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EAST OF ENGLAND
Also known as East Anglia, comprises of historic counties of Norfolk and Suffolk as well as Cambridgeshire and Essex.
East Anglia was one of the kingdoms of Anglo-Saxon England, consisting of the north people (Norfolk) and south people (Suffolk)
The Norfolk Broads are unique man-made wetlands with 125 miles of navigable rivers to explore the beautiful countryside and wildlife by boat. Hunstanton, Cromer, Great
Yarmouth and Wells-Next-The-Sea have great beaches for a summers day, and you can also take a boat trip to see Common and Grey Seal colonies from Blakeney Point.
One of the queens residence,
Sandringham estate in Norfolk, is a beautiful place to visit and walk around the grounds.
Cambridge, home to the prestigious University of
Cambridge, famed for its choir and towering Gothic chapel. The University has educated students such as Charles Darwin, Oliver Cromwell and David Attenborough to name just a few. The University has also been a popular film location for many films such as, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ and ‘The Theory of Everything’ –a film documenting the life about the famous physicist, Stephen Hawkins. Furthermore, whilst in Cambridge why not take a punting ride on the River Cam to explore the ‘backs’.
Britains oldest town, Colchester in Essex, is best known for being the capital of Roman Britain. The Castle is a huge Norman keep, built on the foundations of a Roman temple.
East Anglia is never short of things to see and do, from coastal towns and pretty villages to going back in time with its wealth og history. Large herd of Fallow Deer in the grounds of Holkham Hall, Holkham Rd, Wells-next-the-Sea.
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THE LEYS SCHOOL
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Bishop’s Stortford College
Based on the outskirts of a picturesque market town, Bishop’s Stortford College is one of the UK’s top performing independent co-educational day and boarding schools for 4-18 year olds.
As an all-through day and boarding school, with a flexible approach to boarding, the College caters for children of different ages and the individual needs of each family. Easily accessible, the College benefits from a peaceful, spacious and safe setting, close to countryside, yet within walking distance of the town centre, midway between London and Cambridge.
As three schools in one, the College is large enough to provide an exceptional range of opportunities, whilst small enough for pupils to be known, valued and nurtured as individuals. The infectious enthusiasm, imagination and dedication of College staff, in partnership with parents, enables pupils to grow into happy, well-rounded, skilful and caring young people equipped and ready for the adventures and opportunities life has to offer.
Breadth of experience is naturally woven into daily life at the College. Pupils are encouraged and enabled to develop their confidence which gives them the ability to transform the ordinary, into the extraordinary. Pupils can, and do, pursue high academic standards whilst enjoying and succeeding, in many other interests. In 2021, the College’s Upper Sixth Formers once again celebrated a 100% pass rate, with over half of these results being graded A* or A, far outperforming the national average of 44.3%* (*Ofqual). GCSE results were equally impressive with 79% of all results graded 9-7, compared with the England average of 30%* (*Ofqual).
However, examination results are not the only measure of success. The value added to pupils’ outcomes by the quality of teaching at Bishop’s Stortford College has been outstanding; and something the College is extremely proud of. The quality of teaching at Bishop’s Stortford College is such that pupils’ results improve, often significantly. Value added scores indicate that the standard of teaching, the environment and the culture of a school, all contribute positively to the impact on pupils’ learning.
The facilities and learning resources at Bishop’s Stortford College are superb and include a brand-new dedicated Sixth Form Learning Centre, a recently refurbished building, School House, which features an additional 12 classrooms, and an on-site theatre which sees numerous, high quality musical concerts and drama productions performed each year. The College also has outstanding sports facilities including extensive and well-maintained playing fields and cricket pitches, all-weather surface courts for netball and tennis, floodlit Astro pitches for hockey, cricket nets, a multi-use games area and a 25m indoor swimming pool with a learner pool and large spectator gallery.
