Blundell’s is a thriving co-educational day and boarding School combining strong academic achievement and excellent co-curricular activities in a secure and happy environment. The deep friendships that are formed at Blundell’s fostered by the great community, together with the intellectual, physical and cultural interests, provide pupils with skills for life. The School was built and endowed in 1604 at the sole charge of the estate of Mr Peter Blundell, Clothier, of Tiverton, by his executor the Lord Chief Justice, Sir John Popham. In 1882 the School was moved to its present site on the outskirts of Tiverton.
Admission. Entry is at 11, 13 and 16 for most pupils. This is via the Blundell’s Entrance Test or the Common Entrance Examination. Most join the School in September, though a January entry is welcome.
Numbers. There are 634 pupils of whom 279 are girls; 353 board (full, weekly, flexi). There are three boys’ Houses and two girls’ Houses for Years 9–12 and a separate Upper Sixth House. Years 7 and 8 have a separate House with separate pastoral and academic leadership.
Fees per term (2023–2024). Full Boarding £10,175–£14,530; Weekly Boarding £8,770–£12,410; Day £5,780–£8,865. Flexi boarding is also available.
Scholarships and Bursaries. Open Scholarships and Exhibitions: Up to half of the chosen designation fee (i.e. boarding, weekly, flexi, day) are offered on the basis of our own examinations held in January (13+) and November (Sixth Form). Awards for Art, Music, Drama, Sport and All-round ability are also made. At 11+ Junior Exhibitions only are awarded for academic and musical ability (January examination) and are deducted from the basic tuition fees.
Services Package available to the children of serving members of the Armed Forces and Diplomatic Corps.
Awards may occasionally be supplemented by means-tested bursaries at the discretion of the Head.
Full details of all scholarships and bursaries are available from the Registrars’ Office.
School Work. There are four forms at age 11 and five at age 13. During the first three years most pupils will study Art, Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Divinity, Drama, English, French, Geography, History, Information Technology, Mathematics, Music (Class), Personal and Social Development, Physical Education and Physics. Latin, Greek, German and Spanish are also available.
During the GCSE years the range of subjects remains broad. Extensive advice is provided by the School to assist both GCSE and A Level choices.
Sixth Form options enable a wide combination of subjects to be taken. Four of the following are taken to AS Level and three to A Level: Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisations, Design Technology, Drama, Economics, English, Film Studies, French, Geography, German, History (Modern & Early Modern options), ICT, Latin, Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Music, Photography, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies (Ethics) and Spanish.
Mark Orders, Tutorial System and Reports. Good communication is a central concept. Frequent Mark Orders and Staff Meetings are held to monitor each pupil’s work. All pupils have academic tutors. Parents receive termly formal written feedback in addition to receiving Mark Order summaries every few weeks. There are regular parents’ meetings and information forums.
Music and Drama. Blundell’s music is excellent. Based in our own music school there are several choirs, an orchestra and varying musical ensembles. These range from a jazz band through a chamber choir to brass, woodwind and string groups. The Department has state-of-the-art recording equipment. In addition to School concerts there are visits from professional musicians. The Choir recently performed in Carnegie Hall in New York.
Similarly, Drama plays a key role in the School. There are three major School Plays each year, as well as House plays. The magnificent, purpose-built Ondaatje Hall offers the combined facilities of a theatre, a concert hall and an art studio. Frequent visits are made by theatre companies and Blundell’s is a cultural venue for Mid-Devon.
Games and Physical Training. Boys play rugby in the Autumn Term whilst girls play hockey. Spring Term sports include cross-country, squash, rugby, fives, hockey, soccer, fencing, basketball, netball and rugby sevens. In the Summer Term cricket, tennis, swimming, athletics and golf take place. The Sports Hall gives further scope to the range of sport, as does the all-weather floodlit pitch; there is also a Fitness Suite. Elite sportsmen and women are supported with specialised fitness programmes. A variety of other sports, such as clay pigeon shooting, fly fishing, canoeing and miniature range shooting, are available through the extensive activity programme.
Computing and Technology. All pupils have access to the school IT network and will develop a range of skills during their time at school to support their studies.
Recent New Facilities. There have been extensive developments at Blundell’s over the past two decades which include upgrading the Science Departments, provision of advanced technological and careers arrangements as part of the resources included in the redesigned Library, a new Modern Languages block, ongoing refurbishment of all boarding houses, a Fitness Suite, a Music School, IT suites and extension to Westlake (Y13 Boarding House) to incorporate new study areas and a library. With Blundell’s Preparatory School on site, the whole campus provides education from the age of 3 to 18 years.
Community Service. The School is involved in a wide variety of activities, both local and national, and pupils regularly raise around £20,000 per annum for a variety of charities, as well as taking part in practical tasks locally.
