Outstanding boarding for boys and girls aged 13 to 18
Founded in 1611, Charterhouse is one of the great historic public schools of England. With four centuries of history behind it, the School is committed to being at the forefront of educational progress in the twenty‑first century.
The School moved to its present magnificent 250 acre site near Godalming, Surrey in 1872.
Building on the success of the Sixth Form – where girls have flourished since 1971 – the School is moving to full coeducation from the age of 13. We look forward to welcoming our first girls into Year 9 in September 2021, the year in which we will celebrate half a century of girls at Charterhouse. There will be girls in every year group from September 2023.
The pupil roll will grow over the next decade from 820 today to around 1,000, with the increase representing additional places for girls.All pupils are boarders, except for about 25 day boarders.
Academic excellence is at the centre of all we do. The curriculum follows the normal path to (I)GCSEs in Year 11, followed by a choice of Cambridge Pre-U / A Level courses or the IB Diploma Programme in the Sixth Form. We aim to stretch and challenge all our pupils, in many cases well beyond the demands of the syllabus, and the university destinations of our leavers reflect both their abilities and the quality of the education we provide.
We hope our pupils will leave us having achieved the very best they are capable of, having found out what it is that they love and are good at, having learned to challenge themselves and to value other people.
Charterhouse is an academically selective school and admission is by competitive examination and interview. We currently welcome around 130 boys into the Fourth Form (Year 9) and we will also be welcoming girls from 2021. Most of our pupils join us from a wide range of Prep Schools after taking the Foundation Scholarship or Common Entrance examinations.
Candidates who are not at a Prep School and not prepared for the Common Entrance examinations, will sit Charterhouse’s own entrance tests in the January before entry in the September.
Charterhouse reserves a few places at Year 9 (13+ entry) to welcome candidates from overseas.
Although the majority of children board at Charterhouse, we do have a few day boarding places which are available each year for children who live within easy reach of the School.
Around 75 girls and 30 boys join the Specialists (Sixth Form) each year. Competition for places is strong. As a guide, we would expect successful candidates to gain a high proportion of A*s and As in (I)GCSE or equivalent, although the offers we make are unconditional. We welcome candidates with particular interests and talents in art, drama, music, sport and many other fields.
Admission is by competitive examination and interview. Candidates are assessed at Charterhouse in early November and offers of places are made on 1 December. Academic, Art, Music and Sport Scholarships and Awards are available.
Registration forms can be obtained from the Admissions Office from the beginning of the Summer term of Year 10, and should be returned by early October of Year 11 (the year before entry). We ask for reports from candidates' schools, so it is essential to inform them of the application.
