Felsted School
Felsted is a co-educational independent boarding and day school for pupils aged 4 to 18, set on a 90-acre campus in the north Essex countryside.
Key Information
Felsted offers an exciting, multi-faceted education that enthuses and enables pupils to make a positive impact on the world. This successful approach is underpinned by 'The Seven Foundations of Felsted': Academic aspiration - high standards of education and outstanding support. Sporting excellence - high participation and elite success. Enrichment - creative, academic and physical stretch. Wellbeing & Inclusivity - Focusing on the needs of every individual. Community - A service led family with outstanding boarding provision. Neuroinclusivity - Celebrating diversity among our learners. Global education – preparation for future life with an integrated global approach to learning.
History of the School
Felsted was founded in 1564 by Richard Lord Riche, Lord Chancellor under King Edward VI, and was the first English school to educate a British Head of State, Richard Cromwell, (briefly) Lord Protector of the Commonwealth following the death of his infamous father, Oliver Cromwell. The original school building, a converted guildhall, is still in use as are many other historic buildings including the school chapel, the atmospheric ivy-clad Hunt Theatre and main School House, which overlooks Felsted's iconic and immaculate cricket pitch, The Front.
Pre-16 qualifications
GCSE
Post 16 qualifications
A Level. IB Diploma. BTEC
Academic performance
The academic programme at Felsted is dynamic and progressive. Teachers draw on the latest research into teaching to deliver lessons that are exciting, engaging and tailored to individual students. GCSE: in 2025, more 40% of all entries were graded 9 - 7. A level: 90% of Felsted pupils secured their first choice university. IB Diploma: Felsted pupils achieved an average points score of almost 34 points out of 45, exceeding the global average of 30.3. When A Level and IB results are combined for this year group, 34% of all entries were graded at A or higher.
Boarding accommodation
There are 9 boarding houses situated across the Felsted campus. Each house has its own style and history, but all are comfortable and homely, with common rooms, casual dining areas, snack kitchens and laundries. Boarders are cared for by an HM (Housemaster/mistress) and a team of assistants, tutors and matrons. Tutors keep track of boarders' academic work and ensure that they are achieving a balance of activities and commitments. Academic staff are on hand in the evenings to help with homework and projects and there are dedicated study evenings for different ages organised weekly in the Marshall Centre for Learning.
Pastoral care
Care of young people is the absolute priority for every adult in the Felsted community. All students benefit from the boarding school structure - members of staff live on the school campus and houseparents live in houses with boarders, so responsible adults are available 24 hours a day for support. The school has its own Wellbeing Centre, a safe space for students and staff to talk and receive professional guidance and also take part in yoga and mindfulness sessions. Staff are trained in mental health first aid and there is a programme of talks and seminars for parents and students.
Extra-curricular activities
Clubs and societies at lunchtimes and before and after school at both Felsted Prep and Senior School are very popular. Two weekly activity afternoons are also timetabled for Senior School students, to ensure balance. CCF, DofE, Sustainability and EDI Society are well-attended and there are many arts, crafts and sports clubs, from photography to polo and peer counselling. Many clubs are student-run, such as Felsted's eSports Club, which competes in weekly Rocket League fixtures.
General school facilities
Felsted's 90-acre countryside campus has plenty of space for sports pitches, astros, hard courts, a grass tennis court and well-kept grounds. The school buildings mix the historic with the contemporary. One of the oldest buildings on the school campus, dating from 1860, has recently been transformed into a New York loft-style Sixth Form Centre, while the Marshall Centre for Learning is a new eco-friendly 10-classroom building with movable internal walls and pods for independent study. Felsted has nine on-campus boarding houses, a state-of-the art Music School, bright art department, drama rehearsal studio, indoor sports hall, gym and pool.
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