Ages 
No jolly hockey sticks or slaps on the back, but plenty of respect and individual attention. A breath of fresh air for students who have not fitted in to a more traditional model of education and can draw a line under what has come before. ‘It’s not retake heaven,’ says one father, ‘it’s heads down, over to you.’ Students who are motivated are given every opportunity to do well. They feel respected and can at last be who they want to be.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 601 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 509 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- None
- Fees
- £43,077 pa
- Local authority
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council
Headteacher
Principal
Dr Sally Powell
Since September 2023, Dr Sally Powell. English, drama and theatre studies at Royal Holloway, then PhD in Victorian fiction at Oxford University. Spent 22 years at Collingham College, the last 11 as principal. Was chair of CIFE (Conference for
Entrance
Academically non-selective. Every student interviewed in person with the principal or one of the directors of studies, and their options discussed to ensure maximum success in achieving their goals. GCSE and international students sit an assessment
- Open days
- Throughout the year
Exit
Typically, one third leave after GCSEs, although ‘some come back’, says head with a wry smile. Around 70 per cent of A level leavers to Russell Group and top-tier universities, including specialist art colleges and med school. Lots of support to find
Latest results
In 2024, 38 per cent A*/A at A level (66 per cent A*-B). In 2023, 34 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 36 per cent A*/A at A level (65 per cent A*-B).
A level - Average points score (2024)
What is this?
These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.
Teaching & learning
A change of emphasis away from the ‘quick fix crammer’, as MPW was once best known, towards a thriving sixth form college, offering over 40 subjects at A level and 30 at GCSE. ‘There is a soullessness to the word crammer,’ says head; ‘education
- Qualifications taken in 2024
- A level
- EPQ
- GCSE
Learning support & SEN
Many special educational needs – dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety – are met in class with individual support, eg handwriting, regular breaks, fidget toys. Popular drop-in study skills sessions, open to all, help with exam technique, revision timetables
Arts & extracurricular
General studies is timetabled on a Wednesday afternoon, when it is compulsory to participate in some form of extracurricular activity, from data analytics to Dungeons and Dragons. On the day of our visit, film buffs, including head of department,
Sport
Most students here don’t go in for competitive anything, least of all sport. ‘It’s lovely not to compare ourselves with others,’ says one sixth former, enjoying the contrast with her old school. Sports day is, literally, a picnic in the park followed
Ethos & heritage
Established in 1973 by three Cambridge graduates, Mander, Portman and Woodward, as a distinct alternative to traditional schools. With colleges in London, Cambridge and Birmingham, the aim is to offer a Cambridge-style tutorial system, bespoke A
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
Most students – ‘possibly a bit rebellious, but not daft,’ according to a parent – rise to the challenge of being treated like young adults. One father describes it as putting responsibility back in the student’s court – it’s up to them to fulfil
Pupils & parents
One father described the student body as ‘a much more interesting bunch of people that you would get at an homogenous boarding school’. We found most of them to be comfortable in their own skin, relieved to have found a safe, supportive haven where
Money matters
MPW offers a limited number of academic and arts scholarships, after rigorous exams, with a value of between 15 and 40 per cent of the fees. The Woodward scholarship, up to full fees, is awarded to a student studying English literature. Students with
- Fee information
- £43,077 pa
The last word
No jolly hockey sticks or slaps on the back, but plenty of respect and individual attention. A breath of fresh air for students who have not fitted in to a more traditional model of education and can draw a line under what has come before. ‘It’s not
