SENIOR SCHOOL
“Yes, we care for our pupils, but more importantly we care about them. We are incredibly proud of our pupils and the young adults they eventually become.”
Woodbridge School for ages 11-18
SENIOR SCHOOL WOODBRIDGE SCHOOL
Woodbridge School is a thriving, forward-looking educational community set in 45 acres of beautiful, wooded grounds overlooking the historic town of Woodbridge. The School is governed by the Seckford Foundation whose origins can be traced back to the sixteenth century. The School and the Foundation have a proud reputation for educational excellence. The School attracts pupils from a wide catchment area covering Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex, and offers a continuous education to boys and girls from ages 4 to18. The younger children attend Woodbridge School Prep, which includes a Pre-Prep. At the age of 11, the pupils move up to the Senior School, where they are joined by pupils from local primary and other prep schools. The School also has a small, friendly boarding house, accommodating pupils above the age of 13 of many different nationalities.
“The tremendous breadth of experience at Woodbridge gives pupils the opportunity to fulfil their potential, both academically and personally.”
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So what makes Woodbridge School such a unique place?
Well, above all else, it is an exceptionally happy school. When you visit, we are sure you will be struck by the warmth and sense of community. But it is much more than a kind and nurturing place - there is also a real sense of purpose. We prepare our pupils with the skills and attributes that will enable them to thrive in an ever more competitive world. This means excellent academic achievement is just part of an outstanding educational experience. We place equal importance on what happens inside and outside the classroom, deliver an authentic, holistic education that provides a foundation for life. Our sporting and performing arts facilities are amongst the very best in the country and what the pupils achieve is truly remarkable. A Woodbridgian develops in creativity, empathy, the ability to work independently and work with others. The emphasis of the School is very much on developing the selfconfidence to overcome any challenge, ensuring they emerge happy, resilient, well-balanced young men and women. Woodbridge is an exceptional school, a wonderful place to learn and to become the very best you can be. We look forward to welcoming you to our unique school very soon.
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“Our aim is to offer each pupil a tailor-made education, not just hope that they fit into ready-to-wear.�
At Woodbridge we have a clear vision: to turn out confident, secure and well-educated young people who will become the versatile and responsible young adults of the future. To achieve this, academic rigour is balanced by a range of opportunities that develop creativity, performance, sporting and leadership skills, and encourage active involvement in the local and wider community. At Woodbridge, life is there for the taking, and the School is alive with opportunities that give pupils every chance to succeed and to reach their full potential.
In developing this prospectus we have asked staff, pupils and parents to give us their stories, views and anecdotes about the School, which form the majority of its content. It is hoped their thoughts and real day-to-day experience of life within the School will tell you what makes Woodbridge special to them. For more detailed information on the School, please visit our website, follow us on social media or give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you.
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“What have you done to my son? He came to you with no confidence, very shy and is now leaving as a young man who has assurance and self-belief. Woodbridge School has performed a miracle.� Woodbridge has received praise for its exceptional pastoral care, excellent parental links, outstanding contribution to the community, and the overall atmosphere of the School. This is because our approach to pastoral care extends far beyond the tutor-pupil relationship and having a dedicated and caring team of housemasters and mistresses. These are key components of the pastoral care system of course, but pastoral care at Woodbridge is everywhere: it is on the cricket pitch, in the classroom, and it is evident even in exchanges between pupils and staff in the corridors between lessons. The welfare of every pupil is paramount, and what Woodbridge offers is a very wide umbrella of care and support for any concern, be it a minor academic worry, or coping with a major life event. The strength of the system is the people in it; people who are encouraged to encourage, and who are perceptive in spotting difficulties as they start to arise. Molehills rarely become mountains.
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“I just really look forward to lessons; they are so involved and you become really passionate about subjects you never really cared about before.” The Woodbridge curriculum combines breadth with a strong focus on the major academic disciplines. Excellent teaching in Mathematics and English form the core, alongside separate Sciences, whilst the strong encouragement to learn languages is reflected in the availability of French, Spanish, Mandarin and Japanese. Supporting the curriculum is the wide range of trips and visits, which draws on Literature, Art, Music, Film and Theatre, and extends pupils’ learning. An integrated ICT programme also underpins all subjects. The class sizes at Senior School are small, and as ever, the emphasis is on making lessons dynamic through varied teaching approaches, different learning styles and inspiring pupils to want to learn. We have a totally unique and innovative approach to how we teach called Learning@Woodbridge. This enables every pupil to not only acquire essential knowledge, but also be empowered to learn how to learn better and become more independent. This enables our pupils to develop a life-long love of learning when they have moved onto university and beyond.
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“The Music School is full of life, even just walking past it, it’s great hearing the sounds of practising floating through the windows or the Choir belting out tunes. Listening to the School Swing Band puts hairs up on the back of your neck. You just want to get involved!”
