Sixty miles southwest of London, set within the rolling South Downs landscape, Brockwood Park School sits on 40 acres of parkland and gardens. Since 1969, when educator and philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti established this singular institution, the school has pioneered an educational philosophy centred on inquiry, self-knowledge and human development rather than competition and grades. Today, approximately 70 international students aged 14 to 19 live and study here in an environment that deliberately rejects traditional markers of achievement, yet consistently produces young people ready for demanding universities and meaningful lives. This is not a school for those seeking academic rankings or traditional exam prestige, though A-level results place it in the top 25% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking). Rather, it is a school for young people willing to take genuine responsibility for their own learning within a supportive, international community of staff and peers.
The main building is a Grade II listed Georgian mansion, extended and adapted over decades to serve its educational mission. Around the property stand The Pavilions (opened in 2013), the Cloisters, the Assembly Hall, a Music Studio, an Art Barn, a computer room, a library, and a simple gym. The Grade II listing means access is not unrestricted for disabled visitors, though the school has made improvements to certain areas. The 16-hectare estate provides extensive grounds for play, sports and the school's one-acre organic vegetable garden.
With students drawn from 25 countries or more, Brockwood is genuinely international. The school is fully boarding; there are no day students. This shared residential life forms the backbone of the educational experience, with staff and students living together in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual responsibility. Class sizes average six students, with some as small as three or four, allowing intensive individual attention from teachers.
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Brockwood Park School in Bramdean, Alresford has a clear sense of identity shaped by its setting and community. The first thing visitors notice is the quiet: the whole school gathers each morning in the Assembly Hall to sit in silence for ten minutes. This is not meditation in the strict sense, but what the school calls an awakening of awareness, a grounding in presence before the day begins. During these sessions, the Assembly Hall fills with 70 young people from across the world, sitting without instruction or expectation, simply present.
The absence of uniforms is immediately apparent. Students wear 'tidy casual' clothes of their own choosing. Staff and students address one another by first names. There is no hierarchy of formal titles. These choices reflect Krishnamurti's conviction that education should foster genuine relationship and equality of respect between educator and learner.
The residential community runs with evident care. Students participate in daily 30-minute 'morning jobs', cleaning their own school with staff, setting a tone of shared responsibility and ownership. Girls occupy separate accommodation (the upper floors of the main house and the right wing of the Pavilions), while boys live in the Cloisters and left wing of the Pavilions, with male and female staff living alongside them. This arrangement provides immediate access to adults when support is needed. Many older students have their own rooms; younger arrivals often share to encourage friendship and integration.
Principal Thomas Lehmann leads the school alongside its wider leadership team, drawn from educators who have trained across Krishnamurti schools in India, the UK and the USA. Staff members come from 25 countries, bringing diversity of language, perspective and expertise. They sign up for modest salaries but share a philosophical commitment to the school's educational mission, a consistency that creates remarkable stability in the teaching body.
The atmosphere is genuinely affectionate without being sentimental. Students describe it as familial. Parents report that their children regard Brockwood as a second home. The school deliberately avoids the intensity of competitive academic environments; there are no grades, no class rankings, no prizes or formal competition. Yet the academic work is rigorous. Excellence is encouraged, but pursued for its own sake rather than for external validation.
Brockwood students are not required to sit examinations. However, many choose to do so, particularly for A-levels, and these results provide insight into academic capability. In the most recent assessment cycle, A-level performance placed the school in the top 25% of schools (580th rank in England, FindMySchool ranking). 70% of grades achieved were A*-B, with 30% at A* and 25% at A grades, indicating strong performance across the examined subjects.
This ranking is notable given that Brockwood does not select pupils for academic potential. Intake is based on fit with the school's philosophy rather than prior achievement. The school works with students who arrive with varied educational backgrounds. Some come from traditional schooling, others from alternative environments. Yet, within this mixed cohort, the A-level performance suggests that the pedagogical approach, built on self-direction, inquiry and genuine engagement, produces outcomes that match conventional selective schools.
Students are not required to sit A-levels. Those who choose to do so select from a range of subjects offered through Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), Oxford Cambridge and RSA (OCR) and Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA). Current offerings include Art & Design (Fine Art, Photography, Graphic Communication), Biology, English Literature, Geography, Mathematics, and Physics. Typically, students take between one and three A-level subjects, requiring two to three years of study from age 16 onwards.
