Worth School A GSG School
- Worth School
Paddockhurst Road
Turners Hill
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 4SD - Head: Mr Stuart McPherson
- T 01342 710200
- F 01342 710230
- E [email protected]
- W www.worthschool.org.uk
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 11 to 18.
- Read about the best schools in West Sussex
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: West Sussex
- Pupils: 636; sixth formers: 234
- Religion: Roman Catholic
- Fees: Day £19,815 - £29,400; Boarding £43,170 pa
- Open days: Individual family visits and virtual tours
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
‘So many choose to stay at weekends, which shows how happy they are there,' said a parent. ‘We only live 10 minutes from the school but the children like to board as they have so much more fun.' Seven boarding houses with space for 60 boarders each – all have their own character and each is a home from home...
What the school says...
Worth is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 11 to 18, set in the heart of the Sussex countryside between London and Brighton. The School is a vibrant, inclusive community of over 650 pupils and some 300 teaching and support staff, living out an ethos that is derived from Catholic and Benedictine values. We welcome those of all faiths or none.
The school is maintaining the momentum on its development plans with recent investment in an astro-turf pitch, two new science labs, refurbished accommodation for day boys and a new-build accommodation for one of the boarding houses. A new £6m Sixth Form Centre was opened in 2022. We offer a broad curriculum, where students can opt for the International Baccalaureate Diploma or A Levels. ...Read more
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Curricula
International Baccalaureate: diploma - the diploma is the familiar A-level equivalent.
Sports
Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.
Fencing
Sailing
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head master
Since 2015, Stuart McPherson MA. Educated at the University of Western Australia. He had not planned to be a teacher but joined Sydney Grammar for a year, ended staying for 10 years and did his teacher training on the job. He came over to the UK on a short-term teacher exchange with Eton and spent 15 years there, where he taught English and coached rugby and cricket and was a housemaster for the final five years. His wife is headmistress at St Catherine's School in Twickenham and they have four children. He says it might sound like a cliché but he spends any spare time reading and enjoys walking and camping – but definitely for no longer than 24 hours.
He has a strong Catholic faith and says the ‘key aims of the school are rooted within the Benedictine tradition – it’s about the formation of character and values and not just jumping through GCSE hoops. There is something special about the place; the ethos is tangible.’ He is the third lay head and also, by coincidence, the third Australian head. ‘He is a good communicator,’ said a pupil, 'is willing to listen and is very approachable – he always has his door open in the morning and you can drop in.’ ‘He looks over our personal statements and is not a scary figure and you see him a lot around the school.’ ‘He hasn’t raced in and changed lots but he has improved the general ambition of the school,' said a parent.
He is raising the profile of the school and has upped the marketing, and says that ‘while humility is important, it does not have to apply to the way we market the school’. ‘He is spreading the net a lot wider,' said a parent. ‘Previously the school used to rely on word of mouth.’ ‘The school is much more efficient and there is a real buzz about the place,’ said another.
Entrance
Pupils come from a range of local prep schools as well as Catholic prep schools in London. Most join in years 7 or 9 or sixth form, with a few places available in years 8 and 10. At 11+, assessment tests at Worth in January of the year of entry – online English, maths and non-verbal reasoning - and informal interviews and small-group tasks plus report from current school. Overseas pupils can sit the tests in their home country. Entry at 13+ is via Worth’s own assessment tests and interviews held at the school in the spring term of year 6 or occasionally year 7. Admission for overseas candidates is via separate assessment tests and interviews held in their own countries.
Some international pupils join in year 11 for one-year pre-IB course leading on to full IB diploma in sixth form. About 25 join sixth form – reports and references from candidate’s current school, assessments and interviews in the year prior to entry plus top grades in most GCSEs or equivalent. The school looks closely at students’ strengths and course advice is devised on an individual basis. All subjects are delivered in English (aside from languages) so a good or developing level of written and spoken English is required.
Exit
A fifth left after GCSEs in 2023, mostly to sixth form colleges. University destinations include Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Manchester, Nottingham, St Andrews, UCL, UWE, Warwick and York – to study a wide range of subjects. Two to Oxbridge in 2023 and three medics. Sometimes students go on to study at US and European universities – school can help with applications but pupils often get outside tuition for SAT exams. Happy to look at alternatives if pupils not keen on university. A handful to art and drama school each year.
