Best schools in Suffolk – Where to live nearby
Suffolk is a county that spreads from the east coastline of England to a distance only 14 miles to the east of Cambridge. Families are drawn to living in Suffolk for a number of reasons, not least because the schooling in Suffolk is world class.
The options for schooling range from highly-rated state-run facilities, selective schools and independent establishments, catering to children of all ages, but which are the best schools in Suffolk?
When finding the right place for your child to study there is a lot to consider, especially when combining the search for the right school with finding the perfect home. Our property finders have years of experience helping families marry up the two key factors to find their home.
There are many excellent schools in the county, many of which we’ve included here.
Top schools in Suffolk
In no particular order, the below highlights several of the top schools found in the county of Suffolk:
Saint Felix School is located to the outskirts of Southwold which is a traditional unspoilt seaside market town. The school offers co-education for children from the age of 2 through to 18 years old and offers this on a day or boarding, for the older students, basis. Day pupils tend to live either in Southwold or nearby towns and villages such as Halesworth, Beccles and Saxmundham.
Framlingham College is located about 15 miles from the coast and Ipswich and offers co-education for children from the age of 3 through to A levels at the age of 18 years old. The school offers places for both day and boarding. Day pupils tend to live in the town or in nearby places such as Needham Market, Ipswich or Saxmundham or villages that sit on the outskirts of these places.
Woodbridge School is located about 9 miles north of the town of Ipswich and offer co-education for children aged between 4 and 18 years old. The school offers both day and boarding places and day pupils often live in the town or travel from nearby villages such as Martlesham, Melton, Rendlesham and Felixstowe.
Royal Hospital School Ipswich is located in Ipswich and offers co-education for children aged 11 -18 years. It is fully independent with day and boarding places. The school was built on naval traditions. Day pupils and their families either live in the town or will commute via the school buses from villages further afield.
Ipswich School is also located in Ipswich and offers co-education for children aged 3 to 18 years old. Most pupils are day, but the school has a single boarding house.
Ipswich High School is also located in Ipswich and offers co-education for children aged 3 to 18 years old. Most pupils are day, but the school has a single boarding house.
St Joseph’s College is located in Ipswich and offers co-education for children aged 3 to 18 years old. It is a fully independent school and offers a full day and boarding education to its pupils.
Culford School is located a few miles north of the town of Bury St Edmunds and offers education from the age of 1 through to 18 years old and the school is housed on a single site but split into clearly defined areas for each age bracket. The school is independent and offers both day and boarding places for its pupils. Day pupils tend to live in nearby places such as Bury St Edmunds, Thetford or Newmarket. The school has shuttle buses running from Norwich, Cambridge and villages to the south of the county.
Finborough School is located on the outskirts of the town of Stowmarket and offers education from the age of 2 through to 18 years old. The school offers both day and boarding to its pupils. Day pupils travel from nearby villages such as Stowmarket and Lavenham or travel from further afield and places such as Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge.
School transport
Given the geography of the county and the distances involved, a number of the schools have private minibus taxis to help the school run commute. This also works well for the schools as it throws the net wider for the target audience they can reach.
Without this, typically parents choose a school based on which one is close to where they live and select the best option out of those nearby.
The only downside to the commuter bus is the travel times involved for the pupils, but most say this is very worthwhile as they benefit from all the great things schools a little further away from home have to offer their students.
Factoring in where you could potentially be based in order to reach your choice of school might seem complicated and yet another thing to add to the list of important considerations when moving with your family – a property finder can help navigate the local geography to find the best location to suit your preferences for a home and ensure the school commute is workable.
Finding a family home in Suffolk
The above is not a conclusive list, there are many more that could be added; Suffolk is brimming with excellent educational establishments.
It might be that you’ve already decided on a school and want to find a home that offers a suitable commute time or a home that falls within the catchment, or that you’re considering various locations and schooling is a key factor in deciding which home will work best for your family.
Finding a home that allows your children to attend the school you desire can be challenging, especially when catchment areas are tight or typically by nature of the county, the school might be a distance from an area you’d like to live and you’ll need to map out the logistics of travelling back and forth.
Whatever your specific requirements for a home and the considerations tied to schooling, our team of professional property finders are well placed to assist. To discuss your search and our services in greater detail please do contact us.
