A very strong tradition and culture of Rugby exists at Blundell’s.
Rugby has long been a central feature of life at Blundell’s, and a sport in which we have seen significant success. The school’s first competitive fixture was played over 150 years ago, and in the intervening years both current and former pupils have played at the very highest level, including internationally and for the British and Irish Lions. This level of success continues to the present day, and our top teams regularly see significant regional and national success.
We are very proud of this rugby tradition, and of the successes we have seen. However, the Blundell’s rugby ethos is more than simply this. In particular, we pride ourselves on the opportunity and enjoyment that all our pupils will have from playing. We put out a large number of teams for a school our size, and enjoy a very competitive and high-quality fixture list. Girls Rugby is proving more and more popular, and we are continually expanding our girls’ rugby sevens programme, and run holiday training camps to further encourage participation in the sport for girls. In addition, non-contact touch rugby is also proving very popular among the younger age-groups in particular, and further enables us to provide a form of sport to match all levels, abilities and interests.
As a school, we believe fundamentally in providing an environment that is both inspirational and aspirational, which allows individual pupils to discover their own rugby pathway. To facilitate this, Blundell’s rugby concentrates on player development that is pupil centred, which encourages the pupils to enjoy the game and hopefully become life-long enthusiasts at whatever level they engage. We incorporate the 5 core values identified by the RFU into our rugby programme: enjoyment; teamwork; respect; discipline; and sportsmanship.
One element of the Blundell’s rugby programme that helps to provide a pupil centred focus is the fact that the majority of coaching is done by schoolteachers who have a passion for the game and an enthusiasm to play their part in the overall development of the pupils they coach. They do not focus exclusively on the short-term success of our winning performances in competitive matches, but on the progression of players along a much longer time trajectory. The teaching staff’s skill and care are supplemented by professional coaches, who work both with the pupils directly and provide coaching development sessions for the other staff members. In addition, our elite players receive additional support and coaching through our connections with Exeter Chiefs and Taunton Titans.
Blundell’s teams have enjoyed a good deal of success in recent years, winning the International Rosslyn Park Sevens U18s competition and reaching the final of the National Schools Champions Trophy competition in the recent years. Yet we recognise that one of our greatest success stories is the high level of participation that we have amongst our pupils at school, and this is also reflected in the number of pupils who continue playing rugby after leaving school. For many this is for universities and clubs, but it also includes those who have gone onto have professional careers; Jack Maunder (Exeter and England), Matt Kvesic (Exeter, Gloucester, Worcester and England) and Nicola Coffin (Richmond and England) are some recent examples.
On Thursday the 23rd of January, we were delighted to welcome the internationally acclaimed composer Joanna Forbes L’Estrange to Blundell’s for an afternoon of workshops with the Senior and Prep School choirs. This year’s Spring Concert, The Seasons, includes the world premiere of A Season to Sing, a piece co-commissioned by Blundell’s.
We are delighted to share that Blundell's School has been ranked 244th in The Times' Parent Power list, a prestigious ranking based on GCSE and A-Level results.
Our position reflects the strong academic achievements of our pupils, particularly given the highly selective nature of many of the schools ranked alongside us.
Chris Filbey, the new Second Master to take over from Matt Radley in September 2025. Chris is currently an Assistant Head at Epsom College where he was previously a Housemaster. Before that he was Head of Modern Languages at Haileybury. I look forward to working with Chris and we will introduce him to the wider Blundell’s community in due course.
Head Coach Kenny Murray has named a 34-player Scotland U20 squad to compete in the 2025 U20 Six Nations.
The group consists of 19 forwards and 15 backs, and will get their championship underway at home to Italy U20 on Friday 31 January at Hive Stadium.
Johnny Ventisei will captain the squad, having led the side against Wales U20 in a friendly in December.
Freddy Douglas, who won a first Scotland senior cap against Portugal in November last year, is selected as he nears a return from injury.
Blundell’s is thrilled to announce our investment in The Wellbeing Hub by Teen Tips, a comprehensive resource dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our Senior School community. With expert-led, evidence-based tools, The Wellbeing Hub will empower pupils, parents, and staff with guidance and resources to support students’ social, emotional, and educational needs. This initiative underscores our commitment to fostering a supportive environment where everyone can thrive.
During this Autumn Term, our Drama Scholars delivered an impressive Autumn Showcase featuring their examination pieces. The performances spanned Restoration Comedy, Comedy of Manners, Musical Theatre, contemporary works, and original material.
The evening highlighted the scholars’ talent, creativity, and dedication, showcasing the high standard of drama at Blundell’s. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their continued growth.
House Music was a highlight of the term, with standout performances from Reuben (Old House) winning the Solo Performance Trophy and Nico (Westlake) earning Best Individual Contribution. North Close won the Ensemble Trophy, and Old House claimed both the House Song and overall titles. Pupils were praised for their energy and effort throughout the event.
An incredible experience for our pupils to sing in one of the world’s most famous churches
Blundell’s School pupils have achieved the school’s highest ever GCSE results, for exams taken under standard conditions.
This extraordinary achievement reflects the unwavering dedication and effort our pupils have poured into their studies.