Latest results
In 2023, 35 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 31 per cent A*/A at A level (57 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 50 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 28 per cent A*/A at A level (66 per cent A*-B); average IB score 33.1.
Teaching and learning
The school’s fairly broad intake is reflected in the results. The headmaster insists that the school is not becoming more selective, but as more clever children apply there are more to choose from. About 25 per cent do the IB, which is popular with the Europeans. Most teachers teach both. Good range of subjects offered at IB including German and Italian, psychology, philosophy, music, theatre and visual arts. Offers 24 subjects at A level, including business studies, psychology, politics, DT and photography. Those doing A levels also take the EPQ. There can be as few as three pupils in the IB classes and about 19 in the average English GCSE class.
All juniors learn Latin, which can be dropped in year 9. All year 9 pupils have lessons in Christian living, and all have to take an RS GCSE. French, Spanish and German offered as part of the curriculum and Italian, Polish, Russian and Mandarin may be available via private tuition, but depends on the availability of a tutor. Native or near native speakers of French and Spanish can take the GCSE at end of year 10. Forest school programme.
Plenty to keep the more academic on their toes with a range of academic societies including medical, philosophy and debating as well as challenge workshops and lectures. Careers advice is much improved – there is a well-stocked careers library, useful ‘how to apply to university’ guide and annual careers fair. Old Worthians alumni network is very helpful with work experience and shadowing and offers careers lectures and talks. Year 13 pupils offered a course in interview technique. New £6.25 million sixth form centre and school library, with librarian and assistant on hand to help with research skills.
Learning support and SEN
Learning support provided by a small team of specialist teachers, mainly for mild difficulties and study skills, and taught either in small groups or one-to-one including in the sixth form if needed. EAL provision for about 40 pupils either in group or individual lessons, some only for technical language. Intensive tuition sometimes a condition of entry. EAL pupils also taught British traditions, life and culture. All those without a recognised English qualification have to take IELTS exam required for entry to British universities. Pre-IB course available for overseas students not ready for the full diploma.
The arts and extracurricular
Very busy music department based in the performing arts centre with a recital room, teaching room and practice rooms and a suite of Mac computers - about half learn an instrument or have singing lessons and the abbey choir performs at Thursday worship and Sunday mass. ‘There is always something musical going on,’ said a pupil – regular instrumental and choral concerts and the very noisy and keenly contested annual house music competition as well as Battle of the Bands and Worth Unplugged. Students encouraged to form their own groups and soundproof rock room is available for band practice. Two former pupils currently reading music at Oxford, one with an organ scholarship and another, who is in the Sistine Chapel choir, arranged for the Worth choir to sing alongside them at a papal mass.
Lively drama in superbly equipped theatre and other venues around the school. Every year group has the opportunity to be part of a play, either acting or behind the scenes, and pupils can learn the technical aspects from the full-time theatre technician, as well as costumes and make-up.
New art school opened in 2016 – spread over two floors with junior and senior art rooms, photography studios and darkroom, ICT and research facilities and a stunning gallery and light-filled exhibition space with some pretty impressive artwork on show – drawing a particular strength as well as sculpture and large-scale installations. Open-door policy so students can come in whenever they want. All year 9s have to have a go at DT and photography, DT is a new GCSE subject and both are available at A level.
Huge array of afternoon and evening activities, ranging from the usual cooking, drama and sport to Minecraft and code breaking, scuba diving, pedal cart design and street and modern dance. Arabic club assisted by two Syrian refugees; the African science club produced materials which were taken out by the school group visiting Irundu in Uganda. Polo offered at a local club and riding, as part of the equestrian club, at a nearby yard, where you can also keep your own horse, and school has fielded its first equestrian team. About 10 pupils per year take part in Model United Nations and Young Enterprise. The Wednesday community service programme can be linked to the CAS element of the IB and to the DofE – about 30 achieve gold each year. ‘The headmaster has encouraged more uptake in activities so children have much less time for hanging around,’ said a parent.
Sport
Sport is compulsory in lower years with most continuing into sixth form – sixth formers have to do four hours' exercise a week as well as activities. Many of the coaches have played at professional level including the head of cricket who was a first-class player. Huge investment in girls’ games – they often train with the East Grinstead hockey club. Rugby still the major winter sport for the boys and school fields 12 teams, which means keen players of varying talents can play in matches. Boys' hockey has also been introduced. Huge range of facilities including squash courts, a golf course, floodlit Astro, two fitness suites, a couple of gyms and a fencing salle but no swimming pool – keen swimmers train at the local sports centre. The school still basks in the glory of Tom Mitchell’s silver medal at Rio as captain of the GB rugby sevens.
