Community

Community involvement is a central feature of life at Ipswich School and we believe it is really important for pupils to play their part in supporting the community. Pupils are involved in a range of regular activities and termly fundraising campaigns for charities.

“Pupils show a generosity of spirit and appreciate the circumstances of those less fortunate than themselves.  Their strong commitment to community service is evident with high levels of participation in volunteering and charitable fundraising.” Ipswich School ISI Inspection Report, November 2014″

Community Involvement

Community involvement is a central feature of life at Ipswich School and one of our core aims.  Pupils from the Prep School to the Senior School have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities and charity fundraising, and the school is proud of the contribution it makes to the local community.

Community Work

Every week groups of pupils from Ipswich School take part in community work as part of the Thursday afternoon activities programme. This programme includes a wide range of activities.  Among them is Community Service Music, the Primary Schools activity, and the Eco Team.

Charity Fundraising

Over £50,000 was raised in three years by the Ipswich School community.

• £17,991 was raised in 2016-2017, with particular beneficiaries including the African Children’s Choir, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Suffolk Community Foundation who distributed the money to the Senior School’s selected Suffolk charities 4YP and Ipswich Homeless Action Group.
• £17,939 was raised in 2017-2018, with particular beneficiaries including the Neonatal Unit at Ipswich Hospital, African Children’s Choir and FIND (Families in Need).
• £14,989 was raised in 2018-2019, with particular beneficiaries including Age UK Suffolk, Marine Conservation Society, Suffolk Refugee Forum, and Ipswich Town Pastors and Suffolk Mind.

Community Benefit

Supporting local schools

The Latin Department run a Latin Outreach scheme for GCSE Latin for pupils from state secondary schools. Ipswich School teachers run the weekly lessons, and the school pays for the pupils to sit the GCSE exam at the end of the course. Sixteen pupils all passed their Latin GCSE in 2020, with 9 pupils achieving grades 8 or 9

Working in the community

Staff and pupils from the Design Technology department took DT out into the community in February 2019. They prepared materials, boxed up aprons and tools and headed out to the Westerfield Beavers unit, where they helped the Beavers gain their Building Badge.
Aged just 5 to 8 years old, the Beavers used simple building techniques to nail and glue together pieces of wood to create their own boats complete with masts, many using wood for the first time.

Sharing a passion for performance 

The Britten Faculty of Music arranges music education outreach, including lunchtime concerts for local primary schools and workshops for local senior and primary schools. The faculty also arranges summer music courses, and pupils from the Prep also perform musical concerts at Anglesea Heights nursing home.

Supporting young peoples’ learning

Ipswich School welcomes applications from potential pupils from all backgrounds, and offers financial assistance where applicable. We offer a means-tested bursaries scheme, with over a third of pupils in the Senior School having been awarded scholarships.

Supporting the local economy

The Independent Schools’ Council (ISC) has produced statistics on the economic impact of independent schools, from data collected in a survey of financial information from schools.

Community use of our facilities

A very wide range of organisations and groups hire our facilities via our trading company, Ipswich School Enterprises Ltd, Some of these facilities are hired at concessionary rates, considerably below the commercial rates, providing excellent value for money for community groups.

Eight primary schools in and around Ipswich receive help with minibus transport and drivers, along with six charities and voluntary organisations. Each year our drivers help Suffolk Refugee Centre to distribute food and Christmas hampers to refugee families in the Ipswich area.

Sports facilities 

We have agreed long term and regular use of our sports facilities by a local hockey club and netball club. Tennis courts are used by a tennis academy, which also uses the indoor sports hall for its younger players, and our football pitches are used by local clubs for adult and junior football.