- Location
- Felsted, Essex
- Recorded age range
- 3–19
- Education
- IB · A-Level · British
About Felsted School
An Essex HMC co-educational boarding and day school founded 1564, with IB Diploma alongside A-Level at sixth-form on an 80-acre rural campus.
Felsted is one of the older HMC boarding schools in the south-east, founded in 1564 (yes, 460+ years ago) by Lord Riche, Chancellor of the Exchequer to Edward VI. About 1,070 pupils across the prep and senior school, with full and weekly boarding from Year 9 on an 80-acre Essex campus. Sixth-form runs both A-Level and IB Diploma in parallel. Recent leavers' destinations include Cambridge alongside the major UK universities. London is 1 hr by train via Chelmsford.
School life and areas of focus
- A-Level + IB Diploma in parallel at sixth-form
- Founded 1564 — among UK's older boarding schools
- 80-acre Essex campus
- Co-educational since 1990s
- Full + weekly boarding from Year 9
- London Liverpool Street 1 hr
- Founded 1564 by Sir Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich — 462-year history
- Co-educational ages 4-18 with substantial boarding population
- ≈1,002 pupils across Prep and Senior schools
- Set on a rural campus in the Essex village of Felsted
- Founder Richard Rich was Lord Chancellor under Edward VI
- HMC and BSA member
- Strong cricket pedigree — England captain J. W. H. T. Douglas was an Old Felstedian
- Anthony Hewish, the 1974 Nobel Laureate in Physics, was a Felsted boy
- Founded 1564 — 462 year tradition
- 1,002-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- Strong in Music, Drama, Sport
- Strong Oxbridge progression
Education and school life
Explore the curriculum and subjects below. Our team can help you find out about subject choices, year groups and programme availability.
- Programme type
- Boarding school
- Curriculum
- IB, A-Level, British
- Teaching language
- English
- Campus setting
- rural
Subject areas
- Mathematics
- Further Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Computer Science
- Economics
- Business Studies
- English Literature
- History
- Geography
- Classics
- French
- Spanish
- German
- Art
- Music
- Drama
- PE
- Cricket (J. W. H. T. Douglas alumnus — England captain Ashes 1911-12)
- Modern languages
- Sciences
- Sport (cricket, hockey, rugby)
- Sport
Listed memberships and accreditations
- HMC (Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
- IB World School
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- Boarding Schools Association (BSA)
Study and progression pathways
- UK universities (Cambridge + Russell Group)
- International universities
- STEM
- Sport
- Oxbridge
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, Durham)
- Medical schools
- International universities (significant overseas boarder cohort)
Academic profile in the catalogue
Catalogue review date: 2026-05-17
- Typical class size
- 16 · catalogue record
- Student / teacher ratio
- 1:8 · catalogue record
The source does not specify a measurement year for these figures. Ask our team about current class sizes and staffing.
Campus, boarding and student community
Catalogue profile
- Founded
- 1564
- Recorded student population
- 1070
- Campus setting
- rural
- Boarding
- Listed in the catalogue
- Co-education
- Listed as co-educational
School-wide directory record
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- School stages
- Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form
- Directory age range
- 3-19
- Student intake
- Co-educational
- Attendance
- Day and boarding
- Religious ethos
- Church of England
- Headteacher in source record
- Mr George Masters
- Inspectorate
- ISI
- Total pupils
- 1002
- Boys · number / share
- 528 · 52.69%
- Girls · number / share
- 474 · 47.31%
- Pupils receiving SEN support · number / share
- 210 · 20.96%
- Pupils with an EHC plan · number / share
- 0 · 0%
Directory and catalogue figures are shown separately because their age groups or record dates may differ.
Recorded examination results
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- Qualification
- A-level
- Results year
- 2025
- Average grade
- B-
- Progress score
- 0.13 (Average)
- AAB or higher
- 9.70%
Results are for the year shown, separately from the estimated catalogue indicators.
Tuition and costs
Recorded GBP school fees
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
| Attendance | Recorded range |
|---|---|
| Day fees | £4,710.00 – £12,216.00 |
| Boarding fees | £11,976.00 – £18,702.00 |
These historical directory amounts are not a confirmed school quotation. The billing period, VAT, academic year and included costs need confirmation from the school.
Catalogue USD figures
Estimated catalogue fees · USD
Catalogue figures are shown in US dollars (USD). The fee period and academic year are not specified in this record. UK institutions generally publish their own fees in pounds sterling (GBP); check the current fee schedule rather than treating this range as a GBP price.
Ask the UniCampus team about the fee period, entry year, boarding and additional costs.
Ask about current feesPlanning your application
Entry requirements depend on the school, age group and programme. Talk to the UniCampus team about school reports, language requirements, assessments and your application timeline.
- Catalogue application window
- Rolling
- Listed intake
- September 2026
These catalogue notes do not confirm an available place or a current deadline. MEC guidance can help you organise a shortlist and prepare questions for the school.
Support recorded in the catalogue
- Scholarships or bursaries
- Listed; eligibility and availability need confirmation
- Visa application support
- Listed; confirm what assistance is provided
Source notes and alternative records
Dated background research is retained below; source descriptions may differ and have not been newly verified by UniCampus.
