St George's College Weybridge Review 2026: Academic Excellence in a Josephite Community

When Constant Van Crombrugghe founded this school in Croydon in 1869, he established a tradition of Catholic education that has endured for over 155 years. The school relocated to the 100‑acre Woburn Park estate in 1884 — including land that once housed what’s described as the first ornamental farm — and the parkland still frames this Catholic independent school. Today, St George's College Weybridge educates around 1,030 students aged 11 to 18 within a distinctly Josephite community that balances academic ambition with genuine pastoral care.

The school's results place it firmly in the top tier in England. At GCSE, 52% of grades achieved 9–8 and 74% reached grades 9–7, placing the school in the top 3% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking). A-level results are equally impressive, with 84% achieving A*–B, placing the school in the top 7% in England (FindMySchool ranking). In 2024, leavers progressed to universities at an 82% rate, with one securing an Oxbridge place. The latest ISI inspection in March 2024 confirmed full compliance across all standards, with inspectors particularly praising the school's extensive sports and co-curricular programme, the strength of pastoral care through its house system, and the integrated work of the Chaplaincy team.

St George's is selective entry only, with around 160 places available at Year 7 from approximately 480 applications. The school's identity is genuinely Catholic; daily collective worship, regular Masses, retreat days, and explicit religious teaching are woven throughout. This creates a particular fit, ideal for families seeking a rigorous academic education within a strong faith community, but requiring careful consideration for those uncomfortable with this level of religious integration.

The moment you come through the gates during the school day, the atmosphere is purposeful. Students move with clear direction between lessons. In common rooms, sixth formers debate ideas with genuine engagement. In tutor rooms, children settle into the day with their form tutors, who know them well and create space for informal conversation that builds connection. This sense of belonging is deliberately cultivated through the six school houses (King, Woburn, Kilmorey, Southcote, Stirling, and Petre, the original four named after the estate's previous owners), which form family groups spanning all year groups.

Mrs Rachel Owens, who became Headmistress in 2016 after leading St George's School in Ascot, has shaped the school's current direction with clear intentionality. She studied history at Oxford and comes from a Catholic background, bringing both intellectual rigour and genuine commitment to the school's Josephite values. Under her leadership, the school appointed new pastoral staff, developed the PSHE curriculum further, and initiated a school-wide audit for equality, diversity, and inclusion, resulting in curriculum planning changes across all departments.

The Josephite ethos permeates daily life. The school's mission statement, "To inspire all in our Josephite, Georgian Family to be the very best version of themselves", reflects the Josephite values of politesse, gentleness, happiness, zeal, hospitality, collaboration, and inclusivity. The Chaplaincy team, working closely with Religious Studies and PSHE departments, ensures that these values operate as "values for life" rather than abstract ideals. Collective acts of prayer and worship happen daily, many led by Chaplaincy Presidents and senior pupils, covering topics linked to national awareness days and religious festivals. Off-timetable retreat days, spent in stillness, reflection, and outdoor time, are particularly cherished; students describe these as vital for both spiritual understanding and mental wellbeing.

The physical environment reflects both heritage and investment. The Victorian main building retains character; extensions over decades have been carefully considered. The crown jewel is the Activity Centre, opened in October 2019. Designed to Sports England standards and built for the school's 150th anniversary, it houses a six-court sports hall featuring a state-of-the-art sprung glass floor, the largest of its kind in the UK with programmable LED line-marking enabling instant court configuration. The centre also contains a climbing wall, two dance studios, a strength-and-conditioning suite, changing rooms, and flexible spaces for group activities and exhibitions. The building itself reflects sustainability principles, with solar PV panels and air-source heat pumps powering underfloor heating.

GCSE Performance

Results at GCSE demonstrate sustained high achievement. In 2024, 52% of all grades achieved 9–8 (the top grades), and 74% reached grades 9–7. The school ranks 155th in England for GCSE results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 3%. Locally, it achieves 1st position among independent schools in the Addlestone area. Inspectors noted that pupils "achieve well in examinations at GCSE and A level, many above expectations from their starting points," with particular strength identified in mathematics, music, and physical education. The school's approach to breadth is notable: all pupils choose from aesthetic and creative subjects, ensuring opportunities to develop talents in music, art, drama, and related areas. Most then pursue these as co-curricular activities, demonstrating genuine rather than coerced interest.