Music at Woodbridge School is nationally regarded as exceptional. Many pupils regularly train and perform with some of the UK’s most prestigious youth orchestras and choirs.Yet music is not an elite activity at Woodbridge - the emphasis is on enjoyment and involvement for all. The ethos of Woodbridge’s music department is based around the classical repertoire, but there are many opportunities for pupils to play other styles of music such as rock, jazz and swing.
Plato wrote that “rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul” and there is no doubt that music is spiritually uplifting and can touch so many emotions. The School delivers an incredible 350 music lessons each week with 250 pupils learning to master and enjoy their instruments every week. This is truly remarkable and an inspirational environment for every pupil to enjoy and be uplifted by.
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“In the sports department we genuinely enjoy working with pupils of all abilities. It is always a great moment when that spark is ignited, and it proves just what can be achieved through effort and perseverance.� The breadth of sporting activity at the School is one of its major strengths. The School has outstanding sports facilities in its all-weather pitches, extensive grounds and indoor Sports Dome. We offer the traditional sports of hockey, rugby, cricket, netball, rounders and tennis, and to an exceptional standard. Our teams and individual players regularly compete and win at local and national competitions. For those interested in trying something different, we offer a range of options, all at a very high standard, including equestrian, skiing and golf, in all of which the School has achieved national success.
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“I just love studying drama at Woodbridge; the teachers are so inspiring! Drama is my passion outside school as well as in it, and that has been fuelled by the amazing opportunities there are to learn and perform. The Theatre is amazing!� There is seldom a day when our state-of-the-art Seckford Theatre is not resounding with a production in rehearsal, full performance or academic drama studies. With a capacity of 335 and offering the full facilities of a professional theatre, it is one of the best facilities in any school in the country. Woodbridge School prides itself on the inclusive nature and professional quality of its productions. Whether academic or extra-curricular, pupils are encouraged to explore a wide range of theatrical styles. From the spectacular Senior School musical, to the annual open air Shakespeare and our biennial performance at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival, pupils are encouraged to stretch their imaginations and hone their skills as performers.
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“I love going to the Art department; it feels just how an Art department should feel - a lively, inspiring paint-stained creative hub, full of colour, imagination, and the smell of wet clay and printer’s ink.” The Art and Design department is a Mecca for those who love to immerse themselves in art. Pupils have the opportunity to try out a wide range of techniques, such as sculpture, screen printing, ceramics, fabric design, graphic design and CAD. The department also takes full advantage of Suffolk’s many artists, such as illustrators, potters and set designers, who regularly come to the School to give masterclasses and workshops. The many exhibitions showcased by the School demonstrate the ambition Woodbridge has to encourage art as an expression of creativity and fun to A Level pupils going on to study foundation courses at university. The sheer quality is breathtaking and wonderful to see.
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“Unforgettable and life-changing experiences, with the chance to develop your own potential every week.”
Every Friday, academic education ends at lunchtime and the afternoons are devoted to activities under the Seckford Scheme. At Woodbridge every pupil is encouraged to take part in adventure and leadership activities, whether it is through participation in the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the Sports Leadership scheme, or a combination of all of them. All of these activities are voluntary but very few pupils choose not to get involved. The results are both very exciting and personally challenging, and pupils discover what it takes to be a true leader and how to work successfully as part of a wider team, both crucial ingredients for life during and beyond school. This is an integral part of school life and hugely influential in the all-round development of our pupils. It is a highly valuable and popular supplement which supports the academic curriculum. This is education in its widest sense. The fact that all this takes place during the working week demonstrates Woodbridge’s desire to fulfil the aim of providing every pupil with a foundation for life.
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“The trip to Miyajima Island in particular was incredible. We spent the day eating green tea ice cream, watching deer try to get into restaurants and getting stuck in sandbanks when the tide came in. Then we watched lanterns being lit along the shore on the way back from Hiroshima.”
Central to the way Woodbridge pupils learn is by broadening their horizons through international travel and exchanges. Woodbridge is very much committed to ensuring that pupils experience life outside the School walls, be that on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to China or a sketching trip to Felixstowe Ferry.
Trips are varied and numerous, from ski trips and other sporting tours for both girls and boys, or the Chamber Choir and Orchestra touring the Netherlands or Spain, to classicists studying the Parthenon in Athens. The School’s long-standing International Programme emphasises linguistic and cultural enrichment and takes children all over the world. It is simple. Woodbridge is a sensational place to learn and achieve. We hope this prospectus has given you a flavour of what makes us unique. We encourage you to visit us and find out for yourself.
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Woodbridge School | Burkitt Road Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 4JH Tel: +44 (0)1394 615041 | Fax : +44 (0)1394 380944 admissions@woodbridgeschool.org.uk | www.woodbridgeschool.org.uk A part of the Seckford Foundation. Registered charity No. 1110964 A limited company in England No. 5522615 Registered office: Marryott House, Burkitt Road, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 4JJ