BACK TO SCHOOL
The Perse School Upper School and Sixth Form: 27 September Pelican School and Prep School: 4 October Abbey College Cambridge 15 November Bishop’s Stortford College 20 September Kimbolton School Senior School: 20 September Pre-School and Prep School: 3 October Sixth Form: 13 November Stephen Perse Cambridge Early Years and Junior School: 13 September Senior School: 27 September Sixth Form: 16 October Open days 2025
Another initiative at Bishop’s Stortford College is an ambitious languages programme. The mission is for every child to study languages all the way through their school career, starting at age three. The programme is set to include language clubs and business language courses on top of the traditional A- and AS-levels in sixth form, so no pupil, regardless of commitments and aspirations, misses out. A similar focus on innovation for pupils in years 5 and 6 at Kimbolton Prep includes an introduction to engineering, as well as emphasising creative thinking, teamwork and critical analysis. Meanwhile, Abbey College Cambridge offers parts of its popular sixth form programme to younger pupils, to hone their skills in research, critical thinking and collaboration. Budding medics in year 9 might study an (imaginary) patient history, learning to think like a doctor and work out what questions to ask to gain more information. “We’re encouraging them to think as if they were these professionals, building up their subject knowledge,” says Ellen Hesse. The future is bright School leaders also exude positivity when it comes to investing in the future, from a new sixth form centre at Bishop’s Stortford College to the addition of a preschool at Kimbolton Prep, opening early next year, where three- and four-year-olds can enjoy a gentle introduction to ‘big school’ complete with swimming lessons, a forest school, PE and music lessons, before moving up to reception the following year.
Schools are also keenly aware of the good they can do by helping others. Some initiatives support the local community, like Kimbolton Prep pupils serving meals to over-65s or Abbey College Cambridge students helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their educational potential. Meanwhile, Bishop’s Stortford College will host a futures and universities fair in early 2026, potentially attracting up to 4,000 visitors from state and independent schools and colleges. Starting – and continuing – the new academic year with impressive innovation, schools stress that ensuring students benefit from a first-class education remains top of the agenda. “The starting point has to be how we can nurture each individual student,” says Abbey Jones at Stephen Perse Cambridge. “The key is working out how, even in a school of our size, every student can still feel seen and supported throughout their educational journey.”
GETTING HANDS-ON Stephen Perse Cambridge (top) and Kimbolton (above) seek to nurture
54 SEPTEMBER 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
Powered by FlippingBook