The school encourages breadth before specialisation. For younger students (below 16), the curriculum requires exposure to Humanities, Art, Music & Drama, Science, Mathematics, Health & Movement and English, ensuring foundational knowledge across disciplines. Exceptional students may begin A-level studies earlier if genuinely ready. Non-native English speakers are advised to reach a high level of English proficiency before attempting A-level English Literature or other language-heavy subjects.
The Project Programme merits particular note. Each student may develop a substantial self-initiated project alongside formal studies, supported by one-to-one mentoring, guidance on structure and research. Some projects become significant portfolios, presented at university interviews or used as evidence of capability for work and internships. This approach develops genuine independent enquiry and gives students agency over their intellectual journey.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
70%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
Teaching at Brockwood is deliberately non-traditional. Classes are small, often just three to six students, allowing teachers to know their pupils deeply and teach responsively to their needs and interests. Students do not sit passively; they participate in planning their own timetables, sometimes co-creating courses with teachers based on shared interests.
Every student participates in four common courses, attended by the whole school:
Inquiry Time meets once weekly and forms the philosophical heart of the school. The entire community gathers to explore fundamental questions: What does it mean to live together well? How do our reactions and behaviour shape our choices? Topics are student-selected in advance through staff-student discussion. Teachers and pupils explore themes such as identity, authority, fear, responsibility, freedom and society. These are not abstract exercises; they connect explicitly to Krishnamurti's teachings and to the lived experience of the community.
Human Ecology grounds learning in direct relationship with nature. The course runs weekly and centred on three aims: learning to grow organic vegetables in the school's one-acre walled garden; understanding local and global environmental issues and their root causes; experiencing direct contact with nature using the whole body. This is not theoretical environmentalism but hands-on stewardship. Students harvest vegetables used in school meals, deepening awareness of food systems and ecological responsibility.
Sports and Physical Activity takes place three afternoons weekly. The curriculum includes football, ultimate frisbee, badminton, basketball, volleyball, cricket and tennis, alongside yoga, dancing, hiking, swimming, running, slacklining and movement classes. The ethos emphasises cooperation and personal improvement over competition. Mixed-ability, mixed-gender teams are standard; the goal is learning to play well together and enjoying the activity, not winning trophies. Specialist staff develop individual fitness plans for those who request them.
ATWAM ('Another Time We All Meet') provides weekly forums for topics outside the standard curriculum: current affairs, environmental crises, neuroscience, technology, nutrition, mental health, relationships and sex education. Guest speakers with expertise in these areas engage with the school community, or staff and students present in-house. This ensures pupils develop a global outlook and practical knowledge for adult life.
Beyond core requirements, students build individual timetables from a diverse menu of courses. Academic subjects (Computer Science, Humanities, Global Issues, Science, Mathematics) sit alongside hands-on offerings (Photography, Pottery, Graphic Design, Woodwork, Life Skills in Kitchen or Garden). Student Advisers work with each pupil to construct a balanced timetable that challenges them while allowing them to develop strengths and follow genuine interests. The intention is never to force students into a predetermined mould but to personalise learning.
For non-native English speakers, the English programme divides into two streams. Beginners focus on vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and syntax. Intermediate and advanced learners, including native speakers, develop language skills through literature, drama and poetry, with experiential classroom learning extending beyond textbooks into discussions, performances and real-world exploration.
Formal assessment is minimal. There are no conventional exams until students choose to sit A-levels. Instead, pupils maintain learning journals, reflecting on their progress and challenges. Teachers provide written feedback on assignment work. Class presentations, portfolio development and one-to-one advising sessions give pupils clear sense of their development. Some students report that lack of written feedback initially felt uncertain; the school acknowledges this concern and has worked to increase the frequency of written reflection from teachers.
Academic rigour is maintained not through grades but through expectation. Students are expected to take initiative, maintain focus, prioritise objectives and strive for real excellence. Teachers provide "careful support, challenge and attention" rather than judgment. This requires significant maturity and self-awareness from students; it is not a school for those needing external motivation.
The school does not publish detailed leavers destination data in the manner of traditional schools. However, evidence suggests strong progression to higher education. In the 2024 cohort (the most recent data available results), 33% of leavers progressed to university, with smaller numbers entering further education, apprenticeships and employment. This distribution reflects the school's philosophy that university is one of many valid pathways, not the only marker of success.
Students who do pursue university applications receive strong support through the "Life After Brockwood" team, dedicated staff members who help pupils navigate university research, personal statements and interviews. University admissions tutors increasingly recognise Brockwood's distinctive approach; the portfolios, personal statements and interview performance of Brockwood students often impress precisely because they demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity, self-direction and maturity of thought developed through years of self-directed learning.
