Ipswich School

About Ipswich School

School Overview

At Ipswich School, we are delighted to have been named the top independent school in Suffolk for the fifth year running in the Sunday Times Parent Power guide, and we are proud of both the academic achievements of our pupils and of the opportunities they have to develop their passions in our co-curricular areas such as sport, music, drama, and art.

We live our core values – care, passion, communication, and potential. Everyone here has a passion, and everyone is cared for – from our youngest pupil in the Prep to our oldest Year 13 leavers. All this makes this Ipswich School a very special place to be educated. With the help of our dedicated teachers and access to excellent specialist facilities, our pupils find themselves surpassing their goals and doing things they never thought possible.

Boarding Overview

“Ipswich School has attractive boarding facilities called Westwood, a Victorian mansion set in wooded grounds, just a 5 minute walk from the main school site. The majority of our boarding students come from overseas, particularly Hong Kong, China, Russia, mainland Europe and Nigeria, and we also have a number of UK weekly boarding students.

In September 2020 we opened a new Upper Sixth Boarding House at another nearby school site, called Anglesea Heights. One of the existing buildings has been remodeled to create an attractive space for Year 13 pupils, with en suite facilities, providing an experience similar to that of a university hall of residence.”

Extracurricular Overview

“We believe that non-academic aspects of school life are incredibly valuable and truly complement what happens in lessons. For pupils, it can provide a thoroughly enjoyable break from academic work and an opportunity to express themselves in different ways. Being active and creative is vital for pupils’ well-being.

Our sports programme has been restructured in the last few years with the aim of increasing participation, teamwork, and community. Students had disconnected playing for the school teams with their strong sense of school community; we were also known locally as a leading academic school, but not widely recognised for our commitment to co-curricular. This new approach has seen our participation rates climb alongside national successes and established our reputation as a school that values a well-rounded education.