Stamford Endowed Schools has been educating students for some 490 years. In that time,  the school has evolved organically from a small school room in the Chapel to the vibrant and  exciting place of education it now offers for children. They are continuing that evolution by  becoming fully co-educational from September 2023, offering learning from 2-18 years across a large campus in the heart of Stamford. Pride spoke to Will Phelan, Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools, to discuss the exciting plans for the future of this historic institution…

Why the move to co-educational teaching across all the Stamford Schools?       

First and foremost, the central focus for everyone at Stamford is the Stamfordian student.  The benefits of being together will offer even more pastoral support and spaces for our  students, more contact time with teachers and more subject options in the future, as well as all of the benefits of being in a co-educational environment. 93% of all children in the UK are already in co-educational schools and most children have a mixed primary education. The diamond structure has served us well but I cannot think of many other environments where segregation by gender still takes place, apart from a rapidly dwindling number of educational establishments.

The world all of our Stamfordians will enter is even now very different from five years ago, and for those starting with us in Year 1 will be different again. Preparing our children in a co-educational environment, in addition to providing a brilliant Stamfordian education, will enhance our students even further and prepare them for this challenge.

What are your aims for your students?       

Giving our students opportunities to thrive, to be the best version of themselves and unlock their full potential, is what we have always done at Stamford, and we will continue to do. We don’t want to change who we are, the Stamfordian is both rounded and grounded, but we do want to exponentially enhance what we do and how we do it. We want them to be respectful and inclusive, fulfilled through their friendships, families and relationships, to think for themselves, to be aspirational, to embrace innovation and simply put to thrive, now and in the future.

How will you fit all your students onto one site?

The simple answer is that we just won’t! Currently the students are split by gender at both of our senior school sites, with the Sixth Form predominately at the larger campus at Stamford School. From 2023, we will make our St Martin’s site a dedicated Sixth Form Centre just for Years 12 and 13, creating an unique campus for Sixth Form learning. We will give them an independent space that prepares them for Further Education once they leave us. Our St Paul’s site and its wide-open spaces will become home to a combined Senior School, which will increase numbers by approximately 30 on this site from September 2023. The Senior School could take up to an additional 80 children in the future, but this is predicted numbers for entry years beyond 2024.

What new facilities will there be?   

We are very excited to shortly be opening our new sports facility, the Wothorpe Sports Centre at Kettering Road. We have transformed the Astroturf pitches to provide a first class provision for our schools and the town. The new facility will be home to a fitness suite, two new studio rooms for classes in Pilates, and Spinning to name a few, extensive changing facilities as well as spectating facilities. At the same time we are reviewing all elements of our estates plan to make sure it  meets our new needs. We will be investing in science, pastoral spaces, academic spaces, sports, parking and of course our new Sixth Form.

When will the transition begin?       

We have a very robust and exciting transition plan which is already underway this year, so we are ready for September 2023. All our current pupils in years 7 – 10 are included and will follow a programme of activities to help them integrate and get to know each other. There will be a focus on adventure, community, and academic work, as well as time in new house groups and tutor groups. We have six transition events throughout this academic year to prepare pupils. It is an exciting time for our school.

Find Out More: Stamford Endowed Schools provides education for pupils from 2-18 years with nursery school, junior, senior and sixth form schools. It is now a co-educational institution. For a personal tour or a prospectus, call 01780 668000 or see www.stamfordschools.org.uk.