27th November 2020 — Bishop’s Stortford College has not only been named as one of the top 100 schools for cricket in the UK by The Cricketer magazine, but the Prep School has also made it into the top 50 Prep Schools for cricket for the first time. This is the fourth successive year that the College has appeared in the Cricketer’s Top 100.

Inclusion in The Cricketer’s Top 100 and Top 50 guides is a huge achievement for both the College (Senior School) and its Prep School. This year saw a record number of entries from schools, from both the state and independent sectors, despite the ongoing pandemic. All entries were judged against an extensive and increasing set of criteria, with the chosen schools all having a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, excellent facilities, fixtures programmes and coaching.

Simon Hughes, editor of The Cricketer magazine commented, “This year’s Schools Guide is particularly important in showcasing our schools who have kept the game alive through a very challenging summer. Whether it has been remote video sessions, drills in the garden or even Zoom quizzes, schools cricket has emerged resolutely from this pandemic and the appetite to get back out on the playing fields is palpable.”

Dave Hughes, Head of Cricket at the College, said, “To be included in The Cricketer’s Top 100 Schools and Top 50 Prep Schools Guide, in what has been a challenging year, is an enormous achievement and one we are immensely proud of. We are thrilled that The Cricketer has recognised the outstanding facilities and coaching programme we offer.”

As well as appearing in print as a supplement to the December issue of The Cricketer (the world’s No.1 cricket magazine), the Cricketer Schools Guide 2021 will also be available to view online throughout the year from 15th December.

24th November 2020 — The much-anticipated shortlist for the winner of the Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award 2021 has been announced.

2021 will mark the twelfth Bishop’s Stortford College Festival of Literature which, this year, due to the pandemic, will take place in a virtual format but will, in keeping with tradition, include the very popular Picture Book Award.

This year, the Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award will invite schools from across the UK, and anyone else with an interest in children’s picture books and illustration, to cast votes for their favourite titles from the shortlist. Previous Picture Book Award winners include, This is A Dog, by Ross Collins, Baby’s First Bank Heist, By Jim Whalley and Stephen Collins and Bathroom Boogie by Clare Fogs and Al Murphy.

The shortlist, announced on the Bishop’s Stortford College Festival of Literature social media channels last week, is now available to explore on the brand new Festival website www.festivalofliterature.co.uk. Pupils and teachers from schools across the nation are invited to start reading the books and to vote for their favourites.

For the first time, schools beyond Bishop’s Stortford are invited to participate in the voting, which will take place online. Much anticipated by authors and publishers as well as by schools, the excitement is sure to build ahead of the Picture Book Award virtual ceremony on Wednesday 10th February 2021. This very special ceremony will feature, not only last year’s winner, a series of short films from this year’s shortlisted authors and illustrators but an exclusive preview of a draw-along with children’s books author and illustrator, Rob Biddulph as well. Participating schools are urged to save the date!

The nominees for the 2021 Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award are;

Bear Shaped by Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden

Dog Gone by Rob Biddulph

Don’t Call Me Grumpycorn by Sarah McIntyre

Inch and Grub: A Story About Cavemen by Alastair Chrisholm and David Roberts

Llama Glamarama by Simon James Green and Garry Parsons

Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival

Pirates vs Monsters by David Crosby and Lee Cosgrove

The Day the Banana Went Bad by Michelle Robinson and Tom Knight

The Hospital Dog by Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie

For further information about the Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award and the Festival of Literature 2021, please visit www.festivalofliterature.co.uk or keep up to date on the Festival social media channels; Facebook - @BSCFestLit, Twitter - @BSCFestLit and Instagram – festivalofliterature.

19th October 2020 — Registrations to attend the Bishop’s Stortford College Virtual Prep School Open Morning on Saturday 7th November, for 7+ to 11+ entry in 2021, are now open.

Due to the current pandemic, Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School are taking a different approach to their open morning and are asking all interested families to register their attendance in advance. Registrations will close at 9am on the morning of 7th November.

For families interested in joining the Prep School in 2021, the Open Morning will take start at 9:45am on Saturday 7th November. Registered families will gain access to a virtual Open Morning Visit platform which, in the days before, will include links to a live presentation and Q & A session with the Head of the Prep School, virtual tours and additional pre-recorded content. Families will continue to have access to this content once the Open Morning is complete and recordings of the live presentations will be uploaded to the Open Morning platform following the event.

Families can register to attend the Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School Open Morning by visiting the ‘Admissions and Open Mornings’ page on the College website, or registering at https://bishopsstortfordcollege.openapply.com/.

The College looks forward to giving a warm welcome to all interested families.

16th October 2020 — Bishop’s Stortford College Senior School pupil, Zara Clark-Jones, has won the U18 Childéric Saddles Little Downham International One Day Event, on Rickamore Royal, a horse she’s been riding for just two weeks.