Support for pupils with additional learning needs has been strengthened. A new team works closely with subject teachers, delivering small group teaching particularly in English and mathematics. This targeted approach has resulted in very little variation in achievement across different pupil groups, suggesting inclusive practice that genuinely lifts those needing support.

A-Level Performance

At A-level, 19% of all grades achieved A*, and an impressive 84% reached A*–B. The school ranks 175th in England for A-level results (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 7%. Again, local ranking is 1st in the Addlestone area. Teaching at sixth form challenges pupils to develop deeper understanding, debate, and ask searching questions. The curriculum breadth is substantial, with 26 A-level subjects available, including minority options like Classical Greek and Russian alongside the traditional facilitating subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Further Maths, English Literature, History, Geography, Modern Languages).

The 2024 leavers cohort numbered 131 students, of whom 82% progressed to university. The school does not participate in national league tables, a deliberate choice reflecting its educational philosophy, but the progression data aligns with the academic strength evident in exam results.

Teaching quality is consistently high. Inspectors reported "teaching is almost always of a high quality" with pupils developing "strong literacy, numeracy and speaking skills across a wide range of subjects." Teachers use secure subject knowledge and effective methods, particularly notable in their challenge to pupils to articulate reasoning. The English department's focus on close reading of texts like Shakespeare develops understanding of human nature, complexity, and ethical dilemmas. Mathematics and science teaching encourages pupils to articulate their reasoning when answering questions.

The curriculum structure supports this quality. Religious Studies is compulsory for all pupils, promoting spiritual awareness and understanding of their own faith and others. Visits to a wide range of places of worship are integral. PSHE and Relationships and Sex Education are taught to all year groups and valued by pupils for developing self-awareness and life skills. Relationships and Sex Education follows statutory guidance, delivered by trained staff bringing specialist knowledge. Analysis of pupil feedback at the end of each topic guides teacher effectiveness and curriculum adjustment.

A development area remains: the ISI inspection identified that in a small proportion of teaching, pacing of lessons has caused some pupils to focus less and progress to slow. New academic leadership has identified this specifically and increased lesson observations to develop consistency. Subject leaders have highlighted effective time management and lesson pace as development priorities, with enrichment sessions across the curriculum supporting learning effectively and increasing pupil confidence.

In the 2024 leavers cohort, 82% progressed to university. One student secured an Oxbridge place. While this falls below the Oxbridge number from earlier years (1 acceptance from 3 offers, 29 applications), the university progression rate suggests strong onward pathways.

The school explicitly prepares pupils for what comes next. One-to-one careers advice from qualified advisors begins early, supporting informed decisions on GCSE and A-level subject choices. Interactive careers workshops run from Year 7, building toward work experience, networking events, practice interviews, apprenticeship information, and university open days by sixth form. Each department has a careers ambassador, facilitating subject-specific career pathways. Year 9 pupils engage in local community conservation; sixth formers visit primary schools to support reading and Religious Studies.

The sixth-form lecture series has proven highly valued, with recent talks on law, Arctic expeditions and climate change, and societal opportunities for young people to drive positive change. This structures exposure to broader horizons beyond the curriculum.

St George's offers over 180 clubs and activities, a scale that merits careful examination rather than generic listing. The school monitors to ensure all pupils participate, recognising that co-curricular engagement contributes to mental and physical development, wellbeing, and interpersonal skill-building.

Music: A Defining Strength

Music occupies a significant place in the school's identity. The chapel choir performs regularly. The school orchestra comprises committed musicians across year groups. Smaller ensembles include chamber groups and jazz ensembles where instrumentalists develop specialist skills. The school's podcast featured specific mention of music opportunities as defining the school experience. A substantial proportion of pupils learn instruments, supported by visiting music teachers. Music scholarships are awarded at entry (11+, 13+, 16+) to pupils demonstrating particular aptitude, capped at 10% fee reduction.

