- Location
- Crowthorne, Berkshire
- Recorded age range
- 12–19
- Education
- British · A-Level · IB
About Wellington College
Co-ed boarding+day HMC school founded 1859 by Queen Victoria as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington — IB Diploma + A-Level, ~1,100 pupils on a 400-acre Berkshire campus.
Wellington College was founded in 1859 by Queen Victoria as a national memorial to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. About 1,100 pupils aged 13-18 on a 400-acre Berkshire campus, fully co-educational since 2006. Wellington is one of the largest UK IB Diploma cohorts and runs the IB alongside A-Level at sixth form — letting families pick the qualification that best fits their target universities. The school has a strong international footprint with sister schools in China, Thailand and India under the Wellington College International network. Published 2025-26 fees (inclusive of VAT): boarding £20,750 per term (~£62,250 per year), day £15,250 per term (~£45,750 per year). Recent leavers' destinations include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL and Ivy League universities.
School life and areas of focus
- Founded 1859 by Queen Victoria as Duke of Wellington memorial
- One of the largest IB Diploma cohorts in the UK
- 400-acre Berkshire campus
- Sister schools in China, Thailand and India
- Fully co-ed since 2006, 1,100 pupils
- Round Square member
- Founded 1859 as the national memorial to the 1st Duke of Wellington (victor of Waterloo) — 167-year history
- Co-educational since 2006 (boys-only until then)
- ≈1,138 pupils with substantial boarding population
- Set on a 400-acre rural campus at Crowthorne, Berkshire
- Founder Statute by Royal Charter of Queen Victoria
- HMC and BSA member; IB Diploma alongside A-Levels
- Operates international campuses in China (Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou) and Thailand (Bangkok)
- Substantial bursary programme via the Wellington Foundation
- Founded 1853 — 173 year tradition
- 1,138-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- A-Level A*-B*: 43% achieve AAB+
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
- British, A-Level, IB
- Teaching language
- English
- Campus setting
- rural
Subject areas
- Mathematics
- Further Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Biology
- English Literature
- History
- Geography
- Economics
- Politics
- Philosophy
- Classics
- French
- German
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Art
- Music
- Theatre
- Theory of Knowledge
- Environmental Systems
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (offered alongside A-Levels)
- Mandarin Chinese (compulsory; Wellington also operates campuses in China)
- Sciences
- Modern languages
- Sport (rugby, cricket, hockey — major boarding-school sporting programme)
- Drama
- Outdoor
Listed memberships and accreditations
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- IB World School
- Round Square
- BSA (Boarding Schools Association)
- IBO (International Baccalaureate Organisation — IB World School)
Study and progression pathways
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Imperial
- UCL
- Ivy League
- International universities
- Oxbridge
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh)
- US universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton)
- Sandhurst / Royal Navy
Academic profile in the catalogue
Catalogue review date: 2026-05-18
- 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
- 1859
- Recorded student population
- 1100
- 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
- Senior, Sixth Form
- Directory age range
- 12-19
- Student intake
- Co-educational
- Attendance
- Day and boarding
- Religious ethos
- Church of England
- Headteacher in source record
- Mr James Dahl
- Inspectorate
- ISI
- Total pupils
- 1138
- Boys · number / share
- 593 · 52.11%
- Girls · number / share
- 545 · 47.89%
- Pupils receiving SEN support · number / share
- 2 · 0.18%
- Pupils with an EHC plan · number / share
- 328 · 28.82%
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
- A-
- Progress score
- 0.11 (Average)
- AAB or higher
- 42.50%
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 | £15,249.60 |
| Boarding fees | £20,750.40 |
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
Catalogue fee range · 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
- 13+ Common Entrance pre-test (Year 6); 16+ October prior to entry
- 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
Wellington College was founded in 1859 by Royal Charter of Queen Victoria as the national memorial to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington — the victor of Waterloo, the Peninsular War commander, twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1828-30 and briefly in 1834), and one of the two great British military figures of the nineteenth century (alongside Lord Nelson). The school was originally established to educate the orphan sons of officers of the British Army who had died in service. The school sits today on a 400-acre rural campus at Crowthorne, Berkshire, just south of the M4 corridor. The Master is James Dahl.
Wellington became co-educational in 2006 — the major reform of Sir Anthony Seldon's headship (2006-15) — and today educates around 1,138 pupils with a substantial boarding population. The school is a member of the HMC and the Boarding Schools Association and offers both A-Levels and the IB Diploma in the sixth form. Wellington has been at the forefront of the British boarding-school expansion into Asia: the school operates branded international campuses at Wellington College International Tianjin (China, 2011), Shanghai (2014), Hangzhou (2018) and Bangkok (2020), forming one of the largest British international boarding-school franchises.
