Colfe's School A GSG School

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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.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmaster

Since 2005, Richard Russell, who will retire in July 2025 after two decades in the job. During his tenure he has presided over a period of change and of challenge, of transformation and of consolidation. He has sought to build a school that is inclusive and representative of the area. He told us, ‘This is a school with its feet on the ground, without a sense of entitlement.’ Colfe’s has ‘a unique profile’, he said, with the school ‘at the opposite end of the independent spectrum to Eton and Harrow’. The competition locally is fierce, so head is proud that ‘We have become much more the school of choice. The people of Blackheath and Greenwich want to send their children here.’

Parents praise the head, describing him as ‘universally liked’, ‘someone who brings the best out in children’ and someone who is confident in his school and what it offers. His staff are equally loyal and will clearly miss him when he goes.

Head has faced many challenges over the years but none, perhaps, as memorable as the pandemic. ‘I realised I had a responsibility to support, not just the children, but also the parents, staff and the whole school community.’ Communication and a rapid transition to effective online teaching and learning provision, supplemented by careful pastoral monitoring, proved a launchpad and the school has built on this since.

Post-retirement, head is looking forward to spending time in Sicily (to indulge his passion for archaeology) and County Down (to improve his golf handicap) and will also be able to enjoy his share of a pub in a village in Essex where he has a property. He recently galvanised the village to effect a buyout of the last pub in the village as it was facing closure. CAMRA has recently recognised the pub with a silver award for the category ‘best pub saved by its community’.

There is no doubt at all that he will miss his school. ‘It’s been a very important part of my life and I hope it’s in a better state than I found it’. We feel that there is absolutely no doubt about that.

Dan Gabriele (currently principal deputy head at Caterham) will take over the reins in September 2025 after a lengthy and very thorough transition phase.

Entrance

Between 120 and 140 join year 7 each year, about a third from the junior school and the rest from up to 50 different schools, mainly local primaries and a few preps. Approximately four applicants per place. The 11-plus entrance assessments (taken by internal and external candidates) are designed to be inclusive and there is no expectation that candidates will have gone beyond the age-appropriate elements of the national curriculum in English and maths (no reasoning). Described by those we asked as ‘easier’ than the competition but, we were told, lots tutor ahead of the exams to help develop technique or to increase the chances of securing a scholarship. Between 20 and 30 join the sixth form each year.

Exit

A number leave each year after GCSEs to other local independents such as Alleyn’s and to local grammar schools, but the majority stay put.

Post A levels, four to Oxbridge, three medics and 60 per cent to Russell Group universities in 2024. Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester and Lancaster the most popular choices. Seven apprenticeships (mainly finance), three to arts foundation courses, one to Italy.

Latest results

In 2024, 79 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 60 per cent A*/A at A level (87 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

‘Very good academically but without being an exam factory,’ as one parent summed up what appears to be the consensus. The academic bar is rising and results are improving with more personalised support and targeted interventions for pupils of all abilities to ensure they are supported or challenged as appropriate. A few parents suggested, ‘There’s not a lot of pressure and they could certainly have more homework.’ Others we spoke to agreed, although the pupils (and most parents) are generally happy with things the way they are.

All pupils use Microsoft Surfaces, bought from the school, preloaded with the relevant apps and programs and restricted while on the school wifi. A parent said, ‘Everything is on the computer. It is all heavily digital.’ The old ways have not been fully dispensed with, however, and there are teachers who continue to rely on pen, paper and textbooks and all pupils have exercise books in addition to the folders on their computers. In lessons we saw pupils busily writing on screens, answering questions, annotating diagrams, taking notes with teachers able to view all their pupils’ content simultaneously from their own laptops both during lessons and, conveniently, remotely when not in school. One pupil told us that the transition to Surfaces was ‘hard, but you get used to it’. Another said, ‘I’m kind of anti-Surface. I just like a book. I worry about the battery, about it crashing.’ She did subsequently admit her worries are usually unfounded: IT support is available when the technology flounders or fails and there are devices and pens that pupils can borrow when necessary.

