Prep
PARENT INFORMATION
Welcome Message
Term Dates
A Day at Orwell Park
Useful Information
Years 5 & 6
C O N T E N T S
Years 7 & 8
Parent Websites
iPads
Stationery List
School Uniform & Sports Kit
Boarding
ASPIRE
Learning Support
MESSAGE WELCOME
There has always been the belief that protecting the magic of childhood should be at the very core of the school’s ambitions Orwell offers pupils a stunning 110-acre site in which they learn, laugh, explore, make mistakes and grow. Magnificent grounds, buildings and facilities are of immense value, but the school is most proud to be able to have such a talented and dedicated team of staff who inspire, spark joy and always put the best interest of each child first: this is where the Orwell magic is truly brought to life.
Orwell’s size allows each child to be known as an individual; small class sizes and a superb boarding provision ensure that the school community has a truly ‘home from home’ feel. Underpinning all this is first class teaching and the academic ambition for every pupil to thrive As a school, we are genuinely proud of the fact that leavers move on to leading senior schools across the country, with an impressive average of around 25 each year earning scholarships and exhibitions The icing on the Orwell cake is the extraordinary range of extra-curricular activities that are on offer – outstanding provision for Music, Art, Drama, DT and Sport is complemented by forest school and bushcraft, an observatory, an assault course, sailing and trips abroad including places as far flung as India and closer to home in France.
Young people develop their character, confidence and creativity from a range of platforms and with unwavering support and encouragement. We ask simply that they throw themselves into all that is on offer here, live by the school's values and are kind.
My time in education has taught me the importance of collaboration, partnership and trust, and it has always been my ambition to ensure a positive and supportive learning environment for all pupils in order that every individual will thrive. I am excited to be joining Orwell this year and look forward to working with you, your children and the staff The school has eyes firmly on the future and is genuinely aspirational There is a strong team here and we will work with you to bring out the very best in your children
If you are a current parent, my door is always open. If you are a prospective parent, I look forward to meeting you and sharing first-hand the Orwell magic.
Simon O’Malley Head
TERM
DATES 2025 - 2026
A DAY AT ORWELL PARK
800 – 0810 Registration
0810 – 0825 Reading Period (in tutor groups/classes)
0830 – 0925 Period 1
0930 – 1025 Period 2
1025 – 1055 Break/Grub 1100 – 1155 Period 3 1200 – 1255 Period 4/Nursery Lunch (PP Lunch at 1230) 1255 – 1325 Lunch 1325 – 1355 Lunch/PP Lesson 1400 – 1430 Assembly/House Assembly/Chapel/Tutorials/Ensembles/Section Assemblies 1435 – 1530 Registration & Period 5
1530 – 1545 Break/Grub/Changing
1545 – 1645 Games/ASPIRE 1 /Evening Explorers/Period 6 (Years 3 & 4 Tuesday & Thursday)
1700 – 1830 Tea & Late Stay (R – Y4)/ASPIRE 2 & Tea (Y5 – 8)
– Year 5 & 6 Tea 1810 – Year 7 & 8 Tea
– 1845 Evening Registration
– 1945 ASPIRE 3
USEFUL INFORMATION
Friends of Orwell Park Reps
Each year group has two Parent Representatives who will be in touch during the holidays to welcome you to Orwell Park and introduce your child to other children in their year group
First Day of Term for Day Pupils
Please bring your child to the main entrance of the School at 8 00am where members of the Senior Leadership Team will meet you.
The Upper Prep contact at school is Mrs Sarah Earley, School Secretary, on 01473 653221 opssecretary@orwellpark.org
First Day of Term for Boarders
Ordinarily boarders arrive at 7 00pm on the evening before lessons begin (for Autumn 2025 this is 7 00pm on Wednesday 3rd September) An early arrival time may be possible by prior arrangement
The Blue Book
At the beginning of term, you will receive an Orwell Park Blue Book which has a wealth of information. This includes the following information: school ethos, daily routine, morning and evening timetables, contact details of all staff, school officers, going home times, weekly events, school diary for the term, future term dates
Absence
If your child is absent, please ring 01473 659225 before 9 00am on the first day
Normal absence from school should only be for illness Any other permission for absence is only granted in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Headmaster. Parents should get in touch with the Headmaster's PA, Claire Davies, on 01473 653297 or clairedavies@orwellpark org
School Nurse
The School Nurse is available 8 00am - 5 00pm Monday to Friday All prescribed medicines must be given to the School Nurse together with written permission to administer. Please inform the School Nurse if your child has any infectious illnesses
Please send all requests for your child to be off-games via the School Nurse and not to your child's tutor.
