Life here is shaped by two anchors, the Yorkshire Dales setting and a boarding rhythm that starts young. Founded in 1512, Giggleswick combines a prep and senior school on one site, with boarding available from Year 4 and a sixth form that draws in both day students and boarders.
The co-curriculum is a defining feature. The CASE programme (Creative, Active, Service, Enrichment) is built into the school day rather than treated as an optional add-on, which changes how pupils experience breadth without sacrificing academic time.
Leadership is stable, with Headmaster Sam Hart in post since January 2022.
Giggleswick’s tone is practical and outward-looking. There is clear pride in effort, participation, and stepping forward for roles, whether that is in boarding houses, productions, sport, or service. The CASE structure reinforces this, as pupils are expected to choose activities across different strands rather than specialise too early.
Boarding helps set the social texture. The school organises boarding through houses, including a junior house for Years 4 to 8 (Catteral) and senior houses for older pupils, with day pupils integrated into house life rather than held apart. The current website describes six houses, with Carr and Style for girls, Morrison, Nowell and Paley for boys, plus Catteral for younger pupils.
As a Church of England school, chapel is part of the weekly routine. That shows up in how time is organised, including an established pattern of chapel-linked scheduling and house-based evening study. Families seeking a school where faith is visible but not narrowly restrictive will usually find this workable, but those wanting a fully secular environment should recognise that worship remains part of the fabric.
For families comparing outcomes across England, the picture differs between GCSE and A-level.
Ranked 3,432nd in England and 2nd in Settle for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This places results below England average. The school’s average Attainment 8 score is 37.3.
Ranked 548th in England and 1st in Settle for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data). This sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. At A-level, 63.89% of grades are A* to B, compared with an England average of 47.2%. A* and A grades total 35.19%, compared with an England average of 23.6%.
One interpretive caution is worth keeping in mind. In smaller sixth forms, annual outcomes can shift more sharply than in large sixth form colleges, so it helps to look for consistency across subjects and cohorts as well as one-year headlines.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
63.89%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
—
% of students achieving grades 9-7
An all-through model on one campus can be either seamless or siloed. Here, the intention is clearly towards continuity, with specialist teaching introduced early and older-school expertise feeding down into the prep years. For example, the prep curriculum describes subject specialist teaching from Year 3, including languages and creative subjects taught with senior school input.
In the senior school, the rhythm of academic work is closely tied to house organisation. Published routines show study sessions scheduled through the late afternoon and evening for Years 7 to 13, with expectations that become more independent as students move into Year 11 and sixth form.
The strongest fit tends to be for pupils who respond well to structure, clear routines, and a house culture that expects participation. Pupils who need a looser approach can still do well, but families should ask how teachers adapt for different learning styles, particularly in mid-senior years when academic demands rise.
For 2023/24 leavers, 44% progressed to university. Another 30% moved into employment, with 4% progressing to apprenticeships and 4% to further education.
Giggleswick does provide a clear “options beyond university” narrative, which matters for students who are weighing apprenticeships, art pathways, or vocational routes. School information highlights degree apprenticeships and a range of progression routes alongside university.
Recent recorded figures show a small Oxbridge pipeline, with three Cambridge applications and one student securing a place. In a smaller cohort, that is best read as “supported when the candidate is right” rather than as a dominant destination pattern.
Where the school adds colour is in named destinations and course routes. Recent published examples include Russell Group destinations such as Durham, Newcastle, Exeter, Edinburgh, Bristol and Liverpool, alongside degree apprenticeships with employers such as Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Land Rover and KPMG. This mix will appeal to students who want ambition without a single prescribed definition of success.
Total Offers
1
Offer Success Rate: 33.3%
Cambridge
1
Offers
Oxford
—
Offers
Giggleswick is selective in the practical sense rather than via a single exam hurdle. The process is designed to assess whether a child will benefit from the school and, for older entry points, whether academic choices are realistic.
For September 2026 entry, the school publishes these assessment dates:
Year 7 and Year 9 scholarship and entrance assessments, Wednesday 21 January 2026
Year 7+ entrance assessments, Thursday 23 April (including a taster day and boarding)
Year 7+ entrance assessments, Tuesday 19 May
Sixth form entry criteria are explicit. The standard entry requirement is a minimum Level 6 average at GCSE or iGCSE, with subject-specific requirements in some areas, and a route that combines BTEC and A-level for those who do not meet the full A-level threshold.
If you are shortlisting from outside the immediate area, use the FindMySchool Saved Schools feature to track which entry points and dates matter for your family. For families considering day places with transport, it is also worth mapping commute options early, as local patterns can change year to year.
Pastoral support is designed around visibility and access. A dedicated Wellbeing Centre is staffed during the school day by the Senior Sister and Wellbeing Coordinator, with boarding pupils registered with school doctors and day pupils remaining with their family GP. The prep provision also references access to a visiting counsellor where needed.
In the prep years, wellbeing is treated as curriculum-linked rather than purely reactive. The published approach includes structured PSHE, specific techniques such as mindfulness sessions, and systems for pupils to signal concerns, including worry boxes and peer roles.
For boarders, the key question is always: who notices first. House routines, evening registration, and staff duty patterns are intended to make absence and changes in behaviour visible. Families should still ask how communication works between house staff, tutors, and teaching staff, especially for pupils who quietly struggle rather than act out.