School background research · 2026-05-31
School background notes
Source record dated 2026-05-31 · Source text retained in English
Felsted School was founded in 1564 by Sir Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich — Lord Chancellor of England under Edward VI and one of the principal lay beneficiaries of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Rich endowed the school in the Essex village of Felsted on land acquired from the dissolved monasteries, and the school has operated continuously on the same site for 462 years. It is one of the oldest of the Elizabethan grammar-school foundations still in continuous operation. The Rich family connection meant that Oliver Cromwell sent his four sons to Felsted in the 1640s — Cromwell's eldest son and short-lived successor as Lord Protector, Richard Cromwell, was a Felsted boy.
Felsted today is a co-educational HMC boarding school with around 1,002 pupils ages 4-18, set on an extensive rural campus in the village of Felsted, Essex. The Headmaster is Chris Townsend. The school is a member of the HMC and the Boarding Schools Association.
Felsted's most internationally significant alumnus is Anthony Hewish FRS, the radio astronomer who shared the 1974 Nobel Prize in Physics (with Sir Martin Ryle) for the discovery of pulsars — rapidly rotating neutron stars whose detection was one of the great astrophysical discoveries of the twentieth century. In cricket, J. W. H. T. (Johnny) Douglas — captain of the England Test side that won back the Ashes in Australia in 1911-12, and an Olympic gold medallist as a middleweight boxer at the 1908 London Games — was an Old Felstedian. In politics, Edwin Montagu, who served as Secretary of State for India from 1917 to 1922 and presided over the Montagu-Chelmsford constitutional reforms that began the road to Indian self-government, was a Felsted boy.
The school operates a substantial bursary programme intended to preserve the founder's intent of providing educational access for the boys and girls of Essex regardless of family means.
- Founded · source note
- 1564
- Campus setting · source note
- rural
- Religious ethos · source note
- Church of England
- School leadership · source note
- Chris Townsend (Headmaster)
- Scholarships · source note
- Mentioned in saved research; confirm current terms
Additional subject and programme notes
- Cricket (J. W. H. T. Douglas alumnus — England captain Ashes 1911-12)
- Modern languages
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Sport (cricket, hockey, rugby)
- Music
Listed education pathways
- Oxbridge
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Imperial, Bristol, Durham)
- Medical schools
- International universities (significant overseas boarder cohort)
Memberships and accreditations in the source
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- Boarding Schools Association (BSA)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
School-life notes
- Founded 1564 by Sir Richard Rich, 1st Baron Rich — 462-year history
- Co-educational ages 4-18 with substantial boarding population
- ≈1,002 pupils across Prep and Senior schools
- Set on a rural campus in the Essex village of Felsted
- Founder Richard Rich was Lord Chancellor under Edward VI
- HMC and BSA member
- Strong cricket pedigree — England captain J. W. H. T. Douglas was an Old Felstedian
- Anthony Hewish, the 1974 Nobel Laureate in Physics, was a Felsted boy
Notable alumni listed in the source
- Johnny Douglas (J. W. H. T. Douglas — England cricket captain 1911-12 Ashes victory; Olympic gold middleweight boxing 1908)
- Lord Edwin Montagu (Secretary of State for India 1917-22)
- Anthony Hewish (1974 Nobel Laureate in Physics for discovery of pulsars)
- Sir Tom Stoppard (taught at Felsted briefly; not an alumnus)
- Edward IV's Master of the Rolls Robert Rich (Earl of Warwick) was the school's principal benefactor
Additional school record · 2026-05-30
Additional saved school information
Source record dated 2026-05-30 · Source text retained in English
- Founded · source note
- 1564
- Campus setting · source note
- rural
- Scholarships · source note
- Mentioned in saved research; confirm current terms
Additional subject and programme notes
- Music
- Drama
- Sport
Listed education pathways
- Oxbridge
School-life notes
- Founded 1564 — 462 year tradition
- 1,002-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- Strong in Music, Drama, Sport
- Strong Oxbridge progression
Schoolscout introduction
Felsted School offers a vibrant and enriching environment, encouraging students to thrive academically, socially, and personally. With a rich history datin...
School location
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- Recorded address
- Stebbing Road, Felsted, Essex, South East, CM6 3LL
- Postcode
- CM6 3LL
Questions in the source record
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18 · Original English answers
What type of school is Felsted School?
Felsted School is a co-educational independent mainstream school for pupils aged 3 to 19, located near Felsted in Essex. The school offers education from Nursery through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to Felsted School?
Applications typically begin 1–2 years in advance and may include registration, assessments and interviews. Families can explore the UK private school admissions timeline to understand key dates and entry points.
What are the fees at Felsted School?
The cost of attending Felsted School typically ranges around £4,710–£18,702 per term, with variations based on age and boarding.
Is Felsted School a day or boarding school?
Pupils at Felsted School can attend as day and boarding.
Is Felsted School selective?
Entry to Felsted School is based on overall fit and, where relevant, academic assessment.
Contact our team for current dates, entry criteria and fees.
Plan your next step with UniCampus
Our team can help you explore programmes, understand fees and prepare for your application.
Enquire about this schoolCatalogue review date: 2026-05-17