WHAT? WHERE?

It’s pretty easy to get your bearings for Knightsbridge School as it’s a two-minute walk from Harrods (handy!). Set across two attractive large redbrick interconnecting buildings that once were home to the Danish Embassy with all the high ceilings, cornicing and turned wood staircases to prove it, the school teaches 405 pupils across its Early Years (3-5 Years), Junior (5-11 years) and Senior departments (11-16 years). The Senior school is a relatively new addition – the first round of GCSE pupils just received their results in summer 2023.

Founded in 2006 by Magoo Giles who remains as Principal, the school comes at education with a non-traditional slant, with happiness as one of its key markers and a KS Code of Conduct for both parents and children that includes rules such as ‘I will remember that giving and sharing are the best feelings in the world’. However, as you’d expect from a school in this location with pupils coming from within a four-mile radius, there are battalions of highly successful, famous parents who also expect academic rigour. To that end, class sizes are deliberately small – generally no more than 16.

children sat outside Knightsbridge School

FACILITIES

SPORT

kids playing netball at Knightsbridge school

No surprises in this prime location that much of the facilities are off site though they’re very generally walkable. The main sports at Knightsbridge School are netball, football, hockey, rugby, cricket and athletics, and are played primarily at Burton Court. Imperial College Ethos Sports Centre provides the facilities for rock climbing and swimming, Battersea Park is the backdrop for the annual Sports Day, St Columbas Church is used regularly for gymnastics and table tennis.

kids playing tug of war at Knightsbridge School

There seems to be plenty of sport on the go here, with competitive fixtures from Year 2 upwards (around 100 a year), inter-house tournaments and national individual success in karate, table tennis and fencing, all which the school offers in-house. Those children competing at the highest level have the curriculum tweaked to help them combine competition and study.

For those in Years 7-11, there are two extended Games sessions every week, as well as morning fitness and yoga.

CREATIVE ARTS

A strong suit at this school, particularly in Drama where, in addition to the usual end of year and Christmas productions, there are two audition only groups for Years 5 and above, the Drama Company and Musical Theatre Company, each with 15 members, with productions shown at The Chelsea Theatre. There’s a rehearsal and performance venue minutes away at St Saviour’s Church, and a whole range of extra-curricular clubs the kids can join too, including Glee Club, Tap Dance, Street Dance and Ballet.

The school has its own orchestra, fuelled by the 50% of pupils who take music lessons here, and there are the usual mix of choirs and ensembles and a Music Tech club. A specialist art teacher is on hand for Junior pupils upwards, teaching in a bright art studio in the eaves at the top of the school.

GENERAL

St Columba’s Church, directly opposite the school, is used as a recreational space for breaktimes and various school events. More significantly, it’s home to the charity Restart Lives, with Knightsbridge School involved in regular food set ups on Fridays and an annual ‘Sleep Out’ challenge to raise charity money (the school raised a cool £35k for Guide Dogs in 2022) and foster empathy in the children.

ACADEMICS

Independent schools in London need to deliver academically to survive but the future is looking peachy for Knightsbridge School – in 2023 its first GSCE pupils sat their exams and delivered an impressive 46% 9-7 grades (A*-A), and 92% 9-4 (A*-C). The GSCES on offer are largely traditional, with only Sociology, newly trendy again amongst students, popping up as a surprise. Away from exams, Classical Civilisations is introduced in Year 5 and there’s a Perspectives course which teaches philosophy, ethics and religion and encourages critical thinking and awareness of current affairs.

LITTLIES

The Early Years classrooms are airy and welcoming, with work cascading off the walls and teachers being called by their first names (Miss Amy, Miss Grace etc). The teachers clearly have a sense of humour here – a piece of wall art explaining soil structure had two of the teachers depicting themselves as worms and snails at the behest of the kids.

French or Spanish is taught from Reception onwards in two 30-minute lessons per week, though in Year 4, it’s possible to swap to Italian or Mandarin. Forest School is offered to the Reception children in the September term. A small, converted courtyard has become an EYFS outside classroom but for real space the reception classes drive to Holland Park Adventure Playground, St Luke’s or walk to Cadogan Gardens for tennis lessons.

