Woodbridge School Prep is delighted to once again be hosting and sponsoring the Young East Anglian Artist competition and exhibition; a community centred, philanthropic event that captures the imaginations of children at local primary schools across the region; engaging the prowess of thousands of budding young artists. The theme for 2026 is ‘Discovery’ which is at the heart of all creativity; the thrill of uncovering something new, the quiet wonder of a hidden detail, or the bold leap into the unknown!
Children have been invited to not only reflect on discovery through art, but also to help fuel real-world breakthroughs; the last four years have seen this competition raise over £5,000 for Cancer Research UK, and proceeds from the competition will continue to support this fantastic cause – creating opportunities for lifesaving discoveries, better treatments and more hopeful futures.
The competition also offers children the chance to have their artwork displayed in a professional gallery, artwork invited from nursery age to Year 6 in schools across Suffolk.
This year’s judges include Alice Ridley, Laurel Berry, Spadge Hopkins and Amanda Warren:
Alice Ridley studied theatre design at Nottingham Trent and then fine art at London Fine Art Studios. She strives to provide beauty through the medium of oil and charcoal, skilfully conveying the complexity of light. She is an inspiring art teacher to others and is a frequent exhibitor in East Anglia. Her outdoor love of rural Suffolk and capture of the simple snapshots of home life, are richly conveyed in her paintings.
Laurel Berry is a Suffolk-based painter inspired by the wild, both in the natural world and in the way paint moves across canvas. Her work captures the energy and emotion of wildlife through layered textures, wobbly lines, and expressive brushwork. Each piece is a small act of connection between the viewer, the subject, and the living world we all belong to.
Spadge Hopkins’ work is informed by experience gained during a creative career that involved product design, music and engineering. Currently he works in metal and ceramics and also produces prints using various techniques. His metal sculptures often involve the use of void and shadow. Recent subjects have included music icons, natural history, automobiles and autobiographical themes exploring the past in an attempt to make sense of the present.
Amanda Warren uses a variety of media to create artworks imbued with a sense of mythology, time and place. For the past two summers she has worked in the Time Team dome at Sutton Hoo, collecting and developing ideas and engaging with visitors interested in the process. Paper, natural materials and textiles come together to create evocative pictures and vessels.
Judging all entries, a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winner, along with a Highly Commended piece will be selected. These will be exhibited alongside 250 other pieces of artwork, chosen from submissions to the competition, at the John Gibbins gallery in Woodbridge from 19 to 21 June 2026.
Funds have already been raised by each entrant contributing and making a minimum donation of £2.50 per piece of artwork, and more will be raised when selected pieces will be sold after the exhibition of artwork closes; all proceeds also going to Cancer Research UK.
We do hope you have the opportunity to visit the gallery and see some of the splendid artwork local children have created for yourselves.
Thank you to everyone who entered the competition, we’re excited to find out and announce our prize winners, and look forward to sharing more news with you once that selection has taken place.
Huge congratulations to our Equestrian team, Year 10’s Grace, Year 11’s Harry and Zac and Year 13’s Eve, on winning the HWA Intermediate 90-95cm Team Eventers’ Challenge Championships at the National Schools Equestrian Association Championships last week at Hickstead. This now totals five Eventers’ Challenge team wins in the last four years and is an incredible achievement – well done!
Our team of Year 9’s Kirsty, along with Year 8’s Daisy and Tati, also took second place (just one second behind the winners!) in the 70-75cm Showjumping County Championships – another incredible achievement.
Our report from Equestrian Coach Jake Hall shares more.
Jake Hall, Equestrian Coach
“Another year, another NSEA Championship Title!
We are beyond proud of Team Woodbridge School at this year’s NSEA Championship Hickstead on winning the 90-95 Eventers Challenge Championship. Our team of Year 10’s Grace, Year 11’s Harry and Zac and Year 13’s Eve, held first place position from early morning until the end of the day; it is an incredibly huge achievement to take this title.
Woodbridge then went on to take second place in the 70-75cm Showjumping County Championship, congratulations to our riders Year 9’s Kirsty, along with Year 8’s Daisy and Tati. They each jumped round one clear, then went on to all jump a second round clear – and very quickly. Coming in just one second behind the winners, this was another incredible achievement, well done everyone!
Thank you to all the riders for being not only brilliant riders but also for making these trips so much fun. Huge shout out to their parents who are so dedicated – we couldn’t do it without you!”
