King William’s College owes its foundation to Dr Isaac Barrow, Bishop of Sodor and Man from 1663 to 1671, who established an Educational Trust in 1668. The funds of the Trust were augmented by public subscription and the College was opened in 1833 and named after King William IV, ‘The Sailor King’.
In 1991, the College merged with the Isle of Man’s other independent school, The Buchan School, Castletown, which had been founded by Lady Laura Buchan in 1875 to provide education for young ladies. The Buchan School has been reformed as the junior section of the College for boys and girls up to age 11. (For further details of The Buchan School, see entry in IAPS section). The College is set in superb countryside on the edge of Castletown Bay and adjacent to Ronaldsway Airport. The Isle of Man is approximately 33 miles long and 13 miles wide and is an area of diverse and beautiful scenery.
There are approximately 340 pupils at College and a further 160 pupils at the Preparatory School. There is also a Nursery School for 2 to 4 year olds on the Buchan site. Both King William’s College and The Buchan School are fully co-educational.
Entry. New pupils are accepted at any time, but most begin at the start of the September Term. Boys and girls are admitted to the Preparatory School up to the age of 11, at which point transfer to King William’s College is automatic. Entry to College, including Sixth Form level, is by Head’s report and interview.
Further details and a prospectus may be obtained from the Admissions Office to which applications for entry should be made.
Organisation. The school is divided into three sections: Fourth Form (Years 7 & 8), Fifth Form (Years 9, 10 & 11) and Sixth Form (Years 12 & 13). Each section is led by a Head of Year, assisted by a team of tutors who monitor the academic progress and deal with all day-to-day matters relating to the pupils in their charge. In addition, all pupils are placed in one of three co-educational Houses for internal competitive purposes, which provides an important element of continuity throughout a pupil’s career at the School.
Boarders. There are two houses: one for boys and the other for girls. The living and sleeping accommodation is arranged principally in study-bedrooms for senior pupils, with junior pupils sharing with one other student. Each House has its own Houseparent who is responsible for the pastoral welfare of the pupils. He or she is assisted by two or three tutors, of whom at least two are resident.
Chapel. The College is a Church of England foundation but pupils of all denominations attend Chapel; the spirit of the services is distinctly ecumenical.
Curriculum. Pupils at both Schools follow the National Curriculum in its essentials.
The curriculum is designed to provide a broad, balanced and challenging form of study for all pupils. At 11–13 pupils take English, Mathematics, French and Spanish or Latin, Science, History, Geography, Design Technology, ICT, Art, Music, Drama, Religious Studies, Physical Education, PSHE. Pupils then go on to study typically 9 or 10 subjects at (I)GCSE level from a wide number of options.
In the Sixth Form King William’s College offers the International Baccalaureate. Students choose 6 subjects, normally 3 at higher level and 3 at standard level, which must include their first language, a second language, a science, a social science and Mathematics. In addition, students write an extended essay (a research piece of 4,000 words), follow a course in the Theory of Knowledge (practical philosophy) and spend the equivalent of one half day a week on some form of creative aesthetic activity or active community service (e.g. Duke of Edinburgh’s Award fulfils this requirement).
Music and Drama. There are excellent facilities for Drama with House plays and at least one major school production each year, together with regular coaching in Speech and Drama. There are Junior and Senior Bands and Choirs, and a very flourishing Chapel Choir. The House Music competition is one of the many focal points of House activity.
Games. The College has a strong tradition and a fine reputation in the major games of rugby, hockey, netball and cricket. There are regular fixtures with Isle of Man schools and schools in other parts of the British Isles. Athletics, football, cross-country and swimming all flourish and there are both House and College competitions. Senior pupils may opt to play golf on the magnificent adjoining Castletown Golf Links or to sail as their major summer sport. There are approximately thirty acres of first class playing fields, an indoor heated swimming pool which is in use throughout the year, a miniature rifle range, a gymnasium for basketball and badminton, hard tennis courts, two squash courts and an all-weather pitch and outdoor cricket nets.
Other Activities. There is a wide range of societies and activities to complement academic life. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme flourishes and expeditions are undertaken regularly both on the Island and further afield. There is a thriving Combined Cadet Force and Social Services group. There are strong links with the Armed Services who help regularly with Cadet training. There are regular skiing trips, choir tours and educational trips to the UK and abroad.
Travel. King William’s College is easily accessible from the UK and abroad. Some boarders come by sea from Heysham or Liverpool using the regular service to Douglas but the majority of boarding pupils and parents come by air from the British Isles and much further afield. There are direct flights to London, Belfast, Birmingham, Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester and other UK cities. Boarding House staff are fully experienced in arranging international flights and younger pupils are met at the airport.
Health. The health of all pupils is in the care of the School Doctor. There is a sanatorium supervised by a qualified nursing staff and high standards of medical care are available at Noble’s Hospital in Douglas.
