Private school Giggleswick School

Giggleswick School | Throw Yourself In

Giggleswick School is located in the small English town of Settle, North Yorkshire, an hour's drive from Leeds and Manchester. The school was founded in 1499, however, despite its considerable age of several centuries, it can be proud of modern equipment and repairs.

464 students’ study at the school, half of them live on a full board basis. There are very few foreign students - not more than 60 people. According to official statistics of the school, in total, foreign students make up about 17% of the number of students. The position of the school is to prevent more than two foreign students who speak the same language from living in the same house.

DIRECTOR (stand 2026)

Sam Hart, Education - Sevenoaks School; The University of Edinburgh, Bachelor of Engineering - BE (Hons), Mechanical Engineering with Management Techniques; Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

FAMOUS SCHOOL GRADUATES

• General Sir Noel Burch, Military Title Holder Knight of the Great Cross and Knight Commander
• John Blandy, geologist, professor at the University of Bristol
• Anthony Daniels, actor (Star Wars movie)
• Keith Duckworth, engineer, co-founder of Cosworth Engineering, officer of the Order of the British Empire
• Sarah Fox, opera singer
• Sir Douglas Glover, politician, MP
• George Howson, a teacher-theoretician, has been the principal of Gresham's school for 19 years
• John Howson, a theologian
• Henry Maudsley, founder of Maudsley Hospital, holder of the title Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George
• Joe Maycock, captain of the English rugby team
• Charles Rycroft, businessman and philanthropist
• Matthew Smith, artist
• Gary Wolstenholm, golfer

KEY FACTORS

• The school is on the Tattler list, which includes the UK's most prestigious and traditional schools, recommended by respected British families.
• In 2014, the school turned 500 years old.
• This is a traditional British school where the majority of students are British. Located in the English outback with a very friendly population.
• A small number of students provides an individual approach to each child.
• Pupils after graduation enter the selected university.
• Children are under the constant attention of teachers who are personally attached to them; progress in their studies is carefully monitored.
• The school has decent living conditions.
• The school is well equipped for various sports activities.
• The school is located surrounded by beautiful picturesque forests, nothing distracts from learning.
• Regular police dog searches of rooms for drugs.

EQUIPMENT

Excellent sports facilities, including all-weather facilities: a field for hockey and football, six hard tennis courts and four grass courts, several fields for rugby, squash, cricket. The school has an indoor pool and a fitness centre. The school has its own medical centre, working 24 hours a day, with qualified doctors and nurses.

PROGRAM

Grades 7, 8, 9

The focus is on key academic subjects that are studied in great detail. Biology, chemistry and physics are taught separately, each subject is taught by a separate specialist teacher. In the 7th grade, students have the opportunity to learn 4 foreign languages, 3 of which continue to be studied in grades 8 and 9.

GCSE: grades 10 and 11

To receive a certificate of general secondary education (GCSE), all students pass 7 compulsory subjects. Also choose 3 additional items of choice.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

Sixth Form: A-level

Preparing for the high school exam Sixth Form is divided into levels: AS Level and A2 Level (each level lasts 1 year). Admission to the two-year program is based on the GCSE exam (minimum requirements: 5 exams are passed for a rating of "4" or higher). For international students - IELTS5.0 exam. The program is very flexible, allowing students to study either a wider or reduced number of subjects depending on their individual needs.
Find out more about A-level program

BTEC

An alternative to the A-level program: a pre-university preparation course with maximum emphasis on developing practical skills, applying theoretical knowledge in real life. You can get a BTEC qualification in the following specialties: business, sports.
Find out more about BTEC program

English as a foreign language

In addition to the core curriculum, the school offers English classes to students for whom English is not their native language. This may be one, two or more additional lessons. Students over 16 years old can take the IELTS test.

ACCOMMODATION

The school has 7 dormitories: 4 for boys and 2 for girls (grade 9 and older), as well as one hostel for students in grades 7 and 8. In each of the houses live from 48 to 60 people. In addition to the staff who are responsible for working with children in each dormitory, there is also an adviser on foreign students who helps them if necessary.

SPORT

Sport is part of the curriculum up to 11 years of study. The school emphasizes the importance of sports, team games and the individual achievements of students. The choice of sports is quite large - it's football, rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis. In addition to this, the curriculum includes: swimming, gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and orienteering. Students can also attend additional sports clubs and practice judo, mountain biking, squash, dancing, and skiing.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS

All students have the opportunity to try various extreme sports under the guidance of qualified and experienced staff. On Friday afternoons, all students starting in Grade 9 participate in a program of activities for obtaining a Giggleswick Certificate. The program includes mountaineering, caving, mountain biking, kayaking and terrain orientation, as well as training and preparation for a two-day unaccompanied expedition, which takes place at the end of the summer semester.

During the year on Sundays, students can try interesting activities away from school: caving in the Dales Caves, kayaking in the Snowdonia National Park, mountain climbing in the Lakes Region in northwest England. The school organizes international expeditions that give students invaluable cultural experience, as well as physical and mental development. In recent years, trips have been made to the Himalayas and Morocco.

COST, 2026-2027

£11,675 - £17,005 per semester (depending on age).
There are 3 semesters in the school year.

Included in cost

• Teaching
• Accommodation and meals

Extra paid

• Registration fee - £150 - £180
• Deposit - £8,085
• EAL (English as an Additional Language) lessons - £410 per term
• Flights
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"
• Guardianship (as required by British law)

Our services and fees