Year 12 Physics students and aspiring medics recently attended a workshop in conjunction with Churchill College, University of Cambridge, based in the West Hub Research Centre. The visit provided an opportunity to explore the fields of medical technology (medtech) and biomedical engineering while gaining an insight into university life and applications.
During the morning session, students took part in a series of practical and problem-solving activities. One challenge involved designing and managing a ‘hospital of the future’, where teams considered how emerging technologies could improve patient care, efficiency, and healthcare outcomes.
Students also worked with Arduino circuits to create and programme a robotic arm, modelling the type of technology used in modern surgical procedures. This activity demonstrated how principles of physics, engineering, and computing can be applied in real-world medical settings.
Enjoying lunch in the Churchill College canteen before taking part in a guided tour of the college grounds and facilities, students were given a real insight into student life at Cambridge and the resources available to undergraduates.
The day concluded with a workshop on the Oxbridge application process, learning about the admissions procedure, personal statements, interviews, and ways to strengthen a university application. This session offered valuable guidance for those considering applying to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge in the future.
As rehearsals continue for Year 9’s Shakespeare on the Lawn production of The Comedy of Errors, we recently met with Design students involved in collaborating with our Drama team on the programme design.
With the designs taking shape for our bespoke programme, as well as an exciting new line of merchandise, it was great to talk to Year 12’s Selena, Laura and Margot about their thoughts on progress so far, as well as how it feels to be working on such an exciting project.
Year 12’s Margot
“I think the most rewarding thing about the experience is having something that I’ve designed and made put out to the public, not just for students and teachers. I’m gaining so much experience thorough the whole process, it’s a brilliant experience. The most challenging part is definitely coming up with the right balance between the elements of the play and the contents of the design brief – but we’re making great progress!”
Year 12’s Laura
“This collaboration is a real-world application of our A level course. All of the skills I’ve learned during my time at School are being put into something that is actually going to be used outside of classroom; it’s very exciting.”
Year 12’s Selena
“Although I’m not specifically focusing on graphics beyond A levels, I am looking to do something creative in my future career. This project has taught me lots of transferrable skills, including: working in a team, adapting ideas to a brief, improving my drawing practice – these can all help me in the future, in so many ways.”
The production is being set in 1970s Brighton, so you can expect bright colours and bold prints as part of this design brief. Once all the designs have been submitted, just one will be chosen for the programme, featuring one of our talented designers. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to shop all of our designers’ work at the merchandise stall at this year’s Shakespeare on the Lawn.
Make sure you come along on 30 June and 1 July to secure your limited-edition souvenir. Tickets for both performances went on sale Monday 1 June and are available from ticketsource.com/woodbridge-school-drama.
We were invited to join Year 9 students as they rehearsed for this year’s Shakespeare on the Lawn, The Comedy of Errors, and met with them focusing on one specific scene. Taking time to read through their lines with one another, under the guidance of Ms Mayes and Mr Williams, it was a perfect opportunity to understand and see the hard work and process of rehearsals – and why they are so important, and not just from an performance point of view.
As each of the students, in character, read through their lines, there was time to consider what the meaning of some of Shakespeare’s 400 year old language actually meant in modern day language, and what impact this has on the person saying these lines – as well as the character hearing and receiving them; after all one feeds the other in terms of understanding and direction of how to react on stage.
The importance of tone was also discussed, focusing on where emphasis or elongation of particular words is needed – in order for the audience to understand and interpret, and in this scenario, for the other actors to understand what their characters’ reactions should be.
Time was also spent considering movement on stage, imagining props not yet built and thinking about how they would move around and interact with them; rehearsing in the theatre foyer this time due to an examination taking place and the poor weather meaning the lawn wasn’t an option unless they all wanted to be blown away, students really had to dig deep to visualise the stage, props, their position and that of their fellow actors – and indeed they did.
Talking about having hunger for performing, Ms Mayes, our Head of Drama spoke to students about the importance of de-coding Shakespeare before they even think about performing it, as well as the consideration of perspective and interpretation.
It’s clear to see all of the students are having a great time rehearsing, they’re getting to know and understand more about not only their own characters, but all of the others involved in the play. We spoke to Imogen who plays Antipholus of Ephesus and George who plays Dromio of Syracuse about how they feel they’re progressing and what they’re enjoying particularly.
Imogen, who plays Antipholus of Ephesus
A wealthy, hot-tempered, impulsive merchant whose life has been thrown into chaos by mistaken identity, he is married to Adriana, although their marriage is strained to say the least, mostly by misunderstandings and his frequent interactions with another woman!
