Beauty & the Beast

“Acceptable at a dance and invaluable at a shipwreck”: so responded the founding Headmaster of a famous (but much younger) independent school when asked by a visiting parent in the 1920s to describe the type of young person he wanted the school to produce.

Nearly a century on, that quotation comes across as a charming but rather quaint and archaic way of expressing his vision of the school, but I for one endorse that sentiment entirely. These days, we might tend to express this aspiration less charismatically or memorably, but the underlying insight behind his words is surely recognizable and timeless.

In terms of ‘acceptability at a dance’, our aim at Warminster School is to encourage the development of soft skills, so that we turn out young people who are comfortable in their own skin and able – in an unaffected and polite way – to interact with others from all walks of life. That is one of our strongest suits. In terms of the ‘shipwreck’ element, we also want our students to develop into people who will be resourceful, resilient, adaptable, and capable of leadership and initiative.

CCF Inspection Day

Another way of putting this is that we have an exceptionally broad conception of education. A very strong emphasis is placed on the holistic development of each child as a valued individual. As one parent put it to me earlier this term, “at Warminster they learn what they can be, not what they can’t be.” Within our community, characterised by a supportive and welcoming family atmosphere, individuality flourishes. Each child is encouraged to develop and thrive, not just academically but in all areas of sporting and extra-curricular endeavour. There is a vast range of different opportunities to choose from – but that, whilst valuable, is not what distinguishes this school. What is exceptional is not merely the breadth of opportunities but the breadth of experience: our rugby players take lead roles in the school musical, our top academics also participate in the CCF and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Whilst Warminster School is a Church of England foundation, it welcomes pupils of other faiths and denominations or of none. Worship takes place in the Minster Church and in the School Chapel. The universal values of creativity, tolerance and service to others are strongly promoted.

Supported by excellent teaching resources and delivered by gifted and dedicated teachers, the curriculum is broad and stimulating. It encompasses the traditional disciplines of Arts and Sciences yet recognises the importance of technology and the creative and performing arts. Students in the Sixth Form choose between A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Whilst I deplore blind faith in league tables, I am proud of the fact that public examination performance has risen sharply: over 20% (measured in terms of UCAS points per candidate) in the last four years – without narrowing our academic intake. The International Baccalaureate Diploma has been successfully introduced and bedded in; results have risen year-on-year.

However, education at Warminster School extends far beyond the formal curriculum. Whilst proud of our academic results, we are convinced that – in preparing our pupils for life – it is equally important to develop maturity, self-esteem and consideration for others. This is reflected in the emphasis we place on pastoral support for our pupils. Good pastoral care is based on close, honest and supportive relationships between the pupils and staff. Each pupil has a Tutor whose role is to ensure that the pupil feels suitably supported yet appropriately stretched throughout their school life. We believe that this leads not only to an enjoyable and successful school career but also to continuing success thereafter.

Warminster School enjoys a strong tradition of music, art and drama. The supportive culture of the school encourages pupils to participate broadly and without self-consciousness in the diverse range of cultural opportunities on offer. School plays and concerts are held throughout the year and provide pupils of all ages with the opportunity to participate in both drama and music-making. The musical culture of the school is deliberately broad, with an emphasis on rock and jazz as well as classical singing and playing. Overseas musical tours have become a regular highlight.

First-class sporting facilities and an extensive range of games give pupils the chance to develop individual and team skills. Whilst we aim to develop excellence in the most gifted sportsmen and women – many of whom go on to achieve recognition at county and national level – any pupil who is keen to participate will have the chance to represent the school.

Whilst there is a wide variety of sports on offer, the main sports for girls include hockey, netball, tennis, rounders and athletics. The main sports for boys include rugby, soccer, hockey, cricket, athletics and tennis. Pupils also have access to a modern and well-resourced Fitness Gym. There is an annual programme of tours covering a variety of sports.

Boarding pupils are accommodated within comfortable, well-appointed boarding houses and graduate from small dormitories to single or shared study bedrooms in the senior years.

