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The Stephen Perse Foundation

The Stephen Perse Foundation is a family of independent schools combining excellent results and achievement alongside personal wellbeing located across Cambridge and Saffron Walden; educating boys and girls from nursery to sixth form where students gain an exceptional skill set that supports ambition, nurtures talent, encourages creativity and critical thinking leading to success and self-fulfilment.

History of the Stephen Perse Foundation

Formerly the Perse Girls School, founded in 1881, the Foundation developed to become the Stephen Perse Foundation in 2007, and first admitted boys into the Senior School in 2017. The Foundation has grown over recent years, adding a co-educational sixth form to its highly successful Senior School in 2008, and four nurseries and early years settings (three in Cambridge and one at Dame Bradbury’s in Saffron Walden) between 2010 and 2021. The Foundation has been fully co-educational in all settings since 2017 and now comprises four nurseries, two junior schools, a senior school and sixth form.

Predominantly a day school, there are currently 65 (mainly sixth form) boarders. As well as its reputation for academic excellence, The Stephen Perse Foundation is renowned for an innovative approach to education, and a focus on preparing students for the future.

Leadership structure

The Foundation is a Charitable Trust with a typical governance structure of a large voluntary board with a breadth of professional experience. Many of our Governors work within the Colleges or Faculties of Cambridge University, or in the local Cambridge or wider economy. A number of Governors are current or recent parents. Strategic objectives and budgets are proposed by the Principal and the  Operational and Educational Executive and refined through discussion with Governing Body committees, before ratification by the Governing Body.

The School is led and managed by the Principal and the Executive, which currently comprises the Principal, Vice Principal, Chief Financial Officer, Charitable Foundation Director and Senior Deputy Head (11-18).  It is envisaged that the Head of Dame Bradbury’s will be one of a number of appointments to be made in the coming year that will bolster the capacity of the Executive and the wider leadership of the Foundation. Richard Girvan took up post as Principal in 2020 and the Foundation is part-way through a leadership and management review, with the establishment of a new committee structure of middle and senior leaders within and between our settings. The Principal and Senior Deputy Head (11-18) oversee the Secondary School, with the Vice Principal having oversight of the 1-11 settings. Each Junior school site is currently led day to day by a Head of School and the four nurseries are collectively led and managed by a Head and Deputy Head of Nurseries and EYFS, with on site nursery managers in each setting.

Centralised HR, Finance, Admissions, Estates, Marketing, Facilities, Data, Compliance and IT support departments serve all of the schools of the Foundation and their work is coordinated through a dedicated Heads of Sections committee. The Admissions and Marketing teams are based at Rosedale House, with other support departments run largely from the Cambridge sites.

Curriculum

The Stephen Perse Foundation aims to foster modern scholarship through exceptional teaching and a dynamic, flexible and rigorous academic curriculum. We recognise that we are educating children in preparation for life in an ever-changing, global and digital world. Pupils gain an exceptional skill set at Stephen Perse; an all-round education that supports ambition, nurtures talent, and encourages creativity and critical thinking, leading to personal achievement and self-fulfilment. Pupils gain the skills, knowledge and practical experience to become the change-makers of their future world. Pupils have access to iPads across the curriculum (The Foundation has ‘Apple Distinguished School’ status) and digital skills are learnt and applied within all lessons in tandem with the acquisition of core academic knowledge and skills. Teaching is delivered by class teachers and subject specialists, inspiring and enabling pupils to develop in the creative subjects, languages, mathematics, English, sciences, humanities and physical education.

Sport

Physical activity and an enjoyment of being outdoors are important facets of our education for all our pupils. As well as the generous provision within curriculum time, there is a good range of sports clubs for the children to choose from and the teaching of rugby, hockey, cricket and netball. There's an emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play, as well as teamwork and we strive for a balance between stretching the best athletes and being inclusive. For most sports, there are house competitions, pupil sport captains, with cups for individual sports, and the overall House Sports Cup is presented to the winning house on sports day. There is an extensive fixture programme across the range of sports with local schools for Years 3-6 organised by the Head of Sport.

Performing Arts

Music is part of the core curriculum with orchestra and choir integral to the timetable. Everyone plays an instrument and over half of pupils take specialist lessons. There is a significant programme of clubs and opportunities for pupils to develop and take part in groups organised by the Head of Performing Arts.

Our pupils have plenty of opportunities to take to the stage. We put on plays and concerts, as well as many other events, including visits by the Young Shakespeare Company and Freshwater Theatre. All of our Year groups perform to the parent body at some point in the year to showcase their music and drama skills. In Year 6, children can also learn to use the sound and lighting rig, so everyone can get involved in putting on a show-stopping performance.

CDE

The CDE curriculum gives children a space in which their ideas can run wild. From sewing and sketching, to model building and using iPads to create avatars, the studio is a place where pupils’ imaginations have a creative outlet. Specialist teaching for CDE is for Years 4-6 by our Head of CDE.

Outdoor Learning

In Forest School children enjoy and explore the natural world as they learn about native trees, identify local birdlife and discover exactly which wood is best for making a bow and arrow. They go in all weathers and love every minute. We have a Forest School Lead across the Foundation who works with EYFS and Years 1 and 2.

Our outside learning programme and Forest School status mean that our grounds often double as a classroom, helping children to understand and appreciate the natural world. There's plenty to explore, including our teaching and environmental gardens and a dipping pond. We also have access to local woodlands and open spaces which our children use to develop their Forest Skills even further.

While they’re having fun, they’re also learning skills such as teamwork, woodland crafts, how to use tools and staying safe outdoors. They discuss what they want to do during a session and what they need, then work together to arrange it – building a den becomes an exercise in communication and working in a group when you’ve got heavy branches to carry. Crucially, they also learn how sustainable practices are vital to the preservation of our environment. Our Foundation Head of Sustainability works with champions at all of our sites to raise awareness and inculcate sustainability among pupils and staff.

Co-curricular

Clubs are held before school, during lunch and after school and range from chess to gardening to Lego animation, and beyond. The majority are run by teaching staff with some run by specialist teachers and coaches. Day trips and residential trips offer additional opportunities and are well supported by staff and well attended by pupils.