Our Philosophy

Sancton Wood School holds a unique position in Cambridge due to its history (see Our Founder) and its educational ethos.

Sancton Wood is recognised for its outstanding contribution to the social and emotional development of each individual child. The school has a reputation for instilling good manners, reliability and self-discipline. Class sizes do not exceed 14 pupils per teacher in the Infant Department, 16 pupils in the Junior Department and 16 pupils in the Senior Department. This excellent ratio is a key to the educational philosophy that focuses on the provision of a tailored educational programme for each pupil. The staff chosen to work at the school are all highly qualified and committed teachers, who endeavour to make each pupil aware of his or her innate qualities and skills, and to develop these to full capacity.

The school is also known for its excellent academic results. This is reflected in our regular position at the top of the league tables for GCSEs for Cambridgeshire and our 100% GCSE pass rate. Once again in 2009, our students achieved an outstanding set of results with all students gaining high number of As and A*s- 101 out of 190 grades were top grades. We were ranked 71st in The Times Top 100 Schools and the ISA placed us 8th in the country.

The school has always believed that all children were entitled to a good education, regardless of their background. The founder facilitated this by keeping the fees extremely low, always among the lowest in the country. This principle is wholeheartedly endorsed by the current Directors. Generous bursaries have always been available in cases of particular need. The school was developed and run on charitable grounds, providing education to a very broad social mix of families, many of whom might not otherwise have considered an independent education for their children. The families that choose Sancton Wood School feel they are an active part of the pursuit of excellence within the ideal educational environment.