Ipswich School is a top ten school in East Anglia (Sunday Times Parent Power). Ipswich School is a co-ed day/boarding for kids 11-18 close to the centre of Ipswich (there’s also a Prep School and Nursery over the road making this a brilliant all-through option). The school is long established, with evidence of its existence as far back as 1399 and has a claim to fame in the fact that it is the only school mentioned in any of Shakespeare’s plays. The school has an impressive list of distinguished alumni too, including Thomas Wolsey and a Nobel prize winner.
The school houses 841 senior children (517 boys and 324 girls), with small class sizes of around 20, and has 59 acres of outside space, which is brilliant for a city school. The main site is dominated by a grand red brick Victorian mansion, with more recent additions bolted on sympathetically over time, including a standout library that has been given listed status.
For a city school, where space is at a premium, the facilities are really good. It might be an historic school, but there are plenty of modern additions, including a smart, state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre and a fabulous new Upper Sixth Boarding House – a modern, attractive space for Year 12 and 13 pupils, with ensuite facilities, providing an experience similar to a university hall of residence to make the transition easier.
There’s also a brilliant new music department, The Britten Faculty of Music – one of the smartest and most well-equipped music centres I’ve seen at a school and highlights how important this particular subject is here. The school is also home to a 300 seater capacity main hall, the country’s oldest indoor school pool, multiple science labs, dedicated IT suites, an art studio with kiln, and a large DT workshop with all the mod cons.
Academically, you can’t really ask for more. Ipswich School is the top Independent School in Suffolk and every year students accept places at top Russell Group universities, including Oxbridge. In 2022, the percentage of A Level exams graded A*-A was 57% and two thirds of GCSE exams were graded 9-7 with 41 pupils achieving 9 – 7 grades in all of their exams – that’s nearly a third of pupils.
These students are much more than just their impressive grades though. The school is known for turning out all-rounders and isn’t an academic hothouse, with a dizzying array of co-curricular options on offer from an early age, plus a strong emphasis on pastoral care. Many students manage to pull off top grades, as well as enjoying success in music, art, drama and sport.
Ipswich school is Good for: An all-rounder education and kids who are comfortable learning in a fast-paced environment. Parents who value good grades, but want to ensure their kids achieve them in a nurturing and positive environment. Sports-mad or musical kids will particularly benefit from the facilities here.
I was very glad to visit the Ipswich school and find out more about admission process and created atmosphere for students.
