Giggleswick School A GSG School

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

Sports

Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.

Shooting

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2022, Sam Hart. From a military background he boarded from the age of 8 at Duke of Kent and Sevenoaks schools. With a degree in mechanical engineering and management from Edinburgh, sponsored by the army, he then took up a place at Sandhurst, becoming a helicopter pilot. He saw active service in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan before moving into his first teaching post at Winchester College in 2008. There he taught physics, became director of sport, was a mountain leader and active in the CCF as well as becoming a housemaster. He has a quiet, confident manner which belies his action man background. A leader through and through, he understands people and what makes them tick, has a deep grasp of boarding and a real passion for educating young people. His army background has given him a good grounding in logistics and systems, making him a complete all-rounder, and he has similarly high aspirations for Giggleswick pupils. Even parents with a couple of gripes about the school describe him as a ‘lovely breath of fresh air’. Pupils freely talk about the changes he is making for the better and the staff are clearly on board too. Giggleswick is a non-selective school with a long and noble reputation. Although results and pupil numbers have been a little up and down in recent years, his aim is to turn that round and the early signs are that this is definitely happening.  

We were impressed that the head’s curriculum plans are educationally inclusive, enabling students to stay at the school post GCSE on both academic and vocational pathways. He’s fitting the curriculum to the pupil and not the other way round. Very much involved with the pupils, he supports sixth formers with their EPQ projects and combines a keenness for academic learning with a strong pastoral awareness. He’s tackled some bullying issues within boys’ boarding with a determination and sensitivity that pupils reflected back to us in our conversations. ‘This is an inclusive community,’ he says; ‘everyone needs to feel safe and to belong.’ Since his arrival there’s been a thorough programme of staff training and some structural changes which we felt would all enhance the pupils’ experiences. He is supported by a strong leadership team with a newly appointed deputy who has three children in the junior school and who clearly shares Mr Hart’s mission and sense of purpose.  

Giggleswick’s fabulous setting on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales national park means the head has ample opportunity to pursue his love of outdoor and adventurous activities, as do his two daughters, both also pupils here, one in the junior school and one in seniors.

Since 2015, head of the junior school is James Mundell. He’s warm and engages very well with pupils. He joined the school as an NQT and still teaches PE, maths and English. His wife teaches year 5 and leads PSHE across the school.

Entrance

‘We are a selective non-selective school,’ says head. He means that while there is no selection for entrance, all pupils are asked to complete tests in years 7 and 9 so that their level of learning can be assessed and they can be placed in the right sets. There are several pupils with additional needs including those on education and healthcare plans. The school will say no to a pupil whose needs cannot be met.

Head says, ‘Every decision is pupil focused.’ On our visit we saw a real commitment to providing as broad a range of courses as possible to meet their needs. This was especially the case in the sixth form where there is much more significant vocational provision than would usually be seen in a school of this size. Pure A levels will usually ask for a grade 6 average at GCSE, with a 6 or 7 in subjects to be studied (students without GCSE backgrounds are assessed through interview, essay, school reports and predicted grades from current school). For students taking a BTEC course, school requires four grade 4s at GCSE.

Scholarship pupils (from year 7) are assessed in the relevant area and interviewed by heads of department. The junior school is similarly non-selective.

Exit

Almost all juniors proceed to the senior school, the rest transferring mainly to strong local state provision. Unusually for the north, there are five grammar schools within a 20-mile radius of Giggleswick. Roughly 30 per cent leave after year 11 (half of those who left in 2023 were internationals only staying for one year, so it’s 15 per cent if you only include UK pupils). Most sixth formers to university, nearly half to Russell Group. Two to Oxbridge in 2023, along with one medic and one overseas (American Musical Dramatic Academy, Hollywood).

Latest results

In 2023, 31 per cent 7-9 at GCSE; 35 per cent A*/A at A level (64 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 43 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 32 per cent A*/A at A level (63 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

Giggleswick has a conventional key stage 3 curriculum. The three sciences are taught separately in modern, well-equipped laboratories. Maths and science are set from year 7 onwards. French, Spanish and German are taught in years 7 and 8, with the chance to continue with two of these in year 9. Latin is also offered to scholars, so there is wide exposure to languages.

At GCSE pupils will take 10 or 11 subjects which must include at least one language and two sciences. Further maths is on offer and science is only taught as three separate subjects. There is the opportunity for pupils with SEN or English as an additional language to drop one subject.  

Recent GCSE results took a dip, fully mixed ability context notwithstanding, and part of the head’s mission is to address this. Pupils told us, ‘There’s been a real push on the academics since the new head arrived, we definitely have to work hard.’ A pupil with five siblings all through Giggleswick said, ‘We get such personal help from teachers, really small classes and the opportunity to do so many clubs without it taking away from academics.’ Class sizes are certainly small, with A level ranging from two to 12 and average class size at GCSE about 14. 