PASTORAL CARE

teacher and student at knightsbridge school

This is an area that Knightsbridge School nailed well before it became the post-Covid calling card. Back in 2014, was the first private day school in the UK to incorporate Place2Be in school, a fully embedded counselling service that allows children to request appointments (via their teacher), staff can come to seek advice on classroom issues, and parents can email at any time too. There’s also Place2Talk, where children can come during break times to talk to a therapist about anything that’s worrying them, no matter how big or small.

Art Therapy Cub is another initiative that shows Knightsbridge School very much on the front foot with benefits including stress reduction, self-awareness and a building of self-esteem.

SEND

The cohort here is highly international, with 163 pupils having English as an additional language (EAL), and 52 getting extra support. SEND support across the learning spectrum is offered in the class where possible but also in small group and one to one sessions.

THE HEAD

headteacher Shona Colaço — Current Head, Shona Colaço

Your main contact will be the Head, Shona Colaço, who’s been in position since 2012, having previously been Head of Science, Director of Studies and Deputy Head at Hampton Court House, and whose own children spent time at the school as gap students. She’s warm, down to earth, clearly invested hugely in the school and children, and really knows her stuff – her MA in Educational Leadership and acting as an ISI School Inspector helps! Most recently she was nominated in Tatler magazine’s Head of Prep School award.

Founder and Principal Magoo Giles is quite the character – an old Etonian, he was commissioned to the Coldstream Guards and serving across Belize, Spain, Cyprus and Germany before realising kids were more fun than war zones. Having been the Head at a single sex school, he started Knightsbridge as a co-ed option for his own children, who attended the school from Reception. He has something of the maverick about him, with his own emotive KS Code, and his insistence on making sure that prospective, potentially pushy parents as well as the children are the right ‘fit’.

WRAPAROUND CARE

With a huge range of clubs on offer before and after school currently there is no additional wrap around care. This is always under review.

QUIRKS

There’s nothing unusual about a KS Has Got Talent night – but this has to be the only school that has Simon Cowell rocking up to judge! There’s a reward system known as ‘Supers’ (and in the senior school only there are also ‘Subs’). EYFS and Junior children with the top Super scores for the week are given a gold badge to wear for the week – how lovely is that? There are also two end of term parties for these children with Magoo Giles, one for the Junior children and the other for EYFS. For all children the ultimate accolade is to be awarded a Knight of Knightsbridge (with real medals) given for outstanding work, exceptional sporting or on-stage performance or service to charity or the school.

ISI REPORT

pupils at Knightsbridge school having fun

An strong ISI report landed in May 2023 – excellence all over the place, with pupil behaviour described as ‘exemplary’.

FEES

You’re in SW1, prepare to dig deep! Termly fees forNursery & Reception are £7,975; Prep Juniors: Year 1, 2 and 3 are £7,975; Prep Seniors: Year 4, 5 and 6 are £8,465; Upper Seniors: Year 7 and 8 are £8,550; Upper Seniors: Year 9, 10 and 11 are £8,940. School lunches per term are £705.

BURSERIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Knightsbridge School offers bursaries of up to 100% for a maximum of four pupils at entry into Year 7. Scholarships at Knightsbridge school are more about kudos – there’s no monetary value.

TRANSPORT

Public transport is your friend here– Knightsbridge tube is five minutes’ walk and you’re on a major bus route too.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

It’s a no-phone policy across the school day for everyone. Knightsbridge School believes that students should be fully present, not only in the classroom but with their classmates. The school’s no phones policy not only ensures the safety of students and staff but also allows the students to be free from digital distractions.

WORD ON THE GROUND

The school’s ethos of charity, service and community is popular with parents, many of whom are high earners or celebrities looking to ground their children. The strong 11+ (Latymer Upper School, Godolphyn, Francis Holland) and GCSE results have unsurprisingly gone down a storm!

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Happiness, community and life skills are at the heart of Knightsbridge School, an ethos that will best suit those not laser-focused on academics above all.

Not for: Knightsbridge School has a surprisingly large footprint compared to other schools in the area, but if you’re looking for all facilities on your doorstep, you’ll need to go further afield. There is no Sixth Form here, so it won’t suit those wanting continuity from GSCE to A levels.

Knightsbridge School, 67 Pont Street, London, SW1X 0BD. Tel: 0207 590 9000.

Knightsbridge School, Chelsea

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