Tiffin School

First-class education, zero fees, and results that rival the best independent schools. The catch? Around 2,000 candidates compete annually for 180 Year 7 places through a famously competitive two-stage entrance examination. Those who secure a place join one of England's highest-performing grammar schools, where academic ambition meets genuine breadth of opportunity.

Tiffin School occupies a central Kingston upon Thames location, a short walk from the Bentall Centre and the town's transport links. The campus blends stately red-brick Victorian architecture with modern additions, including the Chester Centre for arts. Since 2019, the sixth form has been co-educational, welcoming around 120 new students each year, of whom approximately 80 are girls. The school currently educates around 1,479 pupils, with 555 in the sixth form alone.

The Tiffin name honours Thomas and John Tiffin, prosperous Kingston brewers whose seventeenth-century bequests established charitable education in the borough. The school opened on 20 January 1880 under headmaster C.J. Grist, after whom the sports grounds are named. Boys occupied the ground floor of the original Fairfield building while girls studied upstairs. The two schools separated in 1929 when boys moved to the Elmfield site on London Road.

The school's values of Belonging, Learning, and Giving are evident throughout daily life. Its motto, Engage, Aspire and Excel, captures the culture of intellectual ambition combined with genuine community spirit. The atmosphere is purposeful but not pressured. Students describe feeling lucky to attend, keen to do well, and proud of both peers and the school.

Garth Williams became head in September 2023, arriving from a deputy headship at RGS Guildford. A historian who studied at Oxford, he previously served at Wellington College, Dean Close School, and Alleyn's. Staff turnover is low, with 84 teachers supporting the student body. The pupil-to-teacher ratio of 19:1 enables both large-group teaching and smaller specialist sets.

The 2022 Ofsted inspection rated behaviour and attitudes as Outstanding, noting that pupils behave exceptionally well both in class and around the school. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and respond swiftly to any incidents of bullying. Personal development was also judged Outstanding, reflecting the exceptional range of wider opportunities on offer.

It’s described as genuinely multicultural: the pupil body is said to represent around 85 cultures and roughly 60 languages. Cultural celebration weeks highlight this diversity, with recent events focusing on Japanese and Irish heritage. An active LGBTQ+ group organises popular Pride events, and the school describes its approach as proactive on pastoral matters, with contact home when needed.

Academic results place Tiffin among the elite state schools in England. At GCSE in 2024, 78% of grades were 9-7, continuing a trend of consistent high performance. The Attainment 8 score of 79.2 far exceeds the England average of 45.9%. The Progress 8 score of +0.86 indicates pupils make significantly above-average progress from their starting points, regardless of their already-high baseline ability.

Tiffin ranks 112th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 2.5% of all secondary schools. Within Kingston upon Thames, it ranks 5th among all secondary schools. The EBacc average point score of 7.79 compares to the England average of 4.08, reflecting strong performance across English, mathematics, sciences, languages, and humanities.

At A-level, results are equally impressive. In 2025, 71% of grades were A*/A, with 92% at A*-B. The school website reports over 91% of grades at A*-B for 2025. These figures place Tiffin 53rd in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), well within the top 2% of sixth forms nationally. Within Kingston upon Thames, only two sixth forms achieve higher rankings.

The combined GCSE and A-level performance places Tiffin 53rd in England overall, a reflection of sustained excellence across both key stages.

Mathematics, physics, and chemistry remain the most popular A-level choices, taught across twelve well-equipped laboratories. Strong results in mathematics and chemistry at GCSE feed directly into this sixth form strength. Most students take ten GCSEs, including a compulsory modern foreign language, with further mathematics a common additional choice.

The curriculum favours exploratory learning over hot-housing, with class sizes averaging 25-30 but dropping as low as one for specialist subjects such as Ancient Greek. Setting in mathematics and the separate sciences begins in Year 8, allowing tailored challenge from an early stage.

Modern foreign languages are a particular strength. French, German, or Spanish is taught alongside Latin from Year 7, earning the school its specialist languages status. Ancient Greek is available for those with the interest and aptitude. The MFL department is described as a standout, with students regularly achieving top grades.

Dance, drama, music, art, and design technology are taught as separate subjects throughout, not combined into a generic creative curriculum. This specialist teaching enables genuine depth. Computer science is offered at both GCSE and A-level, reflecting the school's embrace of technology. Chromebooks have been embedded in teaching and learning for six years, taking classroom interaction to a new level while developing responsible digital citizens.

Most students complete the Tiffin Extended Project — the school's take on the EPQ — to build independent research skills valued by universities. Sixth form mentors provide academic support across all subjects, and the sixth form common room and silent study centre create spaces for independent work.

