“The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
Winnie the Pooh
Discover ST WYSTAN’S
It is often remarked that, upon arrival at St Wystan’s, visitors gain an immediate sense of how special our School is. With 100 pupils from Reception to Form 6, our stature may be small, but a St Wystan’s education has a mighty impact on the lives of children far beyond their school years.
Our modern society works at its best when we collaborate, so the best education is a collective enterprise. At St Wystan’s, we pride ourselves on the family approach we take to education, working closely with parents, pupils and the wider School community to stoke a love of learning in every child. We know that, when a child is happy, they are open to new ideas, new opportunities and new possibilities. And that is when they flourish!
Learning what it is to read, to think, to engage with others in a vibrant environment, where every pupil is encouraged to be themselves, take part and to give their best, ensures that children educated here are given the building blocks for a happy and successful school career.
This starts with putting the child at the centre of everything we do. Because we are small in number, both in school roll and class sizes, we know our pupils well. We aspire to nurture young minds to be brimming with confidence, and treat every pupil as an individual, so that we can help them to discover their own exceptional talent.
Welcome from OUR HEADTEACHER
In order to succeed, children need to feel safe and happy, and at St Wystan’s, our pupils feel just that. Our nurturing and experienced staff instil confidence in our pupils, with an education that not only focusses upon high academic standards in the classroom, but also extends far beyond through our Woodland School and our wide extra-curricular and sports programmes. We want to give your children experiences both in and outside of their comfort zones with plenty of opportunities to succeed.
However, at St Wystan’s, we know that it is only by having opportunities to try new things, and not always succeeding the first time round, that our pupils will develop the drive to keep trying and the essential life skill of resilience. St Wystan’s pupils do not say they cannot do it, they say they cannot do it ‘yet’, confident in the knowledge that they can always do better next time and bounce back ready to experience new challenges. All of this takes place with the support of their teachers, their teaching assistants and their peers. At St Wystan’s, we recognise the importance of a holistic education that will allow our pupils to develop excellent life skills and values whilst also providing an engaging curriculum that ignites curiosity.
I hope our prospectus will give you a flavour of what a St Wystan’s education can offer, and I warmly invite you to come and see the School for yourself.
Ms Kara Lebihan Headteacher
We have such a long way to go, sighed the boy. Yes, but look how far we’ve come, said the horse. ”
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CHARLIE MACKESY
Stoking A LOVE OF LEARNING
St Wystan’s is an independent day school for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. A unique, nurturing and family orientated School where we support and encourage pupils to find their place within the wider school community.
Founded in 1926, our School has a happy, family environment, based on mutual respect and a belief that every pupil should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential. Children leave St Wystan’s with an inspiring appetite for learning and ready for their next step. During their time with us, our overarching aim has always been to provide the highest standard of learning delivered in a supportive environment. We strive to:
Embrace and develop happy, independent and confident children.
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Offer small class sizes, which enable all children to reach their full potential.
Meet the intellectual, physical and emotional needs of each child by offering an inspiring wide-ranging curriculum.
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Inspire and develop the whole child, providing educational opportunities that extend far beyond the National Curriculum.
Encourage confidence from a young age, preparing children for the next stage of their educational journey.
St Wystan’s has been a fantastic school for my daughter, loving, caring and personal to each individual. My daughter has been there now for six years and I wouldn’t change a thing.
CURRENT PARENT “ ”
The power of UNLOCKING POTENTIAL
Our experienced and enthusiastic teachers deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, tailored to pupils’ needs and interests, encouraging a true thirst for learning.
Learning here is fun, child-centred and enriching from Reception to Form 6. Our inspiring teachers bring learning to life through our creative curriculum, allowing meaningful cross-curricular links across all areas of learning. This develops not only excellent academic outcomes but also the skills our children need for life.
Core subjects such as maths and English are taught daily. We encourage pupils to use their imagination and to express their feelings through the written word in English, embedding key skills from an early age to ensure that each child has the building blocks for success. Mathematical principles are taught through a hands-on, mastery approach and are linked to important IT skills such as coding. Our themed days aim to bring subjects, such as history alive, by travelling back to the Viking times, visiting local museums and historical sites or inviting speakers and actors into School. Languages, science and humanities are taught practically and interactively, promoting a high level of engagement and leading to interested and motivated pupils.
By teaching a broad range of subjects, in a motivating and purposeful environment, we reach every child, so that they can discover their passions and interests inside, as well as outside, the classroom.
St Wystan’s is a wonderful school. Small, friendly, family feel with all the benefits of Repton School.
My son has thrived since he started in Reception. The class sizes are small, staff are incredible and the extra-curricular activities are wide ranging.
CURRENT PARENT
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Our curriculum is broadly based on the National Curriculum, yet allows for opportunities to explore and delve deeper into all subject areas. Throughout the academic year, there is a busy schedule of workshops, educational visitors, themed days and school trips including the highly popular residential trips which begin in Form 3.
Our focus on the individual, alongside the whole-school community, ensures that St Wystan’s pupils receive a tailored education with specialised support that nurtures and encourages personal development. Where a pupil requires additional support, our SENDCo will work closely with the class teacher to ensure they achieve their full potential. Individualised support is provided both within the classroom and, at times, by our highly trained support staff, during one-to-one intervention sessions.