Boarders
About 55 per cent of pupils are boarders (most are full boarders but the school now offers flexi for boys and will introduce flexi for girls from September 2024). They are allowed home most Saturday nights, but about half the boarders are in most weekends. ‘So many choose to stay at weekends, which shows how happy they are there,' said a parent. ‘We only live 10 minutes from the school but the children like to board as they have so much more fun.' Seven boarding houses with space for 60 boarders each - all have their own character and each is a home from home within the school. Many of the houseparents have young children which adds to the family atmosphere. The younger pupils share rooms but most sixth formers have their own study bedrooms and the lucky ones have ensuite bathrooms. Increasing number of girl boarders: they have moved to a larger house where everyone in years 11-13 has their own room with ensuite bathroom, whilst the younger ones share. The upper sixth have traditionally had their own house, but now stay in the same mixed-age house all the way through.
Cinema and theatre trips as well as in-house socials and film nights held on Saturday evenings and an outing offered every Sunday, anything from paintballing, bowling or a shopping trip to a visit to the Tower of London, and there is supervised access to the school sporting facilities and fitness suite.
Ethos and heritage
Founded in the 1930s when Downside Abbey bought the Paddockhurst estate from Lord Cowdray and founded Worth Abbey and an adjoining prep school. Worth broke away from Downside in 1959 and by the mid-1960s the prep school had morphed into a senior school. The first day pupils arrived in the 1990s and the first girls were admitted into the sixth form in 2008, with the school becoming co-ed throughout in 2012. Although the abbey still owns the buildings, the school is now a separate charity with an independent board of governors and a lay chairman. The original sandstone Victorian house, together with a mock Tudor model farm and whimsical clock tower, was built for Robert Whitehead, the developer of the first rocket-propelled torpedo. Set in 500 acres of farm and parkland and approached via ornate iron gates and a long sweeping drive, it must be one of the most impressive approaches to a school – and it is only seven miles from Gatwick Airport and 30 from London. It still has the feeling of a grand country house with wood panelling and a faint scent of beeswax polish.
Ten houses, some in the main house, some in the old farm buildings and the more modern ones dotted around the grounds. All have a common room for each year group, a small kitchen, a computer room and library. New sixth form centre and library. Rectory has been given a facelift, as have the school menus. The remarkable flying saucer shaped chapel designed by Francis Pollen and opened in 1974, with new pews designed by the Thomas Heatherwick Studios, is central to the school: whole-school worship held once a week and a mass every Sunday.
About 60 per cent of the children are Catholic and ‘there is quite a lot of religion,’ said a mother, ‘but the ethos is very inclusive and the children accept it as part of the school. It makes them think of other people and that there is more to life than who has the best mobile phone.'
Younger pupils wear uniform, sixth form boys and girls a matching suit and academic staff wear gowns.
Very much a boarding school which takes day pupils, and despite there being more than 40 per cent day pupils, the headmaster is determined to keep it this way. Day pupils are involved in all aspects of school life and activities and a network of school buses brings pupils from as far afield as Guildford and Tunbridge Wells.
Strong ethos of service and everyone expected to undertake some community work, culminating in Worth in the Community Day at the end of the summer term – anything from helping in primary schools, gardening for old people and working in local homeless hostel to drama productions and concerts in local care homes. Pupils encouraged to take on challenges and each year a small group attempts the cross-Channel swim; five have made it so far.
Well-known old Worthians include actor Robert Bathurst, art dealer Philip Mould, England rugby player Nick Walshe, racing driver Henry Surtees, after whom the pupils’ café is named, and Tom Mitchell, who captained the silver medal winning GB rugby sevens team at Rio. As the girls come through, we expect to see their names up in lights as well.
Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline
‘Pupils are very well cared for here,’ says the headmaster. 'We don’t tolerate drugs, alcohol or bullying,’ and the school runs a programme of lectures and seminars on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. Every house has a houseparent and deputy, there are house-based tutor groups which meet at least twice a week and every house has a chaplain. The school is small enough for everyone to know each other, and tutors and houseparents know pupils well and spot problems early on – it is hard to slip through the net here. Counsellor in three days a week - busy but manageable. The chaplaincy sits at the centre of the school and has a mixed team of monks, teachers and young Catholics known as the Forerunners, plus a part-time Anglican chaplain. ‘The monks are very special; they are always around but quite low key,' said a pupil, 'and you can call in at the chaplaincy whenever you want – and they often have cake.’ The chaplaincy promotes pilgrimage and service and organises trips to Lourdes, Camino de Santiago, and the Taize community in France during the holidays, and everyone is expected to go on a retreat. Annual trip to Worth Abbey’s charitable outpost in Peru which runs children’s homes in the Andes.