Every pupil is encouraged, taught and challenged to fulfil his or her true potential, by being immersed in an environment of discovery and wholehearted participation. Teachers strive to allow time and space for academic work to be balanced by sport, music, drama, and a diverse choice of other personal development options including adventure sports such as rock climbing and canoeing, service to the community and opportunities for leadership.
Pupils at Bishop’s Stortford College enjoy being part of a vibrant and diverse community with its blend of day pupils, full, weekly and part-time boarders (those who board a few nights a week). As an integrated day and boarding school, the College has the time and space to provide a healthy breadth and balance of activity within the timetable and key facilities are open in the evenings throughout the week. Boarding options are available from the age of 7 and the College aims to be as flexible as possible within its available capacity.
The five boarding houses at the College simply aim to be the best “home away from home”; a place pupils enjoy returning to, a place of fun and companionship, as well as for finding support, advice and guidance when needed. Living and working
THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE 2021
together in a spirit of co-operation, respect and enthusiasm helps to build a strong yet diverse community in which individuals can thrive, irrespective of background, interests or nationality. Whether a day pupil or boarder, the College believes that cultivating a sense of belonging is an essential ingredient to a child’s development as a person.
Boarding facilities at the College are outstanding. The Senior School boasts four single-sex boarding Houses, two for boys and two for girls, with the majority of bedrooms having en suite bathrooms. All Houses benefit from common room and year group study space and kitchens with full cooking facilities. Grimwade House, the Prep School co-ed boarding House for 7-13 year olds has five leisure rooms and recently modernised dormitories for up to 50 boarders. Each boarding House is under the care of Houseparents who know the boarders very well and are on-hand to provide support, advice and guidance when needed. The friendly, welcoming and homely atmosphere in all the boarding Houses means that new boarders quickly settle in and feel they belong. Boarders show a real sense of pride, ownership and responsibility in the happy running of their Houses and a genuine care for each other.
For those who meet the entry requirements, the College is keen that everyone who wishes to benefit from an education there has the opportunity, regardless of social background or financial circumstances. Forces families qualifying for the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) will be required to pay no more than 10% of fees payable for full boarding places.
A very special community, which combines academic breadth with the balance afforded by a wealth of cocurricular and sporting opportunities, the College will appeal to those with a desire to push their limits, a willingness to work hard and an enthusiasm for life and learning. Ultimately, Bishop’s Stortford College aims to enable pupils to contribute constructively to society and play a full role in it, whatever their chosen path.
Find out more at BishopsStortfordCollege.org Contact us on 01279 838575
WHY ‘BETTER NEVER STOPS’ ’ AT FINBOROUGH SCHOOL
Set in the beautiful rolling Suffolk countryside, Finborough School nurtures the development of a strong character through a culture steeped in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People coupled with our unique ‘Learnability’ approach and determination that ‘better never stops’.
We are a true learning family, where every young person is individually supported to be the very best version of themselves making outstanding academic achievement and progress, attaining places at the best universities, including Oxbridge.
Our students are inspired to flourish across all aspects of their expansive school and boarding life. Their richness of experience helps to build a resilient positive mindset and perpetually amplifies their academic, sporting and creative achievements.
The most formative years of their lives create a momentum where the balance of self-belief and reflection ensures confident individuals emerge ready for a fastchanging world of opportunity.
CULTURE AND CHARACTER
We equally balance the importance of academic achievement with the development of a strong positive character, opening up future opportunities for our students and allowing them to shine in any situation. The culture of the school is perpetually positive, yet we are all relentlessly challenged to be our best and to be independently driven to keep getting better. FACILITIES
Excellent facilities, boarding accommodation and amazing staff are the foundations upon which our students build their own success. They thrive as independent motivated young people amidst a culture where leadership for life is immeasurably valued and celebrated.
We have experienced an exceptional period of growth enabling extensive investment in our buildings and facilities, from our new Science, Art and Design Building to incredible sports facilities and opening in Spring 2021 our wonderful new Pre-Prep Learning Centre with outside forest learning space, including amazing tree house classrooms.
