Main School Prospectus 2022

T R A N S F O R M I N G B OYS ’ L I V E S T H R O U G H E D U C AT I O N

A compelling entry that radiated the school’s inclusive and collaborative values in the context of an all boys’ school Whitgift awarded Independent Boys’ School of the Year 2020 at the Independent School of the Year Awards Ceremony

The quality of pastoral care is outstanding; a calm and courteous approach pervades the School ISI Inspection Report

You have an astonishing school. I have never seen anything like it. Perhaps you know this, perhaps you don’t, but take it from me, you have an amazing school Sir David Attenborough OM, CH

Superb cosmopolitan boys school, with outstanding facilities and a strong academic reputation – an example of what education is really about Good Schools Guide

Whitgift felt the most ‘real’ of the independent schools I had seen and I was struck by the humility of the staff and boys I had met. It was welcoming from the get-go, warm, and I instantly thought my boys would thrive here if they were lucky enough to get a place Whitgift parent

The excellent achievement of pupils is underpinned by the commitment of leadership, management and governance which promotes in pupils the desire to aim high and work for success ISI Inspection Report

Whitgift is one of Britain’s finest schools with an exceptional record of academic achievement and an impressive range of co-curricular facilities. Situated in 45 acres of serene parkland, within what was formerly a royal estate, we believe that ours is a truly inspirational school environment.

There are many reasons to consider Whitgift for your son. Our vision is to educate bright and talented young men, whatever their background, to become independent learners and thinkers and to achieve beyond what they believed they could. We do this by offering a unique learning environment: our site is one of the gems of London, with excellent onsite facilities and inspiring teachers who are passionate about ensuring your son will develop academically and personally, learning skills that will serve him whilst at Whitgift and in his life beyond.

Students come to us from a variety of places and backgrounds but are all articulate, bright, happy and purposeful.

They have hugely varied interests, but are united in their pursuit of excellence in all they do. There is a huge pride and sense of gratitude in being a member of the Whitgift community. We strive to help the boys in our care reach their full potential, whilst advocating there are no limits or glass ceilings. We want them to leave us ready to give back to the society in which they will be leaders.

Our innovative curriculum has a focus on independent thinking and in the Junior Years global citizenship and digital literacy are major subjects,

laying the foundations for a life-long love of learning. The range of academic pathways offered includes GCSE and iGCSE, A Level, Pre U and the International Baccalaureate. Being part of the John Whitgift Foundation allows us to offer one of the most generous programmes of bursary support in the UK, so no one should be deterred from applying for a place.

We have over 100 co-curricular activities to explore ranging from beekeeping to basketball and philosophy society to Warhammer club, there is always an opportunity to try something new. The pastoral care structure, with a strong ethos around getting to know each child as an individual, means that there is a broad network to offer support and encouragement at every stage of their school journey.

Above all, our values of enquiry, respect, confidence and courage pervade the school community. As the world emerges from the challenges of 2020-22 we believe these values have never been more important. This year in particular has been significant as we launched our charity, Whitgift For All. We look forward to sharing more about this and our inspiring community with you when you visit.

Chris Ramsey Headmaster

INSPIRING MINDS

Inspirational visitors regularly hold talks and workshops for Whitgift students as part of our Academic Enrichment programme

1. Old Whitgiftian Joseph Choong (Olympic and World Pentathlon Champion)

3. Tim Marshall (author, journalist and broadcaster, specialising in international diplomacy)

2. Kathryn Evans (award winning author of young adult novels)

4. Bobby Seagull (mathematician, writer and TV personality)

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1. BBC Director General and OW Tim Davie being interviewed at the School by students 2. Whitgift students enjoying working out the solution to a mathematics problem

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1. Whitgift’s musical production of Billy Elliot the Musical, combining the efforts of the cast from Whitgift, Old Palace of John Whitgift and Whitgift Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (WAVPA) 2. Second Former Dylan performed the coin toss at the Wimbledon Men’s Final in recognition of his fundraising for St George’s Hospital Charity

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1. Students and staff raise awareness and funding for Mental Health Charity Young Minds each year

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2. The London Myriad Ensemble and Lower First Form students collaborate for a performance featuring improvisation, narration and story-telling based around Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes 3. Older students regularly coach and mentor the Junior Years pupils

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1. Saturday Masterclasses for local Year 5 Primary children take place with help from Whitgift pupils 2. A real race track was built in Big School for the production of Chariots of Fire 3. Humanutopia empowers and motivates young people and is a key feature of the Whitgift 7 programme for all First Form students 4. Old Whitgiftians often return to the School to inspire and guide younger pupils

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1. Old Whitgiftian and GB hockey international player, Rhys Smith, visited the School with members of Hockey Inner City, a charity he founded helping children who do not have the opportunity to play the sport in their school 2. The ACE Programme, a charity designed to engage young people of African and Caribbean heritage in cricket, using the sports and boarding facilities at Whitgift

