About Us
At Bishop’s Stortford College our sense of community is what makes us tick. From the moment you step onto our campus, you realise we don’t feel like other schools of our type. This spirit of community, where there is a togetherness where none of us is as important as all of us, is universal across all our staff and pupils.
We take an active role in the local area, through our contribution and participation in community partnerships, and our growing programme of community and outreach activity on campus.
We are proud to be a founding member of the Bishop’s Stortford Educational Trust (BSET), a partnership of schools in the Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, and Harlow area who collaborate to provide teacher training for graduates who would like to teach in primary or secondary schools.
Drawing on the individual strengths of each school, who together have a clear understanding of the local need, the Trust aims to maintain excellent education standards in Bishop’s Stortford as the town expands, ensuring continued collaboration for the future benefit of education in our area.
For further information about the Trust please click here.
Our school works in partnership with the BSET School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) to offer superb Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to graduates and career changers joining the teaching profession. As a trainee teacher with us, you will have access to outstanding training and school and classroom experience to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and expertise you require to become an excellent teacher.
Click here for further information about teacher training with the Bishop’s Stortford Educational Trust School Centred Initial Teacher Training.
Established in 2018, the Bishop’s Stortford Pupil Voice Network was formed by local schools to enable them to share best practice, to discuss common issues, and to provide an opportunity to meet with local councillors and have their voices heard.
At the 2023 meeting, the focus was ‘celebrating pupil voices’ and ‘being successful listeners’. Attended by 110 Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils (aged between 9 and 13), they were joined by Councillor Richard Townsend who challenged them to think about the ways young people in our community can make a difference in our town and surrounding area. Julie Marson (MP for Hertford and Bishop’s Stortford) recorded a message congratulating them on being willing to stand up as representatives of their class and school communities.
This year also saw the launch of the Children’s Voices Community Award. From July 2023, school and pupil council projects that have impact in their community will be judged and prizes awarded.
Our Festival of Literature is a two-week programme, primarily aimed at school children, which sees speakers, authors, illustrators, poets, storytellers, and more talk and present to an audience about their work and books.
The Bishop’s Stortford College Picture Book Award also features as part of our Festival of Literature and encourages local school children to read and vote for their favourite picture book from a shortlist. The shortlisted authors/illustrators are invited to the College for the awards ceremony, which the participating schools are also invited to attend.
With topics like, “But what does the Bank of England actually do?” the Ferguson Lecture Series provides a range of thought-provoking lectures open to the wider College community.
The Stortfordian Foundation is a community for Old Stortfordians, Parents, Staff, and Friends of the College – helping friends and colleagues to keep in touch. Our Community Careers space allows members to share job or internship opportunities, and our range of Clubs encourages members to connect, network, share interests, sports, and business experiences.
Through our fundraising our goal is to cultivate and nurture an engaged and generous community prepared to support the College in delivering its educational and life-empowering mission, and in doing so, help ensure that this amazing opportunity is available to future generations.
Find out more
Through our Enterprises activity we offer a range of services for the local community including commercial and community lettings of our stunning facilities for hire, filming, photography, and weddings. We also run various holidays camps, workshops, courses, and our International Summer School that are available to members of the local community.
As part of our commitment to offer public benefit, and to enhance our impact in the local community, our new outreach programme is aimed at widening access to the College by working with local schools and community groups.
Our Friends of the Pre-Prep and Prep Schools are a committee of parents and guardians who assist at various Pre-Prep and Prep School events, organise events such as discos and fun days, and fund raise for enrichment of life for our Pre-Prep and Prep School pupils.