The school's alumni list spans literature, motor sport, mountaineering and the military. The novelist Sebastian Faulks CBE — Birdsong (the canonical WWI novel of his generation), Charlotte Gray, and the authorised James Bond continuation novel Devil May Care — was a Wellingtonian. The Formula One World Champion James Hunt — the swashbuckling 1976 World Champion whose rivalry with Niki Lauda during the year of Lauda's Nürburgring crash was dramatised in Ron Howard's Rush (2013) — was a Wellingtonian. The military historian Sir Anthony Beevor — Stalingrad, Berlin: The Downfall 1945, the canonical popular military histories of his generation — is a Wellingtonian. The novelist Frederick Forsyth CBE — The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, Dogs of War — was a Wellington boy.
The mountaineer George Mallory — who disappeared near the summit of Mount Everest with his climbing partner Andrew Irvine on 8 June 1924, leaving permanently unanswered the question of whether they had become the first humans to summit Everest 29 years before Hillary and Tenzing — was a Wellingtonian. Mallory's body was recovered from Everest in 1999; Irvine's has never been found. The former England rugby captain Will Carling OBE — captain of the 1991 World Cup runner-up England team — was a Wellington boy.
The school operates a substantial bursary programme via the Wellington Foundation.
- Founded · source note
- 1859
- Campus setting · source note
- rural
- Religious ethos · source note
- Church of England
- School leadership · source note
- James Dahl (Master)
- Scholarships · source note
- Mentioned in saved research; confirm current terms
Additional subject and programme notes
- International Baccalaureate Diploma (offered alongside A-Levels)
- Mandarin Chinese (compulsory; Wellington also operates campuses in China)
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Modern languages
- Sport (rugby, cricket, hockey — major boarding-school sporting programme)
Listed education pathways
- Oxbridge
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Edinburgh)
- US universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton)
- Sandhurst / Royal Navy
Memberships and accreditations in the source
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- BSA (Boarding Schools Association)
- IBO (International Baccalaureate Organisation — IB World School)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
School-life notes
- Founded 1859 as the national memorial to the 1st Duke of Wellington (victor of Waterloo) — 167-year history
- Co-educational since 2006 (boys-only until then)
- ≈1,138 pupils with substantial boarding population
- Set on a 400-acre rural campus at Crowthorne, Berkshire
- Founder Statute by Royal Charter of Queen Victoria
- HMC and BSA member; IB Diploma alongside A-Levels
- Operates international campuses in China (Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou) and Thailand (Bangkok)
- Substantial bursary programme via the Wellington Foundation
Notable alumni listed in the source
- Sebastian Faulks CBE (novelist — Birdsong, Charlotte Gray; James Bond continuation novelist)
- James Hunt (Formula One World Champion 1976 — the year of the Niki Lauda Nürburgring crash dramatised in Rush)
- Rory Stewart OBE (former Conservative MP and Cabinet minister; author — The Places in Between)
- Sir Anthony Beevor (military historian — Stalingrad, Berlin: The Downfall 1945)
- George Mallory (mountaineer — disappeared on Everest 1924, fate unknown until 1999 body discovery)
- Major-General Sir Hugh Stockwell (Suez crisis commander)
- Will Carling OBE (former England rugby captain; 1991 World Cup runner-up)
- Hugh Cudlipp (Daily Mirror editor)
- Frederick Forsyth CBE (novelist — The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File)
- Sir Tim Spicer (military officer; founder of Sandline)
Additional school record · 2026-05-30
Additional saved school information
Source record dated 2026-05-30 · Source text retained in English
Wellington College is a pioneering co-educational institution, driven by the need to prepare young people to serve and shape the world of tomorrow.
Wellington College is one of the UK’s — and indeed the world’s — great co-educational boarding and day schools. The College is set in 400 acres of beautiful parkland and is home to a blend of breathtaking original architecture and modern state-of-the-art facilities to provide the best possible educational environment for our pupils.
The school was founded in 1853 as the living memorial to the Duke of Wellington, described by Queen Victoria as “the greatest man this country has ever produced”.
- Founded · source note
- 1853
- Campus setting · source note
- rural
- Scholarships · source note
- Not identified in this source
Additional subject and programme notes
- Drama
- Outdoor
School-life notes
- Founded 1853 — 173 year tradition
- 1,138-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- A-Level A*-B*: 43% achieve AAB+
Schoolscout introduction
Wellington College stands as a beacon of educational excellence, offering a nurturing and stimulating environment that encourages intellectual curiosity an...
School location
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- Recorded address
- Duke's Ride, Crowthorne, Berkshire, Berkshire, South East, RG45 7PU
- Postcode
- RG45 7PU
Questions in the source record
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18 · Original English answers
What type of school is Wellington College?
Wellington College is a co-educational independent mainstream school for pupils aged 12 to 19, located in Berkshire. The school offers education from Senior through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to Wellington College?
Most families apply to Wellington College 1–2 years before entry, with a process that can include tests, interviews and school reports. See the private school admissions timeline for when to apply and what to expect.
What are the fees at Wellington College?
Fees for Wellington College vary by year group, with typical termly costs around £15,249.
Is Wellington College a day or boarding school?
Pupils at Wellington College can attend as day and boarding.
Is Wellington College selective?
Wellington College is a selective independent school. Admissions may include assessments and interviews where applicable.
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: 2026-05-18