WHAT? WHERE?

Pupils at King Edward's School, Witley, Surrey.

King Edward’s Witley is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls from age 11-18. Known for its strong sense of community, pastoral care and diversity, it’s a school with a global outlook and an emphasis on a holistic, all-round education.

The school dates back to 1553 when it was founded by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, who convinced King Edward VI to set up a school for the underprivileged in what was then Bridewell Palace.

That caring Christian ethos is still at the heart of the school today. And values like kindness, empathy and compassion alongside a sense of fun are most often used to describe the school in pupil and parent surveys. Big on student wellbeing, there’s a big focus on pastoral care and happiness

The school is actually in Wormley, a village near Witley, between Haslemere and Godalming. It’s on a sprawling 100-acre site with the main Grade II-listed building sitting with pride and elegance facing Petworth Road.

Considering the size of the campus, it’s a reasonably small school with about 480 pupils in total, including international students from over 40 different countries.

A house system is in place, and this is central to the sense of community. All students – day and boarding – are allocated a house and have their own study space and use of communal areas.

Lower school pupils (years 7-8) are at Queen Mary House and senior pupils (years 9-12) are in one of six senior boarding houses. A new upper sixth boarding house opened in 2023.

There’s a sense of togetherness. And – a cliché, I know – a feeling that it’s a genuine home-away-from-home. King Edward’s prides itself on its diversity and inclusivity, harking back to its founding principles. The school’s motto is “United by diversity since 1553“.

FACILITIES

There’s everything you’d expect from a school if this size and stature: sports fields galore (grass and astro), a large sports complex which includes a 25m indoor heated swimming pool, gym, squash, tennis and netball courts.

There’s also an impressive music centre (called the Countess of Muster Music School), a newly refurbished design technology block, science centre, health and lifestyle centre (with fully-kitted-out kitchens for food tech), a business and finance centre, art school and a separate dining hall.

Charter Hall is the main auditorium and it’s where all school assemblies are held, as well as school productions. There’s also a chapel where services are held during the week and on weekends. All boarders are expected to attend the Sunday service.

SPORT

Cricketers at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey.

Like most independent schools, sport is an important part of school life. And the school’s reputation for its sporting prowess is growing.

The school’s Elite Performance Pathway offers a tailored training and development programme, as well as access to individual mentors and specialist guidance from the Surrey Human Performance Institute.

The major games played are hockey, cricket, tennis, football, netball and rounders. The PE programme takes a sampling approach, which means pupils try out a range of sports from athletics to judo. Generally, if a pupil wants to participate in a sport, the school will find an opportunity for them.

ART, MUSIC, DRAMA

Pupils at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey.

The arts are a powerhouse at King Edward’s, in particular the music programme. Facilities within the Music School are impressive. There’s a recital room, staged courtyard, recording facilities, teaching and practice rooms, a band room and a Mac Suite. Class music lessons are compulsory up to year 9, and after that pupils can choose it at GCSE and A-Level. Individual tuition is also available and a large number of pupils have vocal or instrument lessons. There are more than 20 choirs, orchestras and ensembles from chamber music to rock bands. The school’s strong ties to the City of London means pupils sing at important events in London. There are also opportunities to sing at at Guildford, Chichester, Winchester and Westminster cathedrals, and St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

In past years, leavers have gone on to the Royal Academy of Music, Oxbridge and other universities to study music. The school also offers generous music scholarships.

Drama, too is a biggie. It’s a curriculum subject for all pupils in years 7 to 9, with an emphasis on creativity and collaboration, and building confidence and communication skills. Each year the school stages several productions, including a whole school production, a collaborative event that gets much of the school involved in backstage tech, set design and building, costumes and music.

LAMDA classes are also offered.

There’s a vibrant visual art department which includes a ceramics studio, printmaking studio and a photography darkroom. Students are encouraged to develop a love of art.

ACADEMICS

Pupils at King Edward's School Witley, Surrey

King Edward’s Witley prides itself on offering a broad and balanced curriculum, with lots of choice to allow students to find their strengths and passions.

The school offers the Pre-Sixth programme, a one-year GCSE programme that enables pupils to progress into the Sixth Form. It’s popular with international students and offers a taste of boarding life, as well as cultural trips around the UK to places like London, Oxford and Cambridge.

Results at King Edward’s Witley are good at both GCSE and A level. In 2023 at A level, 29.1% achieved A*-A and 59.5% achieved A*-B. While in GCSE, 40% of grades were 9-7 (A*-A), 61% were 9-6 (A*-B) and 94% were graded 9-4 (A*-C).

Year 13 leavers went on to UK and international universities including Cardiff, Durham, Exeter, King’s College London, Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, LSE, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Warwick, UWE, Leicester, Royal Holloway and UCL. Pupils also went on to study at the Istituto Marangoni in Milan, the Sorbonne University in Paris, and the University of Vermont.

SIXTH FORM

Pupils at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey.

Until recently, both A levels and the International Baccalaureate were offered at Sixth Form, but the school has moved to offering A level and BTEC subjects alongside the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) and the KESBac, a bespoke enrichment programme that seeks to enhance personal growth and development.

