Giggleswick School
Settle, North Yorkshire, England
Giggleswick School
Settle, North Yorkshire, England
Overview
Founded in 1512 and set in 200 acres of stunning Yorkshire countryside, Giggleswick offers a genuine British boarding experience. Boarders make up 66% of pupils, there is Saturday school for all and, whilst pupils are welcomed from over 11 different countries, a true British boarding experience is ensured by keeping UK pupil numbers at around 80%. Nurturing enquiring minds is at the School’s heart whilst the Giggleswick Learner Profile illustrates the emphasis placed on personal development.
At a glance
Academic
A broad curriculum tailored to pupils’ individual needs offers 18 subjects at GCSE and 22 at A Level alongside the EPQ. The staff ‘stretch but don’t stress’ pupils to achieve their potential and on average two-thirds of A Level candidates achieve A*/B whilst nearly 60% of leavers go on to Russell Group Universities. A pre-A Level and a 1-year GCSE are on offer to international pupils alongside EAL. Gifted students have access to ‘IGGY’ a social network for the academically gifted.
Boarding
The 6 boarding houses are home to a mix of day pupils and boarders of all ages, and all share a close sense of community. Christian family values are central to life and pastoral care at Giggleswick, and more than 80 weekly clubs, clinics and activities offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities. A housemaster/mistress supervises all aspects of pupils’ general welfare, whilst a matron is responsible for day to day well-being and a live-in tutor oversees academic and pastoral matters.
Sports
Sport and Outdoor Pursuits (OP) are an integral part of Giggleswick life – there are over 400 sport fixtures every year and over 40 sports clubs and activities to enjoy. Facilities include a climbing wall, a mountain biking trail, a floodlit all-weather pitch, squash courts, a shooting range, 6 hard tennis courts and 4 grass courts, a swimming pool, a golf course and a new gym, whilst pupils have access to one of the best areas in the country for climbing and outdoor pursuits.
Creative arts
The purpose-built Glover Art School has 3 painting studios, print-making facilities and a ceramics studio, and is open to pupils every evening. Opportunities for musicians include a concert band, an orchestra, several choirs, a Young Musician of the Year competition and an annual rock concert, whilst there are strong links with the Royal Northern School of Music. The adaptable 250-seat Richard Whiteley theatre has state of the art sound and light facilities and motorised retractable seats.
Did you know?
- Anthony Daniels, the actor who has played C-3PO in all the Star Wars films to date, is a former pupil.
- The School has an observatory with a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope and, being in the Yorkshire Dales, it gets nice and dark at night – great for peering into deep space.