With technology, as with all other things, there are inevitably those who try to bend or break rules. ‘If you turn off your wifi, you can go on a game,’ one boy explained, much to the incredulity and discomfort of his evidently less rebellious peers. We suspect that any such blatant rule-breaking would quickly be spotted and would be dealt with accordingly. Dialogue relating to ChatGPT and AI is ongoing. Teachers know the pupils, their writing ability and their style well, but are aware that developments are proceeding apace and there is no room for complacency.

Plenty of support outside lessons. Drop-in clinics are held at lunchtimes for some subjects for years 7 to 10 and for most subjects from year 11. All are optional but pupils are ‘encouraged’ to attend when it is felt they would benefit.

Pupils sit between nine and 12 GCSEs and study four A levels in year 12, dropping one at the start of year 13. Maths by far the most popular subject, with economics, business, media studies and history also attracting significant numbers. BTEC sport and exercise science on offer for those who want to combine the academic and the physical and EPQs also available. As an extra string to their bows, year 12 pupils also take the GCiE (Goldsmiths Colfe’s interim examination), a collaboration between the school and Goldsmiths, University of London, culminating in an exam registered with UCAS that can be referred to as part of a student’s university application.

In the sixth form, pupils participate in a compulsory weekly forum which is ‘less academic and more about real life’. Sessions help with future plans, research into courses available at home or overseas, university or apprenticeship applications and to ensure good use is made of the time available to fill any gaps and gain relevant experience if necessary.

Speakers visit regularly to ‘inspire and encourage debate and discussion’ with topics revolving around the theme of resilience or personal challenge. In addition, ‘even cool pupils’ enjoy the half-termly John Glyn lectures where they hear ‘great and engaging speakers’. Designed specifically to enrich the experience of those who have been awarded academic scholarships, for whom attendance is compulsory, but open to all.

Learning support and SEN

Around 29 per cent of pupils are on the learning support register and the school accepts pupils with EHCPs (currently a handful) provided it is felt their needs can be fully addressed and that they will thrive in a big and busy environment. With minor adjustments to classroom allocation, the school could also accommodate those with mobility issues.

Screening often identifies pupils who would benefit from some form of learning support and there is a clear referral process for those who need it. Support is generally given in class (staff are trained in the inclusive classroom) although some pupils benefit from one-to-one and small-group lessons throughout the day. Adjustments made ‘tend to be subtle and personalised’, according to one parent. She described how, possibly in response to the increase in the number of pupils identified as having some form of SEND, the provision has changed. ‘They’ve really gripped it and have put in the time, energy and resources needed,’ she said. For those who find focus and organisation a challenge, a study skills programme (which may replace a language) provides essential tools and useful strategies.

Learning support has been somewhat scattered around the site but a new building will house the whole department which will also have access to an outdoor wellbeing garden, recognising the fact that learning support and pastoral care should be closely aligned.

The arts and extracurricular

The Beardwood Centre is home to the music, drama, and creative art and design faculties. Breadth and depth are the keywords here and facilities include studios (for drama, art, photography, 3D design and textiles) plus a dark room, a digital area, a recital hall and a theatre. Impressive artwork on show and plenty of drama opportunities ranging from assemblies and house drama to ambitious productions and musicals. Roles for budding thespians and for those more enthusiastic about backstage and technical details.

Music – ‘massively inclusive’ – kicks off with a year 7 scheme offering all pupils the opportunity to learn an instrument for a year. Choirs, ensembles, jazz band, orchestra, wind band and barbershop choir evidence of the range of interests and talents. One pupil told us, ‘There is scope for random initiatives.’ Concerts and other opportunities to perform for all abilities, formal and informal, inside school and out.

An undoubted USP here, praised by every parent or pupil we spoke to, is the extracurricular offering. The formal school day is short, which gives plenty of time for the clubs after school (in addition to those held at lunchtimes) with one parent telling us, ‘My son has found his tribe through the clubs.’

