Offering an education with plenty of fresh air in the heart of the Welsh Brecon Beacons, this co-ed all-through school is also strong in sport, music and outdoor education.

Christ College Brecon is a co-ed day and boarding school for students aged seven to 18 with a stunning location within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

It’s a school where “building children’s confidence is at the heart of everything we do”, and students are encouraged to ‘have a go’ at everything from choral singing to mountaineering. While it may have a six-day week, Saturdays are dedicated to outdoor activity and extra-curricular interests. This is a school with an adventurous spirit and a great love of nature and the outdoors. In the classroom, it is particularly strong in the core subjects of maths, humanities and the sciences, as well as in the creative arts – and its exam results are among the best in the Wales.

Founded in 1541 by Henry VIII, Christ College is hugely proud of its heritage and the ‘H’ logo is displayed with pride on the school uniform and across the campus. Students are encouraged to develop personal confidence and take on new experiences and challenge as they work towards the school’s motto “They achieve because they believe they can”. They study within a “small, caring and compassionate” community of 350 students; 55% are boarders and there’s a diverse community of 14 different nationalities.

The Junior and Senior schools are on the same site, where they share both facilities and specialist teachers; the Junior school also has a purpose-built facility within the college campus called St Nicholas House, which was only set up in 2014. It’s a well-equipped school that keeps class sizes small (teacher to student ratio of 1:9) enough to allow plenty of individual attention for students; it also has a strong house system that helps to create the supportive, close-knit and nurturing community that Christ College is well-known for.

Headteacher Gareth Pearson joined the school in 2017. A former captain in the Royal Marines, Mr Pearson was previously Senior Deputy Head at Lord Wandsworth College, housemaster at Wellington College and maths teacher at Millfield School.

In 2017, Estyn, the Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales, awarded Christ College ‘Excellent’ across all five areas examined under its inspection framework. Christ College has a sister school, King Henry VIII College (KH8) Malaysia, which opened in September 2018, which offers opportunity for global learning and trips.

Curriculum

Teaching starts in the Junior school (St Nicholas House). There are also weekly Forest School sessions on the school grounds, where hands-on (and often muddy) learning involves building dens, putting on shows in the mini amphitheatre, and observing wildlife in the pond. Students use main school facilities such as the Hubert Jones Science Centre, miniature golf course and music rooms for certain lessons.

In the First and Second Form (Years 7 & 8) students follow a broad curriculum; languages studied include French and Welsh or Spanish. GCSE options include a good mix of the core subjects with business, drama, computer science, art, music, PE, humanities, modern foreign languages, religious studies and photography.

In the Sixth Form, students choose four A Level subjects or a combination of A level, BTEC and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ); they can drop one subject at the end of year 12 and gain an AS level accreditation. A Level students choose from a list of 16 subjects, including economics, IT, psychology and sport. The school also offers three Level 3 BTECs in Performing Arts, Sport and Information Technology, which certainly helps to broaden the appeal of the Sixth Form to both new and existing students.

Sport and the arts

There’s a strong music culture at Christ College Brecon; a third of students are part of a choir or ensemble, there are 11 visiting instrumental teachers offering tuition in everything from bassoon and tuba to classical and electric guitar and singing; and there are no less than 13 different bands and orchestras. The academic year is packed with a variety of concerts, competitions and musical productions, but it’s the House Singing Competition which is said to be one of the most fiercely contested events in the college calendar.

With 40 acres of grounds, Christ College has the space to offer some excellent sports facilities – and an ambitious Director of Sport who wants the school to become a centre of excellence in rugby, netball and hockey. Facilities include a swimming pool, sports hall, squash courts, fitness suite, and rugby pitches, Astroturf pitch, cricket squares, hard court tennis courts, netball courts and outdoor cricket nets, as well as a new miniature golf course.

There’s a list of sports on offer as long as your arm as an extra-curricular activity, including athletics, aerobics, badminton, basketball, climbing, canoeing, kayaking, squash, sailing, shooting, swimming, volleyball, mountain-biking, fell-running and cross-country. An Elite Player Pathway offers mentoring and coaching to the school’s most talented athletes.

Beyond the classroom

While the focus on the week is on lessons and academic clubs, there’s a ‘second curriculum’ every Saturday which has a very different feel and focus. It’s one of “adventure and exploration”, and it gives students the time to focus on other interests.

Christ College takes full advantage of its fantastic location. Students can take part in regular Adventure Days in the nearby Brecon Beacons National Park, as well as outdoor activities such as mountaineering, climbing, paddle sports and trail running. Christ College has appointed a Director of Outdoor Education who has recently introduced a Beacons Challenge Programme, designed to ‘encourage our pupils’ physical, spiritual, social and moral development’, through three multi-activity days of paddling, climbing; walking and exploring with classmates. 

Students with other interests can sign up for clubs in the creative arts including musical production, cookery, action photography, robotics and video game development. There’s also the Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Academic results

Christ College achieves well above average results at A Level and GCSE, and it’s ranked as one of the highest performing schools in Wales. In 2021, it was ranked ninth place in a list of its best independent secondary schools.

In 2021, 54% of grades at A Level were A*-A and 78% were A*-B.; at GCSE, 46% were graded 9-7. Over the past three years at A Level, 47% of grades were A* or A and 91% grade A to C; 46% of GCSE results were grades 9-7. A large proportion of students go on to Russell Group universities and there are normally one or two Oxbridge offers every year.

Boarding

Christ College has seven houses, including St Nicholas House for Junior boys and girls, Alway House for boys and girls aged 10-13, and single sex houses for Senior students aged 13-18 years. Students are supported by a Houseparent and House team.

Boarders come from far and wide, including Wales, England, China, Russia, Spain, and Japan. They talk about how “the family feeling of your house makes you able to settle in so quickly”, and there’s a general feeling that the school’s small size means that boarders get to know each other better.

“Because the school isn’t very big it makes it easier to get to know everyone and make new friendships…it’s as though I have 30-odd sisters”. 

Admission and fees

The main entry points are Year 3 for the Junior School, Year 7 and Year 9. For entry into the Senior School students sit the school’s own entrance tests in English, maths and non-verbal reasoning. At Sixth Form, the requirement is at least six GCSEs at a grade 5, but 6s in any subject to be taken at A Level.

Annual fees range from £9,261 to £20,565 for day students, and £17,418 to £33,218 for boarding students.

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