Orwell Park School A GSG School

Sports

Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.

Sailing

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since September 2023, Guy Musson, who has been working in prep schools for 15 years, half of those as a deputy head. Started out at the Dragon School in Oxford, thence to Perse Prep in Cambridge. Followed by deputy headships at Garden House School in London then Ludgrove.

Married to Milly, a teacher who has taught at Felsted, King’s Ely and St Faith’s, Cambridge. She has family connections with Orwell Park and recently dug out an old photo of her aged 8 in the sports hall ‘wearing the full uniform, as she longed to be a pupil at the school!’ Their daughter, Charlotte, and son, Freddie, both join them at the school.

Entrance

Main entry points are at 4+ and 7+, but places often available ad hoc throughout the school. Year group sizes grow year to year. Nursery and pre-prep admission is non-selective (taster mornings in class and a home visit). At 7+ and 11+, tests in maths, English and reasoning plus a report from current school and an interview. Not particularly selective - more important that the child suits the year group dynamic, and the school.

Exit

At 13+, post CE. A few Orwellians head off annually to Eton, Harrow and Winchester; ones and twos to Westminster, Cheltenham Ladies College, Downe House, Benenden, Stowe, Gresham’s, Uppingham, Oundle, Rugby, Malvern, Repton and Milton Abbey, but others scattered across the British Isles. ‘Neither we, nor our parents, are bound by geography,’ says head. Talks start at around year 4 for parents with their sights set on the most competitive schools, followed by a thorough discussion of pre-tests and the vagaries of admissions processes in year 6. Excellent track record for achieving scholarships - usually over half the year 8 cohort win an award - some several - to senior schools, including the most prestigious (25 scholarships in 2022).

Our view

A setting other schools can only dream of. Tucked away behind ornate wrought iron gates, the main building is a wisteria-draped Georgian mansion surrounded by acres of lawns, sweeping lushly as far as the banks of the tranquil River Orwell. But it’s what goes on here that counts, and every inch of this country idyll is put to good use, providing a multi-faceted education for the girls and boys who are fortunate enough to spend their schooldays here.

The sparkling Victorian orangery is in daily use for talks, activities and art exhibitions. The high-ceilinged, huge-windowed former drawing rooms are subject-specific classrooms, each one the domain of a specialist teacher. The school’s own patch of ancient woodland lends itself perfectly to an army-style assault course and forest school. And there’s even a 19th century observatory tower, a favourite haunt for the enthusiastic members of the astronomy club. ‘We really maximise what we have here,’ says school.

Even the very youngest pupils have the benefit of the outdoor classroom and sports facilities, but for day-to-day lessons, those aged 4-7 are based in the purpose-built pre-prep in the grounds. This is a neat, modern, single-storey edifice, described by our year 8 guide wistfully as ‘literally toasty - it’s always warm and it smells of toast, because that’s the break-time snack.’ Devouring theirs smothered in jam when we visited were a dozen children in a nursery that could easily fit twice as many. Like the building’s other classrooms, it opens onto its own generous outdoor learning area, leading to a well-fenced playground and beyond that, the woods, with giant trees ripe for exploring during the weekly forest school hour (wellied year 1s were bursting to tell us about their bug hotels when we encountered them on the muddy path).

There’s a teacher and a high-level teaching assistant for every pre-prep class – a superb ratio given then there are no more than 14 children in each. Developing talents and interests starts here with lunchtime clubs (roller skating a favourite) and a full programme of PE and creative activities taking place in the pre-prep’s own hall, which does double-duty as the dining room.

Year 3 marks the move to the main prep school, but to help with acclimatisation, most lessons are taught in their own ground-floor classroom. After that, they tread the swirly carpeted corridors and staircases to departments devoted to particular subjects, according to the timetable. This seems young but ‘really develops their independence and sense of responsibility ready for senior school,’ says school.

