Is Charterhouse School Good? Is It Difficult to Get In? Charterhouse School Rankings and Highlights

Among the many prestigious and historically significant private schools in the UK, Charterhouse School stands out with its impressive rankings and status as one of the UK’s Original Nine Public Schools (Origin 9), making it undoubtedly one of the best. Curious to know if Charterhouse School is good? Wondering if it is difficult to get into? This article will provide an overview of Charterhouse School’s key features, highlighting its diverse curriculum and educational philosophy.

Source: Charterhouse

The "Original Nine Public Schools" of the UK refer to the nine oldest and most prestigious public schools, with Charterhouse School being one of them. Established in 1611 by wealthy merchant Thomas Sutton, the school is renowned not only for its outstanding academic achievements but also for its holistic educational philosophy and state-of-the-art facilities, attracting exceptional students from all over the world.

Charterhouse School is located in Godalming, Surrey, in the south of England. Its expansive campus spans over 250 acres and currently accommodates approximately 1,000 students, most of whom are boarders. The school is about a 50-minute drive from London Heathrow Airport, making its location highly convenient and a top choice for families seeking high-quality education.

The campus includes art studios, a darkroom, 3D printing rooms, and ceramic workshops, along with a theatre for student performances [1]. In terms of sports facilities, Charterhouse School boasts 135 acres of dedicated sports grounds, including 14 football pitches, 24 tennis courts, rugby fields, cricket grounds, hockey pitches, and an athletics track [2]. The school’s library holds a collection of over 30,000 books, along with a wealth of newspapers, magazines, rare books, and online learning resources. Librarians are available to assist students in finding the information they need and provide learning support [3].

Is Charterhouse School good? Its diverse curricula and outstanding academic achievements speak for themselves. Charterhouse is well-known for its rigorous academic programmes and exceptional results. The school offers both A-levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB) as its main curriculum options. Over the past few years, student performance has consistently been at a high level, with A*-B grades exceeding 80% and 91% of IB students achieving grades between 5 and 7 [4]. These impressive results make Charterhouse a key feeder school for world-class universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Additionally, the school provides the Cambridge Pre-U programme, further enhancing students’ research skills and preparing them for university studies.

Beyond academics, Charterhouse excels in the arts and sports. Since 2013, the school’s annual arts festival, "Artifex," has become a major local event. Artifex not only showcases students' artistic talents but also attracts a large number of residents and visitors, fostering a connection between the campus and the community. The 2024 Artifex festival featured over 90 events across five days, including musical performances, theatre productions, film screenings, and exhibitions of student work. This highlights the school’s strong commitment to and achievements in arts education [5].

Source: Charterhouse

In the 2024 Spear's Index, a global ranking of schools published by Spear's Magazine, Charterhouse School was recognised as one of the top 100 secondary schools worldwide and was rated as a top-tier institution [7].

Spear's, a renowned European wealth management magazine, evaluates schools based on their academic achievements, educational philosophy, international outlook, and ability to prepare students for the future. In addition to academic results and university readiness, the ranking also considers the unique character of each school and its reputation locally and internationally.

Discussions about "Is Charterhouse School difficult to get into?" frequently appear on online forums. Indeed, Charterhouse is well-known for its stringent admission process, accepting only a limited number of international students each year. The application process requires navigating multiple hurdles, including academic performance review, the ISEB Pre-Test, submission of UKiset scores, and an admission interview [6].

Due to the competitive nature of the selection process, it is recommended that parents and students start preparations at least two years in advance and actively participate in extracurricular activities to boost their chances of admission. Charterhouse not only values strong academic performance but also emphasises character education and holistic development, ensuring that every student receives comprehensive training across various areas. 

Source: Freepik

Charterhouse School not only focuses on academic performance but places a strong emphasis on character education. The school encourages students to actively participate in community service, such as visiting the elderly living alone, assisting children with disabilities, and cleaning beaches. These activities aim to cultivate compassionate, responsible, and accountable individuals who can become exemplary citizens.

With its holistic educational philosophy, Charterhouse has become a significant cradle for nurturing elite talents in the UK and globally. If, after learning about Charterhouse School rankings, the level of difficulty in admission, and whether it is a good fit, you are interested in the school or have concerns about the application process, feel free to contact us. We will provide you with more detailed information and personalised advice.  

Reference:

1. Location and facilities - Charter House Summer school 

https://www.charterhousesummerschool.com/facilities-location 

2. Sport - Charter House 

https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/co-curriculum/sport 

3. Library - Charter House 

https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/academic/library 

4. Examination Results - Charter House 

https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/academic/examination-results 

5. Artifex - Charter House 

https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/co-curriculum/artifex-2019 

6. Sixth Form Admissions - Charter House 

https://www.charterhouse.org.uk/admissions/sixth-form-admissions 

7. Introducing the Spear’s Schools Index 2024 - Spear’s 

https://spearswms.com/education/best-private-schools-in-world-spears/