In April 2016, Worth School made history when its choir became the first school ensemble to sing alongside the Sistine Chapel Choir at a papal Mass, with 36 pupils lending their voices to a liturgy celebrated by Pope Francis himself. That achievement captures something essential about Worth: a school where academic ambition, artistic excellence, and spiritual formation intertwine in the fabric of daily life. Set across 500 acres of Sussex countryside, yet within easy reach of London and Gatwick, Worth serves approximately 625 pupils aged 11 to 18, blending boarding tradition with modern co-education. The school's Benedictine heritage, rooted in a monastic community established in 1606, shapes an educational philosophy that prizes both intellectual rigour and service to others. For parents considering an independent school with genuine Catholic character and sixth form results that rank in the top 25% of schools in England (FindMySchool ranking), Worth deserves serious attention.
Just beyond the gates at Paddockhurst, you encounter an estate of startling beauty. The Victorian and Edwardian buildings sit within landscaped grounds, while the Abbey Church, designed by Catholic architect Francis Pollen and consecrated in 1975, dominates the campus with its bold modernist lines. The building speaks: it is the literal and spiritual centre of Worth's community. Inside, light streams down from above, and in evening services, spotlights illuminate the altar.
But atmosphere extends beyond architecture. Worth feels distinctly lived-in. Staff occupy houses on the estate; houseparents raise families within boarding communities; monks from the adjacent abbey move through the campus as chaplains and governors. This is not a school that stops at the school gates. About half the pupil body boards; of those boarders, roughly 30% come from overseas, creating a genuinely international student population. The other half are day students, integrated fully into the community. This integration was pioneering, in 1992 Worth became the first English Benedictine school to combine boarding and day traditions, a model now increasingly common but still rare in its execution.
Stuart McPherson, appointed Headmaster in 2015, leads the school with evident intellectual energy. Trained at Sydney Grammar School and later as Housemaster at Eton College, McPherson articulates the school's purpose as "an education of heart and soul." This is not mere marketing language; the phrase appears throughout school communications and shapes decisions about curriculum and community. The school was named Boarding School of the Year in October 2024 by the Independent Schools of the Year awards, an accolade that reflects both investment in facilities and leadership commitment.
The six Benedictine values, hospitality, respect, community, stewardship, humility, and peace, appear regularly in school discourse. More importantly, they appear in practice: the school runs an extensive community service programme, operates one of the highest Duke of Edinburgh participation rates among southern independent schools, and hosts an active pilgrimage programme for those seeking deeper spiritual engagement.
Worth's academic performance tells a story of significant divergence between GCSE and A-level outcomes, a pattern common in selective independent schools with selective sixth form entry.
At GCSE, the school achieved an Attainment 8 score of 26.8 in the latest available data. This places Worth in the lower end of independent school performance, with the school ranking 3,837 in England and 8th locally within Crawley (FindMySchool ranking). The school sits in the lower 40% of schools in England, indicating performance below the England average.
However, context matters. Independent schools often see a cohort shift at sixth form entry, with some GCSE pupils departing for other institutions and external sixth form students arriving. In 2023, Worth reported that two-thirds of GCSE grades were 9-7, with strong performance in sciences and humanities, though overall entry cohort selectivity appears moderate.
The sixth form tells a markedly different story. With 10% achieving A*, 26% achieving A, and 28% achieving B grades, Worth's A-level cohort achieved a combined A*-B pass rate of 65%, well above the England average of 47%. The school ranks 523 for A-level outcomes (top 20% in England, FindMySchool ranking), and ranks 1st in the Crawley local area.
The IB Diploma, offered alongside A-levels, has performed exceptionally well. In 2023, the average IB score was 37 points out of 45 (against a global average of 30.2), with one student achieving the maximum possible score of 45 points. The school is independently recognised as one of the UK's top 10 IB schools.
This pattern, strong A-level/IB but more modest GCSE, is typical of selective independent schools. Families should understand that the sixth form cohort is substantively different from the 11-16 cohort, and university destinations reflect this higher selective intake.
