developing valuable teamwork and leadership skills. All awards are completed throughout the year and expeditions take place at weekends or during the holidays.
Sport
Being active is so important for pupils’ physical and mental wellbeing, and we certainly get our pupils involved in sport and exercise. Sport forms an important part of every pupils’ timetable.
Our inter-school fixtures are mixed between midweek and Saturdays. While we have A and B teams for the more elite sports players we also run C, D and even E teams to give everyone an opportunity to represent the school.
The facilities for sport at Ipswich School are exceptional. On the main school site we have an indoor swimming pool, indoor cricket nets, squash courts, Eton fives courts, asphalt netball/ tennis courts and outdoor cricket nets. The 30 acre school playing fields are also nearby.
Ipswich School Sports Centre at Rushmere is the centrepiece of our sporting facilities. It has a sports hall, three floodlit astroturf hockey pitches and six floodlit netball courts. In addition we have aerial video recording equipment and GPS trackers, allowing in-depth post match analysis.
Our four focus sports are cricket (boys and girls), hockey (boys and girls), netball (girls) and rugby (boys). Our players benefit from specialist sports coaching, a full programme of nationally competitive fixtures and pathways for all playing levels.
In 2024 we were delighted that our U18 girls won two national cricket trophies, becoming national U18 100 ball champions in a thrilling final at Lord’s Cricket Ground, followed by a victory in the T20 cricket cup. Our rugby programme was named in the top 20 globally by NextGen.
Clubs
We are really proud of the extensive range of clubs and activities available throughout the Senior School. The vast majority take place during the school day, allowing more pupils to attend and offer the opportunity to develop valuable skills, make new friendships and complement academic studies.
Our clubs offering varies from year to year, but many of the regular options are chess, debating, drama, Lego robotics, programming and Mandarin. Additionally, we encourage our pupils to lead their own clubs, which currently include Consciousness Club, History Society, and Model United Nations.
Thursday Afternoon Activities
Thursday afternoons are dedicated to ‘Activities’ for Years 9 to 13. In Years 10 and 11 the focus is on giving service to others; this can be undertaken in Ipswich School’s Combined Cadet Force or in one of our community service options such as volunteering in local primary schools, performing music or drama in care homes, conservation work with our Ecoteam or participating in the Sports Education Programme.
Other choices for Years 9, 12 and 13 include business enterprise, cookery, dance fit and digital leaders, to name just a few.
Sixth Form
The most important stepping stone
The Sixth Form is the most important stepping stone for today’s students. The world they will face is likely to be more challenging, uncertain and changeable than that of their parents.
To flourish in the years ahead of them students need to be well equipped with a broad skill set, have resilience, tenacity and an appreciation of how to sustain their overall wellbeing.
Our Sixth Form offers students all this. It also gives them the very best academic education. They leave with top A Level grades. They secure places at the university of their choice. They get into Oxbridge and top degree courses including law, medicine and veterinary science. Or they join a top quality apprenticeship or enter the world of work with a clear plan for future success.
Our teachers are all specialists in their field and they work with ideal class sizes - usually around 10 or 12 and never above 16. This means that students can build an excellent rapport with their teachers.
We offer a wide range of A Levels, and our four subject Year 12 gives students added flexibility when it comes to making their final A Level choice for Year 13. Students may also choose to take an extended BTEC Sport and Exercise Science plus one A Level in the Sixth Form.
An exciting feature of our Sixth Form is The Edge. This ground-breaking programme gives students the skills and knowledge that are a prerequisite for success, and indeed survival as they move through life. This programme runs throughout Year 12 and into Year 13.
There are considerable pressures on Sixth Formers today, many of which are extra to their academic work. Having a positive outlook and being actively involved in school life is central to good mental health, and we really try to promote this in our Sixth Form.
Our students leave with top A Level grades.
However, we are all too aware that sometimes more support is required. We have a excellent team on hand should it be needed. Our school matron has expert knowledge about teenage physical and mental health. We also have a school chaplain. Beyond this we have school counsellors with on-site counselling rooms and other specialists we can call upon.
The wellbeing of our Sixth Formers is always our highest priority. This is why sport is part of the Sixth Form curriculum. We offer top quality games coaching in a wide range of sports and competitive matches with other schools. We also have an abundance of opportunities in drama and music.
Our Sixth Form Centre is a dedicated space for all sixth formers, including study rooms, computing facilities, a lounge area, coffee bar and even a grand piano. They really enjoy and look after this facility, which serves as their base throughout Years 12 and 13.
Our Sixth Form is where our students’ extraordinary futures begin to be realised.
Ben Cliff Head of Sixth Form
Sixth Form Curriculum
Sixth Form A Level choices
Three or Four A Levels?
