We are in close contact with the Board of Governors and Leadership Team at Rendcomb and we will be working together to support you as you consider options and next steps for your children. Our intention is to provide you with stability, continuity, reassurance and above all kindness at what is, understandably, a difficult time.
We are in a position to be able to offer places in all year groups from Reception to Year 13 to Rendcomb day, flexi-boarding and boarding pupils should you wish to join our community. Any transition would be handled with great care, ensuring that your children are welcomed into our existing year groups and houses in a way that preserves individual attention and pastoral support. We will prioritise Rendcomb families for places and have designed a streamlined admissions process to make the process as straightforward as possible so we can focus on ensuring Wycliffe is the right school for your children. Our aim is not simply to offer places, but to provide a community in which your children can continue their education with confidence and a sense of belonging.
For those of you with children in the first year of their GCSEs or Sixth Form, we are in a position to offer you reassurance around the transfer of subjects. We understand that this will be a particular worry, but we are well-placed to, and experienced in, supporting pupils in this position.
My family and I joined Wycliffe in September 2024. Rosie and I have three children, all of whom attend our Prep School, and so I see through my own eyes as a parent that my colleagues at the Prep School, under the leadership of Mrs Libby Knight, are quietly achieving great things every day with the youngest members of our community.
I appreciate that you will be thoughtful and discerning as you consider schools that will, I hope, ensure your children are happy and fulfilled as well as challenged and developed so that they get to “know thyself”. As part of that decision-making process, a school’s ISI report is the most reliable, independent source of information there is and I would strongly encourage you to take time to read the full reports for any schools you are visiting (they are all available on websites and ours can be accessed here: Wycliffe College ISI Report September 2025.
We are, to date, the only school in this part of Gloucestershire to be recognised by the ISI with its highest accolade of a significant strength.
We feel that the nature of our significant strength, which relates to high aspirations for all of our pupils, and an individualised and supportive learning environment which has a highly beneficial impact on our pupils’ overall personal development, will help us best support any pupils and families with the transition to a new school community.
I, and a number of my colleagues, will be in attendance at the Rendcomb Open Event on 30th January and we look forward to meeting many of you in person.
With kind regards
Headmaster
Should you wish to have an initial conversation about your children’s circumstances or explore what a transition to Wycliffe might look like, I and my colleagues are available, at any time, over the coming days – please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Sally Cooper-New Director of Marketing and Admissions
Fiona Lawson-Best Senior Admissions Manager
Alison Barnes Assistant Admissions Manager
Email admissions@wycliffe.co.uk
Telephone 01453 820412 (Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm)
WhatsApp 07968 423609
Wycliffe is a school with a long-established reputation for academic rigour, breadth of opportunity and strong pastoral care. We combine a respect for tradition with a forward-looking education, preparing pupils not only for academic success but for leadership, service and responsibility beyond school.
Above all, Wycliffe is a school based on the ethos of kindness, humility and excellence without exclusion. These are values we know we have in common with Rendcomb. We want our pupils to be curious, empathetic, thoughtful, adventurous, and ambitious. Our through school, from 3-18 and small class sizes, allows us to know pupils well, while our resources and staffing enable us to offer an education that is both challenging and supportive.
Our recent Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report praised us for our ‘profound understanding of individual needs’ and ‘inclusive environment’ which, inspectors said, was a ‘significant strength’ of the school, a recognition afforded to only the top 10% of all independent schools.
See our inspection report here: Wycliffe College ISI Report September 2025
Inspectors also highlighted the ‘excellence’ and ‘aspiration’ evident throughout the school, from the very youngest children in early years through to pupils in the Sixth Form, as well as a curriculum which enables pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding across a wide range of subjects. Also singled out were our enrichment programmes from the Discovery Programme in the Prep School, to WYLD in the Senior School and the Academic Enrichment Programme in the Sixth Form. The world we are helping to prepare our pupils to enter is becoming ever-more challenging, complex and dynamic, and we are proud of the wonderfully inclusive community, rich curriculum and broad co-curriculum that is developing our pupils to prepare for life beyond our gates.
We recognise the sense of loss and uncertainty that the announcement of the closure of Rendcomb will bring to families. Wycliffe commits to supporting families with a smooth and considered transfer ensuring we provide clarity of information in a sensitive and time appropriate manner.
Therefore, Wycliffe commits to:
In a changing and challenging educational landscape, Wycliffe has taken a thoughtful and strategic approach, focusing on putting clear and robust plans in place to move the school forward with confidence.
