A grand stone school building with a tall tower and surrounding gardens, lit by the warm glow of the setting sun.

King William's College

King William's College

Castletown, Isle of Man

King William’s College is located on the Isle of Man and is one of the few British schools to offer only the IB. The college is known for its strong sense of community. The 300 pupils are not only closely connected with one another but also have a lot of contact with the island’s residents. Since the Isle of Man is considered very safe, the young people enjoy a great deal of freedom.

Number of students
300
Number of boarders
50
Percentage of international boarders
80%
Average class size
15
Diploma offered
IB
Closest International Airport
2 mins
Isle of Man Airport - by car
A pupil swinging a golf club on a golf course with King Williams College in the backgroundThe Golf

The Details

The Academics

King William’s College is non-selective but consistently achieves good exam results. In 2023, pupils achieved an average of 32 points in the IB (out of 45), two points above the world average. Additionally, nine pupils scored over 40 points. This is impressive!

Languages Taught

German, English as a Foreign Language, French, Latin and Spanish.

The Boarding

One sixth of the pupils are full boarders, living in the boarding houses throughout the week. The school makes a great effort to bring boarders and day pupils together – with great success! Our pupils talk about regular weekend sleepovers at the homes of day pupils.

There are two boarding houses located right next to the campus. Pupils either share rooms with one other or have single rooms. On weekends, pupils visit London, Manchester and Liverpool, enjoy nature with island tours, or go mountain biking.

A boarding house kitchen with five boys talking and eatingThe Boarding

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

Alongside a strong IB programme, the school’s location on the beautiful Isle of Man is simply fantastic. The school is exceptionally well integrated into the local community like no other. Pupils receive music lessons, play sport, or undertake social service in the surrounding villages. The relationship between the school and the island community is harmonious and positive.

King William’s College offers a wide range of excellent sports, particularly golf, climbing and sailing. Other sports include fencing, riding, table tennis and swimming. The school places great emphasis on music and theatre. Pupils regularly have opportunities to showcase their talents at events and performances. Additionally, the Duke of Edinburgh programme is hugely popular and well run here!

Weaknesses

We'd like to have a few more boarding students. The school is working on it!

Location

King William’s College is located on the Isle of Man. The airport is well connected to many major airports across the UK, with most airlines offering daily flights to the island. You can also reach the island by ferry or fastcraft – all services are operated by the Isle of Man Steam Packet.

Closest International Airport
Isle of Man Airport - 2 mins by car
Nearest Cities
Castletown - 10 mins walk
Our Opinion

A wonderful school for pupils longing for a family atmosphere and seaside romance.

Our Insider Tip

A special tradition at King William’s College is the annual Derbyhaven Bay Swim – a half-mile open water swim right in front of the campus. Students and teachers take the plunge together, cheered on by the whole school community from the shore. 

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