The co-curriculum is not a marketing afterthought. CASE is the organising framework, and it is designed to be part of the timetable so pupils can commit without constantly trading off academic work.
Several strands stand out:
Facilities and tradition matter here. The school’s history page notes a swimming pool opened in 1877, described as one of the first heated pools in the country, plus later investment including a sports hall (2008), a fitness centre added in 2019, an indoor climbing wall, a singletrack mountain bike track, and a floodlit all-weather pitch.
This translates into breadth for pupils who are not single-sport specialists, and genuine stretch for those who are. In the prep curriculum, swimming is built into the weekly pattern alongside multiple sports sessions, which suits pupils who learn best through consistent physical routine.
Combined Cadet Force is a major pillar for students who enjoy structured leadership and outdoor training. The school sets out a range of linked opportunities, including Duke of Edinburgh, leadership awards, first aid and navigation qualifications, and the possibility of additional qualifications through CVQO.
The Richard Whiteley Theatre functions as a serious arts venue alongside school productions and technical opportunities. It is positioned as an arts hub, hosting cinema, music and theatre, while also supporting pupil performance work.
For students who want both stage time and backstage responsibility, the existence of a dedicated theatre with its own programming is a meaningful differentiator compared with schools that rely on a hall conversion.
Fees are published on a per-term basis for 2025/26, with day, flexi-boarding and full boarding rates by year group. Day fees range from £2,550 per term (Reception to Year 2) to £9,675 per term (Years 12 to 13). Boarding is available from Year 4, with full boarding at £9,670 per term (Years 4 to 6) rising to £14,960 per term (Years 12 to 13).
The published day fees include lunch, most study materials, compulsory GCSE and A-level visits, games, and CCF subscription. Parents should still plan for extras such as examination board fees, uniform, some trips, and optional tuition (for example music, speech and drama, and learning support), which are listed separately by the school.
Financial support is available. The school describes bursaries as means-tested support intended to assist lower income families, and scholarships are offered across academic, all-rounder, drama, music and sport, with additional options such as art, choral and design at certain entry points. Scholarship awards carry a 5% to 10% fee remission, and families should treat bursaries and scholarships as distinct routes, with bursaries focused on affordability and scholarships focused on talent and contribution.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
The school runs a longer day than many local day schools, reflecting its boarding model and integrated co-curriculum.
Published routines for the prep school indicate morning drop-off and start-of-day supervision from 8.00am, with the formal start-of-day period running to 8.40am. Reception to Year 2 finish at 4.00pm, with co-curricular activity time thereafter, and Key Stage 2 finishing at 5.00pm. Supervised provision runs later for pupils staying for tea, buses, or boarding handover, with end-of-day routines reaching 6.00pm for those using later collection patterns.
For senior pupils, published attendance routines show registration in houses at 8.20am, with later house-based structures that continue into the afternoon and evening.
Transport is a practical strength for a rural setting. The school publishes a daily return bus service across eight routes, covering up to a 50-minute drive-time radius, with named areas including Lancaster, Harrogate, Kendal, Skipton, Ilkley, Leeds and Manchester.
Wraparound and early years: Mill House (age 2 to 4) is part of the all-through provision. For pre-school fees and session patterns, use the school’s published information; eligible families can access government-funded hours.
The all-through model is structured. This will suit pupils who like routine and clear expectations, but it can feel intensive for children who need more unstructured time, particularly once CASE and house routines start to bite.
GCSE and A-level signals differ. GCSE outcomes sit below England average in the FindMySchool ranking, while A-level outcomes are stronger. Parents should ask what has driven this pattern, cohort mix, subject entry, or a strategic emphasis on sixth form pathways.
Boarding starts young. Boarding from Year 4 is a genuine commitment for families, even with flexi options. It works best where the child is ready for independence and enjoys a house-based social life.
Device and study expectations are formalised. Senior routines include house-based registration and structured study periods. This tends to support focus, but it is worth confirming how the school balances consistency with individual needs.
Giggleswick School suits families who want an all-through education with boarding culture, an organised co-curriculum, and visible routes into leadership, sport, and performance. The strongest fit is for pupils who respond well to structure, enjoy being busy, and benefit from a house community that expects participation. Competition sits less in a single admissions test and more in finding the right match for the child’s temperament and aims, especially at key entry points. Families considering it should shortlist early, map transport options, and use the Saved Schools tool to keep dates and pathways organised.
The school’s May 2023 ISI inspection judged both academic achievement and personal development as excellent, and it confirmed that regulatory standards, including boarding requirements, were met.
For 2025/26, day fees range from £2,550 per term (Reception to Year 2) to £9,675 per term (Years 12 to 13). Full boarding ranges from £9,670 per term (Years 4 to 6) to £14,960 per term (Years 12 to 13).
Published dates for September 2026 entry include Year 7 and Year 9 scholarship and entrance assessments on 21 January 2026, plus Year 7+ entrance assessments on 23 April and 19 May.
The standard requirement is a minimum Level 6 average at GCSE or iGCSE, with some subjects requiring higher grades. If that threshold is not met, the school also describes a route combining a BTEC Level 3 Diploma with an A-level, subject to minimum GCSE grade requirements.
CASE (Creative, Active, Service, Enrichment) is designed as part of the school day rather than an optional afterthought. That helps pupils commit to activities such as Outdoor Education, CCF, performing arts, and service without constantly trading off academic time.
Get in touch with the school directly
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