Ipswich School Prospectus Sept 2023

EXTRAORDINARY FUTURES

Prospectus

Your future begins here

Where passion creates success

Every teacher at Ipswich School is passionate about educating younger 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 cadet force, community service and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme in the Senior School, among many others.

Nicholas Weaver Headmaster Claire Jackson Prep Head

Pupils leave Ipswich School with many passions

They 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.

A brief history of the School

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.

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.

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.

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 in Russian!

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 great 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 magazines summarising events that have taken place in school.

Our door is always open should parents want to discuss anything.

When pupils feel safe and cared for they can push their boundaries, explore in confidence and feel brave.

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. 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 voice - critically 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 Prep - Reception, 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.

A day in the life of a pupil in the Lower Prep

I come to school in my car. When I get to school I like to build stuff. My snake, Hissy, is waiting for me in my classroom so I like to have a little cuddle with him.

I like to go to a birthday assembly, because I like to sing happy birthday to people. When it’s your birthday, you get to wear a birthday cake hat and blow out a candle that smells like cupcakes - it smells yummy!

At school I love having a choice and getting to play with all of the toys. My favourite toys are the construction kits, I like to build bugs and castles. At school I have learnt how to read and how to do sums - I know that double 11 is 22!

With my friends, I like playing dragons and stuck in the mud outside, I can run really fast.

At lunch time I eat my food, I can cut it up on my own. My favourite day is Friday because we have ketchup!

After school I go to late stay, except for Thursdays. I love late stay because I get to stay at school longer!

When I get home I play with my toys and have my dinner. I am always tired when it is time for bed.

A day in the life of a pupil in the Upper Prep

Monday and Tuesdays I go to breakfast club. I always have two Weetabix to start the busy day.

Lessons start at 9.00am after we have had an assembly. On Thursday we have achievement assembly or House assembly. In achievement assembly. It’s great to hear what everyone has been up to. I love it if I get a commendation. It makes me feel very proud of myself. If it is a House assembly I go to the Upper Prep Hall. I am really proud to be in Yelland.

We have maths lessons each day. I like maths as we learn about lots of different things. I like working out different problems, especially involving money.

I also really love art lessons as I enjoy being creative and using my imagination. The art room is a great space to work. On a Wednesday and Friday we have Games lessons, these are my favourite lessons. I really enjoy playing sport. My favourite sports are netball and hockey - I also play these sports outside of school.

On Fridays we have Activities where you can choose what activity you do. There’s always lots of choice. These can be things like gardening, skiing, craft, a range of sports or computer-based activities. This term I picked football. It has been so much fun and we also played against other schools.

Enriching our 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. The Lower Prep performs wonderful Christmas plays each year and Year 6 mounts a major production annually. 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 cocurricular 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 Semiquavers 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

At the Senior School our key aim is to encourage pupils to realise their potential. By treating them as individuals, caring about them and kindling a real interest in their studies they will really enjoy their education here and achieve great results.

We offer a broad curriculum that allows pupils to study a range of subjects at both GCSE and A Level, as well as a BTEC Sport and Exercise Science option in the Sixth Form. We appreciate the need for flexibility too. That’s why we have, for example, triple science, double science and combined science options at GCSE.

We also provide extensive co-curricular activities that will widen pupils’ experience, aid their learning and give them a great time too. We have top quality sport, music and drama and we run a multitude of other activities – both timetabled and during breaks or after school – throughout each week. The facilities we offer are extensive and of the highest quality.

The welfare of each pupil matters greatly to us. Academic success has to be underpinned by attention to the 'whole person' and we are strongly committed to this approach. Confidential help is available from matron, from our wellbeing co-ordinator, from the school counsellor and from the school chaplain. One of the distinguishing features of Ipswich School is the emphasis we place on personal development. Our Life Skills programme is central to this — it starts in Year 7 and remains a key part of every school year.

Lessons cover topics such as sleep, social media, relaxation, study skills, community awareness, relationships, presentation skills, and so many more vital skills pupils need to have today. There’s also leadership training in the Combined Cadet Force, and

teamwork within the Duke of Edinburgh Award, Community Service and the Sports Leadership Programme. There are trips such as the hugely popular week long residential visit to Cumbria in Year 8 and the end of term off-site adventures for Year 10.

We firmly believe that academic success must be complemented by the development of self-confidence, inter-personal skills, the ability to work in a team and leadership characteristics. These give our pupils the edge. More importantly, they continue to be of immense benefit in supporting personal relationships and careers.

By the time pupils leave us, we believe that they have what it takes to create an extraordinary future for themselves.

Nicholas Weaver Headmaster

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 House-based 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 or Russian, 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)

• Russian

• Spanish

• Thinking Skills (outside the timetable)

Maths and 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

In 2023, over 1 in 5 pupils achieved grades 9-7 in all their GCSE exams, and 63% of GCSE exams were graded 9-7. 100% of students achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grade 4 or above, including English and Maths.

