A new development at Wymondham College will open with a reception cohort of 60 pupils

A brand-new school is set to open in Wymondham as the Sapientia Education Trust progresses its plans for Wymondham College Prep School. The school will be the 14th for the trust, which emerged from Wymondham College, ranked as one of the highest-achieving state schools nationally.

There is no doubt that there is a need for the new prep school in the Wymondham area. Norfolk County Council has predicted a significant shortfall of reception places without the new facility.

Jonathan Taylor, CEO of Sapientia Education Trust says: "The prep school will not just deliver the much-needed additional school places, it will deliver outstanding school places".

The prep school will open in September 2020 with a reception cohort of 60 pupils. A unique feature of this school is its primary phase boarding provision.

In September 2021 the prep school's boarding house, Underwood Hall, purpose- built to house up to 32 year five and six pupils will officially open, providing much-needed and affordable state boarding places for children of this age.

The trust has been working hard with contractors, Morgan Sindall and architects LSI to design a boarding house that will not feel like a school but will feel like a home.

"Like all children, in order to flourish, our boarders need to be happy in their home," says Alex Wilson, who will be headteacher of the school when it opens.

It is anticipated that a significant number of boarders will come from within Norfolk, many will come from families whose parents serve in the armed forces, some will come on assisted places funded by their local authorities or national charities and a number will come from overseas.

As the proposal is to build the prep school on the Wymondham College campus, both the school's day and boarding pupils will be able to benefit from the wide range of facilities already on the school site such as a swimming pool, sports pitches and an abundance of outside spaces.

The co-location of the schools creates numerous opportunities for them to work together to deliver a first-class education.

Applications should be made directly to the school; the application window will close on January 15, 2020, in line with the Norfolk dates.

There has already been significant interest in the places that will be available from September 2020.

If you would like to apply for a place for your child or read more about the school, visit the website at wymondhamcollegeprepschool.org