MixedIndependentBoarding

Old Buckenham Hall School

Brettenham Park, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk, Suffolk, East of England · IP7 7PH

Set in Brettenham Park in the Suffolk countryside, Old Buckenham Hall is a small non-denominational prep school that has been educating children since 1862. It takes pupils from ages 3 to 13 and offers boarding alongside day places, with around 220 children on roll. An unusually generous pupil-to-teacher ratio of about six means classes are small and attention is plentiful. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school excellent for both education and personal development at its most recent inspection, and found it fully compliant.

220

Pupils

excellent

ISI

£25,083

Day fees / yr

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Overview & data

Gender: Mixed
Type: independent (fee-paying) school
Age range: 3-13
Pupils: 220
Pupil:teacher ratio: 6
Location: Brettenham Park, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk, Suffolk, East of England
Website: https://www.obh.co.uk/
Telephone: 01449 740252

Headteacher

Headmaster James Large

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Teaching & academics

With roughly six pupils to every teacher, the school is built around close attention and individual support, and the ISI's top rating reflects this. Nearly 30 per cent of pupils receive some form of SEN support, suggesting a setting that is well practised at meeting a range of learning needs. Academic, Music, Sports and the Thring scholarships reward and stretch particular talents as children progress towards their senior school destinations at 13.

Learning support & SEN

SEN support: 29.47%
EHC plans: 0.53%

Arts & extracurricular

Scholarships

Academic ScholarshipMusic ScholarshipSports ScholarshipThring Scholarship

Beyond the classroom

Dedicated music and sports scholarships point to strong provision in both areas, and the boarding community lends itself to a full programme of activities beyond the classroom. As a small school catering from age 3 to 13, it offers children plenty of room to find and develop their interests.

Ethos & heritage

Founded: 1862
Religious character: Non-denominational
Boarding: Yes

Mobile phone policy

Phone-free school. Students not permitted to use mobile phones during school hours. International boarding students' phones securely stored at school and made available only when needed to contact home.

Money matters

Day fees (per year): £14,349 - £25,083
Boarding fees (per year): £31,902 - £36,540

Inspection reports

ISI rating: excellent
ISI personal development: excellent
Last inspected: 25 June 2024

Read the full inspection report ↗

The last word

A small, family-feel prep with boarding, excellent inspection results and tiny classes for families seeking close attention in a rural Suffolk setting.

The Passmate verdict