Normally students in our Sixth Form start Year 12 studying four subjects, which usually drops to three in Year 13. The reason we start with four is that it gives students an important element of flexibility. All too often a student may choose A Levels in Year 11 which might not fully suit them when they get into Year 12. Taking four subjects at the start of Year 12 gives them the opportunity to try them all out, but to later refine this to just three subjects.
There are different times throughout Year 12 when students can decide to drop a subject, but for most students we would encourage them to keep going until the end of the year with all four of them. In some cases, often for scientists and mathematicians, students will go on to take all four A Levels at the end of Year 13 and in some exceptional cases, the most able students may even be able to sit five A Level exams.
We offer the following subjects at A Level:
• Art (one from Fine Art, Textiles or Photography)
• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Design and Technology
• Drama and Theatre
• Economics
• English Literature
• French
• Geography
• German
• History
• Latin
• Mathematics
• Further Mathematics
• Music
• Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
• Physical Education
• Physics
• Politics
• Psychology
• Spanish
The Extended Project Qualification is also an option. Students may also choose an extended BTEC in Sport and Exercise Science along with one other A Level subject. Most Sixth Form subjects are taught by two teachers, and each subject has 13 lessons a fortnight in Year 12, rising to 14 a fortnight in Year 13. Many, but not all, lessons are doubles lasting around 85 minutes.
Academic Excellence Programme
Students with a flair for one or more subjects are encouraged to join our Academic Excellence Programme. This includes talks, conferences and lectures. Many of the students on this programme give a lecture to their peers on a topic that fascinates them. They also lead discussions at the weekly Athenaeum lunchtime discussion groups.
Pastoral support
Sixth Formers are placed in House-based tutor groups which combine Year 12s and 13s. The average size of one of these tutor groups is 16. Our pastoral care is based around House tutors who really get to know their students and so are best placed to provide the pastoral care they need. Tutors are also supported by Heads of House who take a keen interest in the welfare of Sixth Formers and who are in daily contact with them.
Careers and university applications
The vast majority of our students go on to university and we have developed a highly effective process to support our students’ UCAS applications. We have excellent contacts with universities and have honed our support for Oxbridge candidates, medics, lawyers and other specialist areas over the years. Our record of success is excellent in helping these students - and all others - secure a place at the university of their choice.
We also support those heading into apprenticeships or straight into work and have helped an increasing number of students take this career route.
We have very good links with employers and host an annual careers and universities convention which students have found highly useful in planning their next steps after school.
Sixth Form Exam Results and University Destinations 2024
The ‘best ever’ set of A Level exams saw 84% of exams graded A*-B, 97% of exams graded A*-C and a 100% pass rate in all the 25 subjects which we offer at A Level. In addition, 80% of our BTEC students achieved Distinction or higher. In total, 58 students achieved the eqivalent of 3As or higher.
94% of students achieved a place at a univeristy of their choice. Popular destinations include Exeter University, Nottingham University, UCL, York and Durham, while popular courses include Economics, Business, Psychology and History as well as students off to study Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, Musical Theatre, Sport Rehabilitation, and Illustration and Visual Media.
Three Sixth Form leavers have degree apprenticeships, as well as four students going on to Oxbridge courses and one to the Royal College of Music. A record ten students are going on to studying Medicine or Veterinary Science.
The Edge
The Edge is designed to equip Ipswich School Sixth Form students with a series of skills, which will set them apart in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world. This unique programme has been devised in response to issues identified by universities, employers and parents to address aspects of personal development which are not naturally present in the academic or co-curricular spheres.
The programme is delivered across Years 12 and 13 in four lessons per fortnight. All students (apart from those taking Further Maths) will undertake modules that will help prepare pupils for life after school.
Students will become a Mental Health First Aider, complete a cooking programme including training on cooking, nutrition and budgeting, digital responsibilities (internet safety and managing a positive online profile), presentation and public speaking skills, health and fitness for life, travel opportunities, cultural awareness, lessons for life (financial literacy, law and civic responsibility) and complex problem solving.Students attend periodic conferences covering a wide range of subjects which are designed to be thought-provoking or to help with crucial life issues.
Within the programme, those wishing to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), begin this at the end of Year 12, allowing the independent research element to be completed over the summer. Students wishing to study Further Maths are not able to attend all the sessions, but join all aspects which are delivered to the whole year group, including careers, RSE and advice on developing effective study skills.
A highlight of The Edge programme is our activity week in the Summer Term. Pupils enjoy outdoor challenges, whilst also developing important skills, including personal safety, stress management, interview skills and more.
The programme gives students the edge in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world.
Sixth Form Co-Curriculum
Music
Sixth Form students enjoy some of the very best facilities in music at Music School. They don’t have to study A Level music, they simply need a passion for making music.
