Whitgift School Review: Fees, Rankings And More

whitgift school review

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Table of Contents

Summary Of School

  • Type of school: Boys
  • Age range: 10-18
  • Pupils: 1550
  • Boarders: 10%
  • Fees: £47,991
  • 2023 A Level Results: 58.8% A*-A
  • 2023 GCSE Results: 88.1% 9-7
  • 2023 IB Results: 39 Point Average

Overview

Located in a historical park at Croydon, Whitgift provides a unique experience with the school being home to a variety of exotic birds and small marsupials. A flamboyance of flamingos can also be found next to the sports complex. Established in 1596 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Whitgift School is one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Many celebrities such as Victor Moses, a Chelsea footballer, Elliot Daly and Danny Cipriani, England Rugby internationals, illusionist Derren Brown and JB from the boy band JLS were from this school. 

Despite being an old school, Whitgift has been constantly upgrading its facilities. The recently-built sports complex worth close to £9 million provides students with a better sporting ground. There are also other sports facilities that have been developed recently such as the swimming pool, a golf range and numerous courts and pitches.

With more than 120 national titles won in the last decade, Whitgift is currently at the forefront in terms of sports. With a range of 40 sports available, Whitgift students can be often found representing the country. As for the Drama and Music departments, Whitgift also encourages students to participate by having close relations with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where students learn side-by-side with professional musicians.   

Besides the amazing co-curricular achievements, Whitgift has also excelled academically. With the excellent results scored by Whitgift students, 81% of leavers tend to secure a spot in their first-choice university while around 7% manage to secure Oxbridge offers.

Whitgift School Courses/Programmes

Junior Years

Junior Year Curriculum is for those in the Lower First Form up to students in Second Form. For those in the Lower First Form, students will study a total of 14 subjects which includes English, Korean, Maths, Science, Geography, Global Citizenship, Language Awareness, Computing and Digital Literacy, Theology and Philosophy, Art and Design, Drama, Music, PE and Games and PSHEE. Unlike other schools, Whitgift teaches Korean because it introduces pupils to a non-Latinate script.

In addition to English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Computing and Digital Literacy, Theology and Philosophy, Art, Drama, Music, DT, PE and Games and PSHEE, First Form students are also required to study three out of a choice of six languages. The six language subjects provided in Whitgift are French or Spanish, German or Latin and Japanese or Mandarin. 

Second Form pupils will study the same subjects as the First Form students but instead of studying three languages, students will only choose two languages. In Second Form, the Sciences are taught separately and students are required to study an additional subject IGNITE. IGNITE is the Independent Research module.

Whitgift blends Global Citizenship, Digital Literacy and IGNITE because they want pupils to develop intellectual curiosity at the same time ignite their passion for learning. 

GCSE

At Whitgift, the GCSE curriculum consists of 6 core subjects which are English Language, English Literature, Mathematics and the three Sciences. In addition to these 6 subjects, pupils are required to select a Modern Foreign Language and at least one Humanities subject. Whitgift encourages pupils to take up subjects they are passionate about and would like to pursue in higher education. In line with Whitgift’s PRISM initiative, students will attend various academic enrichment talks from guest speakers which are designed to instil higher-capacity thinking and academic aspiration.

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

The IB programmes consist of six subjects, three of which are studied at Standard Level and the other three at Higher Level. In addition to these six subjects, the boys are required to complete three elements: Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) and an Extended Essay. 

A Level 

A Level students are expected to study 4 subjects from an extensive list of options in the first year. At Whitgift, most boys will tend to continue pursuing three of those subjects in Upper Sixth. Lower Sixth boys have to study Critical Reflection. General Studies is taught throughout the Sixth Form. Whitgift also encourages the boys to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), where students have to research a topic of their choice and write a short dissertation. 

BTEC National Diploma

Whitgift offers a BTEC qualification in either Sports and Exercise, Science or Business to selected Sixth Formers. A BTEC qualification allows pupils to obtain the equivalent UCAS points of up to three full A Levels. At Whitgift, BTEC pupils will study an accompanying A Level together with their BTEC.

Whitgift School Ranking 2023

Based on our 2023 A-Level League Table, Whitgift School is ranked top 60 among 198 schools in total. Its outstanding results of 58.8% A*-A at the 2023 A-Levels positions Whitgift among the best all-boys’ schools in the country. The school did even better at GCSEs according to our 2023 GCSE League Table, ranking 21st out of 231 schools with 88.1% Grade 9-7. Whitgift School has consistently performed well in league tables. In 2019, the school ranked 44th out of 200 schools for A-Levels and 56th for GCSEs.

Whitgift School 2023 Results

In 2023, Whitgift School students achieved 58.8% A*-A at the A-Levels. The school’s GCSE cohort also managed to achieve 88.1% 9-7. Further, Whitgift School’s IB students managed to achieve the point average of 39, a testament to the quality of education provided.

