Orwell Park Prep School Joins Benenden’s Family of Schools

Two of the UK’s leading independent schools have formally created an ambitious partnership aimed at sharing educational excellence across the senior and prep sectors.

Orwell Park School, in Suffolk, has officially joined the Benenden School family of schools after the merger was completed this week.

This partnership is rooted in a shared ethos of delivering a premium, modern education to children at both schools. In a statement, the schools said: “There is much we can learn from each other.”

Orwell Park is a highly respected day and boarding school in Suffolk for boys and girls aged 2-13, with which Benenden has long had a strong and mutually beneficial relationship.

Benenden is regarded as one of the leading boarding schools in the UK, with a global reputation for its Complete Education, through which it offers excellence across the Academic, Wellbeing and Co-Curricular curriculum. Based in Kent, the school educates girls aged 11 to 18 and has strong and longstanding relationships with equivalent premium boys’ schools.

Benenden previously operated one international school, Benenden School Guangzhou, and Orwell has stated how proud it is to join the group.

In welcoming Orwell Park into the Benenden family of schools, Benenden Headmistress Rachel Bailey said: “We are delighted that this partnership has formally come into effect. Our two schools share a vision for providing pupils with the very best education that prepares them for the next stage in their lives.

“This exciting long-term partnership will see Benenden and Orwell Park working together for the benefit of pupils at both schools.”

Orwell Park Head Simon O’Malley said: “Since we announced our partnership with Benenden in October, the response from parents – both current and future – has been phenomenal and there is a palpable sense of excitement at the opportunities that this partnership brings.

“Our two schools have been working together on various operational matters in recent weeks and it has been immediately clear that this is a genuinely collaboratively partnership which puts the education of children at its very centre. The future is very bright indeed.”

Benenden and Orwell share the core values of courtesy, respect and a commitment to community, with the culture of both schools underpinned by an ethos of boarding tradition, which day families at both schools also embrace.

Following the formal completion of the merger this week, Orwell comes under the governance of Benenden School but retains its own identity and its own Senior Leadership Team.

In addition, Benenden recognises that Orwell Park excels at preparing its pupils for a wide range of senior schools and this approach will not change. Orwell Park will continue to prepare its pupils for the right individual school for each and every child.

The schools will share best practice and expertise across a range of educational and operational functions, but above all, the opportunity to deliver improved academic and co-curricular pathways is truly exciting for pupils at both schools.

For example, Benenden said it was looking forward to working with Orwell to better understand the journey of preparing children for senior school, the educational experience in Year 7 and 8 and delivering excellent sport provision at the lower age range.

Orwell was drawn to Benenden’s offer for several reasons, most significantly shared values and ethos. An additional compelling factor was Benenden’s educational philosophy and tried and tested commitment to delivering an exceptional educational experience.