Some pupils pursue direct employment or apprenticeships immediately after school, supported by CV development and interview coaching. The school's emphasis on practical skills, responsibility and real-world understanding means students are often better prepared for workplace integration than their purely academic peers.
The school maintains an active alumni network. Brockwood holds annual reunions, and former students report that the experience fundamentally shaped their approach to learning and relationships for life. Many describe skills learned at Brockwood, the ability to listen, to question, to take responsibility, to work with international peers, as far more valuable than specific exam grades.
Evening and weekend club life is extensive and self-directed. Students, not staff, often lead and organise clubs based on shared interests. Club offerings have included Dance Club, Yoga sessions, Drama workshops, Band rehearsals, Woodwork Group (where students have built a canoe from scratch), Book Club, Photography projects, Graphic Design projects, Computer Science clubs, sports clubs and informal games. Board games, outdoor excursions into the South Downs, cake-baking in communal kitchens and reading sessions in the spacious library are daily occurrences.
The school's 40 acres provide extensive grounds. A full-sized football pitch, combined tennis and basketball court, outdoor lawn areas and access to local forests enable informal play and structured sports. Indoor facilities include a small gym, the Assembly Hall (used for dance, movement and yoga), a Music Studio and an Art Barn. Students describe evening and weekend time as relatively unstructured, with opportunities to relax with peers, pursue hobbies, visit nearby towns (Winchester and Petersfield are 30 minutes away by bus) or simply spend time in the countryside.
Music is integral to school life. The Music Studio provides practice space and recording facilities. Students form bands, perform in school assemblies and participate in ensemble work. Drama is active, with student-directed productions and collaborative theatre projects. Though not systematised into a major performing arts track, creative expression through music and drama appears frequently in student life and complements the curriculum's emphasis on creativity.
Brockwood has deliberately cultivated what it calls a "movement culture." Three afternoons per week of mandatory sports, plus additional yoga and dance sessions throughout the week and visiting movement teachers delivering intensive workshops, ensure that physical well-being is taken seriously. The ethos differs markedly from traditional school sport: participation, personal fitness and enjoyment are paramount. Teams are mixed ability and often mixed gender. The goal is to develop sensitivity, suppleness and body awareness, not to win competitions.
A typical day begins with Morning Assembly (8:20-8:35am) of silent sitting, followed by vegetarian breakfast. Morning jobs (9:10-9:40am) see students and staff together cleaning the school. Academic classes run from 9:50am to 1pm, with varying session lengths. Lunch is the main meal, eaten communally, with students sharing in dishwashing on a rota. Afternoons (2:30-4:45pm) divide between courses, sports and student advising. Tea (4:45-5:15pm) provides snacks. Clubs and activities run from 5:15-7pm. Supper is eaten communally (7-8pm), followed by Study Hall (8:15-9:30pm) for focused work time in a quiet environment. By 9:30pm, quiet hours begin. The rhythm is structured without being rigid; activities shift seasonally and based on community need.
Boarding is full; all students live on campus. The residential experience is central to the Brockwood philosophy. Living together in an international community, students learn practical skills of shared living, conflict resolution and cooperation. Guidelines and agreements have been developed over 50+ years. New students read these carefully before committing to the school. The agreements cover safety, respect for shared spaces, personal responsibility and community wellbeing.
Weekends follow a conventional Saturday-Sunday pattern. Weekend trips and activities are organised, but students also have significant free time. Many visit nearby towns. Those under 16 seeking to travel further afield or stay overnight must obtain parental and school permission. Girls and boys socialise freely but live in separate accommodation.
The school takes an unusual approach to technology, informed by Krishnamurti's belief in freedom from manipulative influences and distraction. Brockwood Park School in Bramdean, Alresford pairs strong results with a broader experience beyond examinations. Students have unlimited access to school computers and provided Wi-Fi during school hours for educational purposes. Every Saturday, students retrieve smartphones for several hours to contact family and friends, with additional Skype/Zoom access available on request during the week. This boundary reflects the school's intention to create a space free from the "pull and temptation" of social media and messaging services.
The nominal annual fee is £37,850 (as of 2025-26). However, this figure requires significant qualification. The school operates what it describes as a "two-tiered fee structure," asking families who can afford full fees to choose to pay them, while providing substantial financial assistance to others.
When bursary awards are factored in, the average amount families actually pay is £24,900 annually. Bursaries are means-tested and based on individual family circumstances. Some bursaries cover more than 50% of fees for first-year students, and even more for returning pupils. The school explicitly states its commitment to providing bursary assistance to "deserving students who otherwise would be unable to attend." A sibling discount of 15% is available, and siblings share a fee deposit.
