UK Boarding Schools | Independent Schools | Private Schools

The School
Culford is a happy, caring co-educational school for boys and girls aged 3–18 with boarding places for children aged 7 and over. A new girls’ boarding house opens in September 2012, making a total of four boarding houses, which ensures that we offer first-class accommodation for pupils, in addition to excellent academic schooling and superb sports facilities. The School is set in 480 acres of beautiful Suffolk countryside, and is located just 45 minutes from Stansted Airport and approximately two hours from Heathrow and Gatwick Airports.

Our ethos
Culford has clear values. We want pupils to achieve all that they can, whatever their talents, and we believe in educating the whole person to deliver a well-rounded, fulfilled individual with excellent academic results. To achieve that, we believe that education must be challenging, enriching and fun.

Pastoral and academic care
Pastoral care is at the hub of all we do at Culford. Each pupil’s housemistress or housemaster takes overall responsibility for their welfare. Important additional care is provided on a regular basis by the pupil’s personal tutor who performs the vital role of working closely with individual pupils to ensure that they maintain a balance between the academic and extracurricular opportunities that we provide.
Culford offers lively teaching and focused learning in the classroom. We expect a high standard of achievement from our pupils. Whilst we are sensitive to areas of weakness and encouraging in our approach, we are also demanding and always expect pupils to strive for their best.
Almost all pupils progress to university, with 12 pupils going to Oxford or Cambridge in the last four years.

New developments
As well as refurbished boarding houses, the School offers ICT suites in every major subject area and a multimedia language suite. In addition, Culford has a Studio Theatre and a Sixth Form Centre, together with a superb, redeveloped Music School located in Culford Hall offering outstanding performance and practice rooms as well as a recording studio.
Culford offers an extensive weekly and weekend extracurricular programme, which includes scuba diving, sailing, a variety of clubs and societies such as debating and medicine, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and a Combined Cadet Force.

Culford also has superb sporting facilities and all the major sports are played. The Sports Centre offers a 25-metre indoor pool, a dedicated tennis coaching centre and is complemented by immaculate pitches and courts, including an all-weather pitch, in the extensive grounds. A championship standard four-court Indoor Tennis Centre opened in 2009 and there is special provision for tennis coaching provided by a team of Lawn Tennis Association and other qualified staff. The School launched Swimming and Hockey Scholarship Programmes in 2011 to join its already well-established Tennis and Rugby Scholarships for talented players.

For more information
For a copy of our prospectus or to arrange a visit, please call the Admissions Office on +44 (0)1284 385308 or visit www.culford.co.uk. Individual visits are welcome at any time and the School organises several Open Mornings for prospective pupils and their families every year. Please telephone for details.

Pupils and parents alike rate the school highly.
The Good Schools Guide 2010

 

 

Culford School Prepares Pupils for ‘Life After Culford’

Culford Sixth Form pupils have been preparing for life after school with a series of events covering all aspects of higher education.

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Culford Tennis High Performance Centre Welcomes New Manager

Culford School’s Tennis High Performance Centre (HPC) has welcomed a new manager. Level 5 Master Coach James Yates will be overseeing Culford’s HPC, which is one of only 20 in the UK with the remit to train and develop top national and international standard players.

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Culford School Prep Pupil Dean Wins Gold for Suffolk

Prep pupil Dean Hafermann (U1), a talented emerging tennis star, recently played for Suffolk in the Under 9s Eastern Regional Eight County Team Champions Tournament.

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Culford School Sings together

Pupils from Culford Prep and Pre-Prep Schools were joined last week by over 400 children from local schools to all sing together under the leadership of acclaimed choral conductor and former BBC broadcaster Douglas Coombes MBE for a special ‘Singing Together’ day.

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Culford Senior School and Sixth form preform Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream

The latest in a long line of successful school plays, Senior School and Sixth Form pupils at Culford School amazed a spell-bound audience with their edgy production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream.

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Culford Schools Scholars’ Programme

This year’s Scholars’ Programme got off to a great start in September with an inspiring talk by Brian Faulkner: ‘The Psychology of Achievement and Success’. 

