As a child from a military family, you may have to move frequently, leading to changing schools more often than you would like. This, coupled with living in surroundings different from your home country can have an impact on emotional and academic development. Wycliffe has over 140 years’ experience in supporting military families and their children. We understand the specific challenges they face and how important having a stable education in a secure, comfortable environment is. We use our extensive experience to support children of military families from around the world to settle quickly into School life.
Wycliffe is a genuine global community, welcoming over 120 International pupils to our Prep and Senior Schools each year.
Pupils from the ages of 7 to 19 can Board with us on a Full or Flexi basis; allowing them to immerse themselves fully in the British culture and the close-knit community here at Wycliffe. We also offer Day places for children from the age of 3+.
Pupil wellbeing is central to all that we do at Wycliffe and is what we are renowned for. We help military children settle into Wycliffe Life in a number of ways:
Prior to joining, children can come in for a Taster Stay, where they will have a Guardian from their Year group with similar interests to look after them. They will spend a day experiencing School life, including lessons, activities and a Boarding night.
When they join they have a buddy in Boarding from their Year group and they will share a room with someone from their Year group too.
We offer Pilates, Zumba, Cooking, Yoga, specific lessons on Life Skills (including mental health) as well as lots and lots of sporting activities.
Our tutor groups are small, allowing our tutors to get to know our pupils and parents well, and they form the first point of contact, we also have pastoral Year group leads who are ‘experts’ in that Year group. Within the Boarding House, House Parents are a constant thread for pupils, always on hand to support and guide. In addition to this, we have counsellors and an independent person for pupils to talk to, should the need arise.
Wycliffe is located in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside, just two miles off Junction 13 of the M5 motorway, near the bustling town of Stroud. Stonehouse Train Station is just a 2-minute walk away from campus with regular direct trains to London Paddington daily.
It takes just 25 minutes to get to ARRC at Innsworth and 45 mins from RAF Fairford. For children that may want to split their time between the School and barracks, Wycliffe has a private fleet of modern minibuses that can bring pupils’ to and from School from all over Gloucestershire. This is a private bus service for the use of Wycliffe pupils that will pick up and drop off Day pupils.
Our 52-acre countryside campus has fantastic transport links and is within two hours of the following bases:
Northwood
Blandford Camp
Fairford
Northwood
RNAS Yeovilton
RAF Welford
RAF Barford St Johns
Knowing your child is well looked after and that they live in safe, comfortable facilities is likely to be a key priority when choosing a School for your child. At Wycliffe, you can be confident that your child will be in safe and experienced hands. Our Boarding Houses offer a home away from home, where children can relax after School and during weekends. Our Boarding Houses feature dorms where every pupil has their own space, and a Common Room to spend time with other Boarders. Daily and weekend activities take place that may include games nights, trips to local attractions, e.g. Alton Towers, and fun, interactive campus activities such as zorbing, while our large countryside campus gives children the opportunity to explore and connect with the outside world; vital for positive wellbeing.
33% of our boarders come from Forces families, meaning we are well-equipped to support your child through their educational journey. A number of our staff and trustees have even served in the Armed Forces too!
Additional measures in place include:
Discover other reasons to consider Wycliffe.
What does Wycliffe offer us as a military family? The obvious answer being, ‘Continuity of Education’ but they offer so much more. We are watching our children flourish as they grow and move up through the School. We can see they are happy, well adjusted and embracing the challenges on offer.
We believe Wycliffe is developing a strong work ethic, encouraging independence and providing our boys with a stable setting, which all helps towards them reaching their full potential.
The School focuses on developing life skills, such as determination, resilience and the drive to succeed. They love the friendships they have made, Sport, Drama and Expedition Days. They access all the extra-curricular activities on offer.
Choosing the right school that works for all your children can be a big decision to make. We understand this, which is why we offer all prospective parents and children the opportunity to try out Wycliffe. We can set up a Taster Day and Boarding Night for any Year group, where your child can experience life at Wycliffe first-hand but under the guidance and friendship of a Wycliffe buddy from the same Year group.
If you’d like this to be organised, get in contact with us using the form below.
We would love to welcome you to Wycliffe for a tour around our busy, contented, Cotswolds Campus.
Please get in touch to come and meet us.
Our dedicated team is ready to help.
Book your personal tour or complete the form below.
We’re here to answer any questions. For further support, please contact our dedicated team: admissions@wycliffe.co.uk
In each Boarding House there is a Housemaster or Housemistress who lives in accommodation attached to or next to the Boarding House, and they are there all evenings, weekends and at night. These staff are supported by House Tutors and Matrons who look after the pupils during the day and in the evenings.
We have over 100 years of experience in looking after the sons and daughters of parents who work in the HM Forces, and over 85 of our Boarders are from a Forces family.
Medical or similar appointments are arranged by the Housemaster, Housemistress or Matron in liaison with you, and a member of our staff will accompany your son or daughter to their appointment.
Wherever you are posted in the world, you can be reassured that your son or daughter will be safe, cared for and enjoying School life.
Each term, the Prep and Senior Schools have exeat weekends, but all Boarders can stay at School if you would prefer them to, and this cost is included in the full Fees (so you do not pay extra).