The College has made prudent decisions that support long-term sustainability and resilience, ensuring we are not reacting to short-term pressures but working deliberately towards a stable and secure future.
Throughout this process, our priority remains providing a consistent, supportive environment in which pupils can flourish academically and pastorally, both now and in the years ahead.
There is no Saturday school in our Prep School. Our boarders have a busy, fun and entertaining programme of trips and activities on weekends. All Prep sports fixtures are played during the week.
In the Senior School, all pupils in Years 9 to 11 have four academic lessons on Saturday morning (drop off and morning registration is at the same time as Mon-Fri), followed by lunch and a period of Games in the afternoon. This is when the majority of sports fixtures are played and pupils are expected to be available either for a shorter period of games or a fixture, if selected.
In the Sixth Form, there is no Saturday School and Day pupils are only expected in if they have been selected for a sports fixture in the afternoon. Sixth Form boarders have a relaxed morning routine and study periods timetabled before lunch on Saturdays.
We are already working through mapping GCSE and A level exam boards to prioritise continuity, timetable integration and a personalised plan for pupils who are currently in Years 10 and Year 12. We are also reviewing where we do not offer subjects which pupils have been studying at Rendcomb and how we can support their studies. Our teachers pride themselves on knowing pupils in their classes intimately, and we will ensure that joining pupils are given the help and support they need to be able to succeed.
For pupils in year groups not working towards public exams, we will review timetables according to the year group.
We will prioritise continuity, and in the event a subject is not currently available at Wycliffe we will look at all options to ensure as smooth a transition as possible. We have already identified that there is much overlap in the exam boards followed by Rendcomb, and those studied here at Wycliffe. Where exam boards do not align exactly, we will work with pupils on an individual basis to ascertain the best ways of allowing them to continue with their courses and to achieve their best at the end of Years 11 and 13.
We will assign a tutor, buddy, and provide a structured period of transition. For boarding pupils, our in-house pastoral team will provide additional care and ensure any potential signs of a pupil not settling are identified quickly. We take our duty of care to all of our pupils very seriously.
Prior to new pupils joining Wycliffe, we hold taster days and settling in days to support your child’s transition. During the Summer Term we will schedule a transition programme for both pupils and families giving plenty of opportunity for you to get to know Wycliffe before September.
Yes
Our support and care to all of our pupils is our top priority and is on-going. For those entering exam cycles, additional support is provided with extra reviews to ensure minimal disruption to education.
We know how important strong friendships are for a child, and we are aware that this will be a concern for Rendcomb pupils. Wycliffe is a very inclusive school, where kindness and humility are key values. We will ensure Rendcomb pupils have a buddy and are integrated into their house as quickly as possible.
We put a great deal of care into helping pupils settle, including personalised onboarding, close pastoral support, and regular check-ins during the first year. However, if despite this support it becomes clear that Wycliffe is not the right fit for your child, we will approach this sensitively and pragmatically.
For families transferring from Rendcomb, we will not enforce fees in lieu of notice during the first year. Our focus is on ensuring pupils are in the right environment to thrive, not on creating additional pressure for families at an already challenging time.
We offer occasional, flexi, and full boarding options. Please talk to us about your individual circumstance.
At the Prep School there are two boarding houses: one for girls (Windrush) and one for boys (Pennwood). At the Senior School there are six boarding houses:
Collingwood Co-educational Y9-13 Day House
Haywardsfield Y9-13 Boys’ Boarding House
Lampeter Y9-13 Girls’ Boarding House
Loosley Halls Co-educational Y11 and Sixth Form Boarding House
Robinson Y9-13 Boys’ Boarding House
Wards Ivy Grove Co-educational Y9-13 Boarding House (girls and boys rooms are separated with combined communal areas)
Yes. We recognise that families may wish to take a flexible approach to boarding while their child settles into a new school.
Boarding arrangements for pupils transferring from Rendcomb will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and we will work with you to agree what is most appropriate for your child during this transition period.
We encourage families to speak directly with our Admissions Team or Boarding Team so that individual circumstances can be discussed and a supportive plan put in place.
Yes. To support pupils transitioning from Rendcomb, and to help reduce travel demands during the first year, we will offer flexi boarding at a reduced cost where this is helpful to a family’s circumstances.
Arrangements will be agreed on an individual basis, and we encourage families to discuss their needs with our Admissions Team so that a suitable and supportive plan can be put in place.
Yes, pupils can join almost all activities straight away. This can be discussed in your initial conversation with the Admissions Team.
We will support your child with transferring any individual co-curricular activity and ensure there is a smooth transition between any external teachers or coaches.