In the 2023-24 cohort, 45% of leavers progressed to university, with 1% taking apprenticeships and 15% entering employment. The school does not publish detailed Russell Group breakdowns on its website, but historical data suggests strong representation at leading universities. In the measured Oxbridge period, the school recorded 1 Cambridge place and 0 Oxford places from 14 combined applications.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
64.55%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
The curriculum balances traditional breadth in Years 7-8 with specialisation in GCSEs and structured choice at sixth form. In the junior years, pupils follow compulsory subjects including Latin (selective entry), Spanish, French, Drama, Music, Design and Technology, Art, Computer Science, Religious Studies, and Sciences taught as separate disciplines rather than combined science.
By Year 9, pupils begin GCSE preparation with a broad selection of subjects available. The sixth form offers 28 A-level subjects alongside the full IB Diploma, giving families genuine choice about qualification pathway. This dual-provision model is relatively uncommon and reflects the school's commitment to the principle that "no one size fits all", a phrase Headmaster McPherson uses explicitly when discussing post-16 education.
Teaching staff total 74 full-time and 21 part-time educators. Class sizes average 15 in the senior school and 10 in the sixth form, with specialist teaching from subject experts throughout. The school has invested substantially in facilities: a £2.5 million science extension opened in summer 2025, adding three new science classrooms with up-to-date equipment. Worth benefits from alumni philanthropy, notably a £6.25 million gift from former pupil Michael Spencer (Lord Spencer of Alresford) funded the sixth form centre and library, which opened in 2022 and won a Sussex Heritage Trust award the same year.
The school operates a flexible timetable that sequences subjects sequentially, allowing for specialist teaching and interdisciplinary links. In Religious Studies, Catholic teaching is integrated throughout, though the school explicitly welcomes pupils of all faiths and none. The curriculum emphasizes personalisation, with each pupil's programme updated termly in consultation with staff and families.
With over 150 activities, clubs, and societies on offer each week, the co-curriculum is genuinely extensive. This is Worth's longest and most distinctive section, reflecting the school's conviction that education extends far beyond academics.
Music sits at the heart of Worth's identity. The achievement of the school choir singing with Pope Francis at the Sistine Chapel in 2016 (and returning alone in 2018 to become the first school choir to sing in the Sistine Chapel) remains extraordinary. But daily musical life is equally impressive.
Schola Cantorum, the main school choir, performs liturgical music at the Abbey Church weekly and tours internationally, having performed at venues including Central Hall Westminster. The Symphony Orchestra, a 50-plus ensemble drawing musicians at Grade 8 standard and beyond, performs twice yearly and includes many pupils performing at conservatoire level. The Concert Band offers wind players a vehicle for contemporary and classical repertoire, while smaller ensembles, string quartets, woodwind groups, brass sections, and informal jazz combos, serve varying ability levels.
The Abbey Community Orchestra involves school and community musicians performing together. Over 30% of the pupil body learns an instrument; many have received scholarships to the Junior Royal Academy of Music and organ scholarships to Cambridge colleges. The acoustic properties of the Abbey Church, designed by architect Francis Pollen with spotlighting and openness, create an extraordinary performance space.
Facilities include a recording studio, soundproofed rehearsal space, an IT suite, and instrument storage. There is a termly open mic night where students perform pop, jazz, and gospel alongside classical pieces. The school hosts a Battle of the Bands competition annually. Music is not optional or peripheral; it is central to the texture of school life.
Every year group participates in school productions, whether as actors or behind-the-scenes crew. Recent years have seen musicals, classical plays, and contemporary drama. Inspire Theatre Company, exclusive to Drama scholars, meets weekly for workshops and performance projects. The drama facilities include a well-equipped theatre with technical support from a dedicated theatre technician. Students explore lighting, sound design, costume, and makeup as integral elements of production.
The school also runs a Performing Arts Centre (renovated in recent years), providing multiple performance spaces. Productions are not confined to campus, the school has a history of drama tours and participates in regional competitions.