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3. Notable authors, poets and writers are invited to facilitate workshops during National Days such as World Poetry Day

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UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT

The Water Gardens are home to many species of wildlife and provide a reflective space for pupils to visit during their breaks

1. A pair of mating peacocks was gifted to the School in 1936 and since then the peacock feather has become a widely recognised emblem 2. Students have access to our serene 45-acre parkland site for study and relaxation 3. The Andrew Quadrangle takes its name after the 20th Headmaster of the School, Mr S. O. Andrew and is a popular spot for Whitgift’s resident peacocks

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1. Whitgift’s Tuck Stop offers an outdoor catering facility for breaktime and lunchtime snacks or meals 2. Families joined to cheer on participants in the Junior House Sports Day on South Field 3. Horticulture Club works on important and visible projects around the site 4. Animal Club is a very popular lunchtime destination for all year groups

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FRIENDLY COMMUNITY

1. Sixth Formers build strong and lasting bonds during their time at Whitgift

3. 100+ clubs and societies offer good places to build friendships through shared interests

2. Regular House events build connections through communities

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1. Boarders enjoying their leisure time at the School 2. A festive Boarding Christmas dinner in the School’s dining hall

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1. Old Palace of John Whitgift girls joined the Whitgift Combined Cadet Force for the first time in 2022

2. OWs and Premier League Footballers Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea Football Club & England) and Di’Shon Bernard (Manchester United) were greeted by excited First Formers on their return to the School this summer 1

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3. Regular theatre trips are open to students across all year groups 4. Sixth Formers enjoy getting involved in onsite and offsite community projects with local primary school students

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1. Groups of students regularly visit the residential care home, Whitgift House, a stone’s throw away from the School 2. A student thanking a Holocaust survivor speaker during the first Whitgift History Festival 3. We hold charity Open Garden events for the local community to enjoy the beautiful site

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1. Students supporting their peers whilst performing poetry during an interactive workshop 2. Friendships are built at all levels and particularly with 100+ co-curricular clubs and societies 3. Oxbridge students celebrating their achievements at a gathering with the Headmaster and their tutors

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1. Boys and girls from local primary schools visiting as part of the Whitgift Primary Project, established in 2000

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2. Whitgift Community Summer School invited 200+ local Year 5 pupils to take part in booster lessons to build their confidence and passion for learning

THINKERS

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1. All students have the opportunity to study three languages at age 11 2. Drama is an integral part of the Junior Years’ curriculum and a new experience for some joining the School

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1. Calligraphy lesson in the Oriental Studies Department 2. Students in the Junior Years experimenting with monoprinting during a workshop style Art class

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1. Designing and making Cookie Cutters in Design Technology and Engineering Club and enjoying the results 2. Third Form DTE students reached the finals of the London MOBIE architectural design competition 3. Junior House Competitions often involve problem solving in teams and growing communication skills

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EXPLORING PASSIONS

1. The Combined Cadet Force on board the HMS Queen Elizabeth 2. A student with ‘Beardy’ – Whitgift’s resident Bearded Dragon

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Choristers singing at Croydon Minster. They have also performed on BBC Radio 4 and on the televised BBC Midnight Mass

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1. Whitgift students display winning innovation and collaboration in the annual Greenpower Race Car competition 2. Our Science provision is offered through a total of 17 modern labs 2

Cricket on North Field, previously a County Cricket ground, where current pupils benefit from the use of first-class facilities

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Under the direction of the composer, and alongside the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, a selection of Whitgift Choristers performed at the John Rutter Christmas Celebration in the Royal Albert Hall in 2021

1. Head of First Form Mr Powell speaking at the launch of the Croydon Black Lives Matter Charter that Whitgift has signed up to

3. Yoga and relaxation classes for the Sixth Form 4. Enhancing Drama performance with movement, speech and language classes

2. Cookery Club is a popular option in the Junior Years

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The cast of Not About Nightingales, a play by Tennessee Williams. The set featured 200 lighting fixtures, 14 speakers with surround sound and was also filled with over 2000 litres of grey gunge!

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1. Brasstonbury 2021 welcomed a live audience in the Andrew Quadrangle, with musical pieces by different year group ensembles 2. Performances from the three-day fully booked out Summer Arts Festival, an extravaganza of Music and Drama

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LIMITLESS AMBITION

1. International Baccalaureate students averaged an exceptional 40.2 points, making Whitgift the UK’s top IB school for boys 2. Sixth Formers on the terrace to collect their results

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1. Students are encouraged to move away from their comfort zones within a supportive environment 2. Many essay and subject specific competitions are entered by students 2

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3. The annual Charity Concert looks to fundraise and provide a stage for lots of talent and fun

2. Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns, England cricketers 3. Jack Waller, England and Great Britain hockey player 4. Jamal Musiala, professional footballer playing for Bayern Munich and Germany

