EVERY WOLDINGHAM
STUDENT IS SPECIAL AND UNIQUE
Girls thrive at Woldingham. Set in extensive grounds in the beautiful Surrey Hills, close to London, Woldingham is a greenhouse - not a hothouse.
Through inspirational teaching, matched with outstanding facilities and a kind, supportive and stimulating environment, girls aged 11-18 develop as individuals, learn about the world around them and achieve exceptional exam results, opening doors to world class universities and a wonderful range of opportunities and careers.
At Woldingham, girls are happy and feel secure. They are known and they are nurtured.
#GirlsWithHeart
VALUES SHARED ACROSS GENERATIONS
Founded in 1842, Woldingham is one of the UK’s oldest schools for girls. Originally based in west London, we’ve been in our current home in the stunning Surrey countryside since 1946.
Woldingham focuses on the future with new facilities such as our wellbeing centre and Sixth Form Centre, our use of innovative technology, and world-class teaching and learning. We aim to inspire students, treat them as individuals and equip them to succeed in every aspect of their lives, both personal and professional.
As the UK’s first Sacred Heart school, Woldingham is a Catholic school welcoming students of all faiths and none. Guided by the five Sacred Heart Goals of Faith, Community, Intellect, Social Awareness and Personal Growth, each Woldingham student is encouraged and supported to find her own personal strengths and values.
INSTILLING COURAGE,
CONFIDENCE AND COMPASSION
Woldingham puts wellbeing at the forefront of everything we do. Our dedicated wellbeing centre is part of our commitment to understanding and caring for every student as an individual.
Woldingham’s pastoral care is nurturing and supportive, helping girls navigate the joys and challenges of teenage years. Students learn about kindness and expectations, succeeding and failing – with a soft landing – resilience and determination, so that they become compassionate, courageous and confident young women ready to make a positive impact on their, and our, world.
LIVE AND LEARN TOGETHER
Woldingham is truly international. We have students and staff from more than 40 nationalities – creating a unique, warm and inclusive community, where mutually respectful relationships and lifelong friendships are made.
All students benefit from our boarding community. Whether a full, weekly, flexi-boarder or day girl, you’ll thrive in a welcoming and friendly environment, gaining all the important life skills to foster independence, community spirit and co-operation.
Boarding is the perfect way to be fully immersed in school life at Woldingham. There is dedicated time for study, but there is also plenty of time for trips, activities at school, sport, making friends for life and enjoying the space and freedom of Woldingham’s gardens and parkland.
THE BEST EXPERIMENTS
HAPPEN IN CHEMISTRY
Whether in our amazing science centre, light-filled art studios, cosy language labs, stimulating English classrooms or dynamic rehearsal spaces, our teachers inspire, motivate and coach students to achieve their personal best. Through empowered learning, by the time each student leaves Woldingham she has the skills, desire and love of her subjects to become a lifelong successful learner. It’s much more than just passing exams. It’s about owning her future.
Established over 180 years ago, Woldingham is expert in teaching girls. With research consistently showing that girls do better academically in single sex schools, there are no ceilings on achievement at Woldingham. Our classrooms, labs and studios are stimulating and safe spaces to explore, debate, hypothesise and experiment.
AMBITIONS HAVE NO LIMITS
Girls are encouraged to make the most of the myriad of opportunities at Woldingham. With some of the best facilities for music and drama of independent schools in the UK, it’s not surprising that our student productions and performances are simply outstanding.
At the heart is our professional standard 630-seat theatre auditorium where students from Year 7 upwards shine on stage in plays, musical theatre, musical ensembles, choirs, orchestras and as soloists. Every year, students are offered places at world-leading drama and music institutions, choosing to pursue successful careers both front and backstage. In recent years Woldingham alumnae have received BAFTA, Oscar and Golden Globe awards and nominations.
FIND YOUR SPORT TO LOVE
Sport is everywhere and for everyone at Woldingham. It’s for athletes who aspire to represent their country, as well as those who haven’t found their sporting passion yet. Both indoor and outdoor sports facilities are excellent with plans to make them even better in the next few years.
Alongside netball, hockey, tennis, swimming, athletics and cricket we have football, fitness classes, yoga, badminton and dance as well as a wide range of sports clubs, many making the most of our grounds, such as cross country running and our brilliant outdoor adventure centre complete with high and low ropes course.
EVERYONE FLIES HIGH AT WOLDINGHAM
We don’t teach students how to fly a plane – at least not yet – but we do help them become a pilot, if that’s what they want to do. Woldingham girls choose a huge range of career options. They become doctors, authors, environmentalists, musicians, teachers, scientists and entrepreneurs and work in a wide variety of sectors from property to health, and marketing to pharmaceuticals and from design to construction.
Woldingham alumnae include award-winning actors, government ministers and leading journalists.
At Woldingham we widen opportunities and expand students’ horizons both inside and outside the classroom. Our higher education and careers Futures Programme provides insight and support so each student can set and achieve her ambitions.
(And while students are considering their plans, they can fly through the trees on Woldingham’s own zipwire course.)
NATURE AND PEOPLE IN HARMONY
Our students benefit hugely, both mentally and physically, from our beautiful setting, extensive grounds and getting plenty of fresh air as they move around school.
With beautiful historic buildings, set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covering a Site of Special Scientific Interest, it is no surprise that Woldingham is acutely aware of our important role in protecting our wonderful corner of Surrey for future generations and having a positive impact on the wider world.
Our woodland-based outdoor education centre is a creative hub where we connect the curriculum to sustainability and environmental protection. This enables students to make connections between academic study and the environment, alongside our nature-based clubs and societies such as beekeeping society, nature club and gardening club - just a few of the amazing 100+ extra-curricular activities that enables each student to discover her individual passions.
WOLDINGHAM IN A SNAPSHOT
School for girls aged 11 to 18 years
One of the UK’s oldest schools for girls, established in 1842
Day, full, weekly and flexi-boarding
Top 5% for value added at GCSE meaning students achieve better exam results than they would at most other independent schools
Students secure places at top universities in the UK and worldwide
Sacred Heart Catholic school welcoming students of all faiths and none
Professional-standard 630-seat auditorium with weekly whole school assemblies
Four Houses – Barat, Digby, Duchesne and Stuart
Hundreds of acres of gardens, parkland and agricultural land
25 minutes by train from Clapham Junction, London
30 minutes’ drive from Gatwick, 45 minutes from Heathrow
School-run local transport options
Courage. Confidence. Compassion.
OUTSTANDING EDUCATION FOR GIRLS
SINCE 1842
VISIT WOLDINGHAM TO SEE FOR YOURSELF
Marden Park, Woldingham, Surrey, CR3 7YA (for satellite navigation please use postcode CR3 7LR) 01883 654206 registrar@woldinghamschool.co.uk woldinghamschool.co.uk