Ripley Court is shortlisted for the Independent Prep School of the year 2021 Posted - 05/07/2021

We are beyond excited to announce that we have been shortlisted for the Independent Schools of the Year 2021, Prep School of the Year.

This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Ripley Court community. Ripley Court is an idyllic environment for educating our pupils with extensive playing fields, its own forest school, and an indoor swimming pool. From Nursery to Year 6, our pupils benefit from all the on-site facilities with our youngest pupils attending Forest School, Cooking (in our purpose-built Food Technology classroom), partaking in French and Music lessons and swimming every week. At Ripley Court, we pride ourselves on having a warm, family atmosphere where exceptional pastoral care is at the heart of what we do. Many prospective families comment on this essence to the school when visiting.

This year, Ripley Court introduced Philosophy to the timetable for Years 3-6. Enabling critical thinking skills, analysing, and solving problems, and assessing proposed solutions, pupils have enjoyed reflecting on and fostering, creativity all underpinned by our values of (Perseverance, Aspiration, Curiosity and Kindness).

Our supportive and nurturing school enables pupils to fulfil their potential and become confident and independent lifelong learners equipped for life beyond their time at school. 

During the period of home learning, we set a bespoke timetable to enable children to participate in both live teaching lessons and access information on our online learning platform, ‘Showbie.’ We endeavoured to strike a balance between face to face and independent learning, understanding that each family circumstance and needs were different. The implementation of Wellbeing sessions and Mindfulness were invaluable and will continue to feature in September.

Furthermore, a sense of social connection is nurtured through our solid links within the community. Ripley Court’s relationship with local care homes has flourished; it has brought two generations together to build a happier and stronger community, tackling isolation and mental health by connecting the generations.

We support each pupil in reaching their full potential through our broad curriculum and the wealth of extra-curricular activities offered. We are proud of the pupils’ academic successes, with many Year 6 pupils obtaining scholarships to their chosen secondary schools. We celebrate achievements in all areas of learning and understand that intelligence is not just linked to academics.

Our extra-curricular provision enables pupils to participate in a range of activities, including Archery, Bushcraft and Judo. Our before school breakfast club and after school care provides wrap-around care for children whose parents are working until 6 pm.

We want to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to the Ripley Community, who work together to ensure that children receive a quality holistic education in our warm, nurturing, and vibrant school. We feel very proud of all that we have achieved. Finalists for this Award will be announced in September!