Whitgift School Entry Requirements

Entry Points 

Requirement(s)

10+ (Lower First Form)

  • Application form
  • Confidential Head Teacher’s reference from applicant’s current school
  • Two recent school reports
  • Entrance exam: English and Maths

11+ (First Form)*

  • Application form
  • Confidential Head Teacher’s reference from applicant’s current school
  • Two recent school reports
  • ISEB Pre-test: Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning

13+ (Third Form)**

  • Application form
  • Confidential Head Teacher’s reference from applicant’s current school
  • Two recent school reports
  • Entrance exam: English, Science and Maths

16+ (Sixth Form)**

  • Application form
  • Confidential Head Teacher’s reference from applicant’s current school
  • Minimum academic results: 63 GCSE points from nine subjects (English and Mathematics compulsory) 
  • Entrance exam: English and Maths

* Flexi-boarding is available

** The two main entry points for full boarding students

  • For applicants whose first language isn’t English, they are required to sit the EAL examinations instead of the standard English examination.
  • Only students who are considered for an offer will be called for a 30-minute interview with the staff. 
  • International students can take their examinations at any British Council location closest to their home.

Whitgift School Application Deadline

Parents must register 2-3 years before the entry year of the applicant. Entrance exams will be held in November or December before the entry year of the applicant. For successful candidates, the entry dates will be in September. 

Early registration is recommended as places are limited. The number of places at each level is as follows:

10+ – 60 places

11+ – 130 places

13+ – 35 places

Whitgift School Fees 2023/24

Fees per term:

Day pupils

£8,154

Boarding pupils

Weekly boarding: £13,490

Full boarding: £15,997

Application fees*

£160

International application fee

£250

The annual full boarding fees at Whitgift School is £47,991.            

* An additional fee of £20 is required for late applications

The acceptance deposit for international Boarding Students  is one terms’ fees.

Fees do not include examination fees.

 

Whitgift School Reviews

Max B.
5/5

“It’s great to have lots of options. I’ve tried so many sports that I had never thought about before, and I play in the football A-team. The coaching we get is amazing, which I think is one of the best things about the school.”

Daniel C.
5/5

“It’s cool to see that my school has produced lots of good sportsmen, so I know I’m getting the best coaching.”

Femi O.
5/5

“What I like is that you don’t have to act to be involved in the productions. I like doing the behind-the-scenes things, but I have lots of friends who love acting and there are many opportunities to do that.”

Michael E.
5/5

I am currently attending this school, I really enjoy it as it is so informative to people joining. It is a large amount of space and teaches the students life skill. People normally think it is a posh school and you have to pay a lot of money to attend but there are a mix of races throughout the school. You could also get a scholarship or bursary that enables your child to go to the school for less.

Harry L.
5/5

From my point of view on Whitgift, it did seem to be fairly large and good, with new sports hall and labs and DT/IT stuffs. Teachers are nice and education is at a high standard.

Whitgift School Pastoral Care & Accommodation

Whitgift offers flexi, weekly and full boarding to pupils aged 13 and above. For full boarding, students will be involved in numerous activities after school and during the weekends. For weekly boarders, they are entitled to four nights of accommodation. This option is mainly for those who commute daily. With the weekly boarding option, they can skip the troublesome daily commute and have more time to study and be involved in other activities. Weekly boarders have their own living area and school possessions are secured each week. The flexi-boarding option is most convenient for those whose co-curricular activities end late or start early. Most boys tend to try flexi-boarding to see if the boarding facilities are suitable for them.  

The boarding accommodations are located a few yards from the school. Junior accommodation is on the first floor where each room caters to two or three boarders. The senior accommodation is on the top floor which consists of twin and single rooms. The accommodation building has a number of common rooms, a TV room, Games room and a common study room. Boarders have access to different IT facilities and a communal kitchen. Each room has an individual study area for students who want some quiet study time and an ensuite bathroom.

Whitgift School Co-Curricular Activities

Sport

Sports at Whitgift challenges the boys to welcome failure and to pursue their ambitions while developing tolerance, humility and respect for one another. Whitgift’s ‘Sport For All’ philosophy provides an environment where pupils are nurtured and included in every sport. Students learn how to be resilient and independent learners through Whitgift’s philosophy. Every staff member in the Sports department has an educational and professional sporting background. This helps athletes to train and learn new strategies while challenging themselves to perform better.  

Music

Whitgift organizes concerts on a weekly basis, both inside and outside of the school. Pupils are able to participate and showcase their musical talents through these concerts. A wide range of vocal and instrumental ensembles are available for students to choose from based on each individual’s abilities and preferences. With the opportunity to perform at weekly concerts at Whitgift, students can gain confidence from the experience of performing in front of a live audience. 

Drama

Every child is encouraged to be involved in theatre each term. There are productions being staged every year by different Forms, ranging from Shakespeare to Stoppard to Sondheim. Whitgift wants pupils to develop their talents by allowing them to perform on professional standards. Every student has the opportunity to experience the full repertoire of theatre, be it the classics, or contemporary plays, each encompassing different genres such as comedy, tragedy and musicals. 

Active Education

Active Education at Whitgift covers a total of 12 major activities which includes Mountain Biking, Road Cycling, Climbing, Sailing, Windsurfing, Wakeboarding, Mountaineering, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, and CCF.

Whitgift School Contact Information

Apply For Whitgift School

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