Classes are small, with sometimes as few as 14 pupils, though most have between 16 and 18, and the year groups tend to grow year-to-year. Year 8 usually has around 55 to 60, split into four groups, including a set for scholars - these are identified on the basis of exams in year 7. But, reassured our year 8 guide, ‘If you’re not in the scholarship group you’re not completely abandoned, you can still apply and people do get them.’ In fact, the enrichment programme - designed to broaden the horizons of scholars - is open to everyone (pupils, parents and the wider community too) and includes ‘Orangery lectures’ (recently on the role of ambassadors and resilience in sport), as well as guidance on scholarship preparation for music, art, sport and drama. This prep is one of the most renowned across the country for scholarship success and several pupils each year are in receipt of more than one. The big names trip off the tongues of the most able, although fit rather than fame is the key here and head brings his wealth of knowledge to the table to manage parental expectations at an early stage.

Common Entrance and scholarships are not the be all and end all of life at Orwell Park, however. Parents describe the quality of teaching as ‘generally high,’ with one or two caveats in the staffroom, but ‘the balance between quality and breadth is very carefully met and managed’, they say, with ‘the best of the old virtues coupled with the best aspects of modern teaching’. Among pupils, there is a happy approach to learning, and those we spoke to said they particularly enjoy the ‘interactivity’ of lessons and appreciate that ‘the teachers really do know what they’re talking about.’ One told us, ‘If you ask a question, they give you a really good, long answer, even if it’s not on the syllabus.’

We spotted some very intent little faces drinking in a science lesson in a large lab laid out for both practical and theory, and English too was a hit, notably the approach to introducing independent working through the ‘cold task (no help at all), warm task (little bit of help), hot task (more help)’ method to build confidence. French is the main language, with Latin from year 6 and Greek for year 8 scholars. Also on the timetable from the pre-prep to year 8 is critical thinking, covering ‘learning to disagree agreeably’ and the basics of philosophy; some verbal reasoning under this guise too. Every child in the school has an iPad, and digital skills lessons teach ICT knowhow as well as important online safety, often through fun projects with an entrepreneurial theme.

Learning support has been developed and integrated in recent years. Three trained staff members now offer small-group and one-to-one sessions in a dedicated and calm area in the school building. Information on pupils’ progress is shared with teachers on a weekly basis, with pointers on how best to assist individuals in the classroom (down to ‘remind to put on glasses’ level) logged on the school information system. Reader pens widely in use in lessons and for exams. Parents are appreciative: ‘Our child is dyslexic and has just been offered two scholarships,’ one beamed, ‘and this is thanks to the patience, support, nurturing and huge encouragement of a joined-up learning support department and subject teachers.’

The co-curriculum has received a boost. Rather than pulling children in all directions, department heads work together to make sure children may explore every avenue. The warren-like music department deep into the school building was pleasingly cacophonous during breaktime when we visited. Some 90 per cent of pupils learn an instrument - piano is the favourite but drums popular too, and there are also keen cellists, harpists and accordionists, and a good take-up of brass (tricky at a young age). No pressure to take grades. School rock bands form spontaneously. Music composition software and sound-proofed studio for professional style recordings (listenable on the school website). Chapel choir sings in church every two weeks (with robes). Drama has really taken off lately, and a third of pupils have LAMDA lessons.

Years 3-8 have an hour and 10 minutes of art on the timetable every week, as well as the chance to work on their own projects in activity slots and their free time, including ceramics and sculptures (we met some impressively giant papier mache insects). Scholars have their own corner of the artroom and their work is exhibited for parents at the end of the year. DT woodwork and metal work from year 3 (on rotation with food tech) is another area of scholarship success and a source of real-world experience for pupils of all ages (‘If what you’re making doesn’t work, you have to find the problem, solve it and start again,’ a year 8 explained to us with great patience).

‘Everyone likes sport,’ we’re told firmly, ‘and if you don’t to start with, you’re so encouraged to do it, you end up finding out that it’s fun.’ Matches against other IAPS schools across the region pretty much every Saturday in the usual hockey, cricket (boys and girls) and rugby (boys’ unbeaten season in 2022), but ‘you can be in the school team, no matter how good you are’. Lots of racket sports (three squash courts), plus basketball and climbing in the sports hall, golf on the school’s own nine-hole course, and swimming in the on-site outdoor pool. School teams for equestrian and ski racing. Heaps of sports cups given out at the annual prize giving and sports tours - recently rugby and hockey to Malvern.

