Founded in 1862, its magnificent buildings are set in a beautiful estate of 500 acres of countryside and playing fields. The main buildings, quadrangle and terrace front were designed by William Wilkins in 1806 for the East India College; round the main quadrangle are the domed Baroque-style chapel, library, the Attlee Room and three houses. There have been many recent additions and fine modern facilities including a technology centre, indoor swimming pool and indoor tennis centre. In 1942 Haileybury and the Imperial Services College combined, and the tradition of 'imperial service' was maintained well into the 1950s. The religious education aims to promote spiritual awareness and most chapel services are compulsory. Now co-educational; girls were admitted to the sixth form some 30 years ago and throughout the school from 1998. A large staff allows a staff:pupil ratio of about 1:7. The teaching is very good and so are the examination results. As an alternative to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate was introduced in 1999. The music department is strong (the chapel choir is consistently successful), as is drama (12 productions annually). The art and design centre is very active and produces work of high quality. A wide variety of sports and games is provided and the school is well-known for its successes (numerous representatives at county and national levels). A good deal of emphasis is placed on outdoor pursuits; there is a flourishing CCF and a distinguished record in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme and in the Model United Nations.
Pupils: Age range 11-18; 746 pupils, 267 day (158 boys, 109 girls); 479 boarding (283 boys, 196 girls). Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 13 and 16. Common Entrance and own entrance exam used; for sixth-form entry 6 GCSEs at least grade B grade. C of E school but others accepted. Some 20% of pupils at 11 from state school. Other pupils come from a large number of prep schools.
15-20 pa scholarships, value 10% fees: academic and music (awarded at 11, 13 and 16), all-rounder (at 11 and 13), art and technology (at 13). Bursaries, according to need. Parents expected to buy textbooks; music tuition, expeditions etc also extra.
Master: James Davies in post from 2009. Educated at Christ College, Brecon, and Cambridge University (history). Previously Headmaster of Sutton Valence, Deputy Head at St John's, Leatherhead, and Housemaster at Tonbridge. Also a rugby blue and played for the London Welsh RUFC. Teaching staff: 104 full time, 9 part time
GCSE: 111 pupils in fifth form, almost all gaining at least grade C in 5+ subjects (average in 9.2 subjects). A-levels: 150 in upper sixth. 59 took IB, gaining an average of 35.4 IB points. 91 took A-levels, 10% passing in 4+ subjects, 80% in 3 subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 404.
98% of sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (19% after a gap year), 5% to Oxbridge. 10% took courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 25% in science and engineering, 10% in law, 50% in humanities and social sciences, 5% in art and design.
GCSE, AS and A-levels and IB. 19 GCSE, 25 sixth-form subjects. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level. 17% take science A-levels; 58% arts/humanities; 25% both. Special provision: Extra coaching in early stages for those mildly dyslexic and overseas pupils whose written English is not strong. Languages: French, German, Italian and Spanish offered to GCSE, AS, A-level and IB. Access to European TV satellite broadcasts. Exchanges and professionally organised school visits to France, Germany and Spain. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. 130 computers for pupil use (15 hours a day), most networked and all with email and internet access.
Music: 35% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 12 musical groups including choral society, chapel choir, symphony orchestra, brass ensemble, concert band. Recent winners of BBC Songs of Praise Choir. Drama: Drama offered, up to A-level or IB; LAMDA exams may be taken. Many pupils are involved in school productions and house/other productions (12 a year). Art and design: On average 35 take GCSE and 20 A-level art and design, 10 A-level history of art. Several pupils each year go on to art foundation courses.
Sport: Games compulsory for all. Boys play rugby in the autumn term; choice of hockey, soccer, basketball, squash, cross-country and rackets in spring term; and of cricket, athletics, swimming, tennis and sailing in summer term. Girls play lacrosse, netball, hockey and squash in winter and spring terms, rounders, swimming, tennis, sailing and canoeing in the summer. PE compulsory until upper sixth (gymnastics, athletics, trampolining, health and fitness). Also available: aerobics (step), fitness training, canoeing, fives, real tennis, scuba diving and swimming. GCSE and A-level PE and sports studies may be taken. 2 U18 international rugby players; 1 England junior fencer; many county representatives in different sports. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. CCF and community service optional. Over 30 clubs, political, Model United Nations, antiquarian, angling, bridge, philosophical, opera, international.
Uniform: School uniform worn (except in evenings and on Sundays). Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. Prefects, head boy and head girl, appointed by the Master. Religion: Church of England. Daily chapel and one Sunday service compulsory. Social: Geography field trips abroad, cricket tours to Australia, South Africa and Barbados, orchestra and choir tours to USA and Europe, drama tours to Europe. Model United Nations, skiing etc. Meals self-service. School tuck and games-equipment shops.
Minor disciplinary problems are dealt with by the housemaster. Bad behaviour punished by detention. Sanctions for smoking and unsupervised drinking include detention, gating, loss of privileges and regular reporting to authority. A pupil introducing drugs into the school may expect to be expelled.
A choice of dormitory or study-bedroom accommodation; all upper sixth have single study or study-bedroom. Single-sex houses of approximately 50. Resident qualified doctor and nursing staff. Central dining hall. 6 weekends in the school year must be spent at the school: exeats otherwise freely available from 3.30pm on Saturdays until Sunday night. Visits to local town allowed with housemaster's permission.
is run by the Honorary Secretary, Robin Bishop, c/o the school.
Clement Attlee (former PM); Stirling Moss (racing driver); Alan Ayckbourn (playwright); Rex Whistler (artist); Michael Bonallack (golfer); Philip Franks (actor); Lord Sainsbury (supermarkets); Lord Allenby (soldier); Lord Oaksey (judge at Nuremberg); John McCarthy (former hostage); Erskine Childers (writer and traitor).
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