Wellington College

Focus

Realising potential

Day fees 2025/26

$61,800

Boarding fees 2025/26

$84,100

Term dates

• Term 1: 31 August to 12 December 2025
• Term 2: 5 January to 27 March 2026
• Term 3: 20 April to 26 June 2026

Ages

13-18

Pupil count

1,180

Spear’s Review

Wellington College may have a long history, but this does not prevent it from looking to the future and empowering young people to be ‘the change-makers of tomorrow’.

The curriculum is rigorous but rewarding, with students working towards their GCSEs and either the IB or A-Levels in Sixth Form. Wellingtonians enjoy a broad education, and are encouraged to pursue their individual interests via a range of core and supplementary subjects. Additional enrichment includes academic societies and a weekly ’Fireside Talk’, with speakers visiting Wellington to talk about their experiences and areas of expertise. 

Outside of the classroom, there are a range of sports, clubs and activities on offer within the college’s 400-acre campus, including climbing, fencing, hockey, polo, rackets, shooting and skiing, as well as other field, court and indoor sports. Students can also join the Combined Cadet Force in the Forth Form, or embark on a global expedition via the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

The house system – there are 18 – plays a large part of Wellington life, and allows Wellingtonians to form lasting friendships.

Academics

In 2025:

• 87 per cent of GCSE results were grades 7-9
• 59 per cent of A-Level results were A* or A
• Average IB score was 39.1

School Profile

Less than an hour from London, Wellington College is a leading co-educational boarding and day school. A dynamic and pioneering school, it combines a modern, innovative and ambitious approach to education with a unique history and heritage. Most pupils join in Year 9 or Sixth Form, with a small number entering in Year 10, attracting ambitious students from across the UK and overseas. Academic results are excellent, with many progressing to Oxbridge and Ivy League universities. Pupils take GCSEs before choosing A-Levels or the IB. Co-curricular life is exceptional, from national sporting success to West End-quality theatre and Conservatoire-level music, within a community shaped by a strong focus on human flourishing and the development of young people equipped to thrive and contribute to a changing world.

Head teacher

James Dahl has been master of Wellington College since 2019. Educated at the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and then as a boarder at Haileybury for his Sixth Form, Dahl read classics at Jesus College Cambridge before teaching at, among other schools, Brighton College (as head of classics and head of Sixth Form) and Repton Dubai (as boarding housemaster). Prior to taking on the head role, he was director of admissions and marketing, then deputy head pastoral at Wellington College.

University and college destinations

Wellington College alumni go on to matriculate at the most prestigious universities around the globe. According to the school, in 2025, 4 per cent of leavers received offers from Oxbridge, and 3 per cent secured a place at Ivy League schools.

Admissions

Most pupils enter the school in September at the start of Year 9, when they are between 13 and 14 years old. Places are also available for pupils joining at 14+ (Year 10), and around 50 pupils join the college for Sixth Form. Those registered for 13+ entry sit the ISEB common pre-test in the Michaelmas term of Year 6. Selection for a subsequent assessment day is based on the results of the pre-test and on a school reference. Those who are successful are then offered a place conditional on a satisfactory reference from their current school at the end of Year 8. Pupils who have missed the registration date for 13+ entry have the opportunity to apply through a late admissions route.

In addition to a strong academic profile, Wellington is looking for candidates who are ‘both interesting and interested’. Given the wealth of co-curricular opportunities at the school, musical, dramatic, artistic or sporting abilities are often associated with successful candidates. Above all, the school seeks candidates ‘who will strive to make the very best of themselves and to take full advantage of all that is on offer’.

Notable alumni

• George Orwell (writer)
• Sir Christopher Lee (actor)

Accessibility

Heathrow Airport: 40 minutes

Location

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