King Edward's Witley

King Edward’s – yesterday, today, tomorrow

Yesterday

As one of the longest-standing co-educational schools in the country and one of only two remaining Royal Hospitals from Tudor times, King Edward’s Witley has a rich history of providing an education which is holistic, inclusive and progressive.

Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, convinced the boy King Edward VI to grant his palace at Bridewell on the banks of the Thames to the Lord Mayor of London, so creating the parent foundation – Bridewell Royal Hospital – as a place for the training and education of poor children in 1553. In 1860, the new charity scheme for Bridewell Royal Hospital was created and the House of Occupations was renamed King Edward’s School admitting boys and girls from aged 10.

The pupils from King Edward’s Boys’ School moved to its current site in Witley in 1867 and the School now occupies around 100 acres of stunning Surrey countryside. The School became co-educational again in 1952 and 2017 marked the 150th anniversary of the Witley school on its current site.

Today and tomorrow

We are steadfastly proud of our heritage and longstanding engagement with the City of London through the Bridewell Foundation. King Edward’s Witley and Barrow Hills School are the operational arms of Bridewell Royal Hospital, a charitable Foundation from which both schools inherit a culture with diversity, generosity, opportunity and social responsibility at its heart, combining a global outlook with a sense of local belonging. More concretely, a significant endowment from Bridewell allows us to provide boarding places to pupils with a clear boarding need – our Foundationers.

King Edward’s holds true to its Founders’ mission to offer a foundation for life to young people from a range of backgrounds. At King Edward’s this means an exciting and challenging curriculum, a broad range of sporting, artistic, social and cultural opportunities and an environment which is specifically created to inculcate the values of independent learning, responsibility for others and the enjoyment of challenge.

Pupil experience is at the heart of what we do. The School has over 475 pupils, many of whom are day pupils from primary and Prep Schools. Boarding is a core pillar of the King Edward's community, with over 140 boarders accommodated in Houses including an Upper Sixth pre-university House. All pupils, day and boarder belong to a house and are cared for by their Housemaster/ Housemistress and their team.

Around 30% of pupils live abroad, in over 30 different countries and there is a growing cohort of local day pupils. The Sixth Form generally numbers more than 100 pupils, most of whom go on to study at Russell Group, Oxford and Cambridge (in small numbers), and leading European or US-based universities.

Tradition continues to be highly valued and close links with the City of London remain through the Court of Bridewell (Board of Governors). The Lord Mayor attends Admissions Day and the School’s annual Foundation Day Service at St. Bride’s Church. Pupils participate in a range of events and activities associated with the City of London, perpetuating the School’s links with its historic roots.

The School has a long tradition of philanthropy and addressing disadvantage and vulnerability. King Edward’s offers welfare bursaries through the Bridewell Foundation, livery companies and other charities, for young people who are less advantaged and who have a particular need for a boarding education. Over 50 pupils are supported by the Foundation and other charities with financial contributions equal to annual boarding fees to attend the School. King Edward’s is proud of its ongoing work transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people through providing a safe, fulfilling and purposeful educational environment.

The Head is a member of HMC.

Further details of the School are to be found in the Independent Schools’ Yearbook, or on our website www.kesw.org.