Internal assessment through Tiffin Standardised Scores provides motivation for most students, though this data-driven approach may feel intense for some. Regular staff training ensures teaching methods remain current and responsive to student needs.

The overwhelming majority of sixth form leavers progress to leading higher education institutions. Over 30 students secure Oxbridge places each year, placing Tiffin 16th in England for combined Oxbridge acceptances (FindMySchool ranking). In 2025, 47 students secured Oxbridge places, with 24 gaining medical school entry.

Cambridge is particularly strong, with Tiffin ranking 8th in England for Cambridge acceptances. In the measurement period, 61 students applied to Cambridge, receiving 23 offers and 20 acceptances, an acceptance rate of 87%. Oxford saw 59 applications, 15 offers, and 14 acceptances. The 31.7% overall Oxbridge offer rate reflects genuine academic calibre.

Popular university destinations include UCL and Cambridge, Bristol and Warwick, as well as Bath. Up to half of each year group is said to apply for competitive routes such as medicine, law and veterinary science. More students are looking to the US, with recent overseas destinations including Princeton and Wake Forest, as well as McGill, Delft and Bocconi.

Competitive school leaver programmes also attract Tiffin students. Recent leavers have joined the Amazon Degree Apprenticeship, IBM Future Placement Scheme, and BAM Nuttall's Civil Engineering Degree Apprenticeship. According to DfE data, 79% of 2024 leavers progressed to university, with 2% entering apprenticeships and 8% moving directly into employment.

Entry at Year 7 is fiercely competitive. Around 2,000 candidates sit the entrance assessments each year for 180 places. The two-stage process tests English and mathematics, with Stage One comprising one-hour multiple-choice papers in October. Those who pass proceed to Stage Two in November, which involves one-hour written papers in both subjects. The combined score weights English and mathematics equally, with Stage Two English counting fully and mathematics combining Stage One and Stage Two scores in a 2:3 ratio.

Candidates must live within the priority area, defined as within 10 kilometres of the school. Since the priority area was introduced, places have only been offered to those living within this radius. Up to 10% of places are awarded through aptitude assessments in music (5%) and sport (5%), with earlier registration deadlines applying to these routes.

For September 2026 entry, registration closed at noon on 3 September 2025. Stage One tests took place on 3 October 2025, with outcomes sent to parents on 15 October. Stage Two tests were held on 13 November 2025. National Offer Day in early March 2026 will confirm places, with an induction day in early July 2026.

The school does not officially recommend tutoring, but the stakes make preparation almost universal among applicants. The Tiffin School Foundation runs independent familiarisation tests, entirely separate from the formal admissions process.

Sixth form entry welcomes around 120 external students annually, of whom approximately 80 are girls. Entry requires a minimum of 56 points across the best eight GCSEs from a qualifying list, plus grade 5 or higher in English Language and mathematics. Subject-specific requirements apply: sciences require grade 7 in the relevant GCSE; economics, psychology, and politics require grade 7 in English or humanities subjects; further mathematics requires grade 9 in mathematics.

Applications for September 2026 sixth form entry closed on 19 December 2025. Offers are made after GCSE results on 20 August 2026, with decisions continuing until 25 August 2026. Familiarisation days run in March and June 2026 for those holding offers.

Open evenings for prospective Year 7 families are typically held in early July, with the next scheduled for 1 July 2025 for current Year 5 pupils. Sixth form open evening takes place in mid-October. For those unable to attend, visits can be arranged in March. Families should contact the admissions team via the school website for current dates.

The 2022 Ofsted inspection rated personal development as Outstanding, a judgement that reflects genuine investment in student wellbeing. A dedicated wellbeing room hosts regular mental health drop-in sessions on Monday afternoons (noted), staffed by a therapeutic practitioner. Mental health ambassadors are appointed in Year 9, creating peer support networks.

PSHE is taught under the title 21st Century Life, reflecting a modern approach to citizenship, relationships, and personal development. Form tutors monitor both academic progress and co-curricular involvement, ensuring no student falls through the gaps.

Bullying is rare and dealt with robustly when it occurs. Behaviour is generally excellent, with discipline described as light-touch. Uniform is smart and simple: black trousers and a white shirt, with a house or school tie and a blue (or striped) blazer. The school has recently tightened its dress code for sixth formers.

4% of students are on the SEN register, including 12 with EHCPs. Support is coordinated by the SENDCo and deputy SENDCo, with six teaching assistants providing classroom support. Most commonly addressed needs include dyslexia, ADHD and autism. Accessibility is supported by lifts at each end of the main block, helping pupils with physical impairments. Regular staff training ensures inclusive practice across all departments.