Scholarships are offered based on merit, student interest or demonstrated need in academic, music, art or sport achievement. These typically provide a 10-25% reduction in fees.
The school's philosophical commitment to accessibility is genuine. It was founded as a not-for-profit institution and remains non-commercially operated. Fees fund the school, with donations supplementing bursary provision. Parents interested in whether their circumstances might attract bursary support are encouraged to contact the school directly; financial constraints should not deter inquiry.
Fees data coming soon.
Brockwood receives applications from families globally. Entry is possible at age 14 (at any point in the Year 9 term onwards), and students may stay until age 19. The school does not use entrance exams or selective processes in the traditional sense. Instead, applicants submit an application including personal statement, a short interview (sometimes conducted remotely) and usually a "prospective week", a visit where the candidate experiences the school and meets staff and students.
The admissions process is genuinely selective but based on fit rather than prior achievement. The school seeks young people who are genuinely interested in self-directed learning, capable of taking responsibility and willing to engage with an international community. Some candidates discover that the freedom and lack of external structure does not suit them; the school encourages honesty about this during the process. Others arrive damaged by highly competitive schooling and initially struggle; the school provides support for this transition.
International students are welcome. The school holds a Tier 4 Sponsor Licence and can sponsor student visas. Visa applications are relatively straightforward, though students from outside the UK should begin the process 3-6 months before intended arrival to allow for processing (approximately 1-3 weeks from outside the UK, 1-8 weeks from within).
The school welcomes prospective families at three formal visiting occasions annually (September, March and May). Open mornings include tours led by current students, class observations, refreshments and a Q&A session with recruitment staff, management, pastoral coordinators and students. Places are limited; advance booking is essential. Individual visits outside these windows are possible but not guaranteed, given the school's size.
Every student has a Student Adviser who serves as their primary point of contact and pastoral guardian. Advising groups typically contain five to seven pupils. The adviser meets the group weekly, then individually. These sessions cover academic progress and wellbeing. Beyond formal meetings, informal outings and time together foster a familial atmosphere.
Pastoral Coordinators oversee the broader pastoral system. They work closely with advisers, house staff and residential team to identify difficulties swiftly and address them. They are the first point of contact for staff concerned about a pupil and the first point of contact for students needing support. They also lead the school's mental health initiatives and oversee PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) and RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) programmes.
The school recognises that teenagers need emotional safety to thrive. Health and Movement courses for younger students cover sexual health, drug awareness, sleep, stress and nutrition. Weekly ATWAM sessions often address mental health topics: anxiety, depression, body image, healthy relationships. Specialist counsellors can be arranged if pupils need additional support.
The physical environment supports wellbeing. Food is entirely vegetarian with vegan and gluten-free options, sourced from the school's own organic vegetable garden where possible. Staff monitor students' physical health, sleep, diet and exercise. Hospital services are 20 minutes away; all students are registered with a local medical centre.
The school's non-competitive ethos itself supports wellbeing. Absence of grades, no ranking or comparison, absence of prizes, these remove sources of anxiety and shame that damage many teenagers. Instead, students are encouraged to reflect on their own learning through journals and advising conversations, developing internal motivation and self-awareness rather than external validation-seeking.
The main school building is Grade II listed, a Georgian mansion with 18th-century origins that has been extended thoughtfully over decades. This heritage is genuinely appealing, students describe the beauty of the surroundings, the sense of history and the feeling of being somewhere special. The grounds, chosen by Krishnamurti for their "peaceful yet accessible location in the South Downs," provide a genuinely inspiring setting for contemplative education.
However, listed status creates significant constraints. Access modifications for disabled staff and pupils are limited by conservation requirements. The layout, while characterful, creates distances across the campus that are challenging for some. The school has made targeted improvements (accessible parking areas, modified facilities) but acknowledges that full accessibility remains constrained by the listed building status.
Non-traditional approach requires genuine buy-in. Brockwood is not for families seeking conventional academic credentialing or competitive rankings. Students who thrive here are those genuinely interested in self-directed learning, capable of managing their own motivation and time, and comfortable with freedom. Pupils arriving from highly structured, grade-driven schooling sometimes initially struggle with the lack of external structure. The school provides transition support, but families should ensure their child's personality and learning style genuinely align with the approach.
Financial commitment and bursary realities. While bursaries are available, the nominal fee is significant. Families should engage directly with the school about financial circumstances early; bursary availability, though genuine, is not unlimited and is dependent on the school's annual fundraising success. International families should also budget for visa costs and travel arrangements.