To say that the list of co-curricular clubs is endless may be hyperbole, but it is certainly extensive and wide-ranging. In addition to the usual offerings for the artistic, dramatic, musical and sporty, or subject-related societies, pupils can join the likes of electric car club, EDI group, fem soc, philosophy, foreign film, medics’ society, stressbusters and strategy games club. A few parents and pupils mentioned the fact that they’d like to see food tech added to the options so the long list may, possibly, grow longer.

In Lego robotics, preparation was underway for an imminent competition. Students were doing very clever things with Lego, robots and laptops and speaking a language that was largely unintelligible to us mere mortals. In the library, we found girls playing Uno while the librarian (a passionate exponent of the value of reading and tasked with promoting it throughout the school) was teaching a group of pupils how to play Just a Minute. We were impressed: move over Paul Merton.

Sport

Facilities on site include the sports and leisure centre (swimming pool, sports hall and fitness suite) an all-weather surface, fields and tennis courts. Further options at the Leathersellers’ sports ground and at Horn Park nearby.

One double games lesson a week supplemented by a single PE lesson and ‘loads of clubs’. In PE the focus is on mobility, stability and movement. In games, girls play netball, football, hockey and cricket while boys play rugby, football and cricket. Sport is compulsory throughout but, for those who find team sports less than appealing, alternative options further up the school include the likes of yoga, water polo, running and climbing.

A few parents bemoan the fact that, for boys, ‘It’s all about the rugby,’ and several expressed the hope that their sons might be given the opportunity to play hockey instead in future. One parent explained how starting rugby from scratch in year 7 had been hard for his son but he had then played a game ‘for the Es’ which ended up with him ‘muddy and laughing’ along with the rest of the team.

Some girls (and their parents) feel that ‘the boys are definitely prioritised’ in sport although one concern is being addressed with the construction of new girls’ changing rooms. A few feel that the girls should be offered rugby as an option, perhaps instead of the mixed swimming lessons that ‘can be mortifying for some’.

For those for whom sport is a strength and a passion, the balance of competition and inclusion sits well. Fixtures during the week for all, at weekends for the sportier types and many do additional sport outside school, playing and training for club and county.

Ethos and heritage

Colfe’s is one of the oldest schools in London, originally founded in 1574 and then re-established in 1652 by Rev Abraham Colfe. On his death, he left it in trust of the Leathersellers’ livery company whose members still dominate the governing body. When asked about the school’s ethos, one parent told us, ‘It’s normal. It’s a south London school for south London children.’

Facing ‘loads of competition’ from other independents, nearby grammar schools and improving local comprehensives, the school has carved out its own niche where it seeks to offer an excellent education, with opportunities galore, but ‘in the real world’. The words ‘friendly’, ‘informal’, ‘modest’ and ‘kind’ cropped up repeatedly in conversations we had with parents.

A slightly unprepossessing façade but, as the head readily admitted, ‘We won’t be spending fee income on maintaining listed buildings; the Luftwaffe saw to that.’ Utilitarian post-war architecture dominates but thought has gone in to ensuring teaching rooms are attractive, light and bright with potentially austere outside areas softened by sympathetic planting. Several more attractive building projects recently and ongoing. The library is amazing. ‘When I joined, I was a bit blown away,’ one of our guides admitted. Reading is prioritised and the school participates in the annual national reading championships (a pub-style quiz about children’s books), enjoying huge success in recent years.

Relationships with the community beyond the school gates see partnerships with a wide range of schools (pupils visit to attend science afternoons, Latin lessons and the suchlike) and year 12 pupils volunteer locally on an annual community day.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

One of our guides told us, ‘The pastoral care system is available for every single child and the teachers create an atmosphere where you can talk.’ Time and energy are spent developing the right culture in the school. Head is clear: ‘Everyone has the right to be happy in school; racism, homophobia and misogyny will not be tolerated.’ Staff are vigilant and a school counsellor (to whom students can self-refer ‘without stigma’) is available four days a week. Also, two school nurses, a doctor and a physio.