The school recognizes STEM as a distinct pillar. Rocket Club, a new activity, challenges sixth form students to design and build fuel-propelled rockets for a national competition. CREST Awards, part of a national scheme encouraging scientific thinking, engages pupils in structured engineering challenges.
The newly completed Science Extension (2025) houses three new classrooms with contemporary lab equipment. Classical and Ancient History Society draws pupils interested in Greece, Egypt, and Rome. A Junior Geography Society serves Years 7-9. Microbit and coding clubs expose younger pupils to computational thinking.
The school runs a substantial Duke of Edinburgh Award programme, with the highest achievement rate among independent schools in the South East region. Pupils pursue Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards, with expeditions and skills development built into the school calendar.
Spread across two floors, the Art department features dedicated studios, a photography darkhouse, and a student gallery showcasing artwork. Students study pottery, photography, sculpture, and design alongside traditional drawing and painting. The Sketchbook Club provides informal creative space, while formal GCSE and A-level study attracts strong take-up.
The school offers German Language and Culture Club, Spanish, French, Italian, Russian, and Mandarin tuition, plus Latin from Year 7. An Earth Wise club explores environmental issues. Model United Nations engages debate-focused pupils. Hebrew for Beginners serves those interested in Jewish language and culture.
Crawley Open House support connects pupils with a local homeless charity. CAFOD volunteering engages pupils in Catholic social teaching and international development. Love Your Neighbour and Refugee Help Club reflect the Benedictine value of hospitality. Fantasy Investment Trading Club teaches financial literacy through games. The Academic Scholars Society offers enrichment seminars and lecture opportunities.
Worth has "a long reputation for sporting excellence," with pupils achieving regional and international honours, Junior World Championship medals, and Commonwealth and Olympic representatives. The school offers rugby, football, cricket, hockey, tennis, and athletics for boys and hockey, lacrosse, netball, tennis, and athletics for girls. The campus includes a golf course, fencing salle, floodlit astropitch, and dedicated playing fields linked by a footbridge opened in 2013.
Additional activities include horse riding, scuba diving, sailing, clay target shooting, martial arts, dance, and airsoft/laser tag. The range is genuinely unusual for an English independent school.
Warhammer Club brings together players of the epic fantasy war game. Board Games Club serves strategic game enthusiasts. Weekend activities extend to cultural visits, theme parks, and high-octane pursuits.
Termly fees for 2024-25 are approximately £17,264 for day pupils, equivalent to roughly £51,792 annually. These place Worth in the mid-to-premium tier of independent schools. Boarding fees are substantially higher, estimated at £39,600+ annually, though precise 2025-26 figures should be confirmed on the school website.
The school operates a formal means-tested bursary programme, committed to broadening access. Around 50% of pupils are Catholic, but the school explicitly states it welcomes students of all faiths and none, with no discrimination in admissions based on faith, nationality, or socio-economic background.
Scholarships are prestigious awards for pupils demonstrating outstanding talent in academic study, art, design and technology, drama, music, or sport. These typically offer 10-25% fee reduction and can combine with bursaries. The school also runs a Global Action Award Programme, offering bursaries to leavers undertaking voluntary projects worldwide.
The school's website hosts a detailed fees document outlining all charges and payment options. Parents should contact admissions directly for current bursary thresholds and scholarship availability.
Fees data coming soon.
Entry points are at 11+ (Year 7), 13+ (Year 9), and 16+ (sixth form). The school does not require Common Entrance; instead, it conducts its own assessments. For Year 7 entry, pupils take tests in English, Mathematics, and Reasoning. For Year 9 entry, formal GCSE-style assessments apply. Sixth form entry requires strong GCSE results (typically A/7 average) and interview.
The school is moderately selective, meaning decent grades matter for entry, though the school emphasises individual attention to applications and transitions. Approximately 636 pupils occupy the campus, with 234 in the sixth form (153 boys, 81 girls), indicating full co-education since the transition began in 2008.
Boarders comprise roughly half the pupil body. The school operates 10 boarding houses, each with distinct character. Younger pupils typically share rooms, fostering bonds; most sixth formers enjoy single study-bedrooms with some having ensuite facilities. Houseparents (often with young families) reside within houses, creating family-like atmosphere.