Padlocks
Pupils in Years 5 to 8 require two padlocks at school to secure their games locker and academic locker Please ensure that padlocks are simple to operate and 40mm across or wider. Padlocks should operate with a code rather than a key.
Finance
For all financial queries, please contact the Finance Manager, finance@orwellpark org
These are exciting times for Year 5 and Year 6! Both year groups form part of the Upper Prep, and this reflects a desire to help students at the younger end be fully prepared for opportunities ahead and develop over two formative years into some of the most amazing young people that leave for senior school destinations at the end of Year 8
We are fortunate at Orwell Park that we operate a strong and nurturing pastoral system via tutor groups that meet daily and help form part of a programme to meet the needs of the children The form tutor will take day to day responsibility for the welfare of your child/children, and will guide them through each week, alongside events such as whole school assemblies, whole school chapel and senior assemblies (which are often led by children in tutor groups). There is also a tutor period on a Friday afternoon, where time is given over to recording progress, sharing news of events and dealing with issues that might have arisen over a busy week – it can also occasionally be a time to simply take a step back from the hustle and bustle!
Y E A R S 5 & 6
Children will notice a change to routines as they move through the Upper Prep Lessons will involve more movement during the school day, with subject specialist teachers taking over some of the responsibility for delivering lessons from the class teacher As part of ASPIRE pupils will have the opportunity to undertake games, activities and study sessions which make for a full-on day, so being able to self-regulate energy levels, hydration and workload all take on greater meaning as they grow. We find that sometimes children require support in managing their behaviour and emotional wellbeing at this time, as well as their academic progress – moreover, the two can be inextricably linked, and staff will be on hand to help with this
One feature of moving into the senior end of the school is to begin the process of looking beyond Orwell Park (parents of older children will tell you that years pass in the blink of an eye!) We are finding that a number of senior schools are investing more and more into the pre-test model of selection, where the ISEB Common Pre-test is taken to provide a universal and standardised measure of attainment and ability These can be taken on request in Years 6 or 7 at school, and with guidance and support from Mrs Loveridge and other key staff, the results can form part of a school’s process of filtering candidates, alongside interviews and letters of reference from Mr O’Malley and the team Some schools that use the ISEB Pre-test might include the following, for example purposes (all are common destination school for students at Orwell Park) :
Benenden School, Brighton College, Eton College, Harrow School, The Leys School, Radley College, Stowe School, Tonbridge School and Wellington College
We look forward to welcoming your child into Year 5 and 6, and we aim to make the experience as positive and rewarding as possible with a full programme of academic rigour, sport, music, performing arts and enrichment
Nick Gibbs - Head of Years 5 & 6
Y E A R S
As pupils enter their final two years at Orwell Park, they begin to fully engage with the Common Entrance syllabus, preparing for both entrance and scholarship examinations in Year 8 The curriculum remains broad, balanced, and stimulating, ensuring that the core subjects of English, Maths, and Science receive ample focus, alongside the wider examined subjects of French, Geography, History, Theology, Philosophy and Religion (TPR), and Latin.
In addition, pupils benefit from weekly lessons in Latin, Critical Thinking, Life Skills, PE, Art, Design Technology, Music, and Drama. For those with a particular passion or aptitude, there is also the option to pursue one of the creative subjects - Art, Design Technology, Music, or Drama - in a fortnightly extension lesson This additional time provides valuable enrichment, particularly for those preparing for scholarships, while also nurturing the interests of pupils who simply enjoy exploring these subjects in greater depth
Each pupil is assigned a tutor who, along with an assistant tutor, acts as their guide, mentor, and advocate throughout these two important years Pupils join a tutor group comprising students from both Years 7 and 8, meeting each morning for registration and a shared reading period. Every other Friday afternoon, an extended tutor session provides time for meaningful reflection on progress, challenges, and achievements Tutors and assistant tutors are typically the first point of contact for any concerns, and involving them in wider communications helps to maintain a clear, holistic picture of each child’s development
Many Old Orwellians reflect on these final years of prep school as the most memorable and rewarding Our aim as teachers is to inspire, challenge, and support pupils through an engaging and enriching curriculum As tutors, we are committed to helping every child thrive - academically, personally, and socially - discovering their strengths and seizing the many opportunities available at Orwell Park Beyond the classroom, our older pupils are encouraged to take on a variety of leadership roles, each thoughtfully assigned to reflect and build upon the individual's unique character.