Pupils in year 7 participate in a tougher minds programme designed to build resilience. Years 7 to 11 have timetabled eudaimonia lessons (some fortnightly, some less frequently) that focus on wellbeing, study skills, online safety, healthy eating, first aid, the environment and ethical behaviour. Outdoor pursuits (with residential trips to national parks) are seen as key to developing positive relationships and resilience. Described by parents as ‘brilliant’, the highlight appears to be the year 9 Bear Grylls-style bushcraft trip.

A distinctive feature of the school is that, while year 7 and the sixth form are organised in year groups, from years 8 to 11 pupils are organised in houses in vertical tutor form groups. They meet twice daily, building inclusive relationships between and across the year groups, while the five houses are ‘healthily competitive’ with sports, subjects, drama and music competitions and a Harry Potter quiz particularly fiercely contested.

Discipline is administered with a light touch. House, recognition or achievement points are awarded ‘for a range of good things’ while behaviour points are handed out ‘for things like being late, misbehaving or for talking’. Pupils feel a little more consistency is needed as ‘some staff happily dispense rewards and sanctions’ while others are reluctant to do so. In lessons, a warn, move, remove system can be applied if necessary. Those who end up ‘removed’ need to leave the classroom and the head of house, somewhat scarily, ‘comes to take them away’.

One pupil explained how the focus is often on trying to help pupils. ‘They try to help you so it’s not so much a punishment.’ For repeat offenders, detentions are held on Friday afternoons. One obviously law-abiding student said: ‘If you wanted to get a detention, I feel you’d have to try a lot.’

Pupils and parents

Very diverse racially and culturally and with ‘a serious social inclusion element’. Many parents are attracted by the ‘non-snooty’ ethos viewing it as very much ‘of the community’. Plenty of events for parents from the get-go and home-school communication is generally considered excellent, with emails sent on Tuesdays and Thursdays (so parents know to look out for them) and the head’s summary of the week on Fridays. Modern technology helps. ‘We all have the apps. We can see everything,’ a parent explained.

There is no arrogance here and the pupils we met were all relaxed, polite and proud of their school. One, who joined in year 12, described the ‘outstanding friendliness’ whereas another, at the start of his journey through the school, gave advice for others: ‘Be sociable, don’t be too hard on yourself, get involved.’

Money matters

A very generous allocation (in terms of both number and value) of merit-based and means-tested scholarships at 11+ and 16+. In the sixth form, the Leathersellers’ scholarship scheme offers a number of places to able students who qualify for free school meals at local state schools which do not have sixth forms (all fees and school-related costs fully covered).

For those not in receipt of scholarships most parents feel ‘it’s still worth every penny’, with one telling us, ‘There isn’t anything I’d prefer to spend my money on.’

The last word

Richard Russell should be proud of his legacy. Under his tenure, Colfe’s has carved a niche for itself and presents a unique offering for local parents. ‘Academic but not pushy, selective but very inclusive,’ we were told. A relatively new parent could not be happier: ‘I am just very, very impressed. It started really well and it’s getting better and better.’ A young pupil said, ‘I think it’s a happy school and clubs, friends and activities all boost happiness.’

Special Education Needs

The School must be fully informed of any diagnosed learning difficulties at the time of application. Reasonable adjustments may be offered to pupils in entrance assessments, provided that this is on the recommendation of an Educational Psychologist's or other relevant professional’s report. The scripts of pupils with SEN are scrutinised specifically and sympathetically as part of the selection procedure. The School will discuss thoroughly with parents (and their child's medical advisers, if appropriate) the adjustments that can reasonably be made for the child if they become a pupil at the School, to ensure that the prospective pupil is not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a pupil who is not disadvantaged because of a disability. There may be exceptional circumstances in which we are not able to offer a place for reasons relating to a child’s condition. For example, if, despite reasonable adjustments, we feel that a prospective pupil is not going to be able to access the education offered, or that their health and safety or those of other pupils or staff may be put at risk, we reserve the right to decline a place at the School.