Great Walstead Joining Ardingly College’s Family of Schools 

The governors of both schools are delighted to announce that Great Walstead Prep School is joining Ardingly College’s family of schools. The two schools have enjoyed a close relationship for many years, with Great Walstead being a significant feeder prep school to Ardingly College’s Senior School. Crucially, both schools share a similar ethos of delivering an all-round education with a strong focus on the individual needs and interests of each child and inspiring their personal, academic, sporting, cultural and creative development.

This new partnership will allow Great Walstead School to enter the next phase of its strategic development, to grow and develop for the future, while ensuring its long-term stability. It also ensures that local families retain the choice of a ‘through school’ option from 3 to 18 with Ardingly College, or Great Walstead’s more traditional Prep School offer until 13, with entry into a range of Senior Schools.

“I’m really thrilled to welcome Great Walstead into our family of schools. We’ve worked together closely for many years and welcomed many fantastic children into our Senior School from Great Walstead. This partnership offers lots of mutual benefits and, above all, will ensure that our beautiful corner of West Sussex remains a hub of outstanding independent education for generations to come.”

Ben Figgis, Head of Ardingly

“This is the start of an exciting new chapter in Great Walstead’s history. Ardingly College was the obvious partner as we considered the next stage of our strategic development. We’re looking forward to sharing teaching best practice and continuing to go from strength to strength together, as supportive partners.”

Chris Calvey, Head of Great Walstead,

About Ardingly College’s Family of Schools

Great Walstead joins Ardingly College’s growing family of independent schools that includes Ardingly College Prep School as well as schools in China and Kazakhstan, with further schools being planned in other countries.  Great Walstead’s new partnership with Ardingly College also means the school will be incorporated into the Woodard Group of Schools, a significant educational charity started by Ardingly’s founder, philanthropist Nathaniel Woodard, which now educates over 30,000 pupils in the UK across academy, independent and state-maintained schools.