Tristan King - Head of Years 7 & 8
PARENT WEBSITES
We have a range of ways for parents to keep up with what is happening at school:
Firefly firefly.orwellpark.org
Firefly provides information about your child’s timetable and preps set When you register with the email address you have given the school, an account will be created that is linked to your children so that you can see personalised information.
Sport Website
sport orwellpark org
The website lists all of our sports teams, fixtures and results. To view a team sheet to see who is selected you need a password which is “NactonIP10”
Blue Book
https://calendar orwellpark org is the online version of our “Blue Book” calendar
School Reports
All school reports are securely published online and we email out details of how to access them Further details about accessing the above sites is emailed to parents when their children join the school
Since 2016, Orwell Park have been at the forefront of technology use in prep schools, with an expectation that every child in Years 5-8 should have their own iPad for school use Our staff our highly trained and experienced in using iPads in the classroom and we continue to develop our use of technology year on year.
To make the process of buying an iPad as simple as possible for our parents, we have an online store at https://orwellpark edutechstore zone that delivers the iPad and one of the recommended cases directly to the school We continually review the prices on that store to ensure they are competitive with other sources. Once we receive an iPad we apply a security profile to it which allows us to manage the device and monitor internet activity, regardless of whether it is in school or not
Please note that the School does not take responsibility for damage to or loss of the iPad (although secure storage is provided), so we recommend that you have insurance against these risks
If you already have an iPad that is under five years old then we can configure that for school use, provided that it is fully wiped and disconnected from an Apple ID account
If you have questions relating to technology at Orwell Park, please feel free to get in touch with Afiah Ntiri-Akuffo, Head of Digital Strategy, via afiahntiriakuffo@orwellpark.org.
I P A D S
STATIONERY LIST
iPad
School bag/backpack style
Handwriting pen or ink pen (blue)
HB pencils
Colouring pencils
Pencil sharpener and rubber
Scissors
Pritt stick
15cm and 30cm rulers
Highlighter pens
Casio fx85 GT Plus calculator
Geometry set with protractor, compass, set squares
French/English bilingual dictionary
INFORMATION SCHOOL UNIFORM
SPORTS KIT
Boys hair should be tidy and of a sensible length, not in their eyes
Earrings must be either silver or gold studs and only one stud per ear. No other jewellery is permitted.
Hair bands/accessories must be of neutral colour, i e black, navy blue, brown
Hair that is shoulder length or longer must be tied back Nail varnish is not permitted
We proudly welcome students from all over the UK and abroad for full, weekly, and flexi boarding, offering pupils facilities and activities which enhance social skills, cultural awareness, and respect for others In an environment that celebrates the differences between pupils, the key life skills of resilience, self-motivation, and responsibility are absorbed and developed Children may commence boarding from Year 3
Boarding Kit List
All personal items and school uniform must be clearly named/labelled; only sewn in labels for clothing are acceptable (not iron on)
As well as the requirements given on the uniform list, we ask full boarders to have three sets of home clothing for a weekend:
One smart set (chinos or smart jeans, shirt or polo shirt etc)
One set of older clothes
One casual set (tracksuit or similar and a hoodie)
One warm, waterproof coat
These are then washed and ready for the following weekend Washing is part of the daily routine and belongings are returned to the boarders within a day or two.
BOARDING FULL BOARDING
Full Boarders' Packing List
Pyjamas (two sets)
Dressing gown
Closed toe slippers (hard soles)
Towels (two)
Underwear
Mid grey socks (boys), for girls navy knee high socks or tights (winter and summer)
Reading book
Water bottle (in addition to School water bottle)
Trainers (separate pair to be kept in boarding)
Wash Bag - toothbrush, toothpaste, comb/brush, shower gel, shampoo/conditioner, roll on deodorant
(Please discourage your child from bringing in large amounts, we have a stock of these items which can be bought from the boarders' shop)
Optional - boarders are welcome to have their own bedding sets if they prefer - two sets are required to allow for washing/drying times 2 x duvet cover, 2 x pillow case
Boarders should also have a home coat suitable for the season and one or two extra pairs of shoes/boots They may use their school coat if they prefer (including hats and gloves as required)
No food items, sweets or treats are allowed School provides all necessary meals and treats for the boarders as appropriate. Hairdryers are provided on the girls' floor
No valuable items, smart watches or gaming devices should be brought into School. Pocket money is controlled via the school accounts, a small amount is charged at the beginning of each term and distributed as needed, (about £35 per term) Any remainder is refunded at the end of term An empty wallet/ purse would be advisable. No cash is required to be brought into School.
