Shiplake Shortlisted for TES Awards

Early this month, Shiplake College was shortlisted for not one, but two TES School Awards! The Independent Schools Awards 2018 shortlist was published on Friday 3 November, to reveal that Shiplake has been nominated for two awards: Boarding School of the Year and Marketing Campaign of the Year. 

As boarding schools go, Shiplake College offers an excellent programme of events, activities and opportunities with which pupils are encouraged to get involved. Boarding pupils have previously spent their weekends paintballing, kayaking and making sushi, while taking part in FIFA tournaments, 5-a-side football and manhunt in the weekday evenings.

This term, they will take part in skiing and snowboarding tuition, a fondue night and a trip to the Reading Escape Rooms, among other activities. Boarding Activities Coordinator, Mr Tiki Ebun-Cole, has commented ‘I am delighted that our school has been nominated for Boarding School of the Year, and it’s amazing that the special environment we have here at Shiplake is being recognised as such.’ 

The Marketing Campaign that snatched the attention of the judges is the Shiplake 360° immersive Virtual Reality experience. When presented on a portable device capable of playing stereoscopic video, there creates an extraordinary sensory and immersive spectacular. The video itself throws the viewer into life at Shiplake at the deep end, enabling them to experience rowing, science and music among other quintessentially Shiplake activities. During playback the viewer has control of their viewing direction, meaning each time they watch it they may spot something different taking place.

The video has been viewed over 4,500 times on social media, reaching over 7,000 people. The nomination for the Marketing Campaign of the Year is testament to the hard work and creativity of Director of Marketing, Mrs Katherine Green, who said ‘With digital platforms such as Facebook and YouTube introducing support features for 360-degree video, this was an opportunity to showcase the College in a different way to the usual promotional school video. We have found that using such technology has particularly appealed to prospective pupils, as well as their parents. Not only can we transport people back to Shiplake College through the VR headset when at exhibition events, we have also created our own branded Google Cardboard viewers for prospective families to take home and enjoy the experience again.’

Headmaster Gregg Davies said ‘I’m thrilled that the College is being recognised for the boarders’ activities programme and marketing strategy. I’m very grateful to all the individuals who have made this happen and grateful also to TES for recognising our school in this way.’

The TES Awards ceremony will be held in London on Thursday 8 February. Among the shortlisted schools are Wellington College, nearby in Berkshire, Benendon School and the Abu Dhabi campus of rugby rivals Cranleigh School.