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Scholarship and exhibition funds are provided from income, endowment and gifts. CulfordSchool offers an extensive, valuable and varied range of awards in recognition of intellectual and creative talent.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND EXHIBITIONS FOR ENTRY AT 13+
The expectation is that scholarships and exhibitions are tenable for 5 years, subject to continuing good progress.On transfer to Culford Sixth Form, the entitlement will be confirmed on the basis of achievements at GCSE.

Parents are asked to take advice from the child’s current Headbefore nominating candidates for any of the following awards.In the case of a specialist award (eg Art or Music) the recommendation of specialist teachers is necessary.

Academic Scholarships
Up to four scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Art Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Drama Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Music Scholarships
Up to four scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Sports Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Tennis Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + 25% of Culford Tennis Academy training costs

Rugby Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + first class year round coaching programme

Swimming Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + 25% of training programme costs

Technology Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Exhibitions
Awarded in any subject 10% of tuition fees

Jubilee Scholarships
Up to two boarding scholarships 25% of boarding fees

Music Exhibitions
Awarded to promising musicians

10% of tuition fees

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SCHOLARSHIPS AND EXHIBITIONS FOR ENTRY AT 16+
The expectation is that scholarships and exhibitions are tenable for 2 years, subject to continuing good progress.

Parents are asked to take advice from the child’s current Head before nominating candidates for any of the following awards. In the case of a specialist award (eg Art or Music) the recommendation of specialist teachers is necessary.

Academic Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

The William Miller Scholarship
Awarded to a candidate who is exceptional in the sciences 25% of tuition fees

Mathematics Scholarship
Awarded to a candidate who is exceptional in mathematics 25% of tuition fees

Art Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Drama Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Music Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Sports Scholarships
Up to two scholarships 25% of tuition fees

Tennis Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + 25% of Culford Tennis Academy training costs

Rugby Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + first class year round coaching programme

Swimming Scholarships
25% of tuition fees + 25% of training programme costs

Arkwright Scholarships
National awards for candidates intending to read engineering, technology or design-related subjects at university

£900 over two years divided equally between the student and the school.  The scholarship is highly regarded by universities.

Exhibitions
Awarded in any subject 10% of tuition fees


For further details of Culford’s Scholarships, Exhibitions and Bursaries, please contact the Registrar in the Admissions Office on +44 (0)1284 729308 or email admissions@culford.co.uk

Ming Sum from Hong Kong is currently studying in the Sixth Form at Culford

“Being an overseas student studying in the UK for the first time as a sixth former, I think Culford is a really nice place. The Park is lovely, and it provides a wonderful environment for my studies. I was warmly welcomed by the staff and students in my boarding house last year, which helped me to settle down quickly and focus on my academic work. The teachers are very patient and the School provides extra language lessons for students whose first language is not English, this has given me more chance to practise and improve my English.

Alongside the academic, the School provides a large range of activities. I have joined the karate club, a web page design course and digital photography club where I had the opportunity to walk around the School to take pictures. As a boarder, there are also many activities at weekends, such as trips or just a night out into town to play snooker or go bowling.

Culford School provides good education and many activities – I am enjoying my life here!”


Antina from Stockdorf, Germany spent a year at Culford, leaving in July 2006.

“The time has gone by really quickly. All of us have made great academic progress and friendships have been really strong and important. Jocelyn House was ‘second home’ this year and I’m sad that it is coming to the end. I am sure I will stay in contact with most of the people I have met here and I shall be coming back to visit friends. I will never forget this year. It has been one of the best experiences of my life and I have never regretted deciding to come here”


Nina from Russia, spend at year at Culford, leaving July 2006

“Culford has given me a chance to express myself and take part in many events, especially musical ones, which has been awesome! Great staff, environment and students!”


Christian from Oldenburg, Germany completed one year in the Lower Sixth at Culford, leaving in July 2005.

“This was one of the shortest years in my entire life and certainly one of the most exciting and enriching. I want to thank everyone who made this year at Culford an unforgettable experience for me.”