Two Derbyshire schools, which promote similar values and share the same passion to see their pupils flourish, are exploring the opportunity to join forces and enhance educational opportunities for children from ages 2½ to 18. St. Wystan’s School and Repton School have begun a conversation to explore the benefits for students, staff, and community if St Wystan’s were to become part of the Repton family of schools – a move which could happen in September 2020.
Both schools are located in the historic village of Repton in South Derbyshire, situated between Derby and Burton-on-Trent. Repton School is a central part of its namesake village, which is also known for its thriving community and a fascinating past dating back to Anglo-Saxon and Viking times. Some of its medieval buildings are at the heart of the School, founded in 1557, and remain in daily use by both pupils and staff.
The two schools share a close history, reaching back to 1926 when St. Wystan’s School was founded by Lady Fisher – wife of Geoffrey Fisher, who was then Headmaster of Repton School and later became Archbishop of Canterbury. The School is named after the 9th-century Anglo-Saxon saint, part of the royal family of Mercia, who was buried in the parish church which also bears his name. Originally, lessons were conducted in the village’s Court Room; but in 1937 St Wystan’s moved to its present site on the High Street, a building which had previously been one of Repton School’s boarding houses – Latham House. Although the two institutions have remained separate organisations, through the years they have retained close connections, as part of the same community and with many Reptonians starting their educational journey at St Wystan’s.
About St. Wystan’s School
St. Wyston’s School has three stages for its pupils – from nursery age to pre-teen. Children as young as 2½ can enroll in the nursery, where they are provided a warm and nurturing environment. The role of the nursery is to stimulate and encourage a child’s development, and compassionate and expert teachers carefully implement a wisely-built and research-backed pedagogy: the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. Following their nursery years, at the age of 4 children transition to the Pre-Prep School, where they engage in a full day of education and activities. Then at age 7 pupils take their final step into the Prep School. Here they follow a broad curriculum, encompassing Mathematics, English, History, Geography, Science, IT and Computing, French, Music, Religious Education, Art, Design and Technology, PSHE and PE, and all are encouraged to excel academically, athletically, and creatively.
Throughout their entire experience pupils hear the reaffirming motto of St. Wystan’s School: ‘Where Children Come First.’ Indeed, the ongoing mission of St. Wystan’s School is “to provide an outstanding all-round education in a supportive and nurturing family environment where each individual succeeds and fulfills their potential.”
The aims of the School include the following:
- To embrace happy, independent, smiling and confident children
- To offer small class sizes, high standards of behaviour and attainment
- To encourage confidence from a young age, preparing them for the next stage of their educational journey
- To meet the intellectual, physical, and emotional needs of each child by offering an inspiring and wide-range curriculum
- To inspire and develop the whole child, providing educational opportunities that extend far beyond the curriculum
- To foster resilience, motivation and self-worth through a growth mindset approach
- To instill a safe, nurturing environment that enables a spirit of compassion and mutual respect
- To work in close partnership with parents and the school community
- To promote a thirst for learning
Following completion of their time at St. Wystan’s at the end of Year 6, pupils are very well placed to move on to the next phase of their educational journey and a variety of different secondary schools. A regular number already transition to Foremarke Hall, the preparatory school of Repton, and then join the senior school itself in Year 9.
About Repton School
Repton School was founded in 1557 and is home today to around 640 pupils, boys and girls aged 13 to 18 years. The School is fully co-educational and caters for both boarding and day pupils but it retains a traditional house system, with six boys’ houses and four girls’, which underpins the structure of the community. The size of the School and this strong house structure provide them with a closely supportive environment, which enables them to flourish individually and as part of the community. As a result pupils develop a distinctive level of confidence, poise and happiness, combined with an awareness of the needs of others and an outward-looking perspective
The School offers its pupils exceptional academic opportunity, but Repton is committed to a holistic education – in educating “the whole child” not only academically but through the wider curriculum and enrichment programs. These encompass areas of extracurricular activity such as sports, music, drama and art, and pupils have gone on to enjoy distinguished careers in professional sport and the arts – talents that were developed at Repton. There is a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and the School aims to produce young people who exhibit the following traits:
- Globally aware and internationally-minded
- Intellectually curious, culturally informed, and spiritually alive
- Happy, resilient, robust, self-motivated, and confident
- Socially conscious, politically informed and environmentally aware
- Technologically fluent
- Committed to excellence in all that they do
By attending Repton School, pupils are also provided with the opportunity of exposure to global culture. Repton has established multiple international schools in UAE, Singapore, China, Bulgaria, and Egypt, with more anticipated to open in the coming years. In a multilingual and increasingly globalised world, the students enjoy the distinctive advantage of being part of this international family – a benefit that few other secondary schools are able to provide.
Providing A Strong Future for Students
The direction that both schools provide for their pupils is designed to build a progressive and strong path to their success as adults and to enable them to make a positive impact in the world. The solid foundation that each school provides – a holistic environment that cares for the whole child, high academic aspiration allied with personalised support, multiple extracurricular activities, mental and emotional guidance, leadership opportunities, and an extensive support system – offers a pathway for every pupil to meet the expectations of their futures and the chance to become the best version of themselves.
Learn more about Repton School at their website: https://www.reptoninternational.com/
