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Education for a better world

Huge Vote of Support from The Times

The Times Education Commission has just (15 June) published its final report on proposed reforms to the British education system.

The commission’s report has been welcomed by Sir Tony Blair and Sir John Major, along with ten former education secretaries.

While we are still working through all the details, in essence the report is a strong recommendation that all British schools switch to a system modelled explicitly on the International Baccalaureate programmes:

The commission proposes the introduction of a British Baccalaureate at 18, an equally rigorous but broader qualification than A-levels with academic and vocational options under the same umbrella. It would be based on the tried and tested International Baccalaureate (IB), which is widely respected by employers and universities, but would be customised for the UK.

At 16, pupils would take a slimmed-down set of exams in five core subjects, with continuous assessment as well as online tests contributing to their grade. This would allow children to progress to the next level and provide accountability for schools, but lower the stakes and reduce the amount of time spent on preparing for and taking exams. It mirrors the IB Middle School Programme and other European systems such as the French brevet.

It is difficult to imagine a stronger recommendation for the education model which we offer at Wotton House !

Lots more details in our blog post here.

Welcome to Wotton House

We are delighted to welcome you to Wotton House. We are a thriving school community committed to partnering with like-minded families to develop the character, intellect and purpose of our students.

Today's students are facing an unpredictable, rapidly changing future. Conventional GCSE education works students hard to prepare them for a world which is disappearing fast and in many respects is already obsolete. It forces students to sit exams testing the wrong skills, in the wrong subjects and at the wrong age.

We are proud to be an International Baccalaureate® World School. This means that we are part of a global community of over 5,000 schools worldwide linked by a shared commitment to the IB mission 'to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.'

Our small class sizes, real-world learning experiences and passionate, supportive staff combine to create a safe but inspiring learning environment where different types of intelligence are valued and can come to flourish.

We invite you to visit Wotton House to see if this education resonates with you and your family.

Dr Daniel and Sophie Sturdy

VISIT US

We are a co-educational day school for 7-16 year olds divided into two phases:

Our Prep School follows the Cambridge Primary Curriculum
Our Secondary School follows the Middle Years Programme

Our Contemporary Education model combines the best of digital-world technology (blended learning) with real-world groundedness (outdoor education) across two campuses in glorious Gloucestershire.

Wotton House is an elegant Grade II-listed Georgian mansion set in 3 acres of beautiful grounds less than a mile from the majestic Gloucester cathedral.
The Wilderness is an unspoilt 30 acre estate at the top of Plump Hill where you can breathe the cleanest, most revitalising air imaginable with unsurpassed views to the Black Mountains, the Malverns and across the Severn River to the Cotswolds.

The four cornerstones of our approach are: Wholistic Learning, International Outlook, Sustainable Practice and Creative Innovations.

To see whether it works please look at our Inspections outcome and our Testimonials - or, even better, come and see for yourself!