Activity session 4-5pm every day - pupil newspaper, chess, orchestra, choir, ‘village’ play area for creative play, chess (international chess master on the staff), squash, art, sailing, shooting, skiing on the local dry slope and clambering over the school assault course and much more. ‘I can’t think of a single activity not offered,’ confessed one parent, happily. ‘OPS Challenge’ for pupils from year 6 is a junior version of DofE, including overnight camping – it’s optional but everyone does it (‘Even people who were scared to go surprised themselves and enjoyed it’ one participant reported). Eco Schools bronze and silver in the bag, and now working towards gold – rubbish collecting, recycling and raising awareness through talks in assemblies and a huge number of posters.

Many residential trips, including amazing opportunities to visit a partner school in India. Recent post-Common Entrance Ardeche stay made an impression too – ‘We were challenged to buy food from the shops using our language skills,’ explained our guide, extremely proud of himself finding the right words in French to purchase some smoked salmon.

This is ‘a heart-warming school to be a part of,’ a parent told us, with caring staff who are always on hand with words of encouragement. ‘Our child often mulls over tricky situations encountered with her form tutor, and most of the time they find a solution together that our child can work through independently.’ Senior pupils are a listening ear too - boarding captain and head boarder; house captains; head boy and a head girl; two senior prefects and a team of prefects. The latter have the honour of recording their observations on pupils’ behaviour in two books in the corridor, charmingly entitled ‘grumbles’ and ‘hoorays’, undoubtedly providing a fascinating insight into what goes on when teachers are not around and a chance to reward and promote desired behaviours. To that end, prizes – from badges to brightly coloured socks - are dished out at weekly assemblies in recognition of acts of kindness, team spiritedness and 'good-egg-ness' of all types, keying into the head’s instruction to all staff to ‘catch them being good’, fully preparing these cheery children to take responsibility for themselves in the years to come.

Boarders

Up to 70 per cent of pupils in years 3-8 board at least one night a week, and most have boarded at some point before they leave, even locals whose parents were of the firm intention that they would be day pupils when they joined. Flexi, weekly and full boarding arrangements to choose from. A group of around 40 girls and boys are in school on a Sunday and have fun together learning bushcraft in the school grounds, walking along the nearby foreshore, and taking trips out to Cambridge, the local Laserquest or to snaffle fish and chips on the dreamy seafront at Aldeburgh.

Boarding tasters tempt pupils from year 2, and evenings are put on for parents to chat to staff and boarders and tour the houses – one for boys and one for girls on the second floor of the main school building, with the most delicious views of the school grounds and the river Orwell beyond. 'You pull back the curtains and see about 20 deer roaming about out there in the morning’ one delighted boarder told us. On the basis of this experience, it is unsurprising that most pupils are quite happy to full board at their next schools.

The last word

Undoubtedly one of the most stunning country preps anywhere in the UK, and the fact that it is in the heart of sleepy Suffolk makes it a pleasingly tucked-away place where girls and boys can quietly build their characters and their confidence before setting off, best foot forward, to the most prestigious senior schools in the land.

Special Education Needs

The Learning Support department at Orwell Park runs throughout the school, supporting children across all ages and abilities. We carry out an 'In-House' assessment prior to recommending individual programmes for each child on the Learning Support Register and work closely with children, staff and parents. Children may need to be withdrawn from lessons with one of our team (including a Maths Specialist) or may find that in-class support offers enough help for their specific learning difficulties. We run study skills groups and revision sessions prior to exams for years 7 and 8. We also have early morning spelling groups, paired reading groups and children may follow a typing course, if it is considered beneficial. We work closely with all outside agencies such as SALTs, Physios, Ed. Psychs etc. Gifted and talented children are recognised as having specific needs, and pupils who are identified are well served. Orwell Park offers the following areas of support: scholarship sets in Years 7 and 8; differentiated programmes of work within the classroom throughout the whole school; a Thinking Skills club; opportunities to take part in academic challenges with other schools; and opportunities to study a second foreign language or Greek. The Headmaster has recently introduced a Young Einstein’s Club. Speakers will be invited on a weekly basis to talk on thought provoking subjects, such as: philosophy, logic, history of art, how medicine has affected the course of history, to name but a few.