“I’m really enjoying the rehearsals and excited to be part of this year’s Shakespeare on the Lawn. The process we’re going through means we’re learning so much about the play and our own and each others’ characters, we couldn’t perform without this part of rehearsing. My character is full of cheekiness, and I was really happy to be given this part; he’s always trying to tease his wife, and so that’s fun to play. I am most looking forward to seeing the entire play come together on performance nights, I think we all are!”
George, who plays Dromio of Syracuse
The loyal servant of Antipholus of Syracuse, he is known for his quick wit and physical comedy, often finding himself in the midst of hilarious misunderstandings and mistaken identities. Despite being mistreated by his m aster at times, they have a good relationship and together they provide lots of the play’s humour.
“Rehearsals are going really well so far, it’s interesting discussing the structure of the play and characters, and incredibly helpful to be able to make annotations to our scripts, so we can ensure the next time we come along it’s all taken in and considered so that each rehearsal improves more and more. The language can be quite complex so that’s a challenge at times. I’m looking forward to dress rehearsals, the costumes and props coming to life – just really excited to be part of this.”
Performances will take place as usual on our beautiful Chapel lawn on Tuesday 30 June and Wednesday 1 July. Tickets will go on sale soon, we’ll share details as soon as they become available.
The athletics season is now in full swing, and athletes from Woodbridge School have been busy competing in a range of events.
Year 10, South Suffolk Athletics
Several Year 10 athletes took part in the South Suffolk Athletics competition at Northgate on Tuesday 5 May. This was not a team event, but an opportunity to gain early-season experience and capture footage for GCSE PE.
There were several personal bests, and congratulations go to Oscar, Hamish, and the relay team of Ben, Hamish, Max and Oscar, who all won their races. As South Suffolk Athletics are now recording results, these Woodbridge athletes will be the first names on the record sheet.
Those competing were: Millie, Millie, Bay, Hamish, Oscar, Max, Ben, Seth, George, Albie and Harry.
Year 9, South Suffolk Athletics
Year 9 athletes competed at the South Suffolk Athletics Y9A competition at Northgate on Thursday 7 May in a team event, with both teams finishing 6th. The teams worked extremely well together, showing great support for one another, and for some students this was their first time representing the School in athletics. Notable performances included Imarah, who won discus; Peter and Alex, who placed first and second in javelin; and George, who finished second in the triple jump.
Competitors included Imarah, Imogen G, Sienna, Mariella, Jemima CO, Cecily, Frankie, Izzy C, Issy A, Clemence, Pip, Hexi, Alex S, George L, Henry, Thomas R, Dominic, Freddie H, Benedict, Arthur N, Xander, Rufus, Otto PS, Alex W and Peter.
Suffolk Club, and School Track and Field
On Sunday 10 May, 18 Woodbridge athletes competed in the Suffolk Club and School Track and Field Championships. It was a highly successful day, with many personal bests and podium finishes. Gold medals were won by Alexandra (800m), Hamish (800m and 1500m), Katherine (100m), Chloe (1500m), Imarah (discus), Ben (long jump), and Margot (high jump for the fourth consecutive year). Silver medals went to India B (800m), Ben (100m), Ollie L (1500m), Dex (1500m), and Eirann (high jump and javelin). Bronze medals were achieved by Archie (800m), Alexandra (1500m), and Imogen (high jump).
Athletes competing were: Year 7’s Walter and Callum; Year 8’s Katherine, Juno, Chloe, Ollie and Archie; Year 9’s India B, India J, Alexandra, Ella, Imarah, Imogen and Dex; Year 10’s Ben, Eirann and Hamish; and Year 12’s Margot.
Good luck to Katherine, Chloe, India B, Alexandra,Imogen, Imarah, Dex , Hamish and Ben who will be competing for Suffolk at the Anglians on Saturday 20 June.
Year 7 to 10, Suffolk Track and Field Cup
Athletes from Years 7 to 10 were back in Bury St Edmunds on Tuesday 12 May for the Suffolk Track and Field Cup. In this event, all athletes compete with schools across Suffolk, in two disciplines, scoring points based on performance. It was another strong day for Woodbridge, with both junior teams and the inter girls’ team winning, and the inter boys finishing second by just one point.
Top scorers included Chloe (46), Katherine and Martha (36) for the junior girls; Ollie and Jesse (34) for the junior boys; India B (43), Alexandra and Imarah (39), and India J and Erin (35) for the inter girls; and Oscar (45), Ben (42) and Hamish (34) for the inter boys. We now await confirmation of qualification for the regional round on Friday 12 June.
