Marlborough College

Founded in 1843, and situated on the edge of one of the most attractive small market towns in the country, Marlborough College is a flourishing and fully coeducational, independent boarding school for pupils aged between thirteen and eighteen. It is a remarkable place in an evocative and unique setting. The school is built around an extraordinary Neolithic mound and it benefits from the advantages of a peaceful, rural location in the Wiltshire, but it also enjoys the advantages of being within easy reach of London and indeed many other parts England. The school promotes great breadth in learning and the small size of the classes ensures that each child is well cared for. In addition to A levels, the IB is offered in the VIth form.

Marlborough is one of the largest boarding schools in the country and it draws boys and girls from hundreds of different schools in order to promote a rich diversity, but the school is unified by a strong ethos and thanks to the magnificent buildings the whole community can meet together regularly. It is one of the country’s few full boarding schools and it enjoys an unrivalled range of extra-curricular activities: the weekend provision is particularly strong. All pupils become involved in a wide range of sporting and cultural activities. The quality of the education received outside the classroom is matched by the pastoral care given by the house system, which emphasizes the importance of conversation, compassion and comradeship.

Marlborough is one of the country’s best known independent schools and it is proud of its history, but it is at the forefront of many of the most exciting developments in modern education. The importance that it attaches to Internationalism is reflected in the foundation of a branch of its twin school in Malaysia in 2012. It is, however, a school that celebrates many fine English traditions, and in addition to appreciating the importance of academic rigor and challenging activities outside the classroom, Marlburians learn to value the importance of community life and service to others.

Extract taken from Cradles of success: Britain's traditional Public Schools by Mario Di Monaco