Tiffin School

Since September 2023, Garth Williams. Studied history and his PGCE at Oxford, starting his teaching career at Wellington College, where he become head of history. Thence to Dean Close School and Alleyn’s, moving up the ranks before taking on his first deputy headship at RGS Guildford, completing his NPQH and NPQEL and working in partnership with state schools.

Parents say their boys ‘really listen when he speaks’ and that they find him ‘charismatic and charming, a class act’. He is likeable, unassuming and dedicated to gathering honest feedback to inform his work and the school’s direction. His motto: ‘Tell us at Tiffin.’ There is recognition that he is modernising Tiffin in an ‘elegant and thoughtful’ way, whilst preserving all that is important about its sense of tradition.

More practical than aesthetic, his office overlooks the well-kept head’s garden, with six large tables, classroom-style in front of a board, designed to host his daily meetings with whole tutor groups, something pupils ‘look forward to’, feeling ‘they have a real say’. Parents find him ‘very visible’ – found on the front gate every morning – and say they are benefiting from his ‘big push’ on communications.

Loves golf, surfing, walking and family holidays: Cornwall and Ireland are favourite spots. Often found watching Tiffin sports teams play on a Saturday morning and has been known to run marathons. He and wife Juliet, a doctor, have four children, three having followed in his footsteps by studying humanities at university.

Around 2,000 applications for 180 year 7 places via the notoriously competitive entrance assessments: a two-stage process testing English and maths. Pupils come from the school’s 10-kilometre ‘priority area’, encompassing 100+ primary schools, which leads to many pupils arriving without knowing anyone (but they’re usually excited to find likeminded peers). The assessment format is not shared to avoid ‘tutoring to the test’ (although parents tell us most still tutor anyway). Parents praise the access arrangements, saying that aspiring pupils ‘do not feel overwhelmed or pressured’. Up to 10 per cent of places go to those with aptitude in music or sport.

Around 1,500 applications for 120 places in the co-ed sixth form (most new joiners are now girls), with parents praising the ‘tremendous support’, ensuring they ‘fit right in’. Increasing numbers come from local independents, noting it is a ‘step up academically’. Both current students and external candidates need 56 points across their best eight GCSEs from school’s qualification list, including 5s in English language and maths.

A handful of leavers move on after GCSEs to local colleges or to take up scholarships to independent schools. Most popular university destinations are Cambridge, UCL, Bristol, Warwick and Bath, with up to half of any year group expected to apply for Oxbridge. In 2025, 47 to Oxbridge, and 24 medics. Growing interest in US university progression, supported by Tiffinian alumni and governors presenting to senior students. Students headed overseas to Princeton, Wake Forest, McGill, Delft and Bocconi in 2025.

‘Insanely good support’ with UCAS, personal statements, plus help available for those considering apprenticeships or gap years. Parents and pupils recognise they are ‘heard as individuals’ and ‘encouraged to pursue their personal passions’.

A rounded approach to academics, favouring ‘exploratory learning over hot housing’ and allowing students to discover own strengths. Push and stretch used to motivate. ‘It’s a ‘personal best thing,’ as one student put it. Class sizes average 25-30 but can be as small as one (currently Greek). The timetable is ‘challenging, broad and busy’ from day one, say parents. Boys are extremely excited about this, having been ‘bored at primary school’ – they appreciate the ‘step up academically’.

‘Brilliant’ teachers ‘don’t chase you’, we heard, with pupils understanding that they’re expected to work independently (although intervention is on hand for those who need it), while the air of competitiveness lends itself to those ‘with natural drive and focus’. ‘Tiffin Standardised Scores’ are motivating for most and the school is developing a new way of reporting on attainment from year 10.

English teaching is ‘superlative’, say students. We enjoyed the thoughtful, mature discussion of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in year 12 class. MFL also described as a ‘standout department’, with French, German or Spanish taught alongside Latin from year 7. Separate sciences and maths set from year 8, with dance, drama, music, art and DT all taught separately throughout.

No weak subjects, although some parents feel STEM can tend towards ‘low praise’; others talk of the ‘extraordinary staff subject knowledge’ leading to high student engagement. Across all subjects, the pace is fast, but there is strong support. One student said the ‘very studious’ environment is balanced by an expectation that students have fun and enjoy learning, lending a positive, academic hum to corridors and classrooms alike.

Students take 10 GCSEs including a compulsory MFL, with most also opting for further maths. Ancient Greek and Latin available. Religion and philosophy no longer mandatory. Most boys (88 per cent) sit separate sciences, with computer science now also on offer. Most popular non-core subjects are geography, history and religion and philosophy. Strong results across the board, but particularly impressive for maths and chemistry.