Congratulations to the junior girls and the inter girls teams who have qualified for the regional A final and the junior boys who qualified for the regional B finals.
Well done all and thank you to the staff for running events and looking after the teams.
Our Year 8, 10 and 12 Geographers have been out and about on various field trips to Dunwich, Aldeburgh and Felixstowe respectively. Our report from Mrs Gill our Head of Geography, shares more details about each of them.
Mrs Gill, Head of Geography
“The Geography department have been making the most of the (mostly) Spring sunshine (apologies Year 12 who had more than a little rain!) to embark on various field trips in the local area.
Year 8 arrived on the beach at Dunwich to try to identify what processes are occurring and if erosion is still happening. They measured beach profiles, sediment characteristics, wave types, rates of longshore drift and drew field sketches. They also learned a little about the history of this once great medieval city – now a village of less than 200 people – all because of erosion! In paper 3 of the GCSE exam, students are questioned about fieldwork techniques, such as sampling strategies, and have to use their own experience to answer questions on the accuracy and reliability of their data collection methods and assessment of the validity of their conclusions.
The coastal defences to the south of Aldeburgh provided an excellent opportunity for Year 10 to see if the groynes, seawall and riprap are effective and to find out what other alternatives might be being considered. It was a little overcast and cool but students eventually collected the data required to write up their enquiry.
Year 12 were at Felixstowe completing two different pieces of fieldwork. Firstly, they walked a transect through the town and along the prom, investigating the theory of rebranding. UK seaside towns have declined as tourism destinations, and they have had to reinvent themselves for both visitors and residents; this part of the investigation was to identify what has been done in Felixstowe. After a fish and chip lunch, the very damp Year 12 geographers took soggy measurements to answer the question ‘To what extent do beaches between groynes conform to a typical model diagram?’
The constant rain meant that sadly there are no photos of our very resilient Year 12 students, but it’s such a valuable learning opportunity – a chance to practise fieldwork techniques, learn new ways of collecting different types of data and also to confirm and question ideas learned in the classroom. The formal writing up of their investigations also reinforces good enquiry structure for when students complete their own individual investigation, worth up to 20% of their actual A level.”
Our Music Scholarship Enrichment Programme recently hosted a conducting masterclass with the acclaimed Darren Bloom.
A gifted communicator and renowned composer, he brought a contagious yet calm energy to the room, instantly putting the music scholars at ease with his encouraging and approachable teaching style.
The session was highly interactive, ensuring every student had the hands-on opportunity to step onto the podium and lead the ensemble themselves. Under his expert guidance, the scholars explored the power of gesture and interpretation, gaining a genuine appreciation for just how challenging and nuanced the art of conducting can be.
It was an afternoon filled with enjoyment and ‘lightbulb moments’ as students moved beyond their primary instruments to see the orchestra from a fresh vantage point. Ultimately, the masterclass succeeded in deeply enriching their School experience, providing a unique perspective on musical leadership that they will carry with them throughout their studies.
Our talented musicians gathered at St Mary’s Church for an evening of exceptional chamber music last week. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended and supported our students, and to the music teachers and staff whose dedication made this wonderful event possible. Our Director of Music, Mr Woodley shared his review of this delightful evening.
“What a truly beautiful evening! The atmosphere at St Mary’s was stunning, with the spring sunshine streaming through the church windows as we enjoyed a diverse and sophisticated programme that highlighted the immense talent of our students.
The success of the evening was a testament to the students’ hard work in preparation; from the intricate lines of the Baroque era to modern arrangements, every performance was met with warm appreciation from the audience.
Seckford Strings opened the concert vibrantly with Purcell’s Rondeau from Abdelazer. Our thanks go to Mrs Brennan for her expert coaching of this ensemble and our two string quartets, whose performances throughout the night were a credit to her guidance. Following the opening, we enjoyed a masterful performance of Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps by our soloist Georgia on the violin.
Vocalist Year 13’s Emily provided a moment of grace with her performance of the Recitative Behold, a virgin shall conceive from Handel’s Messiah, demonstrating great vocal maturity. The Mozart Quintet then brought classical elegance to the church with the Minuet and Trio from Divertimento.