Full boarders should arrive with only one medium/large suitcase and a smaller rucksack style bag for day trips out In addition they need one small, packed case ready to go for exeats and half-terms with at least three full sets of clothing
All prescription medication must be labelled with a pharmacist’s label including the child’s name and be handed to the School Nurse or Houseparents with doctor’s instructions (in English) and not remain in boarding bags No food or snacks are allowed in boarding bags
WEEKLY BOARDING
Weekly Boarders' Packing List
Pyjamas (two sets)
Dressing gown
Closed toe slippers (hard soles)
Towels
Underwear
Mid grey socks (boys), for girls navy knee high socks or tights (winter) and white ankle socks (summer)
Reading book
Water bottle (in addition to School water bottle)
We recommend that your child's dressing gown, slippers, towel and wash bag remain in school for the term Optional - boarders are welcome to have their own bedding set in school if they prefer: I x duvet cover, I x pillow case
All prescription medication must be labelled with a pharmacist’s label including the child’s name and be handed to the School Nurse or Houseparents with doctor’s instructions (in English) and not remain in boarding bags No food or snacks are allowed in boarding bags.
Boarders may bring in their mobile phone if they are boarding for 4 consecutive nights or more, these must be handed in on arrival at School
INTRODUCING ‘ASPIRE’
A S P I R E
Academic Growth Sports
Perseverance & Challenge
Inspire & Create Responsibility & Service
Enrichment
We are excited to introduce Aspire - our dynamic co-curricular programme for Years 3-8, designed to enrich every pupil’s journey beyond the classroom Rooted in our commitment to celebrating childhood whilst developing wellrounded individuals, Aspire stands for six key strands: Academic, Sports, Perseverance & Challenge, Inspire & Create, Responsibility & Service, and Enrichment
The Aspire programme aims to:
Broaden horizons
Promote personal growth
Encourage a balanced lifestyle
Develop key life skills
Enable confidence ambition and self-belief,
Inspire creativity
Celebrate childhood
Through Aspire, students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, discover new interests, and build the habits and mindset that will serve them for life. Whether it's mastering a new skill, committing to a cause, pushing physical boundaries, or unlocking creative potential, Aspire is about nurturing the whole child academically, socially, and emotionally
Pupils will select their own termly/half termly programme for Aspire by identifying essential academic units
LEARNING ENRICHMENT
The Learning Enrichment Department offers the following help free of charge to those children who need it
Small group work
Prep support and general support with organisation
Implementing and overseeing programmes such as Toe by Toe, Zones of Regulation, Social Stories etc
Supervision of physiotherapy/OT/eye exercises and other programmes from outside agencies
Initial basic in-house assessments
Interactive revision sessions throughout the year
Regular liaison with parents, tutor, subject teachers and outside agencies where appropriate to ensure information is disseminated to all staff
Revision session for all Year 7 children and parents
Revision guidance provided before examinations
Holiday work guidance
Occasional in-class support
Supervision of a separate extra time room - if applicable
Monitoring of typing courses, typing club and supervision of iPad use/typing
Interactive work extra sessions in Year 8
If a child is still not making expected progress, 1:1 learning may be considered. The following support sessions will, in principle, incur a termly charge which will be levied together with the fees The charges are listed on the school website
Occasionally a Learning Enrichment lesson may be delivered as a I:2 session where it is felt that is more beneficial to the students involved.
In addition, the department can assess for exam access arrangements and carry out full specialist teacher assessments
The process and fees can, in the first instance, be discussed with the Head of Learning Enrichment.
ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE
On arrival, all overseas pupils are assessed by our specialist EAL teacher Where applicable, a programme of study will be discussed with parents together with the termly charge for this support, the charges are listed on the school website.
The Learning Support department offers the following help free of charge to those EAL children who need it in Years 5-8
Induction Programme at the start of the Autumn Term
Personal induction programme for students who join at other times during the academic year
Prep support
Monitoring of typing courses
In-house assessments
Regular liaison with parents, tutor, subject teachers and outside agencies where appropriate to ensure information is disseminated to all staff
Revision session for all Year 7 children and parents/guardians
Revision guidance provided before examinations
Holiday work guidance
Occasional in-class support
Supervision of a separate extra time room - if applicable
Interactive work extra sessions in Year 8.