Adventure Training. Blundell’s is well placed to make full use of Dartmoor and Exmoor, the coast and rivers of the area, for academic fieldwork or adventure training. For many years the School has entered teams for the Ten Tors Expedition on Dartmoor, canoes the Devizes–Westminster race and takes part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme up to Gold level.
CCF. Everyone in Year 10 serves for a year in the CCF. Thereafter it is voluntary and comprises senior pupils who provide the NCO Instructors. There are links with the 18 Cadet Training Team, Derriford, and the Rifle Volunteers.
Boarding. Blundell’s is built around the ethos of boarding and all pupils (full boarding, weekly, flexi boarding and day) are accommodated in one of seven houses on the campus. A full range of weekend activities is offered including a Leadership Programme, Ten Tors, sport and a range of local trips and activities.
Religion. The School maintains a Christian tradition, while welcoming members of other faiths. All pupils are expected to attend weekday morning Chapel and boarders go to the School Service on Sundays. The Chaplain prepares pupils who wish to be confirmed; the Confirmation Service takes place annually in the Spring Term.
Accessibility. Blundell’s is close to the M5, and is served by Tiverton Parkway Station, under two hours from Paddington, London. Airports at Bristol and Exeter are close at hand.
Prospectus. Fuller details of School life are given in the prospectus, available from the Registrars. Prospective parents are invited to visit the School, when they will meet the Head and a Housemaster or Housemistress and have a full tour of the School with a current pupil. The Blundell’s website (www.blundells.org) is regularly updated throughout the academic year. Preparatory School. Blundell’s Preparatory School for children aged 3 to 11 years is part of the site at Blundell’s. For further information apply to the Headmaster, Mr A D Southgate. (See also entry in IAPS section). Charitable status. Blundell’s School is a Registered Charity, number 1081249. It exists to provide education for children.
Governors & Staff:
Board of Governors:
Mr N P Hall
Dr S B Ansell
Ms A Crosse
Mr N J Cryer
Mr G L Howe
Mr M Huntingford
Mr M J Lovett
Mrs J M A Mannix
Rt Revd N McKinnel
Mrs D L Rees
Dr A Smith
Mr R W Thane
Mr I R G Thomas
Mrs J S Thomson
Dr M E Wood
Mr R W Thane (Representative Governor)
Sir Christopher Ondaatje, OC, CBE (Honorary Governor Emeritus)
Bursar and Clerk to the Governors: Mrs Annika Hedrich-Wiggans
Head: Mr Bart Wielenga
Second Master: Mr Matt Radley
Deputy Head (Academic): Mr Charles List
Deputy Head (Co-curricular): Mr Ed Saunders
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Nicky Klinkenberg
Heads of Department:
Art: Gil Armstrong Williams
Biology: Jonathan Ratcliffe
Careers Education & Advice: Pippa Bucknell
Chemistry: Andy Mead
Classics: Becky Milne
Design & Technology: Tom Frappart
Drama: Tammy Winsley
Economics & Business Studies: Tom Candler
English: Leah Thomas
Examinations: Katie List
French: Kate Wheatley
Geography: Guy Bucknall
German: Isobel Scott
History & Politics: Richard Moore
IT: Martin Dyer
Learning Support: Sara-Jane Soutar
Mathematics: Adam Simson
Modern Languages: Nick Lecharpentier
Music: Oliver Leaman
PHSE: Belinda Jones
Physical Education: Rebecca Manley
Physics: Douglas Morrison
Psychology: Emma Weaver
Religious Studies: Andrew Berrow
Science: Georgina Batting
Sport: Ed Saunders
Director of Development: Mr Ben Boswell
Director of Marketing: Mr Dylan Smart
Head’s PA: Mrs Heather Vincent
Registrars:
Mr Peter Klinkenberg
Mrs Charlotte Botting
Preparatory School
Headmaster: Mr Andy Southgate
Julie Aldridge (Art & DT)
Joshua Allen
Susie Allen (Mathematics & Music)
Lisa Baily (Girls' Games)
Bronte Barber
Jo Carter
Bronte Chalk
Sue Clark
Laura Clifford (Head of Pre-Prep)
Bethan Cracknell (Music)
Julian Fawkes
Edward Frances
Claire FitzHerbert (French)
Tim Genders (English)
Bethany Harris
Simon Howkins (Deputy Head, PSHEE)
Jessica Lampard (Food Technology)
Jane Lawrence (Geography)
Hannah Mahon (Science)
Laura McGowan
Lee Moore (Academic Leader, RE)
Charlotte Morris (Drama, Outdoor Learning)
Daniel Morris (Assistant Head Curriculum, Mathematics, ICT)
Joanne Read
Joanna Richardson
Jane Roberts
Jessica Roberts
Sarah Southgate
Alison Spencer
Alexandra Steel (RE)
Izzy Stribling
Simon Swain (Boys’ Games)
Emma Thornton (Geography & History)
Clare Whitten
Miss Gloria Butt (Administration)
Miss Beverley Stone (Headmaster’s PA)