In 2023, 100% of Year 6 St Wystan’s pupils were offered places at their first choice of independent senior schools, which included Repton, Derby Grammar and Derby High School. Seven scholarships were offered across academia, creative arts, drama and sport
Our children make exceptional academic progress during their time at St Wystan’s and our dedicated teachers continue to sustain these high levels of attainment as pupils prepare to move onto secondary education.
We help every family decide what is the best next step for their child - the one that will continue the enriching educational journey that began at St Wystan’s.
Exploring the world through the CREATIVE ARTS
Rarely do you walk around our School without hearing music being played, drama skills being developed or prose being recited. From timetabled lessons to extra-curricular activities, all pupils at St Wystan’s are offered the opportunity to create and perform.
The creative arts are an intrinsic part of life at St Wystan’s. We recognise the value that creativity brings to our lives and see children grow in selfconfidence when they are given the tools to perform.
With music and drama both included in the School curriculum, the School delights in a number of performances throughout the academic year, from our Harvest Festival, the heartwarming Pre-Prep Nativity performance, the House Music competition and of course, the full-scale Prep School end of year production.
Our peripatetic LAMDA teachers offer one-to-one lessons, which lead to highly regarded formal qualifications (in later years, these contribute to UCAS points). Public speaking is a valuable life skill, so we encourage not only the born performers with a passion for drama to pursue LAMDA, but also those children who struggle with confidence or finding their voice. We have seen the transformative impact of these classes, which brings lifelong confidence.
Musical talent is also encouraged and nurtured through our varied range of activities, which include our Pre-Prep and Prep school choirs, the orchestra and a whole host of peripatetic music specialists. We are proud to participate in a wide range of local music events and festivals.
Sport for all FIXTURES, FITNESS & FUN
There are proven scientific benefits for children, who lead an active lifestyle. Whilst sport and activity are rarely afforded the same value as academic studies; here at St Wystan’s we know that a healthy body and healthy mind go hand in hand.
High quality sport has a powerful impact on children’s all-round development. It is proven to boost achievement and build essential communication and leadership skills.
We offer equal opportunities in sporting tuition for girls and boys, whatever their ability, across a variety of sports from rounders, athletics, tennis, cross-country and cycling, to traditional team sports such as football, hockey, netball and tag rugby.
Being a part of the Repton Family of Schools provides St Wystan’s pupils with access to world-class facilities beyond the reach of most standalone prep schools, including two full-sized astroturf pitches, indoor and outdoor tennis courts as well as the swimming pool where Olympiclegend Adam Peaty OBE trained for his string of medals. As a result, St Wystan’s punches well above its weight when it comes to sport, with pupils going on to represent the School, as well as our county at national level year-after-year and gaining sports scholarships to leading senior schools.
Sport at St Wystan’s is fully inclusive. We recognise that children’s strengths vary - which is what makes them wonderfully unique. We encourage every child to value what sport makes possible, whether that’s representing their House on Sports Day or pursuing an elite sports programme. We celebrate sport for all and visitors to any sporting event at St Wystan’s - whether a fixture against another school or a House event - will see pupils cheering each other on, congratulating everyone on their effort and working as a team.
Freedom to explore THE WIDER CURRICULUM
A St Wystan’s education offers children a myriad of enriching opportunities that expand and enhance learning.
Extending our teaching beyond the classroom provides pupils with a broader perspective and encourages every kind of learning style. Taking pupils to our woodland setting brings maths, English, science and history to life. It encourages and inspires pupils through positive experiences that further develop personal, social and emotional wellbeing. Our Woodland School sessions are introduced to pupils when they begin in Reception and continue into Form 6.
Our extra-curricular activities programme is an integral part of pupils learning at St Wystan’s. A variety of clubs are available during lunchtime or after School - from coding to knitting, craft to hockey, - giving every child the space to shine. Whatever your child’s interests or yet-to-be-discovered passions, we provide the means for pupils to widen their horizons.
This is the best kind of classroom... from the smallest seed to the largest tree, This is a forest and a learning place.
IAN MCMILLAN“ ”
Park of the REPTON FAMILY OF SCHOOLS
A merger that responds to the demands and opportunities of the 21st century, that puts the individual needs of your child first.
St Wystan’s School is steeped in history and since its creation in 1926, it has continued to develop within its surroundings, becoming both traditional in its philosophy, and forward-thinking in its approach to children’s education. Since the formal merger in September 2020, St Wystan’s has been part of the Repton Family of Schools, ensuring it is fit for the 21st century.
What does this mean for your child? It means St Wystan’s is able to provide them with a modern education that enables them to succeed academically, through the arts and athletically, whilst developing an emotional intelligence that will help them to navigate their school years with confidence.
We are a school where it is not just about the individual pupil, but the whole school community. We are a school where kindness counts.
You and your child are WELCOME
Discover how a St Wystan’s education could be the perfect next step for your child. With entry points from Reception to Form 6, we welcome conversations with parents whatever the current circumstances of you and your child.
You are welcome to come and meet our wonderful team of committed and nurturing teachers at one of our Open Days, for a one-to-one tour, a virtual meeting or telephone conversation with no obligation.
We look forward to hearing from you.
operations@stwystans.org.uk
01283 703258 stwystans.org.uk
stwystans.org.uk