The second half of the programme offered wonderful variety. The Senior String Quartet showcased their versatility with a fun arrangement of Food Glorious Food, followed by the cello ensemble, Cellisti. They performed Cellango!, a piece of particular significance as it was composed for GCSE music coursework by an Old Woodbridgian. A further highlight was the collaboration between Year 7’s Anasuya and her sister on violin and piano, who performed Tchaikovsky’s Chanson Triste with great sensitivity.
The evening reached a grand conclusion with the Chamber Orchestra, under the superb conducting of Mrs Alzapiedi. They were joined by Old Woodbridgian Abigail returning to play with the ensemble. Their performance of movements from Peter Warlock’s Capriol Suite—including the Basse Danse, Pavane, Pieds-en-L’air, and Mattachins—was a resounding success and a fitting end to a sophisticated night of music.
It was a joy to see our community come together to celebrate these young musicians in such a vibrant and encouraging environment!”
I am delighted to be able to share with you our exceptional report from our recent Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection, and can confirm that all regulatory standards have been met, highlighting numerous areas of excellence across School life.
The inspectors took their time to get to understand the culture of our values driven School and its inner workings. Their findings reflect the School that we all know, and states that every child thrives through the support of our staff, governors, pastoral care, the curriculum offering itself, and our extensive co-curricular offering.
Shona Norman, Head
Having introduced a new inspection framework in September 2023, the ISI’s new framework does not use single word judgements or grades; instead, inspectors report on whether standards are met or unmet with a reference to each section of a five point framework.
ISI standards are inspected and considered relating to:
Leadership and management
Quality of education
Students’ physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
Students’ social and economic education and contribution to society
Safeguarding
A team of nine inspectors visited Woodbridge School in March 2026, three years on from our last inspection where the School achieved double ‘Excellent’. As well as observation and analysis, the inspectors considered the views of students, staff and parents who responded to the ISI’s confidential pre-inspection questionnaire to reach their conclusions.
Confirming within the report that students across the entire School feel, “…overwhelmingly happy and safe in School. They are secure in the knowledge that they are cared for well”, it goes on to share that our boarders, “are happy and proud of their house”, which speaks volumes for their experience living and learning at Woodbridge School.
Going on to highlight the School’s values of character, kindness, community and excellence,
“Leaders ensure that the values are evident in policies and daily routines. Because of this, students’ behaviour and treatment of others is notably courteous and considerate. Leaders create a culture where mutual respect is paramount and the School environment is welcoming, differences are respected and students are able to express their individuality.”
Ever-encouraging a sense of belonging, all staff, including those that comprise the Senior Leadership Team, share exceptional relationships with students throughout the School, and the report recognised this with,
“Leaders are highly visible around the site, inspiring trust and confidence among students, staff and parents. They teach classes and know students and all members of staff by name, using learning walks to monitor standards and to keep informed about all aspects of School life. Their determination to be visible in the School community creates an egalitarian culture with a marked sense of belonging. Leaders model the Schools values, treating others with kindness and respect and are always eager to improve.”
In terms of success, the report recognises that, “Students of all ages achieve highly in relation to their starting point” and that recognition extends to detail that this is true for all students in relation to support for SEND, EAL, pastoral and academic need.
With over 100 co-curricular activities on offer throughout the School, the report also noted,
“Students participate in a broad and stimulating co-curricular programme which includes opportunities in academic pursuits, drama, music, creative arts, debating, outdoor pursuits and service opportunities, as well as options such as woodturning. Chess is popular. Many take speech and drama exams and success rates are high. Every child in Prep School participates in co-curricular offer, benefitting from the way the programme builds skills and allows them to make new friendships and have fun.”
Also acknowledging the importance of the benefit of linking education to real-life, to futures beyond School and real world learning, the report highlighted,
“Students are well prepared for life beyond School. Children in early years at Woodbridge School Prep work through a life skills programme which includes basic skills such as using cutlery or writing a thank you note. Year 1 are taught how to phone the emergency services and speak in front of an audience. In the Senior School life skills education such as cookery and first aid, sixth form experience allows students opportunities to manage their own travel, dress code and non-contact time. This cultivates students who embrace responsibility and think independently – and who are confident for their next stage.”
To summarise what is an incredibly detailed and extensive report, might be to highlight one very specific point made by the inspectors which was that every child thrives. The report confirmed that students recognise and acknowledge how lucky they are to be learning at Woodbridge School; they are fully aware of, where appropriate, the sacrifices made to ensure they learn in such a wonderful environment and are truly appreciate of it, in terms of the access they have to exceptional teaching, pastoral support and co-curricular opportunities – as well as having a truly beautiful physical environment in which to learn.