Maths, physics and chemistry persist as the most popular A levels, taught across 12 well-stocked labs. We dropped in on a year 12 chemistry class of 19 (half girls) working independently on bonding. Girls in every sixth form class we visited, in fact. Students – whether boys or girls – who are new to sixth form describe the experience as ‘refreshing,’ explaining that ‘we all want to excel’. Most write a Tiffin extended project (the school’s version of the EPQ). Sixth formers have a bustling common room and silent study centre, in addition to the library and main canteen, with the option to leave in free periods and lunch, appreciating ‘a lot of trust in us’. Results strong in all areas, ‘exceptional’ for maths. ‘Really great’ sixth form mentoring in all subjects.

Chromebooks well embedded. We visited a year 7 geography lesson where a class of 29 dutifully tapped away at their descriptive travel writing, not a book in sight. Pupils spoke animatedly of their chosen locations, as diverse as Westfield Shopping Centre and Colombia, describing climate, human and physical features to a standard more typical of a GCSE classroom.

Classrooms could use a little love and paint, and displays are limited - teachers’ energy and enthusiasm clearly going into learning rather than aesthetics. ‘Really great’ mentoring by sixth formers in all subjects.

Four per cent of students (including 12 EHCPs) are on the SEN register, supported by the ‘awesome’ SENDCo, deputy SENDCo, six TAs and therapeutic practitioner – all of whom organise or provide support, mostly in-lesson, but one-to-ones and group support available. Students say that ‘there’s support for anyone who needs it’. Autism, ADHD and dyslexia are the main needs – and the building can accommodate physical impairments, with lifts at both ends. Parents say the school prioritises associated medical, emotional and social needs, ‘nurturing the whole person’. ‘No stigma’ attached to seeking or requiring support, plus regular staff training. Parents also praise ‘phenomenal access arrangements’ (noting care starts with the 11-plus, ‘making sure they are comfortable before they even start’) and the department’s ‘great warmth and compassion’.

Parents ‘awed by the extent’ of the extracurricular opportunities, currently 70 clubs and societies including music ensembles, sports teams and art groups meeting before and after school, as well as at lunchtimes and weekends. One parent told us that, having found no club for Dungeons and Dragons, her son was encouraged to start one up – he was allocated a member of staff to help and it now boasts an attendance of 30+ students. An incoming year 12 saw a gap in the linguistics offer and was helped to start a club within two weeks. Other clubs range from pottery to table tennis, finance and dissection – truly something for everyone. Politics club recently welcomed John Bercow as a speaker, horticulture club is packed and rocketry and Rubik’s clubs are popular choices.

With a strong tradition in the performing arts, we weren’t surprised to hear of the polished annual productions including two casts over four nights, with half the students taking drama, dance or music at GCSE and nearly 10 per cent at A level. Grease was in rehearsal when we visited, with an upcoming production of An Inspector Calls planned for sixth formers. Backstage opportunities too: sets, sound and lighting. Dance is on curriculum from year 7 and encompasses performance, choreography and critical appreciation, as well as popular topics such as parkour and capoeira. Students spoke animatedly of a recent house competition choreographing and performing to Dance the Night Away.

Music remains ‘extraordinary’, with 16 choirs, orchestras and ensembles for all age groups. Tiffin Boys’ Choir, Chamber Choir or Oratorio (including staff and parents, alongside their orchestra) perform major choral works at the likes of The Royal Albert Hall, Coliseum and St Paul’s Cathedral. Preparation for a performance at the Tower of London was underway during our visit. Over a third of students learn an instrument in school, and one parent told us her son has taken up two instruments since starting, having previously shown little interest. Twenty-five per cent uptake at GCSE and (of those) 20 per cent at A level. All boys perform a solo in their first week as an audition for the choirs and to introduce the subject.

Art and DT taught separately from year 7, with year 8s we visited crafting wooden boxes and pendants based on a north African tribal art and year 13s studiously plotting creative designs for everything from speaker systems to coffee tables in traditional workshop settings. The school offers electronics and engineering alongside all materials. Around 33 per cent study art at GCSE and four per cent at A level. Students are encouraged to be ‘pioneers, not mere imitators’ and cover watercolour, ceramics, portraiture and even architecture with a focus on risk taking and innovation.

Over 100 trips a year – recently physics to CERN, biology to Iceland, classics to Greece and a host of day trips, activities and choir and sports tours overseas.