CREATIVITY AND CONFIDENCE
Our students excel in the performing arts with a rich array of opportunities across music, dance and drama. From orchestra to award winning choirs and productions that never cease to amaze. Music is endemically popular with students having access to the latest technology for compositions and recording. This appeal is universal across the performing arts with our students theatrical and dancing talent receiving unparalleled plaudits.
The creative arts are also hugely popular supported by a new facility opened in September 2020. The creativity that emanates from our students us breathtakingly spectacular across the spectrum or art and design.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Our students make outstanding academic progress enjoying a rich and diverse curriculum. Our ‘Learnability’ approach supports every individual to become a perpetually better student, always reaching for their best and inspired to pursue the highest achievement aspirations. We have brought together a hugely talented team of teachers who revel in their work with highly motivated students creating a maelstrom of academic success across all parts of the school.
SIXTH FORM
At the top of our school our Sixth Form students gain places at the best universities, including Oxbridge, studying a wealth of subjects from Medicine and Veterinary Science to Law and Architecture. They enjoy a brand new Sixth Form Study Centre and Common Room, setting them apart from the rest of the school, contrasted with a plethora of opportunities to engage as role models and leaders across the school community. The level of individual support for them to achieve their best and reach their goals is unsurpassable.
ALWAYS ACTIVE
There is so much for our students to engage with from working out in our state-of-the-art gym to kayaking on the river that runs through our extensive grounds. From Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to den building in our woods, the opportunities are endless. Skiing in Italy, mountain climbing and an extensive array of trips and visits that enthuse and excite our students igniting a lifelong passion for adventure and the confidence to explore beyond their limits.
COMMUNICATION AND CONNECTION
Keeping in contact and up to date with your children from anywhere in the word is something we take exceptionally seriously whether it is a weekly catch up with a member of boarding staff, frequent updates from teachers and the ability to enjoy a video call at your convenience. We have invested in highspeed internet connection supporting best learning and connection with home for our boarders.
In simple terms we want serving parents to be able to get on with their lives enjoying regular updates that give that much needed confidence they are having a truly brilliant school life.
EXCELLENT EATS
We need to fuel our growing children and young adults and our kitchen prepares and serves an incredible standard of food, which expands their nutritional horizons as they experience new tastes from across the world. The bespoke approach we take ensures the needs of any students with special dietary considerations are seamlessly catered for by our exceptional team of Chefs.
HOME FROM HOME
If you are serving in the Forces, you want to be confident that your children are happily engrossed and enjoying their school and boarding life. The opportunity to be bombarded with stories of all they have experienced and achieved gives the confidence that they could not be in better hands. Our experienced Boarding Team is outstanding, making every child and their parents feel part of a wonderful extended family. Our Boarders reside in newly renovated rooms all with great character and equipped with en-suite bathrooms. They enjoy a daily laundry service and are supported to organise and care for all their possessions. Common rooms are open engaging spaces where they can relax and have fun forming friendships that will last a lifetime. Our resident students have so much to do with a rich activity programme across weekdays and weekends and access to all the facilities and open spaces we are so fortunate to have at the school.
BEST PREPARATION FOR LIFE
Finborough is a genuinely unique learning family, where our culture blends ambition and drive for academic success equally with the development of strong positive character founded on great personal leadership. We really believe these are the foundations for the ‘best preparation for life’.
Using the tools of ‘Learnability, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and the ‘better never stops’ mentality driven by a well-developed ‘growth mindset’, our students are characteristically deeply personable, kind, confident and committed to their goals. These traits are coupled with stellar interpersonal and communication skills required for the fast-changing world of opportunity we all live in.
SPORTING SUCCESS
In Sport we are regularly victorious in regional and national competitions. Multimillion-pound investment in state-of-the-art facilities and high-level coaching ensures all of our students are athletically nurtured, developing their health, fitness and sporting skills. Those who demonstrate particular talent are provided individual programmes, coupled with an incredible level of support to enable them to develop. This continuum extends into our Sports Professionals Programme at the top of the school guiding exceptional young men and women towards top sporting careers.
