New Good Schools Guide Review

The Good Schools Guide has recently updated its independent review of Shiplake College following a visit from one of its editors in the summer term, who also spoke with current Shiplake parents about their experience of having children here.

The Good Schools Guide is an impartial directory written “by parents, for parents” reviewing over 1,200 schools in the UK. The guide is compiled by a team of editors who visit schools on a regular basis, interviewing parents, staff and pupils and collecting the valuable knowledge and insights that data and league tables alone cannot provide. The creators describe it as “the straight-talking, independent, unbiased and fun-guide to UK state and private schools”.

The new Shiplake review covers everything including teaching and learning ("Shiplake is creative and innovative in how it instils a healthy learning attitude in its pupils"), the arts and extra-curricular ("Singers emerge who never knew they could sing, and the same applies to drama and all areas of school life"), sport ("Games sessions place a strong emphasis on inclusivity, although those who want to compete needn’t worry. Shiplake plays to win"), boarding ("Boarding comes in all varieties here and is tailor-made to meet the demands of the families"), pastoral ("Shiplake’s reputation as having an exceptional standard of pastoral care is justified"), admissions ("Assessment is thorough, taking a day and enabling school to see ‘the whole picture’; head wants hopefuls to ‘bring a bit of magic with them’"), and other aspects of day-to-day life ("Parents praise the communication. It’s frequent, inclusive and inescapable from everyone").

A Good Schools Guide Review always ends with The Last Word, which for Shiplake is:

"We used to say that Shiplake was not a place for the brainy but now we beg to differ. Pupils of all academic abilities can make their mark at this inclusive school, from those who need some extra support to brainboxes who also value being nurtured, developing empathy and becoming rounded adults. Under the guidance of its dynamic head, the only pressure pupils face is ‘to turn up with a positive attitude’. Any doubters should go back to YouTube in search of the ‘Shiplake Shanty’ for reassurance that this is a school comfortable in its own skin and on top of its game."

Click here to read the full Good Schools Guide review of Shiplake College.