5. Neil Gaiman, internationally-acclaimed author 6. George Jaques, actor, director and writer

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1. George Oyebode met the Prime Minister, to discuss solutions to tackle racial inequality. He graduated from Oxford University, having studied Classics and Arabic

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The following images portray a number of highachieving Old Whitgiftians

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7. General Sir Peter Wall, former Chief of the General Staff 8. Marcel Hedman founded Black Alumni of Whitgift School (BAWS) and studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge 9. The late Kevin Kalkhoven, owner of Long Beach Grand Prix Association, Cosworth Racing and Cosworth Electronic

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1. Joseph Choong claimed his gold medal in Modern Pentathlon, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

8. Lord Tedder, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Deputy Supreme Commander, Allied Forces WWII

2. Derren Brown, television illusionist and hypnotist

9. Tarik O’Regan, composer

3. Lord Freeman, former Cabinet Minister 4. OW JB Gill, actor, farmer, TV presenter, singer and songwriter 5. Martin Jarvis, actor 6. Chris Cook, Policy Editor of BBC Newsnight

10. Anthony Strong, jazz pianist, singer and songwriter 11. The Rt Hon Lord Justice Keith Lindblom 12. Elliot Daly, Saracens, England and Lions back, playing for the Lions in New Zealand

7. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chelsea and U17 England World Cup winner

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ACTIVE LIFESTYLES

House events, sports days and on and offsite team building events are thoroughly enjoyed across all school year groups

1. Students using the elite performance centre and gym within the Sports Centre 2. Fencing is a popular sport and trial lessons are offered to all First Formers

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Whitgift’s Rugby team has accomplished success across all age groups, including this performance during the U18 Schools Cup

Outdoor Education surf trip to Devon for all year groups

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1. Basketball continues to be popular with day and boarding students – an outdoor court was added in 2021 2. Celebrations at the end of a cricket match on North Field

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HISTORIC TRADITIONS

1. Each year a senior serving Officer carries out the Combined Cadet Force Annual General Inspection 2. Remembrance Day is marked each year by a service at the War Memorial including current students, Old Whitgiftians and staff 3. Whitgift Corps of Drums, one of the oldest in the country, founded in 1905

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Fairfield Halls in Croydon has been the venue for the Autumn Collection Concert for several years. All First Formers sing in the choir accompanied by musicians of all ages

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1. The Andrew Quadrangle 2. The Late HM Queen Elizabeth II visited the School in 1996, as part of the 400 year anniversary celebrations 3. A student-designed mural was installed to commemorate the 425th anniversary of Founder’s Day. It was in 1596 that John Whitgift laid the stone that represented his vision for supporting the people of Croydon

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1. Whitgift launched its own charity in 2022 – Whitgift For All - continuing to reinforce the vision of its founder John Whitgift 2. Lord Freud, Chair of Whitgift For All, at the charity launch celebration

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GLOBAL OUTLOOK

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1. Whitigift was able to support the funding of a water fountain project in Uganda with our catering partners Chartwells

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2. Director of International Education, Mr Bates, with a Summer School student – the role encompasses managing the School’s international education partnerships 3. Whitgift pupils volunteer as student hosts for the annual International Summer School, offering the chance to build friendships with children from around the world 4. The beautifully located boarding residence, Founder’s House, just across from the main school terrace

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1. Whitgift has strong links and partnerships with prominent schools around the world, including Urawa in Japan 2. Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition to Corsica

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Outdoor Education trip to Morocco – students visited two charities they had helped after organising a fundraising bike ride back home

Since starting at the School, all our expectations have been surpassed. Every member of staff we have communicated with has been very supportive and knowledgeable. In a very short space of time, Whitgift has become our extended family Whitgift Parent

It has been an amazing journey thus far hence the deep appreciation and firm hope for greater things to come for our son in the future and beyond Whitgift parent

The School encourages good behaviour and rewards effort and hard work. They excel in feeding a lifelong passion for learning and great academic and sporting results are just a natural outcome ISI Inspection Report

The inspirational grounds and gardens foster calmness, peace and an opportunity to appreciate a sense of place and self-awareness ISI Inspection Report

Whitgift sport is exceptional; fabulous £9m sports complex, this is truly international stuff, and the list of sporting achievements is legendary Good Schools Guide

Effort is placed not only on good exam grades but also producing boys who can think on their feet, have confidence, and solve problems. This is why a Whitgift education prepares them [students] for the outside world Whitgift parent

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8633 9935 Email: admissions@whitgift.co.uk www.whitgift.co.uk

OF THE YEAR 2020

Cover photo: Alex Hill

INDEPENDENT BOYS’ SCHOOL

MP – HG/09-22

Whitgift School Haling Park South Croydon CR2 6YT United Kingdom

COMMUNITY OUTREACH SCHOOL OF THE YEAR 2022