Private school Woldingham School

Write your own story at Woldingham

Woldingham School - a private boarding school for girls, was founded in 1842. The school is located a 30-minute train ride from central London near the small town of Woldingham. London Heathrow Airport is just a 45-minute drive away.

The school is part of the network of educational institutions Scared Hearts Schools. School buildings were built in different styles, some historical buildings were built in the 17th century, others - more recently.

550 girls are enrolled in the school, 270 live on a boarding basis. 23% of students from other countries, in total, representatives of 30 nationalities study here.

Arguments in favour of separate girls' education are as follows:

• Girls develop physically and emotionally somewhat faster than boys, and in them they do not have to adapt to the "lagging" classmates.
• Girls, as a rule, are more self-organized and have better discipline, girls' teams are better organized and focused on learning.
• “Amorous affairs” do not distract from study.
• Girls grow up independent and do not expect someone to do “non-female work” for them.

The competitive environment attracts little and sometimes depresses girls, who value support and teamwork much more.

DIRECTOR (stand 2026)

Sue Baillie, Education - University of Leicester, BA; University of Cambridge, Postgraduate Certificate in Education.

FAMOUS SCHOOL GRADUATES

• Susan Bertish, actress (film “13th Warrior”, series “Poirot”, “Mr. Bean”)
• Carolyn Wyatt, BBC journalist
• Louise Mench, politician, Member of Parliament
• Tilly Begshave, journalist and writer
• Tanya Hamilton, Marquise Hamilton
• Carey Mulligan, actress (films "The Great Gatsby", "Education of the Senses", the series "Doctor Who")
• Isabella Hervey, model and actress
• Florence Brudenel-Bruce, model
• Sophie Mullen, actress (movie "Titanic")

KEY FACTORS

• Theatrical skills are taught at a serious professional level.
• Great conditions for practicing music and art.
• The school is famous for its upbringing and care for the wards, strong academic results and developed infrastructure.
• Woldingham School is justly proud of its graduates, many of whom have become actresses, writers, and journalists.

EQUIPMENT

The school's campus covers an area of ​​700 acres. The school is equipped with the latest technology. The scientific centre includes 9 laboratories, there is an information technology centre and about 200 computer points.

The school has a huge assembly hall with 600 seats with professional light and sound, a theatre studio with a dressing room and rehearsal rooms. Chic conditions for practicing music: music classes with strings, keyboards and wind instruments, the latest recording studio with iMac computers and updated software. The art centre includes three large studios, an art library, a studio for drawing, a room for developing and printing photographs.

The school has an excellent sports centre, which houses: a gym, two squash courts, a fitness studio, a dance and gymnastics studio, and a heated pool. There are also tennis courts and all-weather sports fields.

PROGRAM

Grades 7-9

The main goal of Woldingham School is to instil in the child a love of objects and the process of learning. The schedule for girls is rich, the school provides an opportunity to try and prove themselves in different areas.

GCSE

The program for obtaining a certificate of general secondary education. The program is very balanced and flexible. A wide selection of subjects is offered that will suit the individual abilities and inclinations of each student. Required to study 7 subjects and 2-3 subjects of choice.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

A-level

A two-year university preparatory program. Pupils choose 4 subjects for study in the first year of study (AS) and 3 subjects in the second year (A2). In addition to previously studied subjects (on the GCSE program), new ones are added.
Find out more about A-level program

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

Accommodation in one of 4 school residences according to age. Residential buildings are more like a 4-star hotel, a huge territory is surrounded by greenery and flowers.

From 11 to 12 years old girls live in rooms of 3-4 people, at 13 years old - 5-7 people, from 14 years old - in single rooms. At 17 years old girls are accommodated in single rooms with amenities. Each house has a small kitchen and a common relaxation room where girls gather in the evenings and can chat in a relaxed atmosphere.

High school students have more independence and have a choice. For example, they can eat in the school cafeteria or cook on their own in the kitchen at their residences.

SPORT

The school encourages girls to love sports and tries to ensure that not one of the students is left out of sports life. The school’s sports motto is “No matter what data you come with, the main thing is faith in yourself.” Girls constantly take prizes in interscholastic and regional competitions.

The school offers both traditional sports (hockey, netball), and new unusual ones (touch rugby, frisbee). Girls can play badminton, tennis, squash, go swimming, athletics, jogging, dancing, yoga and aerobics.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Each evening, students have two hours of free time that can be devoted to interest classes. Girls take part in various clubs: chess, creative writing, knitting, archery, fencing, cooking, photography, Japanese culture, the law club, martial arts, wildlife club, debate club, jewellery workshop.

Pupils show impressive results in theatre classes. Girls learn the techniques of play and improvisation, study the history of theatre, design and stage decoration, and take part in school productions. The theatre can be studied as part of the curriculum on the programs GCSE and A-level.

The school offers great opportunities for those who are interested in serious music classes. In grades 7-8, music is a compulsory subject, and then it can be chosen as an additional subject and studied as part of the curriculum, including the GCSE and A-level programs. In the classroom, composition, singing, and music theory are studied. Girls can also sing in the choir, take part in school ensembles of different styles: jazz, rock, classical, modern music. Many learn to play musical instruments or take individual vocal lessons. The school choir often goes to perform in European cities.

Art classes help to develop self-confidence and learn to express oneself through creativity. The school has excellent conditions for studying painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, graphic design, photography and engraving.

An entertainment program is organized for girls on weekends. They go on a picnic, to the cinema, theatre, museums, bowling, visit attractions in London and the surrounding area.

Each year, the school organizes small groups for those who want to go on a trip. The directions are different: France, Spain, Rome, Namibia, Iceland, Peru. The route may include a trip to the mountains for skiing - to North America or Europe.

COST, 2026-2027

£18,252 - £21,252 per semester (depending on age).
There are 3 semesters in the school year.

Included in cost

• Teaching
• Accommodation and meals

Extra paid

• Deposit - £2,400
• Extra deposit for foreign students - £19,838
• Flights
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"
• Guardianship (as required by British law)

Our services and fees

Our experts' impressions of the school

English antiquity and modernity combine wonderfully at Woldingham School, situated in a picturesque hillside setting half an hour by train from central London. It's perfectly safe and quiet, with its proximity to the city allowing the school to organise quite a few outings.

When you walk around the grounds, you feel like you're in an old English manor: the architecture, the trees, the vast fields - all this creates a healthy environment for the girls' education and development. And the pupils fully correspond to the title of English ladies: well-mannered, reserved, purposeful, focused. They gracefully walk past, greeting teachers and guests.

The school is quite selective and academically strong, and the talent of each student is important. Even if you don't have a brilliant academic record, but you are an excellent painter, musician or singer, you will be considered for admission. One of the pupils last year went to Cambridge to study architecture (a total of 7 female graduates joined the ranks of Oxbridge students in 2015).

Note that fine art and technology design are very strong in the school: at times it felt like we were marching through art gallery assignments rather than school corridors. Very modern science centre labs (brand new) allow pupils to excel in science. A huge theatre every year shows dramatic productions on its stage: girls of each age group present a play at the end of the school period.

We would also like to mention the living conditions. When visiting the residences, one had the feeling that no one lives in them: so neat and clean inside. We should also note such untypical for England comfortable living conditions, especially for students of the graduating class, who were lucky to have a shower in the room.

This school conquered us with its traditionality, unique combination of antiquity and modernity, and stunning beauty of the territory. But the most important charm and pride are the girls, with such intelligent and conscious eyes, embodying true Britishness.