For those wanting to take part in concerts we have so much on offer. We have bands, choirs and groups. There are plenty of opportunities for soloists at these events, the highlight being the chance to perform on stage at our annual concert at the renowned Snape Maltings Concert Hall.
Sport
Sport is very much part of Sixth Form life. Every student has Games factored into their weekly timetable. The main team sports for boys are rugby, hockey and cricket. For girls the main sports are hockey, netball and cricket. We offer the very best facilities for all sports and our coaches are of the highest quality – many have represented their country in their sport.
Other sports are offered at both recreational and competitive levels, and these include cross-country running, golf, tennis, football, rounders, badminton, squash, sailing, aerobics, yoga, swimming, fitness and Eton fives. Facilities include a state of the art conditioning suite, an indoor swimming pool, two sports halls, four astroturf hockey pitches and numerous rugby and cricket pitches.
Drama
Drama is a thriving part of the Sixth Form community. Each year students perform in either a play or musical, each of which is directed to a professional standard. We have a purpose-built theatre with professional sound equipment and a lighting rig.
Sixth Formers can get involved in the wider theatre community. We run a drama activity on Thursday afternoons. Students produce and perform their own pantomime regularly to over 600 primary school pupils.
Clubs and Activities
Sixth Formers run a range of lunchtime clubs for themselves, with some specialist clubs run by staff. Clubs include art, chess, debating, STEM Soc, Show Choir and Consciousness Club to name but a few. Sixth Form students are also encouraged to run clubs for younger year groups. Each year as students find others with similar interests new and exciting clubs appear.
On Thursday afternoons, there are a number of different activities for students to choose from. Options may include volunteering in local primary schools, performing music or drama in local care homes and primary schools, conservation work with our Ecoteam, business enterprise, cookery, dance fit and journalism, to name just a few.
Boarding
Boarding at Ipswich School
Ipswich School offers both full boarding and weekly boarding. Weekly boarding is an excellent option for pupils living some distance away, and a particularly popular option for Sixth Formers.
Our expanding boarding provision includes two attractive boarding houses: Westwood and Anglesea Heights. Westwood (for boys) is a Victorian mansion set in wooded grounds, just a five-minute walk from the main school site. Anglesea Heights (for girls) is right next to the main school site, looking down over Ipswich town centre.
Both have a welcoming atmosphere, and there is a real community in the boarding houses with a strong sense of identity. The accommodation is comfortable and our staff provide a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.
The Westwood boarding house for boys is well-resourced with games and music practice rooms, and one of the school’s astroturf pitches is located within the recently restored Westwood gardens.
Shared facilities in the Anglesea Heights boarding house for girls include a warm and welcoming lounge, TV room, kitchen, IT suites and music rooms.
Meals are provided by our platinum award-winning Catering Team, who cater for all food requirements.
Predominantly a day school, we offer a wonderful opportunity for our small number of boarders to enjoy a close knit community with a strong sense of identity.
A boutique boarding experience in an outstanding British co-educational independent school.
Predominantly a day school, we offer a wonderful opportunity for our small number of full-time overseas boarders to mix with British pupils and to enrich the culture of the school.
The majority of our boarding pupils come from overseas but we also have a growing number of UK boarding pupils and the overwhelming majority of Ipswich School pupils are British.
We have approximately 40 boys and 40 girls in boarding at Ipswich School currently, with these numbers expected to grow to nearly 120 in total over the course of the next year or so. Whilst we have tended in the past not to take boarders before Year 9, we will consider accepting boarding pupils younger than that if we feel that they are ready for the experience.
Overseas boarders have EAL tuition included in their curriculum, covering language lessons and general help with their studies. Our IELTS tuition is excellent and we have a 100% pass rate.
Our boarding provision also provides a safety net should family circumstances change, and an opportunity for pupils to experience living away from home before moving on to university.
What’s special about the Ipswich School boarding experience?
All boarders benefit from a friendly, home-from-home experience combined with the best of British schooling.
Having small boarding houses means that houseparents get to know their boarders well and boarders get to recognise everyone in their house, which results in a calm and friendly atmosphere. Because we don’t have large dormitories, boarders’ rooms are homely.
Boarders tend to stay with us for all their weekends, or visit family friends and guardians with their parents’ consent, as we don’t have traditional exeats.
There’s a relaxed feel at weekends. For example, Saturday mornings start with fun lessons in our pavilion in the garden, followed by a very popular brunch. Students might choose to play football in the afternoon, go to the beach or visit the shops in town - plenty of opportunities to enjoy being with their friends.
Where to find us
We are located near the heritage Suffolk coast and the beautiful Suffolk countryside made famous by 18th/19th century painters Gainsborough and Constable.
We are within an hour of London Stansted (airport), an hour of London Liverpool Street (train station), an hour of the historic University city of Cambridge, and under two hours from London Heathrow (airport).