Fees per annum (2023-2024). Day: £20,345 (Years 7 & 8), £24,545 (Years 9–11), £26,995 (Years 12 & 13). Boarding Fee: £14,595 in addition to Day Fee.
A reduction of one-third of the fee for boarders and one half of the fee for day pupils is allowed for children of clergy holding a benefice or Bishop’s licence and residing in the Isle of Man. There is a similar arrangement for children of Methodist Ministers.
A reduction of 10% is allowed for serving members of the Armed Forces of the Crown. Once a pupil is accepted, the reduction continues even though the parent may leave the Services.
A reduction is allowed for the second, third and fourth child.
Scholarships and Bursaries. Year 7 Academic Scholarships are available. Our Scholarships & Awards are honorary. There is also a Bursary fund to support students if the financial circumstances of parents make this necessary. Further details of all scholarships may be obtained from the Principal’s Office and on the website: kwc.im/scholarships/. Charitable status. King William’s College is a Manx Registered Charity, number 615 and is operated as a Company limited by guarantee.
Governors & Staff:
Visitor: The Lord Archbishop of York
Council Members of Bishop Barrow's Foundation:
His Excellency Sir John Lorimer, Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man (Chairman of Council Members)
The Lord Bishop, Rt Revd P Eagles
Mr G C Kinrade, Chief Executive Officer, Department of Education and Children, BEd
Mr S G Billinghurst, BA Hons, ACA
Mr P B Clucas, BA, BSc Hons, MICA
Mr A C Collister
Mrs A V Craine
Mr T W B Cullen, MBE, MA
Mrs E J Higgins, BSc, ACA
Dr M J Hoy, MBE, MA, PhD
Mr N H Wood, ACA, TEP
Governors:
Mr P B Clucas, BA, BSc Hons, MICA
Mr S Billinghurst, BA Hons, ACA
Mr Y C D Chan, BA Hons, MEd, ACA, DChA, MBE
Mr A C Collister
Mrs S M Dean, BA Hons, FCCA
Mrs C Edmundson, BMus, MBA, PGCE, LRAM, ARCM
Mr R W Flower, BSc Hons, MEd
Mr P L Harwood, BSc Hons, FIA
Mrs E J Higgins, BSc, ACA
Dr L V Hulme, MB, BS, LRCP, MRCS
Miss S J Leahy, LLB, Dip LP
Dr M Drijfhout, MRCGP, DRCOG, DFFP, DPalMed, DOcMed
Bursar and Clerk to the Governors: Ms M Mackie, FCCA
Principal: Damian Henderson, MA Cantab
Deputy Head Academic: Mr M Roberts
Deputy Head Pastoral: Mr S L Corrie, BMus Hons
* Head of Department
† Housemaster/mistress
§ Head of Year
Full Time:
Helen Allan, BSc Hons, CPT3A
Kathy Bailey
Amanda Barber, BSc Hons, PhD†
Amy L G Beesley, BA Hons, PGDip
Amy Benziane, BA Hons
Catrin Beswick, MSci
Clare Broadbent, MA
Katharine M Brown, MPhys*
Harry Brindle, BA Hons
Madeleine J Burger, BEd
Amy-Jayne Clark, BA Hons, MA
Stephen N Cope, BA Hons*
Matthew Crabtree, BSc Hons
Emma Craine, BA Hons*
Helen Crosbie
Colin Davidson, MA Hons
Steven Daykin, BMus, PgDip, MISM*
Claire Duffy
Sonja M Ellson, MA*
Carolina Ganzo-Perez, MA*
Donné Gerry, BEd Hons
Lauren Groom, BA*
France Heckel, MA*
Vikki Hope, BSc Hons
Niall A Howell Evans, BA
Paula Howell Evans
Edmund J Jeffers, BA Hons*
Sara A Jeffers, BA Hons
Stephen B Jelly, BA Hons*§
Stephen P Kelly, BA Hons*
Amanda Kerr, BA Hons, MA, MAEd*
Bethan Kneen, BSc§
Ella Magee
Anya L Morgans, BA Ed Hons, BSc Hons*§
Paul H Morgans, CChem, CSci, PhD, MRSC*
Mark Moss, MArt Hons
Susie Parry, BA Hons*†
Riaan Riekert, BComm*
María Sánchez de la Blanca García, BA
Alison M Schreiber, MA
Erica J Scott, BA Hons (Chaplain)
Kirry K Shimmin, BSc*
Zoë E Shimmin-Mann, BSc Hons, MSc*
Clare V Singleton, BA*
Alasdair D Ulyett, BSc*
Philip Verschueren, BSc, MSc
Anouk de Vos, BSc Hons, MA*
Zoe E A Watterson
Schalk de Wet, BA Hons
Principal’s PA: Mrs Jo Bateson & Mrs Denise Jones
Admissions Registrar: Mrs Marion Clifford-Taggart
School Medical Officer: Dr Marijtje Drijfhout, MRCGP, DRCOG, DFFP, DPalMed, DOcMed