Northants, Leics &amp; Rutland

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WHAT? WHERE?



There have been exciting and significant changes in the last two years at Bosworth, with this diverse co-ed day and boarding school welcoming pupils from Year 7 in the newly acquired and significantly renovated Grade II listed Newton Building (below), facing onto the leafy Racecourse on St George’s Avenue, which has brought a new sense of cohesion to the school, solidifying Bosworth as a keystone of the Northampton townscape.



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Now set across two key sites on leafy St George’s Avenue, The Newton Building and Bosworth Hall, and with boarding houses all within close proximity, there’s a vibrant mix of traditional and modern facilities here. The Newton Building itself, now the heart of the school, has come full circle, having originally been home of Northampton Grammar School For Girls and subsequently used as a middle school and then as part of the University of Northampton. You often hear the term hidden gem used about the smaller independent schools, but Bowowrth is hiding in plain sight, tucked away at the heart of Northampton behind an avenue of trees.&nbsp;



Part of the CATS Global Schools group, Bosworth is not academically selective specifically and actively encourages applications from international students, using the CAT 4 test and informal interviews to determine how best the school might serve a student prior to a place being offered. The school actively encourages applications from local and international students. There is a requirement that every pupil meets a certain level of English language ability, which is key to their ability to integrate into the school community, as well as achieve academically.&nbsp;



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Bosworth may well be the most internationally diverse school I’ve visited in Northants, with over 30 nationalities currently in attendance. Local British students are the largest intake, making up 30% of the student body. The multiculturalism Bosworth offers has some obvious benefits to pupils regarding communications and global outlooks.&nbsp;



Average class sizes are 10-12 pupils, but in the new, lower years it’s currently far smaller as numbers build, so if low pupil to staff ratios are a key factor for you then Bosworth is well worth considering. Diversity in schools can sometimes come at a cost, but at Bosworth children get all the benefits of being educated within an internationally blended community, whilst also having the really focused, hands on teaching and pastoral care of a small, close-knit school community.



2023 has also seen the introduction of a full school uniform for the first time, as Bosworth takes on a stronger identity as a School rather than a College, as it has previously been known, and to enable the pupils themselves to feel more strongly identified within the Bosworth family. The newly instated House system helps to reinforce this sense of identity and community connection, with each of the four houses being named after local landmarks: Delapré, Althorp, Ashby and Rockingham.



FACILITIES



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The two main buildings on St George’s Avenue, Bosworth Hall and The Newton Building, are impressive, with recently upgraded facilities including large, light classrooms, 8 well-equipped science labs, 2 theory labs and 2 preparation rooms, a dedicated Computer Science suite, a music room with music tech facilities, and a dedicated art room with a dark room, film screening room with a popcorn machine and a number of comfortable study and social spaces for children to use when not in class &#8211; there’s a table tennis, air hockey&nbsp;and table football area at Bosworth Hall that seems a popular spot for indoor break times.&nbsp;



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With ambitious plans afoot to expand the on-site sports facilities, the school currently has use of the Racecourse opposite (118 acres) for outdoor sports and partners with The Benham Centre nearby for indoor sports including football, badminton and tennis. There are also brand new on-site gym facilities with state of the art equipment. Bosworth encourages their students to get involved in activities beyond school and facilitates participation in riding, sailing, indoor rock-climbing, kick-boxing, as well as enabling them to play in local sports teams and harnessing all the benefits of being in such close proximity to top level sports facilities with a vast scope for the pupils that isn’t limited by specific facilities in situ.



SIXTH FORM



The Sixth Form facilities here are some of the most appealing I’ve seen, with the lofty, vaulted space at the top of Grade II listed Newton Building having been used to create a large study area with a lounge space and a decent sized kitchenette divided off with sleek glass partitions. I’m told the students are under strict instructions to keep it clean and tidy.&nbsp;There&#8217;s also plenty of resources up here to help Sixth Formers plan their onward education. Clearly a winning strategy given the high standard of academic results. 