A day in the life of a Year 7 pupil

9:05am: After registration at 8.40am, I head to drama where we are working on slapstick. We act out funny scenes and have a lot of fun.

9:50am: Next it’s French where we are writing character children’s books using all the vocabulary we have learnt this year.

10:30am: Breaktime – where hanging out with friends in the common room with a giant cookie from the tuck shop is just great.

10:50am: I love English, which is next. I am currently writing a mini saga about the end of the world. I am free to be creative and write about things that interest me.

11:35am: It’s maths where we are looking at algebra and formulas. It’s hard, but I have a good teacher and it’s starting to make more sense to me.

12:15pm: Lunchtime and I have a packed lunch. There’s always someone to sit with and chat to.

12:40pm: Next I have science and my favourite science of all - chemistry. The best part about our science lessons is the practicals. Last week we experimented with gases and watched the gas changing colour as we added different acids and alkalis.

2:05pm: After a break I have science again, this time biology where we are currently studying habitats.

3.40pm: Our final lesson for the day is history. I love the start of these lessons where we consider a question given to us by our teacher about the time period we are currently studying.

4.15pm: I grab my violin from my locker and head for orchestra practice. Later at home I usually have one or two pieces of PSC to work on after school and relax before bed.

A day in the life of a Year 10 pupil

9.05am: After registration at 8.40am I have history. This year we have started our GCSE syllabus and today we are looking at Civil Rights in post war America.

9.50am: My next lesson is English. This lesson usually involves reading, discussing and annotating our books.

10.30am: It is now time for break and time to go to the tuck shop, play some football or just talk to my friends.

10.50am: Now I have Life Skills. This year we have covered a range of interesting topics including sleep, health and charitable work. I have especially enjoyed the lessons where we have learnt to make shortbread and fix a bike tyre puncture.

11.35am: It’s double chemistry where we’re learning about how acids and bases react with different substances.

These lessons usually involve a practical where we might look at the properties or behaviour of acids.

1.00pm: It is now lunch time and one of today's menu choices is beef and bacon meatloaf, one of my favourites!

2.05pm: After afternoon registration it’s time for Activities. I do the CCF. It usually involves learning how to safely handle a rifle, command tasks or some theory (for example, patrols or section attacks). If we’re lucky, we shoot a rifle on the school range.

4.15pm: It’s time for me to walk back home, do my PSC and get ready for tomorrow.

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 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; show choir; choral society; chamber music groups; ensembles for strings, brass, flutes, clarinets and saxophones; big band, stage band, jazz and rock bands.

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. We run a lot of teams.

While we have A and B teams for the more elite sportsmen and sportswomen, 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.

The facilities for sport

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.

at Ipswich School are exceptional.

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.

Breakfast club, lunches and after school provision

We provide breakfast options, the very best in school lunches, and after school study sessions and other activities.

Thursday Afternoon Activities

As we value our co-curricular provision so highly, we dedicate Thursday afternoons to what we call ‘Activities’ for Years 9 – 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 the many community service options such as volunteering in local primary schools, performing music or drama in local care homes and primary schools, conservation work with our Ecoteam or participating in the Sports Education Programme.

Other choices available to Years 9, 12 and 13 include baking, business enterprise, cookery, dance fit, digital leaders and journalism to name just a few.

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.

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, with computer science and politics added recently, 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, for the 2020s and beyond. This programme runs throughout Year 12 and into Year 13.

There are considerable pressures on Sixth Formers today, and many of them are not academic. 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. 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 recently refurbished 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

Our students leave with top A Level grades.

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

• Russian

• 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 A Level Results and University Destinations

In 2023, over 80% of A Level exams were graded A*-B, with over 1 in 6 graded A*, and we had a 100% pass in all 26 subjects offered at A Level. In addition, 70% of our BTEC students achieved Distinction or higher. 82% of students secured places at Russell Group or competitive universities, with destinations including Cambridge, Exeter, Bristol, Loughborough, Newcastle, Manchester and York.

A day in the life of a Sixth Form student

8:30 am: Having caught my bus at around 7.00am, I’m now in my tutor group where I am notified of any important messages, then head to House Assembly.

9:05 am: I begin lessons with double physical education where we are currently learning about biomechanics. I like how PE integrates physics into sport and explains how elite athletes perform to such a high standard.

10:30 am: Breaktime and usually people purchase items from the tuck shop at the Sixth Form Centre such as the cookiesthey’re very good!

10:50 am: It’s ICT and I enjoy working with computers and have improved my knowledge of social media channels and my use of Photoshop and InDesign.

12:20 pm: This is a single lesson of psychology where we are learning about mental health.

1:00 pm: At lunchtime I go to the sixth form dining hall. Afterwards I chat with friends before visiting the Model House of Commons which is a club where a student-led team talks about political issues.