Admissions
Ipswich School Admissions
Lodge Day Nursery
• Children aged from three months can join the Lodge Day Nursery.
Prep School Admissions
• Children can join the Reception Class in the September following their fourth birthday.
• Children should be five years old by 1 September for entry into Year 1, six years old for Year 2, etc.
• There is an appropriate assessment for each age group based on numeracy, literacy and behaviour.
• We will also ask for a confidential reference from a child’s present school.
Senior School Admissions
Year 7
• Our entrance exam assesses potential and takes place in January. It consists of a reasoning test and papers in mathematics and English.
• We will ask for a confidential reference from a pupil’s school before they sit the entrance exam.
Year 9
• Admission is by means of our own entrance exam which takes place in January, or the Common Entrance Examination, which normally takes place in June.
• We will ask for a confidential reference from a pupil’s school before they sit the entrance exam.
• Pupils wishing to be considered for an academic scholarship must sit our entrance exams in January.
The Admissions Team can arrange for exams at other times should circumstances mean that pupils are unable to sit them at the dates above.
Pupils can also enter the school in Year 8 and 10 and there are age-appropriate examinations for these entry points. Please contact Admissions if you are interested in these year groups.
Sixth Form Admissions
• For new students, entry to the Sixth Form is dependent on GCSE grades, an interview with the Headmaster and a school reference.
• To enter our Sixth Form and be successful, we like to see grade 7s in the GCSE subjects a student wishes to take at A Level (Grade 8s for biology, chemistry, physics, maths or computer studies) or in relevant subjects, with at least six grade 6s overall.
• We also know that to be successful in certain subjects which they may not have studied before, students will need to have a solid foundation in relevant GCSEs. For example, A Level Psychology and A Level PE with GCSE Biology and A Level Economics with GCSE Maths.
• We also accept students onto BTEC Sport and Exercise Science plus one A Level. For this option we like to see at least six grade 5s at GCSE overall, with a 7 in a relevant subject for the A Level.
• Below this attainment level, it is likely that we are not the right match for a student, although we are happy to discuss exceptional circumstances.
For details about fees for all age groups, please visit our website.
For more details and a step by step guide explaining how to apply for a place, please see our website.
www.ipswich.school
Bursaries and Scholarships
Ipswich School Bursaries and Scholarships
A range of scholarships and bursaries are available for the Senior School.
Year 7 scholarships
• Academic, art, music and sport scholarships are available.
• Candidates showing potential in the entrance exam are automatically considered for an academic scholarship.
• Music and art scholarships are assessed via audition or portfolio.
• Sport scholarships are awarded to pupils who will make a significant contribution to the quality of our four focus sports at the school - cricket, hockey, netball and rugby.
Year 9 scholarships
• Academic, art, music, sport and all-rounder scholarships are available.
• Candidates seeking an academic scholarship sit additional scholarship exams across all curriculum subjects.
• Music and art scholarships are assessed via audition or portfolio.
• Sport scholarships are awarded to pupils who will make a significant contribution to the quality of our four focus sports at the school - cricket, hockey, netball and rugby.
Sixth Form scholarships
• Academic, sport, music and all-rounder scholarships are available.
• These are awarded for academic excellence, for exceptional musical or sporting talent and for an allrounder who will do well academically and contribute outstandingly in other areas of school life such as sport, music or drama.
Senior School and Sixth Form bursaries
Our Founding Futures campaign raises funds to enable less well off pupils to benefit from an Ipswich School education.
A limited number of Ipswich School means-tested bursaries are available for Year 7, 9 and 12 entry for pupils of high academic or all-round ability whose parents could not otherwise afford the school fees.
These awards vary from a small amount to 100% of full fees and they are means tested on an annual basis, taking into account both income and assets.
For further details about deadlines and how to apply for scholarships and means-tested bursaries please visit our website
www.ipswich.school
Bus Services
Bus services are organised from a number of places in Suffolk and north Essex, providing transport for pupils to and from Ipswich School
• Brantham
• Bury St Edmunds
• Claydon
• Colchester
• Debenham
• Dedham
• East Bergholt
• Eye
• Felixstowe/Trimley
• Frinton
• Hadleigh
• Halstead
• Hitcham
• Holbrook
• Kelvedon
• Martlesham
• Nayland
• Snape
• Stowmarket
• Sudbury
• Tendring
• Wickham Market
• Witnesham
• Woodbridge
This map is intended as a guide and does not list every stop on each route. Please refer to the service timetable on the Kura website for complete stop information.
Details of all the bus services are available at www.ridekura.com/ipswich-school
Bus application forms are available when you visit the school, or via email from buses@ipswich.school
Contact Us
To
Mrs Laura Trainer
01473 408300 admissions@ipswich.school
Mrs Jo Garrard Prep School Admissions and Marketing Officer 01473