Jubilee House, a brand new house opened in September 2023 for upper sixth pupils. It’s designed to offer a bridge between school life and the independent living at university. The bedrooms are ensuite, there’s a communal kitchen and his-and-hers laundries. Pupils are encouraged to cook for themselves (or as a group) and do their own laundry. Already it’s a highlight for upper sixth pupils. A Sixth Form Cookbook has been produced to share the students’ favourite recipes, and a variety of social events are held throughout the year.

PASTORAL CARE

Pupils at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey.

Pastoral care is one of King Edward’s major calling cards and has always been central to the school’s ethos. The cohesive house system is at the heart of school life providing all pupils with a support network and sense of belonging across all year levels. House competitions introduce a competitive edge which develops team identity and camaraderie.

A formal system is in place to track pupil wellbeing, as you might expect, and there’s also a full-time school counsellor, school nurses and house staff and pastoral heads. The school also has a peer mentoring programme in place.

While the academics are deemed important, the school’s holistic approach to learning puts the focus on personal growth. To this end, there are more than 50 clubs and societies that allow pupils to pursue their own interests (and discover new ones). This gives pupils the opportunity to develop the softer skills that are so important in the world beyond school. There’s also a luxury of space that allows pupils to enjoy many outdoor opportunities.

BOARDING

A study space in Jubilee House boarding house at King Edward's Witley. — A study space in Jubilee House.

About 30% of pupils board at King Edward’s Witley, and there are a range of options including full, weekly, flexi and occasional. The cohesive house structure means that whether you board or not, there’s no obvious distinction between the day pupils, flexi/weekly boarders and full boarders.

There are six senior boarding houses in addition to the Sixth Form Jubilee House – four for boys (Edward, Wakefield, Grafton and Ridley) and two for girls (Tudor and Elizabeth) – and there’s a mix of single rooms, double rooms, dorm accommodation (which are partitioned into individual pods) and day rooms.

THE HEAD

Joanna Wright, the head teacher at King Edward's School in Witley, Surrey

Joanna Wright has been the woman in charge here since September 2019 taking over from John Attwater, who was headmaster for 10 years. She came via St Peter’s School in York where she was deputy head, and before that Queenswood School in Herts and St Edward’s, Oxford.

Passionate about progressive and holistic education, Mrs Wright is warm and nurturing and she’s keen to ensure King Edward’s Witley remains a safe and inclusive environment for pupils. She says there’s no hierarchy among pupils, which she puts down to the effective house system.

Mrs Wright believes the key to offering an excellent education is knowing your pupils well, therefore pastoral care is central to both her own and the schools’ ethos.

Her stamp has already been keenly felt at the school with many improvements. These include upgrades to revamping the DT centre, sports centre and swimming pool. There’s also been a new welcome centre which includes a new library and café, and the new Jubilee House.

She lives across the road from the school with her husband, and has two adult daughters.

WRAP AROUND CARE

Boys playing chess at King Edward's School, Witley, Surrey.

There’s no distinction between boarders and day pupils therefore day students have the option of arriving at 7.20am for breakfast. And they can stay on for dinner until 9pm.

The school offers more than 50 co-curricular clubs from boxing and chess to yoga, cookery and Duke of Edinburgh awards. Children in the lower school are expected to take part in at least one activity each week.

ISI REPORT

The most recent ISI inspection was in January 2022. You can read the full report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Year 7 and 8 pupils and not permitted phones at school, and must hand them in during school hours. For those in years 9 upwards, phones are not permitted during lesson time.

TRANSPORT

The school is a five minute walk from Witley Station which is handy for day pupils and weekly boarders. It’s on the Portsmouth line from London Waterloo via Woking and Guildford. School bus routes also take in Esher, Cobham, Ripley, Farnham, Elstead, Shamley Green, Cranleigh, Dunsfold, Chiddingfold, Haslemere and Merrow.

FEES

2023-24: Day school fees are £6,675 per term in year 7-8; £7,835 for year 9-11; with a flexi boarding option of £57 for 1-3 nights a week. Weekly boarding is £11,995 per term and full boarding is £12,735 per term. In the pre-sixth and sixth form, it’s £7,995 for day pupils; £12,330 for weekly boarding; and £12,985 for full boarding per term. Bursaries and scholarships are available.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Pupils at King Edward's School, Witley in Surrey.

Parents are attracted to King Edwards for a number of reasons. The beautiful setting is a selling point, as is the all-rounder offering of sports, music, arts and academic, and the mix of students from all over the world. But it’s the pastoral care that is most highly valued.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Families who are looking for a solid all-rounder offering in a beautiful setting where their children’s happiness is valued and they’ll have the opportunity to explore and try news things. Also those looking for a non-hothousey boarding school, or one with the flexibility of occasional boarding.

Not for: Those looking for more of an academic hot-house, and those seeking a larger school cohort.

Dare to disagree? A Sixth Form open evening is on Thurs 26 Sept, a First Form open morning is on Sat 28 Sept and a Third Form open morning is on Thurs 3 Oct. Register here.

King Edward’s Witley, Petworth Road, Wormley, Godalming GU8 5SG. Tel: 01428 686700
kesw.org

King Edward’s School, Witley

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