The co-curricular programme is exceptional, with over 70 clubs and societies running before school, at lunchtimes, after school, and at weekends. Activities range from the academic to the adventurous: Rocketry Club, Model United Nations, Bridge Club, Literature Society, Arduino and Raspberry Pi Club, and British Sign Language Club all feature. Horticulture club is packed, and Rubik's club proves perennially popular.

Music

Music provision is extraordinary. The Tiffin Boys' Choir, established in 1957, remains one of the few state school choirs to have stayed at the forefront of the UK choral music scene. The choir performs at the Royal Opera House, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican, Coliseum, Wigmore Hall, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul's Cathedral. Major choral works are performed annually at the Royal Albert Hall.

Over 500 pupils study music at Key Stage 3, with 100 at GCSE and A-level. Sixteen choirs, orchestras, and ensembles cater for all age groups and abilities. The Tiffin Chamber Choir, founded in 2019, joins the Oratorio Choir of 200 members, plus acapella groups including the Tiffinians, Cantare, and Cambiata Choirs. All Year 7 pupils sing from their first day, competing in inter-form and house competitions.

Over a third learn an instrument at school, with individual tuition offered across brass and woodwind, plus bowed strings. Symphony and string orchestras, concert, wind, jazz, and rock bands provide performance opportunities throughout the year.

Drama

Strong traditions in the performing arts see annual productions running two casts over four nights. Recent productions include Grease and An Inspector Calls. Dance is on the curriculum from Year 7, encompassing performance, choreography, and critical appreciation, including parkour and capoeira.

Sport

Sport rivals that of top independent schools. Rowing is a major strand: Tiffin's boat club is based at Canbury Boathouse beside the Thames (shared with Kingston Rowing Club) and enables rowing for around 10% of students. Introductory summer camps introduce the sport to Years 7 to 10. Former rowers have reached the Oxford boat race squad and held Cambridge University captaincy positions.

Cricket is a particular strength. Tiffin is described as one of the few state schools in the national top‑100 for cricket, and alumni include Alec Stewart OBE (England captain; led the 1st XI in 1980) and Arun Harinath (later Surrey CCC).

Football has been added as a performance sport, alongside long-established rugby and cricket programmes. The school regularly runs around 12 rugby and cricket teams representing it in fixtures. Athletics is strong, with Tiffin regularly winning the senior borough championships and students representing Kingston at county level. Basketball teams have won county league and cup titles, reaching national competition finals.

Facilities include an on-site sports hall with six badminton courts and indoor cricket nets. The 30-acre Grist's playing fields at Hampton Court feature three school cricket squares and multiple outdoor nets. Plans are underway for a second multi-use games area. A sports centre includes air‑conditioned studios for dance, yoga and fitness, plus a large gym; the school also has a ‘hall of fame’ highlighting Tiffin alumni who have represented England and Team GB.

Over 100 trips run annually, with recent destinations including CERN for physics, Iceland for biology, and Greece for classics.

The school day runs from 8:30am to approximately 3:30pm, with extended hours for clubs and activities. The central Kingston location offers excellent transport links, with Kingston railway station a short walk away and multiple bus routes serving the area. The school is a short distance from the Bentall Centre and central Kingston shopping.

The busy, newly built canteen provides hot meals. Sixth formers have access to their own common room and silent study centre. The well-stocked library supports independent research across all subjects.

Ball boys for the Wimbledon Championships are drawn from Tiffin School, a distinctive tradition that reflects the school's sporting heritage and community connections.

Entrance pressure is real. Around 2,000 candidates compete for 180 Year 7 places. Two years of tutoring is common among applicants, and rejection after extensive preparation can be difficult for children and families. The school advises against tutoring, but the stakes make it almost universal.

The peer group adjusts expectations. Boys who have never been anything but top of their primary school will find themselves among equals. This adjustment is ultimately healthy, but can bruise egos in the early weeks. Students describe everyone having been the brightest at their old school.

Academic intensity is genuine. The Tiffin Standardised Scores system provides clear benchmarks, but this data-driven approach may feel pressured for some students. The expectation is that students will engage fully with both academic and co-curricular life.

Sixth form is co-educational; Years 7-11 are not. Girls join only at sixth form. Families wanting co-education throughout will need to look elsewhere.

Tiffin delivers academic results that match the best independent schools, combined with exceptional co-curricular breadth, all at no cost to families. The Oxbridge pipeline, medical school success, and Russell Group progression rates speak to genuine academic excellence. Music provision is outstanding at any level; sport rivals independent school programmes. The central Kingston location adds convenience to quality.

Best suited to academically able boys who thrive on intellectual challenge and want breadth of opportunity beyond the classroom. The entrance examination is the primary hurdle; once secured, the educational experience is exceptional.