2:00 pm: It’s Activities and usually I will play my favourite sport, rugby, however now the season has ended I am doing Athletic Development.

4:15 pm: I arrive back at school and get on my bus for the journey home. After some relaxation, I complete PSC before preparing my bag for the next day.

A day in the life of a Sixth Form student

8:40am: After arriving by bus I register and then have a sixth form chapel service, this provides an opportunity to focus on a philosophical topic, away from school work and prepares us for the day ahead.

9:00am: My school day begins with double chemistry, where we are learning our organic module and completing a required practical on oxidising alcohols. With A Level chemistry we are given more responsibility handling chemicals and apparatus.

10:50am: After break time I have a double geography lesson. We are currently working on our non-examined assessments which requires independent study on a chosen topic, completing field work and developing presentation skills.

12:15pm: I have a study period before lunch and I usually do personal and prefect administration, and begin PSC (homework).

We have lunch in our sixth form dining room with many options of meat, fish, vegetarian or sandwiches.

2:00pm: We head to the astro for our games afternoon where I do Athletic Development which is a strength and fitness focused programme. I especially like the fact that it is run as a mixed gender session.

4:15pm: The school provides numerous co-curricular activities. As part of the first XI hockey team we have after school team training and open sessions that take place throughout the summer term. After this I head home to finish my PSC.

Sixth Form Co-curriculum

Music

Sixth Form students enjoy some of the very best facilities in music at our New 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 football, rugby and cricket pitches.

Drama

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. We also run international trips to learn about different theatrical cultures. Drama also fosters a special partnership with world renowned Gecko Theatre Company.

Clubs and Activities

Sixth Formers run a range of lunchtime clubs for themselves; some specialist clubs are run by staff. Clubs include art, chess, debating, Mandarin, Show Choir and Consciousness Club to name but a few. Each year as students find others with similar interests new and exciting clubs appear.

Breakfast and Lunches

We provide breakfast in the school dining hall, which is a particular favourite among Sixth Formers. We also have the very best in school lunches.

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 when the entire year group spends a week at a residential activity centre in Devon towards the end of the summer term in Year 12. Here the students have the opportunity to enjoy many of the outdoor activities that this environment has to offer, whilst also developing important skills, including personal safety, stress management, interview skills, car maintenance and much more. Students plan, organise and cook much of their own food and learn what it takes to ‘survive’ independently away from the family home. They also learn how to surf.

The entire year group spends a week at a residential activity centre in Devon.

The programme gives students the edge in today’s rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world.

Boarding

Boarding at Ipswich School

Ipswich School has attractive boarding facilities at Westwood, a Victorian mansion set in wooded grounds about 200 metres from the school campus. We also have a boarding house at Anglesea Heights, close to the centre of Ipswich and the historic Christchurch Park.

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 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 include a warm and welcoming lounge, TV room, kitchen, IT suites and music rooms. All rooms here have ensuite facilities.

Meals are provided by our gold award-winning Catering Team, who cater for all food requirements

We offer flexible boarding arrangements. Full boarding and weekly boarding are both available. Weekly boarding is an excellent option for pupils living some distance away and a particularly popular option for Sixth Formers.

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. 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.

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.

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 November. 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 either the Common Entrance Examination, which normally takes place in June, or our own entrance exam which normally takes place in February.

• 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 February.

The Admissions Office 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.

l 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 focus sports at the school.

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 focus sports at the school.

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 all-rounder 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 the following places to Ipswich School, picking up pupils at designated stops along the way:

• Brantham

• Bur y St Edmunds

• Claydon

• Colchester via Ardleigh/Capel St Mary

• Colchester via West Bergholt/Boxted/Langham

• Debenham

• Dedham

• East Bergholt

• Eye

• Felixstowe/Trimley

• Frinton

• Hadleigh

• Halstead

• Hitcham

• Holbrook

• Otley

• Kelvedon

• Nayland

• Stowmarket

• Sudbur y

• Tendring

• Witnesham

• Woodbridge

Contact Us

To arrange a tour or to speak to us about anything you have read in this prospectus please contact us.

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 at: buses@ipswich.school

Mrs Kate Frankland Prep Admissions Manager 01473 282800

Mrs Laura Trainer Senior School Admissions Manager 01473 408300

What people say...

I used to have to drag - almost literallymy son to the local primary school. Within a few weeks at the Prep he was pulling me there every morning.

What a legend and an inspiration! I have really, really appreciated your inspirational teaching and wide knowledge (of just about everything) as well as your warmth and wisdom.

It’s often been said that it’s not the subject matter but the teacher that gets people interested in a subject. For me, it was wholly the teacher...you have been an inspiration and you’ve always pushed me to do my best.

Sending our son to Ipswich School is probably one of the best decisions we have ever made. We have to consider the fee by far the best money that we have spent even though it has meant we have had to make sacrifices.

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