
Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Holt, England
Gresham’s School is a very impressive school with a true campus feel. Surrounded by cricket pitches, the academic buildings and boarding houses create a distinctive atmosphere in this rural setting. While somewhat remote, the school makes up for it with excellent teaching, the option to take the IB Diploma, outstanding outdoor opportunities and top-notch facilities for sport, art and drama – definitely an attractive choice!

The Details
The Academics
Gresham’s School offers a broad academic programme with GCSEs, A-Levels and the IB – and the results are impressive: in 2024, 50.8% of GCSE grades were in the top range (9–7), 46% of A-Level grades were As, and the average IB score was 35.6 points – all achieved without strict academic selection.
The school is particularly strong in supporting pupils with dyslexia and dyscalculia: nearly 20% of pupils benefit from specially trained staff.
A true highlight: in the Dyson Building, STEM subjects and Design Engineering come together – an innovative combination that leads to exciting projects and fosters pupils’ creativity.
Languages Taught
German, English as a Foreign Language, French, Latin and Spanish.
The Boarding
More than half of the pupil body boards at the school. The five boarding houses are modern, cosy and just a five-minute walk from the main school buildings. Pupils typically share a room with two or three others.

Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
Gresham’s School impresses with an outstanding creative offering:
Its theatre programme is known nationwide, and with the Auden Theatre the school has a first-class stage that is also used by professional theatre companies – no surprise that stars like Oscar-winner Olivia Colman took their first steps here.
As a rural boarding school, Gresham’s is also ideal for outdoor enthusiasts: the Outdoor Activity Centre features a 25-metre climbing wall and exciting challenge courses, while the Norfolk countryside provides the perfect setting for sailing, climbing and kayaking. Pupils can also enjoy classic sports like rugby, hockey, cricket and netball, or try their hand at shooting, fencing, swimming, tennis and squash.
One of our highlights was the Dyson Building – Gresham’s very own STEAM centre. Here, science, technology, engineering, art and maths are united under one roof. Interdisciplinary collaboration is part of everyday life – art and chemistry pupils develop bath bombs together (yes, really!), while architecture models are designed in close cooperation with the maths department. We were especially impressed by the fact that pupils are allowed to use equipment like laser cutters, 3D printers and flatbed routers in their free time to realise their own projects.
Weaknesses
Gresham’s School may be in a fairly rural location and a little harder to reach, but the school makes every effort to ensure smooth transfers to and from the airports.
Location
The school is situated just outside the picturesque market town of Holt, only a stone’s throw from the North Sea coast in Norfolk.
Ideal for pupils seeking a somewhat rural school with strong sports, exciting outdoor activities, theatre, and a fantastic design and engineering programme.
The Dyson Building is truly stunning. Anyone interested in architecture, product design, robotics or maker culture in general will be very happy here.
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