Here, we profile some of the best independent schools across Stamford and the surrounding area, offering the very best education the region has to offer…

Stamford Welland Academy
For children of all abilities and backgrounds…

Stamford Welland Academy joined the Meridian family of schools in 2014. We are a school for all children in Stamford and the surrounding areas which is at the heart of the community. A school which educates the ‘whole’ child. A school which provides a breadth of opportunities for all. A school which celebrates the achievement of all.

We are an ever-expanding secondary school with admissions increasing in every year group each year. The confidence that the community has in our excellent pastoral care and quality of teaching means that we are growing at a rapid rate within the Stamford community.

These are exciting times for Stamford Welland and every week we welcome more new students to the academy – we have seen pupil numbers grow by 35% in the last 4 years. The improvements to the learning environment over the last couple of years and the improvements yet to come; coupled with our rich and varied curriculum and exceptional pastoral care, all ensure that we have a thriving, popular academy. OFSTED visited us in September 2021 and they, too, agreed that SWA is a fantastic place to learn.  Please join us at our upcoming Open Evening on Tuesday 20th June from 5pm.

Please call 01780 761000 to speak to a member of the admissions team or see www.stamfordwellandacademy.org.

Laxton Junior School
Innovative approach to play & child-led learning…

Teaching our youngest children is really special. It requires a particular passion and skill…and a desire to enter the amazing world of their imagination. Our small classes and one-to-one approach enable us to get to know each child really well from the outset, building both trust and confidence. We respond to their brilliant ideas and interests, working with them through play to wonder where, what, why and how. We call this the Power of Play because is it through play and without any inhibitions, limitations or expectations, that four-year-old children truly fall in love with learning. This is, without doubt, the strongest possible foundation for their future development.

Supporting this vision for learning is our brand new, state-of-the-art Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) space which opened in September. Working closely with specialist architects, the existing classrooms have been reimagined to become a dynamic, open plan indoor and outdoor learning space that maximises opportunities for learning through play in all weathers. Sustainability has been central to the development, with the space making use of natural eco-friendly materials, connecting with nature and the environment.

Join us and experience a taste of LJS at our Reception Family Day on Saturday 20th May. We will have lots of fun activities, all designed with pre-schoolers in mind, and some summer refreshments for the grownups. Everyone is welcome – whether you are actively looking for a school place, are just starting to explore your options or simply want to learn more about EYFS and how you can best support your child’s learning.

Laxton Junior School (part of Oundle School), www.laxtonjunior.org.uk, [email protected]. Call 01832 277275 or see Instagram laxtonjuniorschool.

The Peterborough School
Peterborough’s Family School since 1895…

The Peterborough School, or ‘TPS’ as it’s affectionately called, has evolved over the past 128 years and is familiar to many local families under its various name changes since it was first established as a High School for girls in 1895. The school moved to its current site in 1936, a beautiful Grade II Listed house called ‘Westwood House’, until its name changed back to ‘Peterborough High School’ in 1991. When the first Headmaster, Mr Adrian Meadows joined the School in 2007, he made the decision in 2010 to allow the admission of Boys into Years 7 and 12 and – as the only coeducational independent school in the city – was renamed, ‘The Peterborough School’.

Since then, under his leadership, the School has gone from strength to strength, with a proud vision of ‘unlocking the potential of each and every child’.  As a ‘Through School’, TPS provides pupils from Nursery to Sixth Form with a continuous journey of progression and instills ambition, with experienced teachers that help each child to flourish and where every pupil has the freedom to thrive. The School has high standards and expectations and offers talented pupils scholarships in academia, music, sport and the Arts at key entry points of Year 7 and Sixth Form.

TPS offers small class sizes, with personalised learning and wrap-around pastoral care. The Gifted and Talented programme runs alongside Independent Learning where children often exceed their initial expectations and go on to achieve top grades at GCSE and A-Level, with 2022 results having an 100% Pass Rate. With so much on offer, the opportunities for every child are boundless.

www.thepeterboroughschool.co.uk, email [email protected] or call 01733 343357.

Oakham School
Wellbeing at Oakham School…

Wellbeing: the most important thing we can teach our pupils. As wellbeing remains a top priority for schools across the globe, Oakham School’s Deputy Head Pastoral, Sarah Gomm, explores the importance of pastoral learning. Offering an outstanding education for 10 to 18 year olds in the heart of Rutland, the School is introducing a new connected curriculum, meaning pastoral learning will be taught to all pupils during lesson time by specialist staff.

“Pastoral care is far moreimportant than anything else we teach children in School,” says Sarah. “I’m a big believer in all of the wonderful things we offer at Oakham School, but whilst exam results and academia are important, you could probably go through school without understanding covalent bonding, but you can’t go through life without knowing how to look after your wellbeing.”

“If pupils are feeling in a good place and their mental and physical wellbeing are robust, we know that they’re ready to learn. There’s a significant link between academic resilience and personal resilience, so if you’re in a state of mind where you’re happy and healthy, your ability to learn and achieve will be significantly higher.”

“The additional class time will allow us to really focus on wellbeing and make time for these hugely important life lessons. It supports our existing tutorial programme and the work our excellent Housemasters and Housemistresses do.”

To book a place at an Open Event or arrange an individual visit, please contact the Admissions team: 01572 758758 or visit oakham.rutland.sch.uk.