Whitgift School Overview
Whitgift School is an independent day school with limited boarding, located in South Croydon, London. It is part of the Whitgift Foundation, a charitable trust that also owns Trinity School of John Whitgift and Old Palace School.
The school is friendly, challenging, and inclusive. Set in attractive parkland, it boasts excellent facilities and a strong commitment to high standards.
Whitgift offers a wider range of qualifications than any other British school, consistently ranking among the country’s top schools. Its curriculum includes BTEC, A-level, and the International Baccalaureate, along with a bilingual section for native French speakers.
The school maintains exchanges, visits, and scholarship programmes with over 25 countries worldwide, reflecting its global outlook.
Table of Contents
Whitgift School Courses And Programmes
Middle Years
In the Middle Years, the curriculum focuses on nurturing a love of learning and preparing pupils for GCSE success. From Third Form, pupils start refining their options by choosing two creative subjects from Art, Drama, Design & Technology, or Music. Core skills are taught across all subjects to build a strong foundation for GCSEs.
At Fourth Form, pupils study 10 GCSE subjects. The core includes English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Pupils then select four additional subjects, including at least one Modern Foreign Language (such as French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, or Spanish) and one Humanities subject (Geography, History, Theology & Philosophy, or Economics).
Whitgift encourages pupils to choose subjects they are passionate about and excel in, which they may want to pursue at university and beyond.
Sixth Form
At Whitgift, A Level students typically start their Lower Sixth year studying four subjects from a wide range of options. Most continue with three subjects in the Upper Sixth, though some complete all four.
Alongside their A Levels, students study Ideatum (PSHEE) in Lower Sixth, General Studies throughout the Sixth Form, and take part in one Games afternoon each week. Many also choose to complete an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), either alongside their four A Levels or in place of their fourth subject. The EPQ allows students to research and produce a dissertation, investigation, or artefact on a topic of their own choosing, adding valuable depth and independence to their studies.
Students taking three A Levels contribute to a Community Service project supporting local primary schools, with all students encouraged to participate in the school’s Primary Project.
Whitgift School Fees
Here are the VAT-inclusive fees for Lent & Trinity Terms 2025 only:
| Category | Fees (per term) |
|---|---|
| Day students | £9,785 |
| Weekly boarding | £16,188 |
| Full boarding | £19,197 |
Whitgift School Boarding And Pastoral Care
Boarding at Whitgift gives students the opportunity to fully engage with all the school has to offer. Boarders benefit from excellent facilities and live in attractive grounds, while still being close to central London and well connected to national and international transport links. The school is equally committed to students’ personal and social development as it is to academic achievement, placing great importance on the welfare of everyone in the school community.
Whitgift School Extracurricular Activities
Whitgift offers more than 80 clubs and societies, covering a wide range of interests such as French, Green Team, Drama, Investment Society, Animal Club, Astronomy, and Sequential Art Club. Outdoor Education is also well developed, with activities including mountain biking, wakeboarding, skiing, and sailing. Students can take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is popular across year groups. The school also has a long-established Combined Cadet Force, featuring Army, RAF, and Royal Navy sections, alongside one of the country’s oldest Corps of Drums.
