Visitors are immediately impressed by Royal Hospital School’s glorious setting on the banks of the River Stour, and by its range of imposing neoclassical buildings. But it’s the students who leave a lasting impression. ‘Intuitively sensitive, warm and considerate’, and ‘adaptable and confident with a sense of fun’ are among the comments from parents. For many, meeting current RHS pupils sealed the deal in selecting the senior school – and they haven’t looked back. We are frequently told of the ‘unique’ and ‘special’ community that has to be seen to be fully grasped; and it’s one which pupils and parents alike say ‘you never want to leave, but more importantly it will never leave you’. Naval heritage is a big part of life at RHS, providing structure, discipline and much-loved traditions, such as formal parades – known as ‘divvies’ – and the daily ‘flag’ ritual; not to mention an unrivalled sailing provision and an on site academy where Year 7s spend a week learning to handle a boat. ‘My children feel cared for and supported,’ says one parent. It’s little wonder the school is consistently oversubscribed and draws students from 33 different countries. Pupils work hard, achieve strong results and head off to top-league universities – but not before they make the most of the ‘almost overwhelming’ opportunities on offer: music trips to Washington DC, skiing in Austria, and 200 extracurricular activities, from Mandarin to the ukulele.
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2RX
Website: royalhospitalschool.org
Head: Simon Lockyer, BSc MEd, since 2016; previously Second Master of Portsmouth Grammar School
Pupils: 724. Day: 190 boys, 145 girls; boarding: 185 boys, 204 girls
Ages: 11–18
Term fees: Day: £6,339; boarding: £11,773
Oxbridge: 2%
Admission: CE or school’s own exam, previous school’s report and interview
Alumnae: Consultant gynaecologist Professor John Studd, sailor Hannah Stodel, cricketer Reece Topley