Boarding pupils need to feel that they belong to a caring, ordered and tight-knit community which supports their academic studies. Equally, they need the personal space to relax and unwind at the end of a busy and demanding school day. The boarding houses provide this balance. Boarding pupils are looked after by a Housemaster or Housemistress, assisted by a team of Tutors and a Matron. All members of the teaching staff participate in the pastoral support of the boarders.

Boarders enjoy the relaxed, social atmosphere of the boarding houses and benefit from the opportunity to make life-long friendships with their peers. Yet there is also a spaciousness about the school grounds and buildings which creates a sense of calm. This allows our busy boarding community to function smoothly and effectively.

In the words of the poet W.B. Yeats, “education is not about filling buckets, it is about lighting fires”. It is our aim, therefore, to offer a genuinely holistic, stimulating and outward-looking experience to all our pupils. As well as a thriving Combined Cadet Force and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme, we provide an extremely wide range of other extra-curricular activities, as well as an extensive range of academic and cultural trips both at home and abroad.

We involve our pupils, for instance in developing links with our partner school in Africa and in our flagship biennial expedition to Ecuador, in which Sixth Formers take part in challenging environmental projects in the Amazonian cloud forest as well as social projects with handicapped and disadvantaged children in the capital city, Quito. Through these and other life-changing opportunities, we place a strong emphasis on the concepts of service, social and environmental responsibility and charitable support. By so doing, we hope to develop confidence, social awareness and a sense of perspective – and to fire those individual passions which will enrich the lives of Warminster pupils for years to come.

Whilst there is no such thing as the ‘typical Warminster pupil’, we aim to ensure that those leaving Warminster are outward-looking and confident but also sensitive to those around them. In this way, they are equipped to adapt quickly to new challenges, to adjust both academically and socially to the demands of undergraduate study, and to lead active, worthwhile and rewarding lives.

Our conception of education is therefore broad and holistic. I am convinced that the curriculum encompasses everything the pupils do. I admire Albert Einstein’s famous dictum that “education is what is left behind when we have forgotten everything we learned at school”. What should be left behind are precisely those skills and attitudes which young adults will need for success in the uncertain world which lies beyond our gates.

Life in the Google Age will not place a high premium on the ability to copy down, remember and reproduce facts on cue, but it will reward skills such as empathy, optimism, risk management, collaboration, critical and reflective thinking, imagination, leadership and creativity. Above all, it will require adaptability and resilience. These, therefore, need to be at the heart of an education for the twenty-first century. I am convinced that Warminster School provides an excellent environment in which to deliver such an education.

The school is flourishing. Its reputation, both pastoral and academic, is on a strongly upward trajectory, as evidenced by our accession to membership of the prestigious Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) in 2010. A recent inspection report concluded that “the emphasis on quality is evident in every aspect of school life. We found a school of real quality, determined to aim for ever higher standards, but true to its founding values and ethos.”

I know what a special place Warminster School can be. I hope that these words, along with our prospectus and DVD, will serve to provide an insight into the unique spirit of this community. So if you would be interested in being part of a community which offers:

• Excellent academic results, with strong emphasis on ‘value added’ outcomes, consistently delivered year-on-year
• A broad and rounded education in a friendly yet disciplined School
• Stimulating teaching supported by sustained investment in resources
• A committed, approachable staff who have time to devote to individuals and who have each pupil's education and welfare at heart
• A supportive and participative culture in which pupils are encouraged to lead full, challenging and rewarding lives
• A strong emphasis on the Arts and Sport, combining excellence with opportunity
• A broad spectrum of extra-curricular activities to broaden and enrich the lives of both day and boarding pupils
• Pleasant, recently refurbished boarding houses
• A community which is large enough (over 600 pupils) to be rich and diverse but small enough to remain homely and allow opportunities for all
• A peaceful and attractive rural setting, yet little more than an hour from London by train and within easy reach of Bath, Bristol and Salisbury.
• Over 300 years of educational performance and achievement

then come and visit us to see for yourself what Warminster School can offer. When you visit and speak to our pupils and staff, you will discover more than can be captured in a prospectus or website. I would be delighted personally to welcome you to the School.

Martin Priestley, Headmaster