Boarding patterns include full boarding (most pupils), weekly boarding, and flexi-boarding options (which the school introduced and plans to extend to girls). Exeats (home weekends) occur three times per term. Weekend activities are extensive, ranging from cultural trips to sporting fixtures to high-energy pursuits.
The school operates a fleet of minibuses transporting day pupils across Sussex, Surrey, Kent, and reaching into London. This logistical infrastructure makes day attendance feasible for families living up to an hour away.
The Benedictine ethos emphasizes community, respect, and care. Each pupil belongs to a boarding or day house with 50-60 residents. House chaplains (often monks from the Abbey) provide spiritual and pastoral support. The school employs counsellors and maintains clear safeguarding structures. Behaviour is managed through a system tied to the school's six Benedictine values rather than a traditional demerit system.
The Chaplaincy team, located at the school's centre, serves as the "spiritual, Catholic and Benedictine link from the monastic community to the school." Weekly Wednesday Worship brings the whole school together in the Abbey Church for reflection and occasional guest speakers. Morning and evening prayers occur regularly. The first three confirmation classes are compulsory for Year 10; thereafter, faith engagement is encouraged but not mandated.
House Lectio and Bible study groups (Years 9+) meet weekly for contemplative scripture prayer. Pilgrimages to Lourdes and Taize are popular and strongly encouraged. Sacraments are available for those seeking them, Baptism, First Holy Communion, and Reconciliation. Altar serving roles allow active participation in liturgy. Students preparing for Confirmation receive dedicated formation courses.
The Chaplaincy vision is to "provide every student and staff member with an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ", unabashedly theological language that families should understand reflects the school's explicitly Catholic, though inclusive, character. However, the school is also a diverse community; students of other faiths are supported through a partnership with St John's Anglican Church in Crawley, and pastoral sensitivity to non-Catholic perspectives is evident and deliberate.
School day: 8:50am–3:30pm (standard), with evening activities available. Boarders engage in supervised evening study and house activities until evening prayers.
Transport: Extensive minibus fleet covers Sussex, Surrey, Kent, and London for day pupils.
Uniform: Traditional academic uniform (gown and academic dress for sixth form), reflecting the school's traditional heritage.
Meals: Catered on campus; day pupils may bring packed lunches or purchase meals.
Term dates: Follow standard English school calendar, with main exeats every three weeks for boarders.
Full immersion in community life: While day places exist, the school's culture is built around boarding. Roughly half the population lives on site, and weekend activities assume this presence. Day pupils who feel disconnected from this intensity may find the social dynamic excluding.
Strong Catholic character: The school is genuinely Catholic, not nominally so. Weekly worship in the Abbey Church, explicit religious education, pilgrimage culture, and sacramental life are integral. Families uncomfortable with regular Mass attendance and explicit Catholic teaching should look elsewhere. The school welcomes students of all faiths with genuine inclusion.
Academic divergence between GCSE and A-level: The jump in performance from GCSE to A-level suggests substantial cohort turnover or selective sixth form entry. Families choosing Worth for GCSE education should understand this is a different community than the sixth form, with different selectivity and outcomes.
Safeguarding concerns from 2021: The school underwent a Regulatory Compliance inspection in 2021 and a Routine Inspection in 2024. Parents should review the latest ISI report to understand any findings and remedial actions. The school's website and latest inspection should clarify current safeguarding structures and monitoring.
Rural location: While beautiful and accessible to London, the campus is genuinely rural. International boarders should understand that exeats may involve significant travel.
Cost: Day fees of £51,792+ and boarding fees of £39,600+ are premium by English standards. Bursaries are available, but families without substantial means should engage directly with admissions about affordability.
Worth School is a distinctive institution: a Catholic boarding school with genuine Benedictine formation, international breadth, serious academic ambition at sixth form, and extracurricular richness that genuinely exceeds most independent schools. The A-level ranking in the top 25% in England (FindMySchool data), the musical achievement (papal Mass, international tours), the athletic honours, and the pastoral depth create a genuinely ambitious educational experience.