Throughout our tour we were repeatedly struck by the passion and energy of the teachers, especially in the creative subjects. A great design technology department with all the modern equipment you would expect but also hanging on to more traditional skills such as welding. One pupil, recently arrived from another school, said, ‘It’s great, here we actually make useful things.’ There is a strong academic element as well with the head of department enthusing about the ethics of brutalist architecture. Pupils seeking career inspiration look no further, there is an impressive display of alumni who have gone on to careers in engineering, architecture, design and marketing.  
 
The sixth form offers a big range of courses for its size: 21 A levels including Latin and German as well as business studies and sport BTECs. Performing arts BTEC is also in the pipeline. All sixth formers undertake an EPQ or gold Arts Award, which some find onerous while recognising its usefulness for university entrance. We did wonder how sustainable this range of courses is, but with a number of students joining from other schools because of the different options available post-16, we suspect the school will do all it can to keep them going.

The junior school shares the campus. It evolved from the old Catteral Hall prep school and has very good facilities including a lovely library with stunning views, a great sports hall/auditorium and a well-lit art room and gallery. There is a fully equipped science lab and pupils get two hours of timetabled science a week. Language provision is good. Spanish and French are taught from reception (an hour each) with German introduced in year 6. Years 4 and 5 all learn an instrument free of charge and there’s two hours of timetabled music a week as well. With separate lessons in DT, art, drama and mindfulness, as well as literacy and numeracy at the beginning of each day, you could be forgiven for wondering how they fit it all in alongside PE and loads of activities using the whole school campus. It’s a long day. When lessons finish at 4pm pupils have an hour of activities and 20 minutes of supervised prep followed by tea and then home. Years 1 and 2 do have the option to go home at 4pm but most stay. Very strong integration with the senior school and many senior staff come over to deliver their subject specialisms. There’s an average of 16 pupils in each key stage 2 class and in 2022 two combined year 3/4 classes to accommodate rising numbers. Junior pupils are very enthusiastic and say, ‘We love our lessons.’ 

Learning support and SEN

The SENCo is a recent and highly experienced appointment. With a sound grasp of how to support the wide range of abilities and learning needs of Giggleswick pupils, she plays an integral part in the entrance process. All staff are provided with learner profiles and guidance for support for each SEN child. School is experienced in supporting pupils with dyslexia, cerebral palsy, visual and auditory needs. Some individual support is available. Although the site is not ideal for mobility-impaired students, school would probably be able to adapt things sufficiently to give access to a full curriculum. 

The arts and extracurricular

Creative and expressive arts are very strong at Giggleswick. The art department boasts an impressive gallery with a broad range of work in textiles, life drawing and ceramics as well as fine art. Teachers with a real love of subject are backed up by artists in residence. Music is housed in its own music school and a wide range of instrumental tuition is available from harp through to drums and organ, with about 25 per cent of pupils taking instrumental lessons across both schools. Music and music technology offered at A level. The choir of 40-plus pupils plays an important part in school life, singing in chapel twice a week, performing teatime concerts and singing for boarders. There is a professional-standard theatre built with a legacy from the TV presenter Richard Whiteley. On the day we visited a delightfully magical set for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe had just been completed, which wouldn’t have looked out of place in the West End. Pupils love the school shows: ‘We get treated like professionals, the 30-minute Shakespeare was amazing.’ 

Sport

Beautiful, fairly new sports hall, well-equipped gym, two squash courts, all-weather pitches, tennis courts and playing fields galore – Giggleswick caters amply for many different sports. Facilities are open for free pupil use after school. Sadly, we didn’t see the historic pool which was the first to be built in a school and is still in regular use. Fixtures are there for boys and girls with first and second teams in rugby, hockey, netball, football, climbing, fell running and swimming. If you want to play for the school you will definitely get the chance. There’s healthy competition between houses with an annual varsity week.
 
The co-curricular programme is huge but with school until 6 pm and on Saturdays (three lessons in the morning then games for two hours in the afternoon) plus Sunday morning chapel, there’s plenty of time to do everything from Young Enterprise to board games, kayaking, horse riding, and podcasts. With real limestone crags for climbing, an indoor climbing wall and a mountain biking trail on site plus the local golf course next door, you’d be hard pressed to find a better place for activities. As one said, ‘It’s not hard to fit things in when it’s all here and things like DofE just slot into my timetable.’

Boarders

There are 300 boarding places in seven houses with full, weekly, three-night and occasional boarding options. Ten per cent of boarders are from Forces families but that is set to rise with a marketing campaign specifically aimed at the Forces, for junior pupils in particular. Around 20 per cent international boarders. Boarding houses are modern, well decorated and tidy with decent bathrooms and good social spaces; as they are all on site, the school’s myriad facilities and outdoor activities are easily to hand. Catteral House is dedicated to boarding for pupils from years 4 to 8 with a live-in housemistress and her family. There is a piano in every house, dorms are mostly two to four bedded and in one girls’ house the older pupils have the option of single rooms (nests) up the eaves, which are much sought after. Over half are full boarders so weekends are busy with regular Saturday evening activities after school and lots of Sunday trips including ice-skating, paint-balling, and hiking as well as cinema and theatre visits.