Zara, who first started jumping in 2017 and began to participate in One Day Events just one year later, scored a total of 29 (penalty) points with Rickamore Royal in the dressage, jumped clear in the show jumping and also the 100cm Cross country course inside the time limit. This was Zara’s first time out on Rickamore Royal, who stands at 16.2 hands. A win, so early in their partnership, should not be underestimated yet Zara also rode in the same competition section on her other horse, Arthurian Legend, on whom she placed 6th with after scoring a total of 33 points.

The win means Zara and Rickamore Royal have now qualified for the U18 Regional Championships due to be held next Spring. Last year, Zara qualified for the Badminton Grassroots 2020 competition on Arthurian Legend which was cancelled due to Covid but she hopes will be rescheduled soon.

Prior to One Day Eventing, Zara competed in ‘Showing’, an equestrian discipline that does not involve jumping. As well as riding 4 times a week, weather and light permitting, Zara receives additional tuition from specialist trainers and attends training camps during the holidays. She is inspired by reigning Badminton Horse Trials Champion and one of Britain’s leading event riders, Piggy French. Zara’s long-term ambitions include selection onto the Junior GB Team but for now, is aiming to get onto the Frickley U18 team.

The College would like to congratulate Zara on her recent achievements and wishes her the best of luck for all future competitions.

22nd September 2020 — Bishop’s Stortford College Pre-Prep pupil, Ben H, who is registered legally blind, has raised over £1,000 for local charities by embarking upon a sponsored climb.

5-year-old Ben was diagnosed with Nance-Horan Syndrome, an extremely rare genetic disease, at just 2 weeks old. As a blue badge holder and formally registered as severely visually impaired in both eyes, Ben has undergone multiple eye operations in his lifetime at Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge. Ben and his parents are incredibly grateful for all the medical care they have received from many specialists over the last 5 years at not only Addenbrooke’s but Moorfields, Hertfordshire, Lister and Great Ormond Street Hospitals.

Ben wears special contact lenses to give him a focus range of approximately 70cm; without them he can only see light. Having received specialist care and support throughout his lifetime, Ben’s older sisters, 8 year-old Alice and 10 year-old Jessica who attend Bishop’s Stortford College Prep School, are dedicated to helping their brother and have supported him every step of the way.

At the start of each new academic year, Pre-Prep pupils were given the opportunity to choose a charity to support for the year as part of their School Voice initiative. Pupils were keen to show their support for the local community, especially the Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank and think of ways in which they could help.

Inspired by his sisters, Ben decided to take on a climbing challenge in aid of the Bishop’s Stortford Food Bank to kickstart the Pre-Prep fundraising. Over the weekend Ben visited Clip’n’Climb, Cambridge, and completed his sponsored climb with his sisters; the first climb he has ever done. Encouraged by his sisters and family, Ben climbed to the top of 10 different walls a total of 30 times. Ben’s visual impairment means that a lot of this was done through touch alone.

To date Ben has raised over £1,000 with the support of his family, neighbours and friends. Miss Callow, Head of Pre-Prep, commented, “Ben has been an inspiration for us this term in completing the climbing challenge and has made a significant start towards our fundraising for this year. He responded so quickly to the plight of others that we had been talking about, and gave himself a real challenge to show his support and raise money. We are extremely proud of his achievements and look forward to an important year of raising money to support our chosen charities.”

For anyone wishing to donate to Ben’s fundraising efforts, the link to his JustGiving page can be found here, https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/liz-hardy3.

7th September 2020 — Registrations to attend the Bishop’s Stortford College Virtual Open Mornings for 2021 entry are now open.

Due to the current pandemic, this year, Bishop’s Stortford College will be taking a different approach to their open mornings and are asking all interested families to register their attendance in advance.

For families interested in joining the Pre-Prep, Prep School, Senior School or Sixth Form in 2021, this year’s All Stages of Entry Open Morning will take place on Saturday 19th September, starting at 9.30am. Families interested in joining the Pre-Prep will be invited to book a socially distanced tour of the Pre-Prep (there will be no children in school that day) where they will also have the opportunity to meet current staff and parents. A Virtual Open Morning will be held for those interested in joining the Prep and Senior Schools which will include live presentations with opportunities for questions and answers, plus pre-recorded content and virtual tours.

Designed for those considering entry to the Sixth Form in 2021, this year’s Sixth Form Virtual Open Morning will take place on Saturday 10th October from 10.15am. In addition to introductory talks and live presentations, there will be the opportunity to watch a virtual tour, hear from current Sixth Form students, the Sixth Form Management Team and Heads of Department.

The Prep School Virtual Open Morning, for 7+ to 11+ entry in 2021, will take place on Saturday 7th November from 9.45am. As well as a live presentation from the Head of the Prep School, Bill Toleman, including a Q&A session, interested families will have the opportunity to hear from current parents, watch a virtual tour of the Prep School and meet key members of Prep School staff through pre-recorded content.

Families can register to attend one of the Open Mornings by visiting the ‘Admissions and Open Mornings’ page on the College website, or follow the link here, https://www.bishopsstortfordcollege.org/187/admissions-and-open-mornings. The College looks forward to welcoming you.