Radley College Guide: Reviews, Rankings, Fees And More

Nestled amidst the beautiful English countryside, Radley College stands as an emblem of educational brilliance and character development. With a rich history dating back to its foundation in 1847, Radley College has upheld a legacy of nurturing young minds and shaping them into thoughtful, well-rounded individuals poised to make meaningful contributions to the world. In this guide, we explore the characteristics that make this school so special.

radley college guide

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Table of Contents

Summary Of School

  • Type of school: traditional full-boarding boys school
  • Age range: 13-18
  • Pupils: 691
  • Boarders: 100%
  • Fees: £16,025 / term
  • 2022 A-Level Results: 77.07% A*/A
  • 2023 GCSE Results: 76.1% 9-7

Radley College Overview

Radley College is an elite all-boys boarding school in Oxfordshire. Students at Radley College are nurtured to work hard and manage their time well. The school provides its students with a perfectly rounded education, combining good emphasis on sports, arts and drama. Maths and Science is the dominant A levels choice as is the case in many other boys’ schools.

Graduates from Radley College usually continue their academic journey in Durham, Exeter, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Around 15-20 students enter Oxbridge every year with a small drop to 5 students in 2020. All students benefit from a mock interview exchange scheme that the school has with the nearby Abingdon School.

Radley College Courses / Programmes

GCSE/IGCSE and A-Level

Six Formers sit for three or four A levels subjects depending on whether the student will take Further Maths. In addition, two courses within the school’s Curriculum Extension Programme are also expected to be taken by the students.

The available A levels subjects are: Art, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Design, Drama, Economics, English, French, Geography, Geology, German, Greek, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Politics, Spanish, Theology.

Radley College Deadline

The deadline for Sixth Form entry 2024 was on 31st October 2023.  Online Entry Forms will be available from June 2023. Alternatively, you can contact us for free application assistance. The assessment day will be held on 14th November 2023. 

Radley College Ranking

As of 2022, Radley College’s students managed to achieve 77.07% A*/As at the A-Levels. The college’s GCSE cohort managed to achieve 86.63% grades 9-7. In 2023, they managed to achieve 76.1% 9-7 in their GCSEs.

Radley College currently ranks 82nd according to the 2023 GCSE League Table. Radley College is often grouped as one of the Top 4 elite all-boys boarding schools along with Eton College, Winchester College and Harrow School.

Radley College Fees

Type of fee

Cost

Provided service

Administration fee

£50

 

Tuition fee for the academic year 2023/2024

£16,025/term

 

Late payment charges

1.00%/month 

 

Fees Refund Scheme

£152/term

Refund for:

  1. Absence from school due to illness or accident for a continuous period of at least 4 days
  2. Illness treated at school for a continuous period of at least 4 days (fee refund is limited to 75% of the termly fees).

Insurances (options suggested to parents)

  • AXA PPP Healthcare private medical insurance
  • Pupils’ Personal Effects Scheme
  • Personal Accident insurance
  • £126/term
  • £5,000 on any article of £2,000 and only £350 for bicycles. Lower value items will subject to a £25 claim excess.
  • No extra cost.
 

Academic support

  • £170/term
  • £100 in the Summer term for boys in the Vth Form or in 6.2
  • £50 one-off

Supports for EAL needs, specific learning difficulties or additional specialised help in a small group of an individual basis from the Academic Support Department.

Administration and dissemination of information and advice for those who are receiving more bespoke support.

Beagling

£5/beagling day up to a maximum of £50 per season (September-March)

Or £120/season for a family subscription.

 

Boat Club Charges

£30

 

£95/Lent or Summer Terms

Annual rowing registration fee

Boat Club charge for wet bobs

Career support:

  • Career Profiling by FutureSmart Careers
  • Interview technique courses scheme 1 and 2
  • £183
  • £160 – Scheme 1, £93 – Scheme 2

Psychometric testing, two careers interviews and a comprehensive report

Access to courses and a careers website.

Scheme 1 involves a central lecture and 2 interviews. Scheme 2 is similar but with only 1 interview.

CCF

£220 one-off

£45-£195

All equipment and uniform

Adventure Training camps

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Bronze
  • £75 operational charge, £150 practice expedition, £170 qualifying expedition (organised by Radley)
  • £175 operational charge and practice expedition, £95 qualifying expedition 
  • £60 operational charge and practice expedition, qualifying expedition is included in £95 contribution for the CCF Adventure Training Summer camp at the end of Remove year, £35 if in Michaelmas term of Vth Form
 

Examination Charges

  • £100-£220/A level taken
  • Approximately £68/GCSE
  • £68/IGCSE except for the IGCSE double award Science at approximately £100
 

Laundry/Dry Cleaning/Sewing

£4.75/term 

nominal fee for cleaning and ad hoc sewing repairs. Dry cleaning is charged as an extra.

