Age range. 2½–13.
Number of pupils. 250 pupils including 33 full, 22 weekly, and 60 flexi boarders.
Fees per term (from January 2025). Nursery: £32 per session. Pre-Prep: from £5,324 (Day).
Prep: Day from £8,478, Weekly Boarding from £11,352, Full Boarding from £12,419. All fees inclusive of VAT.
The school has one of the most beautiful and expansive settings in the UK, housed in an 18th-century mansion, within 110 acres of stunning grounds on the banks of the River Orwell. The adjacent pre-prep building is a new, purpose-built facility that combines innovative indoor spaces with an interactive forest school setting.
This is a busy and exciting education that makes the most of superb facilities to provide an unparalleled co-curricular experience with outstanding preparation for senior schools.
The timetable is especially designed to be very flexible, with setting in most subjects, a potential scholars’ set in Year 7 and a scholarship set in Year 8. The curriculum, both in and out of the classroom, is unusually broad. Children are encouraged to enjoy their learning and good learning support is offered. Thinking Skills and other opportunities for academic enrichment are also offered, including a weekly evening lecture programme to challenge the older children. There is a host of extracurricular activities (just under 100) run by permanent or visiting staff.
Over 90% of the school learn a musical instrument and the school has a number of orchestral and ensemble groups. Drama is strong – all children have opportunities to perform regularly in school productions, and LAMDA lessons are offered as an extracurricular activity. All children take part in annual Reading and Public Speaking Competitions.
The very large Georgian style building and 110 acres of grounds (sandy soil) on the banks of the River Orwell have the following special features: 21 recently refurbished themed dormitories, 22 bright classrooms with modern audio-visual equipment, beautiful Orangery used as an Assembly and Lecture Hall, 2 ICT suites, large Design Centre including metal, wood and plastic workshop plus electronics, mechanics, home economics, radio and model-making areas, Music Technology Room, Music Room and 40 Practice rooms, Music Recording Studio, 2 Laboratories plus associated areas, brand new Library, Art Room including large pottery area and kiln, Observatory with 10' Refractor Telescope, Photographic Room, 17 Games pitches and one Astroturf pitch, one Multi-Use Games Area, large Sports Hall with permanent stage, Climbing Wall, Games Room, large heated Swimming Pool, 3 Squash Courts, 5 Hard Tennis Courts, Nine-hole Golf Course (approximately 1,800 yards) and a purpose-built Assault Course.
Good sports coaching is given and fixtures are arranged in the following sports: rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, tennis, athletics, squash, sailing, swimming and cross-country running. Emphasis is also placed on individual physical activities and we offer a wide range including gymnastics, fencing, ballet, canoeing, sailing, modern dance, karate, riding and clay pigeon shooting.
The School aims to introduce the pupils to a broad and varied set of experiences and opportunities. It tries to see that every activity, whether academic, sporting, social or character building, is properly taught using the best possible facilities and that each is conducted in an atmosphere which is friendly but disciplined. Under the overarching value of integrity, the school’s core values are: kindness, collaboration, courage, spirit and respect.
Charitable status. Orwell Park School is a Registered Charity, number 310481. It exists to provide education for boys and girls.