It is best suited to families seeking boarding education rooted in explicit Catholic faith, with genuine community living, strong sixth form outcomes, and extracurricular breadth. It is not a good fit for families seeking solely academic excellence without strong faith integration, or those uncomfortable with Catholic teaching and practice.
For those for whom it is appropriate, Worth offers something increasingly rare: an education that consciously integrates academics, faith, community, and service into a coherent whole. The school's alumni include scientists, surgeons, arts figures, journalists, and business leaders, evidence that the integration works and that Worthians carry their formation into the world with purpose. Parents considering Worth should visit, speak with current families, and review the latest ISI inspection report carefully. For the right family, it represents exceptional value and genuine educational formation.
Yes. Worth was inspected by ISI in December 2024 (Routine Inspection). A-level results place it in the top 25% of schools, with 65% achieving A*-B grades (FindMySchool ranking: 523 in England). The school was named Boarding School of the Year in 2024. However, GCSE performance is more modest. The school is explicitly Catholic and rooted in Benedictine values; families should understand this integration before applying.
Day fees are approximately £17,264 per term (£51,792 annually) for 2024-25. Boarding fees are approximately £39,600+ annually. The school operates means-tested bursaries and prestigious scholarships for academic, music, art, drama, sport, and design and technology achievement. For current 2025-26 fees and bursary details, parents should contact the school admissions office directly.
Entry is moderately selective. Year 7 candidates sit entrance tests in English, Mathematics, and Reasoning. Year 9 requires formal assessments. Sixth form entry requires strong GCSE results (typically A/7 average). The school emphasises individual attention to applications and does not publish oversubscription ratios. Contact admissions to discuss specific circumstances.
Yes. Worth is an explicitly Catholic school founded by Benedictine monks in 1933 and remains closely linked to Worth Abbey. Weekly worship in the Abbey Church, Religious Education, confirmation preparation, pilgrimages, and sacramental life are integral. However, the school welcomes students of all faiths and none; students are not treated less favourably in admissions based on faith. Non-Catholic pupils receive pastoral support through a partnership with St John's Anglican Church.
In 2024, 10% of grades were A*, 26% A, and 28% B, for a combined A*-B pass rate of 65% (vs. England average of 47%). The school also offers the IB Diploma, with an average score of 37 points out of 45. Worth ranks 523 for A-level outcomes (top 20% in England, FindMySchool data) and 1st in Crawley.
Yes. Approximately 50% of pupils board; approximately 30% of boarders are international students. The school operates 10 boarding houses and also accepts day pupils, with extensive minibus transport across Sussex, Surrey, Kent, and into London. Flexi-boarding options are available.
Over 30% of pupils learn an instrument. Ensembles include Schola Cantorum (main choir), Symphony Orchestra (50+ musicians), Concert Band, and chamber groups. The Abbey Church provides exceptional acoustic performance space. In 2016, the school choir became the first school ensemble to sing at a papal Mass with the Sistine Chapel Choir.
Over 150 activities, clubs, and societies are offered each week. These include Rocket Club (engineering competition), STEM clubs, Warhammer Club, Criminology Society, Dance, Debating Society, Model United Nations, service clubs (CAFOD, Crawley Open House), Duke of Edinburgh Award, and extensive sports (rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, lacrosse, rowing, fencing, clay shooting, horse riding, scuba diving, sailing). The range is genuinely exceptional.
Get in touch with the school directly
Disclaimer
Information on this page is compiled, analysed, and processed from publicly available sources including the Department for Education (DfE), Ofsted, the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and official school websites.
Our rankings, metrics, and assessments are derived from this data using our own methodologies and represent our independent analysis rather than official standings.
While we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all information is current, complete, or error-free. Data may change without notice, and schools and/or local authorities should be contacted directly to verify any details before making decisions.
FindMySchool does not endorse any particular school, and rankings reflect specific metrics rather than overall quality.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information provided. If you believe any information is inaccurate, please contact us.
