Basic Information & Location
Epsom College is a 20-minute drive from London with easy access to Heathrow and Gatwick airports and the buildings are set in 84 acres of magnificent grounds. It began life as The Royal Medical Benevolent College in 1853, an institution for qualified medical practitioners and their spouses as well as a school for their sons. The College was formally opened in 1855. The College has been co-educational for more than 40 years, with girls first welcomed to the College in 1976. From September 2017, the school will teach pupils in all school years, from Lower Third (Year 7) to Upper Sixth (Year 13). The college was inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in March 2016 and successfully met all of the required standards.
Epsom College is not a traditional boarding school. It offers everything that public schools do but is more flexible at the same time. The campus is big and pretty. The pastoral education of the school is good. It has strong ties with Royal Medical Association which has a lot of students pursuing medical study. There is a branch school of Epsom College in Malaysia and it has a better national reputation than Harrow School Malaysia.
Academic Development
The college aims at providing exceptional all-round opportunities – academic, social, sporting and cultural – in a safe, inspiring and supportive community. They challenge pupils to develop their talents and broaden their interests; to become confident in themselves and to be tolerant and appreciative of others. In the last few years, the college has consistently achieved high value-added scores at both GCSE and A-Level. In 2017, 86% of A-Level results have been graded A*-B and 94% of GCSE grades are A*-B. The vast majority of Sixth Form leavers move onto higher education with the majority earning places at leading Russell Group Universities. There is an extensive programme of careers education and guidance at the college. They offer one-to-one advice on university courses and an interview skills programme to help pupils gain access to appropriate courses and institutions. The careers advisors are always available for consultation.
Pastoral Care & Boarding
There are 4 boys’ Boarding Houses, namely Fayrer, Forest, Granville and Holman; and 3 girls’ Boarding Houses, namely Crawfurd, Wilson and White (Boarding and Day Sixth Form House). They offer up-to-date facilities such as Wi-Fi, IT suites, games rooms, modern furniture and fitted kitchens. Each Boarding House has a Housemaster or Housemistress, who has overall responsibility for the pupils in their care. They live in accommodation within the House, and are assisted by a team of resident tutors. Overall, some 80% of college staff live on the campus. Boarders have access to a well-staffed Medical Centre, which is staffed 24 hours a day by trained nurses. Doctors from a local practice hold surgeries at the College five mornings a week. For those who stay at weekends, a wide range of activities is provided, from themed dinner parties and theatre visits to trips to central London, which is only 30 minutes away by train.
Extracurricular & personal development
Their co-curricular programme is both formal and informal, with involvement in clubs, workshops, lectures, groups, as well as interactions with academic departments. Aside from the numerous sporting clubs, the activities range from different elements of dance to a whole range of creative activities such as art classes and pottery. Each term pupils will be able to select from a list of over 100 activities. The school is good at tennis, rugby and shooting. The college is packed with sporting facilities, include grass pitches, two Astroturfs for hockey and tennis, a 25 metre indoor swimming pool, the indoor shooting range, nine netball courts and a very large and fully equipped double Sports Centre with fencing hall, squash courts and fitness suite. Epsom School is the training site for archery in 2012 Olympic Games. On the other hand, the school encourages students to engage in community services, such as visiting elderly, primary schools, special care school, hospital and voluntary work in charity organizations to foster their sense of contributing the society.