At Wycliffe, we believe that provision for our SWANS (Students With Additional Needs) should be embedded into the curriculum, rather than an “extra”. Learning Support sessions in Years 9-13 are offered in small, group sessions of targeted support and intervention, which is included in our fee structure and timetabled into the school day. 1:1 provision for those pupils who require it in line with our graduated response is also included. Where capacity allows, we can also offer additional 1:1 support beyond that included in our provision at an hourly rate.
We will support your child with transferring any individual co-curricular activity and ensure there is a smooth transition between any external teachers or coaches.
In the first instance please contact our Admissions Team and they will guide you step‑by‑step. They will arrange a call to understand your child’s needs, review your most recent school report, arrange for you to meet and talk to the Headmaster (and/or Head of Prep, where appropriate), and talk to key Academic and Pastoral members of the school and schedule a visit for you.
Email admissions@wycliffe.co.uk
Tel 01453 820412 (office hours Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm)
WhatsApp 07968 423609 (out of office hours contact)
Yes. We will offer an accelerated, and simplified, admissions route. Our Admissions Team will talk you through this.
Yes, our Admissions Team will support with scheduling in person or virtual meetings as a priority to fit around your schedules.
We will not be asking your child to sit assessments as part of transferring to Wycliffe. However, as part of our internal academic tracking and setting of aspirational grades all new pupils (from many different schools) will sit assessments and tests when the time is appropriate.
No, your child will not need to sit an entrance test.
Fees at Wycliffe are available here
Our fees are inclusive of VAT and include:
| Day Pupils | Boarding Pupils (as per day pupils, plus:) |
| Most school activitiesv | Breakfast, supper and evening snacks |
| Tuition and textbooks | Housekeeping and laundry services |
| Lunch and snacks | In-house activities during the week and at weekends |
| Games and travel to matches (including home match teas) | Exeat weekends |
We understand that families may experience a period of financial overlap or uncertainty as a result of Rendcomb’s closure.
As with our current families, we will take a flexible and pragmatic approach to fees, and we will work with parents individually to agree appropriate payment arrangements during the transition.
For those families wishing to transfer within the current academic year, we would not charge fees at Wycliffe but ask that you honour your remaining fee commitment to Rendcomb for the Summer Term.
In relation to deposits, we will match our deposit requirements to Rendcomb’s and our timing will be aligned with the return of deposits from Rendcomb, so that families are not required to be unnecessarily out of pocket.
We will honour all bursaries and scholarships provided we have written evidence of their award from Rendcomb.
Our pledge to families from Rendcomb is to minimise the financial burden of a school move as much as we can. Our commitment to support Rendcomb families is detailed towards the top of this page.
We operate established bus routes across the region using our own fleet of private minibuses and College-employed drivers who know our pupils and their families well. Our routes are reviewed on an annual basis and additional routes are added or altered where there is demand. Information on our bus routes can be found here.
Yes. We will be aligning our existing bus routes where possible to support families transferring from Rendcomb.
In addition, where there is sufficient demand from Rendcomb families living in the same area, we would consider introducing new or amended routes to help make the transition as practical and manageable as possible. Transport arrangements will be reviewed as pupil numbers become clearer.
Yes. Stonehouse mainline station is less than a 5-minute walk from the Senior School along a safe residential side street opposite our College Chapel on the Senior School site. Trains run regularly through the day and evenings to/from Gloucester and Cheltenham to the north and Stroud, Kemble and Swindon to the south/east. A number of our current pupils use this service on a daily basis to/from home as do our flexi boarders and boarders who come from further afield.
In the first instance please contact our Admissions Team and they will guide you step‑by‑step. They will arrange a call to understand your child’s needs, review your most recent school report, arrange for you to meet and talk to the Headmaster (and/or Head of Prep, where appropriate), and talk to key Academic and Pastoral members of the school and schedule a visit for you.
(office hours Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm)
(out of office hours contact)
Dear Rendcomb Families,
We are deeply saddened by the news that Rendcomb will close at the end of the academic year. Our thoughts are with all the pupils, families, staff and alumni of Rendcomb college at such a difficult time.
We are honoured to have been invited to work in partnership with Rendcomb in supporting families and pupils as you consider your next steps. We understand the care, sensitivity, clarity and respect you need during this transition and the Wycliffe community will work in collaboration and compassion with each individual family.
If you would like to arrange a personal and confidential conversation with our Admissions Team, please contact admissions@wycliffe.co.uk or What's App 07968 423609