Drama: Professional Standard

Drama provision extends across multiple performance spaces. Student-led theatrical productions occur throughout the year, with casting and creative decisions driven by students themselves. Art, Music, and Drama scholarships are available, reflecting the school's genuine commitment to these disciplines. Pupils achieve well in these curriculum areas, often pursuing related co-curricular involvement.

Sports: National and International Success

The sporting infrastructure is extensive. The Activity Centre provides the six-court sports hall with its unique glass floor, climbing wall, and associated facilities. Outdoor provision includes three outdoor netball courts, two 11-a-side hockey pitches, five rugby pitches, a 400-meter athletics track, football pitches, and a floodlit astroturf for hockey. In summer, rounders pitches and cricket pitches come into use. The tennis centre offers four indoor courts, three outdoor clay courts, and three grass courts. A dedicated boathouse serves the St George's College Boat Club, with river access via the two branches of the River Bourne that flow through the 100-acre grounds before meeting the River Thames at Addlestone.

The rowing programme represents the college at the National Schools' Regatta with strong results. The boys' under-16 hockey team recently won the Boys Schools U16 Tier 1 Finals, their first victory in over 25 years, marking a significant achievement. Teams represent the school locally, in England, and internationally. Physical education teaching emphasises personal reflection and achievement, tracking baseline fitness throughout the year and enabling pupils to play team and individual sports matching their levels and abilities.

STEM and Technology

On-site facilities include 13 science laboratories and a large Design & Technology suite. The school actively promotes STEM through club offerings and subject enrichment. The curriculum encourages pupils to engage deeply, and the breadth of mathematics and science teaching, with separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry, and physics, and facilitating A-levels, positions students well for competitive university STEM courses.

Literary and Community Engagement

The school identifies literary clubs and societies, though specific names would require direct website access. Subject-specific enrichment clubs supplement classroom learning. Beyond academics, the Kennedy Club engages sixth formers in meaningful community work, hosting refugees for weekly social evenings (supervised by staff). Over a third of sixth formers participate in weekly online English tutoring for families. Sixth formers recognise the transformational effect of understanding experiences from different backgrounds.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award provides tiered service opportunities, with pupils completing Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Action groups and societies, Pride, Hope, Feminist Society, are led by pupils to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion. The 'Hope Society' specifically promotes acceptance of all, with sixth-form pupils taking leading roles. All pupils raise funds for charity and contribute to food banks. Year 9 pupils engage in local conservation. Sixth formers visit primary schools to support reading and Religious Studies. Annual celebration days, World Book Day, others linked to cultures and religions, provide structured opportunity for cultural learning.

The school is highly selective. Main entry points are 11+, 13+, and 16+ (sixth form). At 11+, approximately 160 places are offered from around 480 applications (roughly 3:1 ratio). Entry involves an entrance examination (verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and other assessments) and interview. About 30% of entrants come from state primaries, 30% from independent preps, and 40% from the junior school (St George's Junior School Weybridge, ages 3–11).

Scholarships are awarded at all entry points in academic, sport, art, music, and drama disciplines. Around 30 scholarships are offered at Year 7 intake; approximately 10 for those entering sixth form. At 13+, all external pupils may apply for academic, sport, art, music, and drama scholarships. Academic scholarships at 13+ require entrance examination papers set and marked by departmental heads. Three Van Crombrugghe awards recognise the highest-scoring candidate from the junior school, highest from external prep, and highest from external junior school elsewhere.

Financial aid is meaningful. 14% of new students receive some form of fee assistance. 5% receive means-tested Assisted Places, of which half have 100% fees paid (plus help with other expenses) and half have 75% covered. The school also offers hardship bursaries to current pupils affected by unforeseen change in financial circumstances, subject to availability. The governing body is committed to broadening access. Current fees are £7,882 per term (approximately £23,646 annually), which parents should verify with the school as fees change annually.