House and school prefects act as mentors to younger pupils. 'The seniors are so nice to the juniors and there is good mixing between year groups, especially through the societies,' said a parent. Everything you need to know can be found in the school magazine Worth Knowing; ‘I could not resist the pun,’ says the headmaster.
Pupils and parents
Most day children live within an hour of the school and boarders mostly from London and the home counties. About 20 per cent from abroad, mainly from Catholic countries of Europe and South America with a dozen or so from Asia. The school is improving integration between IB (mainly foreign) and A level students, who now have mixed tutorial groups. Quite a broad spectrum of parents but a large number of prosperous City workers, often with both parents commuting. Strong Catholic ethos, but families from many different religions who like the sense of community and responsibility to the wider world, and don’t feel religion is being imposed on their children.
Active friends' group gives parents a sense of belonging: ‘You can get as involved as you want – there are a lot of social events and the school is generous with its hospitality, which can lead to the development of a Worth Girth,’ said one parent. The school likes to involve the whole family via annual parents’ meetings and seminars and family mass as well as the parent portal. Although only about a third of the pupils are girls – 40 per cent in some years, and school plans to achieve this throughout – they more than make up for it in energy and ambition and ‘keep the boys on their toes’, said a parent. We were pleased to hear that International Women’s Day is celebrated.
Former pupils tend to stay in touch and the strong sense of being part of a community carries on afterwards – a blend of confidence and humility without the public school swagger.
Money matters
Academic, art, drama, music and sports scholarships offered, plus exhibitions. Max award of 40 per cent goes to the top scholar in each category and other scholars may receive 20-30 per cent - additional means-tested bursary can take this up to 50 per cent of fees. St Benedict’s scholarship of up to 100 per cent of fees for local children from families who are in full communion with local church but can’t afford fees – a child must be capable of achieving a scholarship in one of the categories.
The last word
This school has everything going for it – beautiful setting and only 30 miles from London, good sport, music, art and academic performance, and an ambitious and energetic headmaster.
Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
In each year group a small number of students receive help from The Learning Support department. A great deal of importance is attached to informing all members of staff on a regular basis of the nature of each student's learning needs. In this way, all teaching staff can work to help students to feel secure and to succeed in the classroom. All pupils referred to The Learning Support department follow Worth's mainstream academic curriculum and additional support programs take place in 40 minute sessions during the school day. Small group lessons are normally sufficient to meet student's needs though 1-1 specialist lessons may be available at additional cost and are subject to teacher availability and timetable restrictions. Specialist lessons are held in The Learning Support Suite, where extensive use is made of our ICT facilities. Initially, all students requiring learning support must provide the school with an external educational psychologist's report. This assists with the diagnosis of problems and the structuring of programmes for their solution. Each student works with a specialist teacher. Most receive literacy and study skill support, while a small number have specialist help in maths. Strategies are introduced to help improve basic literacy skills, working memory and concentration. As pupils progress through the school, increasing emphasis is placed on learning how to learn. Time management, higher reading skills, question analysis, coursework planning and revision skills are important preparation for the demands of GCSE and beyond. 09-09
Condition | Provision for in school |
---|---|
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | |
Aspergers | Y |
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | |
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
Dyscalculia | |
Dysgraphia | Y |
Dyslexia | Y |
Dyspraxia | Y |
English as an additional language (EAL) | Y |
Genetic | |
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
Has SEN unit or class | |
HI - Hearing Impairment | Y |
Hospital School | |
Mental health | |
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
PD - Physical Disability | |
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brambletye School | 2023 | 3 | ||
Cumnor House Sussex | 2023 | 1 | 1 | Scholarship: Art & Drama |
Dulwich Prep London | 2023 | 1 | ||
Eaton House the Manor Boys’ School | 2023 | 1 | ||
Falkner House | 2023 | 1 | ||
Lancing Prep Worthing | 2023 | 1 | ||
Reigate St Mary’s School | 2023 | 1 |
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