Music Department

  • £36.90/40-minute lesson (music scholars and music exhibitioners are no charge)
  • £70.50/instrument hire

26 lesson in a year

 

Sailing

£95/term additional to Boat Club charges

Fulltime sailing usage on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays

Occasional sailors do not apply.

School Shop

£80/term

Jam account

Sub Aqua

  • PADI Open Water Referral Course
  • PADI Diving Pack (if needed)
  • £195
  • £75
 

Radley College also operates a Fees in Advance Scheme for individuals to make payment of all, or part, of the College fees through a lump sum composition fee. This fee is usually paid before a boy starts at the College, but may also be paid during his time here.

For further enquiries about the fees, please contact us.

Radley College Entry Requirements

Prospective students must sit the ISEB Common Pre Tests (CPT) on or as close to 16th November as possible at their school, the British Council or at a recognised invigilation centre approved by Radley. The assessment will consist of two academic tests in subjects that the candidate wishes to take at A levels (90 minutes each). 

The Sixth Form exams are aimed at the GCSE/IGCSE level. Questions in History, Economics, Politics and Geography are generic to make it equal for overseas students.

Each candidate will also be interviewed by a Senior Master over Zoom for 30 minutes. The questioning is designed for students to demonstrate their sense of curiosity and engagement with learning in its wider context, as well as some specialist knowledge where appropriate. Students with non-academic talents will need to complete the additional form giving more details, send their proof of talent and references.

Radley College Reviews

Parent of Pupil
5/5

“I have spent thirteen years trying to make my son as happy as possible; you have achieved it in just three weeks.”

David
5/5

“When I arrived at Radley I was struck by Chapel’s peaceful atmosphere and the stillness maintained by the whole congregation, followed by rousing hymn-singing.”

Shell Boy
5/5

“I love all the sport here, However, I think it is the staff and teachers that really make Radley the great place it is.”

ISI Report
5/5

“Pupils achieve the highest standards across an extremely wide range of activities. The quality of the pupils’ achievement and learning is exceptional. Staff and senior pupils provide fine role models, and the care shown by older pupils for younger ones is exemplary. Additional academic activities such as debating in French, creative writing and the Anglo-Japanese science presentation, together with external and internal speakers in societies, offer additional enrichment and challenge.”

Radley College Accommodation

Boarding houses at Radley College are called ‘Socials’ and there are 11 Socials from A to L. The boys mix freely between Socials considering the central dining facility and physical proximity of their buildings.

For First years (‘shell’), Radley College initiated curtained cubicles with a sink and cabin bed to allow some privacy within a dormitory. The Second years (‘removes’) have their own single study bedroom. 

There is a card system to purchase a uniform, stationery, tuck etc. in the school’s Shop or coffee shop, among them is a ‘jam account’ with the upper limit of £60/item for tuck. The boys have an ‘Oxford leave’ to travel into Oxford via bus or taxi. Upper sixth formers have the whole Saturday evenings to spend on their own as long as they are back in Social by 10:30 PM. They can also use exeats and privis (‘privileges’) to spend slightly longer Saturday nights out elsewhere. 

L Social is the newest Radley’s Socials. It was opened in September 2020.

Radley College Student Services and Extracurricular Activities

Pastoral Care

There are tutors or housemasters, sub-tutors and pastoral housemistresses who oversee the boys in each Social. Form masters will monitor the boys’ academic progress. Lower Sixth boys also have a mentor. Prep and bedtimes will be supervised by Sixth Form house prefects. The boys have a Cocoa at 9 PM every night to meet up and chat on top of other activities to help to bond across year groups. Parents of the school praise the staff’s dedication and appreciate their regular progress reports. 

Extracurricular Activities

Radley College’s boys have access to various weekend facilities including Design Centre, Art Centre, Ceramics, Computer Rooms, Library, Music School, Sports Hall, Swimming Pool, Tennis, Rackets, Squash, Fives, Golf, Artificial Surface and Boat House. 

Regarding sports, they can participate in Rugby, Hockey, Rowing or Football, Cricket, Tennis or Athletics depends on the term time. The Sixth Former can also choose from a long list of other sports including Badminton, Beagling, Cross Country, Fives, Golf, Polo, Rackets, Real Tennis, Sailing, Squash and Swimming.

The boys have two exeat weekends per term and a system of “privis” or privilege weekends to encourage good performances. They can also go out with parents or a friend after chapel on ‘Sunday outs’. 

The school also enhances social activities with girls’ schools by activities such as disco with Wycombe Abbey or dinner and discussions with girls from St Mary’s Calne, Tudor Hall, Headington and St Helen and Katharine and above all, joint theatre trips.

Radley College Contact Information

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