Boarding is total and non-negotiable. There are no day places. Students live at school full-time. This suits some families powerfully; for others, separation from home is harder than expected. The school does allow exeats (permission to leave campus) and weekend freedom within defined parameters, but students remain boarders. Families should ensure their young person is genuinely ready for boarding life.
International and cultural difference as lived learning. The school's diversity is extraordinary; 70 students from 25+ countries living together creates a genuinely global classroom. For most students, this is transformative. However, cultural and linguistic differences can be challenging initially, particularly for English language learners. The school supports non-native speakers, but confidence with English is essential.
Accessibility constraints. The Grade II listed building provides character but limits disability access. Families with significant mobility requirements should discuss specific needs with the school before committing.
Brockwood Park School is genuinely exceptional, but exceptional in ways that do not suit every family. It is a place for young people willing to take responsibility for their own learning, ready to engage with an international community and philosophically aligned with the vision that education is about developing the whole person, not just acquiring credentials. The A-level results (top 25% in England, FindMySchool ranking) demonstrate that this approach produces academic outcomes. More importantly, alumni testimony and student descriptions suggest it produces young people who are reflective, confident, capable of taking initiative and genuinely interested in the world beyond themselves.
The school is expensive but genuinely committed to making places available to families regardless of financial circumstance. The boarding community is tight, affectionate and sometimes transformative. The absence of grades, competition and hierarchy removes sources of anxiety that plague many teenagers in conventional schools. Teachers know their pupils deeply and teach responsively.
Families should visit an open morning or arrange a prospective week before deciding. The Brockwood experience is sufficiently different from conventional schooling that it is only right that young people and parents experience it directly. For the right student, independent, genuinely curious, ready to contribute to a community, Brockwood offers something rare in British education: genuine freedom within a supportive, structured environment where learning flourishes.
Yes. In 2024, the school was rated highly in a routine ISI inspection, with particular recognition for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. A-level results place the school in the top 25% (FindMySchool ranking: 580th in England). Perhaps more importantly, former students consistently describe Brockwood as having shaped their approach to learning and relationships for life. The school is distinctive rather than conventional, so 'good' depends on fit; for students who thrive in self-directed learning environments, it is exceptional.
Brockwood is guided by the educational philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti, an educator who believed that true education should foster self-knowledge, creativity and responsibility rather than competition and accumulation of grades. The school has no uniforms, no grades, no formal competition or prizes. Students address staff by first names. Lessons are small (often 3-6 students) and students participate in planning their timetables. Morning assemblies consist of 10 minutes of silent sitting each day. This represents a genuinely different educational approach from traditional boarding schools, most of which maintain conventional structures.
The nominal fee is £37,850 annually. However, the school operates a generous bursary system; when bursaries are accounted for, the average family contribution is £24,900. Bursaries are means-tested and based on individual family circumstances. Scholarships are available based on merit. A 15% discount applies for siblings. Families should contact the school directly about financial assistance; the school is genuinely committed to enabling attendance regardless of family income.
The school is selective for fit rather than prior academic achievement. Applicants submit an application and typically attend a prospective week to experience the school and meet staff and students. The school assesses whether the applicant is genuinely interested in self-directed learning, capable of taking responsibility and willing to engage with an international community. Previous academic performance matters far less than personality, maturity and philosophical alignment.
Approximately one-third of leavers progress to university, supported by a dedicated 'Life After Brockwood' team who help with research, personal statements and interviews. Others pursue further education, apprenticeships or direct employment. The school's emphasis on self-direction, responsibility and real-world skills means students are often well-prepared for whatever path they choose. Alumni report that the learning skills and personal development cultivated at Brockwood prove more valuable long-term than exam grades.
The school is genuinely international, with 70 students from 25+ countries. This diversity is one of Brockwood's defining strengths; living with peers from different cultures and linguistic backgrounds develops genuine global awareness and cross-cultural friendship. Non-native English speakers receive tailored language support through the English Programme. The school holds a Tier 4 Sponsor Licence and can sponsor student visas for international pupils.
The shift from graded, competitive schooling to Brockwood's non-competitive, self-directed approach is significant. Some students initially struggle with the freedom and lack of external structure. The school provides transition support through student advisers, pastoral coordinators and peer mentoring. Students who arrive anxious about the absence of grades often discover that it relieves rather than increases stress. Honesty about learning style and expectations during the admissions process helps ensure good fit.
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