New home for private schools’ membership organisation

The UK’s largest private schools’ membership organisation has found a new home at a 132-acre business park close to the town centres of Warwick and Leamington Spa.

The Independent Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS), which supports 10 Coventry and Warwickshire establishments including Warwick Junior School and King Henry VIII Preparatory School, has relocated to Bishops House at Tachbrook Park.

The association, which represents independent preparatory schools and headteachers across the UK and overseas, supports more than 160,000 children and 20,000 staff across its member schools.

Warwick-based property development company AC Lloyd, which both developed and retains ownership of a number of properties within Tachbrook Park, sold the three-storey self-contained office building to IAPS, which will vacate its old premises at Waterloo Place in Leamington and occupy the second floor.

The remaining two floors at Bishops House have been let to Leamington-based learning support company Widgit Software and Sumo Digital.

Christopher King, CEO of IAPS, said: “IAPS has been based in Leamington Spa for many years. The town is an ideal central base for our organisation which has members throughout the UK as well as around the world.

“However, if we are to continue to provide effective support and advice to our 660 plus members, we need modern, flexible office space.

“Moving to Bishop’s House is a wonderful opportunity to better accommodate the IAPS team who deliver a wide range of services to members.

“It will also enable our members to visit us and attend many of our professional development courses.”

Mark Edwards, managing director of AC Lloyd Commercial, said: “We are delighted that a locally-based organisation has chosen Bishops House as a base to conduct its UK and overseas operations.

“This sale demonstrates the continuing strength of Tachbrook Park as Leamington and Warwick’s premier business location with excellent links to the motorway network with the added benefit of being in close proximity to Leamington train station, with easy access to Birmingham and London as well as Coventry, Warwickshire and the rest of the West Midlands.”