Our Facilities

STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES

Our Facilities

Bright and spacious classrooms and modern science labs, alongside creative spaces, play areas and superb sports facilities provide a wonderful environment in which Perse pupils can flourish.

We have made a significant investment in our facilities over recent years, including the construction of our Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre, extending and refurbishing our science labs at the Prep and Upper, and building our Perse Sports Centre, which includes a swimming pool, sports hall and climbing wall.

The Pelican

Based in a former Perse boarding house, the Pelican provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere for our youngest children.

The recently-refurbished playground provides an exciting area for outside learning as well as recreation, while Nursery children enjoy their own dedicated outdoor space in which to play and explore.

The Prep

Set within four acres of spacious parkland, the Prep features a mix of traditional and modern buildings in which a purposeful and stimulating environment for learning is created.

Among the Prep’s extensive facilities are two state-of-the-art science labs and a fully-equipped ICT suite, modern art and design technology rooms, music practice and music technology rooms, and a dedicated drama studio.

The Prep also benefits from nine acres of playing fields on its doorstep, including a full-sized all-weather pitch and two netball courts.

The Upper

The Upper is situated in an attractive 25-acre site with extensive playing fields and recreational space, including two full-sized floodlit all-weather pitches, five netball courts, and the brand-new Perse Sports Centre.

At the heart of the Upper lies the award-winning Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre. Opened in 2018, this impressive structure provides first-class performance facilities for drama, music and lectures and features a 370-seat auditorium, café and rehearsal and exhibition spaces, set within the elegant Ellison Court.

Other facilities include high specification IT suites, new and newly-refurbished science labs and classrooms, a newly-refurbished lecture theatre, purpose-built sports centre, sports studio, strength and conditioning suite, a music centre with rehearsal hall and extensive practice rooms, art studios with graphic design suite and gallery, and a dedicated outdoor pursuits centre.

We also have access to 45 acres of outdoor space at Little Abington, just 15 minutes from the School.

The Sixth Form

Our Sixth Form students enjoy the use of a stunning common room with soft seating, music, table football and pool table.

Students also have access to a wide range of areas including the library and Performing Arts Centre café, where they can quietly work.

Students enjoy their own dining facilities in the Sixth Form Café and Hersch Room.

The Perse Sports Centre

The Perse Sports Centre includes a 25-metre swimming pool, 10.5m climbing wall and sports hall. The centre is used by Perse students during the school day and is open to the public during the evenings and weekends.

Dive into our brand new facilities, where our team of experienced swimming and climbing teachers, certified lifeguards and dedicated staff work together to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all. Take a look at the Perse Sports Centre website here.

The Peter Hall Performing Arts Centre

The PAC is our newest purpose-built theatre and teaching space in Cambridge, designed by architects Haworth Tompkins and opened in 2018 as a 400-seat theatre, exhibition and rehearsal space. It’s named after Sir Peter Hall, founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company and an old Persean, and includes a large, daylit rehearsal and teaching room, an exhibition space, full back-of-house dressing rooms, a workshop and ancillary spaces, plus a suite of classrooms.

Today it hosts The Perse Academy of Performing Arts, The Perse’s dedicated performing arts training programme, open to the public, giving pupils the chance to develop confidence and creativity through structured drama and theatre training. All of its live performances, showcases, and fully staged musicals are held in the PAC.