The school operates a structured pastoral system combining class tutor oversight, house affiliation, and specialist support. Tutors know their pupils well, providing space in tutor times for informal talk and fostering connection. In school houses, family groups spanning all ages build caring relationships and friendships, enhancing emotional wellbeing. The "Perfectly Balanced" initiative allows pupils to discuss time management and co-curricular balance individually with dedicated staff, supporting reflection on choices and healthy work-life balance, notably well-received as helpful.

The Chaplaincy provides spiritual and pastoral support. An in-house counsellor and mental health experts supplement school staff. A peer support network operates. Physical education emphasises personal reflection and fitness tracking, engaging pupils in broader aspects of health-related wellbeing.

Behaviour is generally good. The behaviour policy provides clear sanctions and rewards. Pupils and staff are celebrated in assemblies for kindness and effort. Almost all behave well in lessons, accepting responsibility when receiving sanctions and engaging positively with reflection on behaviour and consideration for others. Supervision of pupils is generally effective, though inspectors noted some poor behaviour in non-lesson time has occasionally gone unchecked; the school is addressing this through enhanced staff supervision. The school operates a zero-tolerance policy for drink, drugs, and smoking; vaping results in suspension. A clear anti-bullying strategy exists with regular staff training. Pupils report bullying is rare; staff respond swiftly when aware.

Since September 2024, Year 7 students use basic "dumb" phones (calls and texts only) rather than smartphones, supporting the school's goal of keeping pupils aged 11–13 smartphone-free to enable development of essential life skills and maturity. Up to Year 11, students can’t use phones during the school day, and younger years hand them in each morning.

Health and safety procedures are rigorous. Fire regulations are followed with regular drills and checks. First aid and medical care are well-staffed with trained personnel.

School hours are standard secondary timing. The school is situated 20 minutes from Heathrow and conveniently positioned relative to the M3/M25 intersection. Weybridge station offers at least four trains per hour, reaching London Waterloo in 29 minutes, facilitating access for families further afield. The school location is accessible without on-site boarding, though some students travel considerable distances. For wraparound care details, families should contact the school directly, as specific before- and after-school provision details were not explicitly stated in available sources.

Selective entry is serious: Approximately 480 families compete for 160 places at 11+. Three times as many sit the entrance exam as are offered places. This is highly competitive by UK standards. Families should be comfortable with entrance examinations and the intensity of competition.

Catholic integration is pervasive, not peripheral: Daily worship, regular Masses, explicit religious teaching, retreat days, and the explicit integration of Catholic and Josephite values throughout the curriculum and pastoral life mean this is a genuinely religious school. Families uncomfortable with explicit Catholic practice, or those of no faith, should reflect carefully. The school welcomes families from various backgrounds, but the religious character is genuine and central.

Fee accessibility: At nearly £24,000 annually, fees are significant. Bursaries do exist (14% of pupils receive some assistance), but the school is fundamentally for families able to afford independent education. The Assisted Place scheme does help some families, but this requires means-testing and application. Families should verify current fees and bursary criteria directly.

Academic pace is brisk: Results indicate this is a selective, academically ambitious school. Pupils experience consistent expectations, regular small group support for those needing it, and a curriculum delivered at pace. Families should ensure their child can manage the academic demands, with support from school intervention if needed.

St George's College Weybridge is an academically strong Catholic independent school with results and ethos meaningfully above average. The combination of rigorous academics (top 3% in England at GCSE, top 7% at A-level), extensive facilities including the landmark Activity Centre, genuine pastoral care through the house system, and integrated Chaplaincy provision creates a distinctive school experience.

It is particularly well-suited to families who are: (a) Catholic or comfortable with Catholic practice as central to school life; (b) seeking selective, academically rigorous education; (c) located within reasonable travel distance (the 100-acre suburban campus is less urban than central London independent schools) or able to manage longer journeys; and (d) able to access the fee level, with or without bursary support.

The main consideration is not whether the school is "good", results and inspection ratings confirm it is, but whether the specific combination of Catholic integration, selective entry, and fee level aligns with your family's values and circumstances.