Ethos and heritage

Giggleswick was founded in 1512 by the chantry priests of the parish church of St Alkelda, just a short step away from its current 215-acre site in a magnificent limestone valley on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. Buildings range from solid Victorian to very modern but all are tidy and well presented and the school site is immaculate. It is dominated by the magnificent copper-domed chapel gifted to the school to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee and very much the centre of school life, with chapel three times a week for pupils. 

The staff is a mixture of the very capable, loyal and long serving and a healthy number of newcomers, all of whom seem to buy in to the family of Giggleswick. ‘I stay because it’s a way of life, it’s holistic, it’s about what children should be learning and we are completely comprehensive in our intake,’ said one. 

Illustrious alumni include Anthony Daniels, the voice behind C-3PO in Star Wars; James Jakes, indie car and WEC driver; Sarah Fox, operatic soprano; Jamie Bowden, England and GB rugby league international; Gary Wolstenholme, golfer; and John Flint, group CEO of HSBC. 

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

There has been a complete overhaul of the school day to give pupils much less unstructured time and more time for activities and clubs. Lunchtime has been shortened and there is supervised prep and activities for both day and boarding pupils. Pupils said, ‘Most of us really like the changes and the clubs are fantastic but we do have much less time to just hang out with each other.’ Head has revamped and strengthened the Giggleswick Diploma, which sits alongside the academic curriculum and gives students a well-planned programme of sports, clubs, activities, CCF and Duke of Edinburgh, plus plenty of leadership opportunities and what he describes as ‘future ready skills’ leading to the right courses at university.

We saw very good behaviour throughout the school and both senior and junior pupils said any breach of the code of conduct would be dealt with. Head is clear that bullying won’t be tolerated and that anyone crossing boundaries will be helped to become a good role model for others. Pupils like the ‘tardy’ system for misdemeanours: whenever they get a sanction they lose some of their free time, a real incentive to stick within the boundaries in such a busy day. There’s a refurbished wellbeing centre with full-time nurse as well as a counsellor and real commitment to supporting pupils’ mental health.
 
This feels like a community where pupils are listened to. There’s a biannual wellbeing survey, the dining room layout and management have recently been changed to make sure everyone gets equal access to the (very good) food. The praeposters (prefects) lead groups on wellbeing, equality and diversity and all commented that there was a strong ethic of inclusion. One BAME pupil said, ‘I feel more included and accepted here than in the centre of Bradford.’ The uniform is very smart red blazers and ties (latter optional for girls). Given the strong emphasis on inclusion, we were pleased to hear that all senior girls will be able to wear trousers from 2023.

Pupils and parents

Day and boarding pupils are well integrated. International boarders include those from Hong Kong, Germany, China and Ukraine, plus some who come for between a term and a year, often attracted by the school’s reputation for sport. UK students are a mixture of local day and relatively local flexi boarders, lots with siblings through the school and several transferring from other local boarding and grammar schools for the breadth of sixth form curriculum. Pupils appreciate the opportunities and range of choices: ‘It’s great as long as you like to be busy,’ they say.

Very supportive parent body with several keen to tell us why they moved their children to Giggleswick, how it has exceeded their expectations and comparing it favourably to previous experiences. 

Money matters

Senior school has a wide range of scholarships providing up to 15 per cent fee remission. These can be topped up with means-tested bursaries to allow the child to take up the place offered. No junior school scholarships.  

The last word

Giggleswick has always had a great deal to offer with its extremely broad curriculum, dedicated staff and superb facilities, all in a magnificent setting, ideal for the outdoor and sports enthusiast. With its renewed focus on academic excellence, inclusivity and strong pastoral care, we think this is definitely a school to watch.

Special Education Needs

Giggleswick School Learning Support Department offers appropriate help to any pupil with SEN across the entire 3 - 18 age range. At the Senior School this is normally in the form of additional individual withdrawal lessons based on either literacy, numeracy or curriculum support. Some SEN pupils pursue a reduced curriculum of modern foreign languages, studying only one instead of two languages in Year 9 and dropping this at GCSE. Withdrawal lessons are from non-GCSE subjects, but sport and music are also usually not withdrawn from. Provision can be made for additional support either in the classroom or 1:1 from classroom assistants should this be necessary. The provision is broadly similar at Giggleswick Junior School. In addition to the withdrawal lessons classes also receive some in-class support from a teaching assistant or from two gap year students; support may be provided by North Yorkshire LEA for pupils of nursery age. School currently has no pupils with statements of SEN, but has admitted statemented pupils in the past as both day pupils and as boarders. The SENCO works closely with parents and the LEAs concerned to ensure that appropriate provision and progress is made in line with the statements. 09-09