Wellington College
schools outside of london
The college buildings and grounds are beautiful and spacious. Furthermore, there are good links by road or rail (only a thirty-minute drive from Heathrow and one hour from Gatwick). For students who are boarding over the weekends, they can visit neighbouring cities with permission from guardians. The school itself is a genuinely nice place to learn and to board, which will be extra important for students who won’t be making regular trips home.
School information
Wellington College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in Wellington, Somerset. Wellington no longer submits their exam results for newspaper league tables, taking a firm stance on education being more than just exams and grades.
That’s not to say that they are trying to hide anything; their exam results are strong. At GCSE, 89% of grades were A*/A while in 2018, 60% of A-Level grades were A*/A. The school also offers IB education and pupils have averaged 39 out of 45 over the past five years.
Parents and students, past and present, have glowing references of the school, remarking on the quality of teaching and the pastoral care. The school tries very hard to instil an ethos of intelligence based not solely on exam results but on curiosity and individuality. Independence and inclusivity are also at the heart of the Wellington education.
The school is big on sports, offering extensive fixture lists for rugby, hockey, netball and cricket. For those whose sporting interests lie elsewhere, the school provides a long list of alternative options and there is definitely something for everyone to get involved in. The school have fantastic facilities onsite such as the Olympic Standard Sports Complex, which includes two gyms, a sports hall, a fencing salle and a physiotherapy suite.
Outside of the school, your child will also have opportunities to explore the wider world with the various trips offered by Wellington. These excursions range from camping and surfing, to mountain climbing and caving.
For budding actors, there are plenty of productions to be a part of in the purpose-built theatre. The school revealed a new drama facility in 2010, opened by David Suchet, who attended the school back in the 1960s. There are lots of different bands for musicians to join, all of them performing at an extremely high level.
admissions
13+ Entry into Wellington College begins with registration when your child is in Year 5. Candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test in Year 6, which consists of English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning. These tests are computerised and take place at your child’s current school or at an approved testing centre. Successful candidates are then invited to an assessment day at Wellington, which includes collaborative, problem solving activities. Furthermore, there is an interview.
16+ Entry starts with registering a year in advance of sixth form while the student is in Year 10/11. Assessments are held in November and consist of entrance exams, interviews and group activities. Reference from your child’s current school are also required.