How many state schools boast a rowing team or a house rowing competition? Tiffin’s boat club on the Thames enables this opportunity, enthusiastically taken up by around 10 per cent of students, with the option of introductory summer camps (at a cost) for years 7 to 10 – ‘great fun’, we’re told. Football recently introduced as a ‘performance sport’, alongside extensive rugby and cricket, to much delight. Regularly has 12 teams representing the school at rugby and cricket, and Tiffin is one of few state schools in the top 100 nationally for cricket. Athletics also taught well.

A proudly sports-obsessed school, then, with every student we spoke to mentioning their sport of choice and upcoming fixtures or training. The buy-in of teachers running sports clubs in their spare time is ‘incredible’, say parents – with more than half volunteering in their own areas of expertise and enthusiasm. Head of girls’ sport ensures options in sixth form, with enthusiasm for a teambuilding girls’ day at Ninja Warrior and netball fixtures in the week we visited. Girls’ rugby commendable, with 20 per cent playing.

On-site, plans are underway for a second multiuse games area to join current impressive sports centre, housing air-conditioned dance, yoga and fitness studios, plus large gym open to all and ‘hall of fame’ noting Tiffin alumni who play for England and Team GB. Off-site, 30 additional acres at Grist’s playing fields, opposite Hampton Court, which students access by school bus for cricket, rugby and football.

Regular international tours – current rugby tour in Portugal, upcoming netball tour in Malta and biennial cricket tour to the UAE in the pipeline, with hardship funds available to ensure inclusion.

‘Phenomenal’ pastoral care, according to parents, with proactive contact home and ‘thoughtful input around mental health in general’. Several told us of challenging situations at home being sensitively handled. New wellbeing room, with mental health sessions on Monday afternoons, which students describe as ‘great’ and ‘fully confidential’, plus a school health practitioner for drop-ins. Mental health ambassadors appointed in year 9.

PSHE, known as ‘21st century life’, is ‘excellent’, parents tell us, with lots of opportunities to explore challenging issues. Sixth form mentors (for academic support) and form tutors pulled out by students as being ‘caring’. Students say bullying is rare – but when it does happen, they deal with it ‘robustly, courageously and head on’, said one mother. Behaviour is good and discipline light-touch – students attribute this to most feeling lucky for their place and the championing of learning and focus, with some grateful not to ‘see bad the behaviour I experienced at my last school’.

Even in lesson changeovers, the atmosphere is calm and positive, with lots of cheerful inter-year group chat. Sixth formers talked about a culture of ‘working hard because you want to excel’. Phones to be kept in bags, and all comply. Teachers more relaxed about lateness for new starters than in some schools – students saying this helps them settle as they navigate the campus.

Sensible uniform of black trousers, white shirt, house or school tie and either blue or striped blazer, denoting key stage. Newly introduced (and popular) policy allows pupils to wear their PE kit with blazer on days incorporating sport or PE. School has recently ‘tightened up’ its ‘business casual’ dress code for sixth formers – gone are the t-shirts in favour of blazers and smart shirts, although most wear outdoor coats over the top.

The school is multicultural, with 85 cultures and 60 languages spoken. Most are white British, Indian subcontinental or south-east Asian, honoured with cultural celebration weeks – most recently Japanese and Irish. Annual cultural dress day too. Students are proud of the inclusive environment and lack of racism. There is an LGBTQ+ group and popular Pride events, but some students feel more could be done to celebrate neurodiversity.

We found students aspirational, polite and ultra-confident. They told us it’s ‘cool to succeed academically’ but they balance competition with community, celebrating each other’s successes as much as their own. Most come from within 10km including Hounslow, Richmond and Surbiton, although some students mentioned lengthier bus rides in.

Good sense of community among the parents, with lift-sharing, particularly around after-school activities. Active PTA organises social events and concerts, with an adult choir ‘very integrated in the local community’ and welcome events for new parents. Good socio-economic mix – we spoke to families who chose Tiffin over scholarships at independent schools and others for whom this was their one shot at a school they felt was a ‘perfect social and academic fit’ for their child. ‘For the right kind of child’, these parents speak of feeling they’ve ‘won the lottery’, though several admitted to it not being right for other siblings. School comms described as ‘top tier’, with new website, weekly newsletters and ‘Tell us at Tiffin’ platform to provide feedback.

An exceptional state school with a strong sense of community and culture of success, Tiffin goes ‘above and beyond’, creating an intellectual, stimulating, inclusive space for clever, curious and motivated young people who feel ‘lucky to be there’, ‘eager to do their best’ and proud of themselves, their peers and their school. The Tiffinian competitive spirit is matched by their kindness and a dedication to finding and supporting individual interests.