ACADEMICS



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Bosworth is fairly unusual in that it will accept students with specific academic targets, offering tailored tuition programs for Oxbridge entrance, Medicine or other competitive subject entrance at university level, something that is more commonly taken up by International students. There is also an option for students to take GCSE and A level subjects in their native or additional languages. With a huge proportion of students across this close knit school community achieving top results in Maths, Further Maths and Sciences, there is a strong cohort of these heading off to study science-based subjects including Medicine, Dentistry, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Theoretical Physics and the like, as well as social sciences, Law, Linguistics and European Politics, so expectations are high and the majority of&nbsp; A level students move on to Russell Group universities.&nbsp;



2023 also saw two A-level Art students move to prestigious American Art Schools&nbsp; (Parsons School of Design in New York and Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia), so there is a diversity in teaching and plenty of scope for students to pursue their interests. In fact, A-level class sizes in the arts are far smaller than the average, which allows for really hands-on teaching in a way that simply isn’t possible in most larger schools and which means those children who are more reticent are never overlooked or lost at the back of the class.&nbsp;



In 2023, 44% of GCSE students received A*-A results, with 84% attaining A*-C results and amongst these results some subjects’ results were exceptionally strong: 85% of Biology grades are A*-A, 88% of Chemistry grades are A*-A and 100% of Further Maths grades are A*-A.



PASTORAL CARE



Every student has a personal tutor who they meet with daily, in addition to a BACP Registered Counsellor, plus an external counsellor available to students who feel they would like to speak to someone outside the school system, as well as a School Nurse and House Parents. There are fourteen trained mental health first aiders in school, which is a very healthy proportion of staff for a student body of 217. An international student intake means that there are inevitable obstacles and struggles for some children to navigate, but the small, family vibe here as well as the strong emphasis on pastoral care and wellbeing, means that children do manage to thrive.&nbsp;



Pupils here are really encouraged to take on leadership roles and to think independently, from participating in the Student Council to the pupil who created a customised shareable Google Map to help incoming students find their way around the most important places in Northampton (bubble tea shops, cinemas etc.), there’s a sense that pupils are encouraged to explore the areas that interest them most and apply themselves accordingly.



BOARDING



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There are 6 boarding houses at Bosworth, currently accommodating 157 pupils, and they are all within easy walking distance of the main teaching hubs, with evening meals served at Bosworth Hall after the children have finished prep. Either twin or single ensuite rooms are available, all of which are pretty spacious with plenty of room for a desk and storage. There are kitchens and common rooms in the boarding houses too with loads of things to keep the children entertained including pool tables, pianos, TVs, karaoke, books and games. The houses are an architectural mix, but one thing that does stand out is that they very much feel like residential homes.&nbsp;



For younger children, there’s the security and homeliness you’d expect in a boarding school setting, and for older students a little bit more freedom, with annex rooms for sixth formers wanting a bit more independence.&nbsp;



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There are regular weekend trips within Northamptonshire for boarders, including shopping trips, visits to country parks and historic sites. Students are encourage to participate in local sports times outside of school. Day pupils are also welcomed to take part in boarding activities after school and at weekends.



WRAP AROUND CARE



Extensive, as you’d expect from a boarding school set-up. Breakfast is available for an additional charge from 7.30am, and after school there’s a range of after school clubs (some will be included in the cost while others, eg. sailing and riding, have an additional charge) and late prep running until dinner at 6pm.&nbsp;



QUIRKS



Multiculturalism shouldn’t be quirky but it’s certainly unusual enough across many independent schools that it’s something to be remarked upon and celebrated at Bosworth. It’s an important part of life at Bosworth and is considered a key element of preparing pupils for their future achievements.&nbsp;



We often cheer the small class sizes at independent schools but here it’s worth noting that the average class size is just 10-12 students, which is pretty good in terms of offering personalised teaching and pastoral care for each child.&nbsp;



FEES



Fees will be significantly higher for International students but, for domestic students, expect to pay £14,985 annually or £28,980 to include boarding.&nbsp;



Scholarships are offered based on academic performance.



THE MUDDY VERDICT



&nbsp;Good For: Any passionate, determined student looking to achieve the best they can without the stuffiness associated with some traditional boarding schools. If you&#8217;re a parent looking for a broad-minded, modern and globally savvy education for your child then Bosworth might just be the thing.



Not for: The tweedy set (in spite of the lovely slate grey tweed blazer jacket the children now wear). Bosworth is about what you know, rather than who you know. Some parents may struggle with the idea of a town centre location &#8211; if you want that enclosed country house vibe and acres of sports pitches in situ then this might not be for you. 



<a href="https://bosworthschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bosworth Independent School</a>, The Newton Building, Avenue Campus, St Georges Avenue, Northampton, NN2 6JB email: <a href="mailto:admissions@bosworthschool.co.uk">admissions@bosworthschool.co.uk</a>

Bosworth Independent School, Northampton

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