Radley College Guide: Reviews, Rankings, Fees And More
Radley College, located in the beautiful English countryside, stands as a beacon of educational excellence and character development. With a rich history dating back to its founding in 1847, the institution 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 stand out.
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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: £51,150 per annum (Full Boarding)
- 2024 A-Level Results: 64.3% A*-A
- 2024 GCSE Results: 84.6% 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 Application Deadline
The deadline for Sixth Form entry for 2025 is 31st October 2024. Online Entry Forms will be available from June 2024. Alternatively, you can contact us for free application assistance. The assessment day will be held in November 2024.
Radley College Ranking And Results
In the 2024 A-Levels examination, Radley College’s students managed to achieve 64.3% A*-As. In the same year, the school’s GCSE cohort managed to achieve an impressive 84.6% of 9-7 grades.
Radley College currently ranks 52nd according to the 2024 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
The tuition fee for the academic year of 2024/2025 is £17,050 per term or £51,150 per annum. Additional costs may be included for other activities such as music and drama lessons, as well as the iPad programme.
For the full list of addition charges, visit this link.
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
“I have spent thirteen years trying to make my son as happy as possible; you have achieved it in just three weeks.”
“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.”
“I love all the sport here, However, I think it is the staff and teachers that really make Radley the great place it is.”
“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
- Official website: https://www.radley.org.uk
- Phone call: 01235 543174
- Email: [email protected]
- Location: Radley College, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 2HR
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