Set in the heart of the picturesque harbour town of Plymouth, this school is not only steeped in history, it’s also one of the UK’s top sporting boarding schools. For students who love both an active lifestyle and the buzz of town life, Plymouth College could be the perfect fit.
Founded in 1877 and located on England’s beautiful South-West coast, Plymouth College is a school fully integrated into city life. This offers exciting opportunities for cultural trips and weekend outings, while the nearby wilderness of Dartmoor provides a haven for outdoor sports and adventure.
Plymouth College is one of the UK’s most accomplished sports schools. It has produced Olympic swimmers and divers, international rugby players, and national champions in modern pentathlon. With students from 30 different countries, the school offers a vibrant international community where cultural exchange and strong friendships thrive, especially through shared sporting experiences, something we noticed clearly during our visit.
Akademis makes history – A Triple Award-Winning Consultancy (2023, 2024 & 2025) 🏆
Akademis has been recognised three years in a row by StudyTravel for excellence in the education sector:
2025 & 2024: Winners of the StudyTravel Secondary School Award (Best Western European Agency)
2023: Winner of the StudyTravel Star Award
(Best Western European Agency)
The StudyTravel Awards are among the most prestigious honours in international education, recognising outstanding quality, client focus and trusted partnerships. Being the first consultancy ever to win for three consecutive years is something we are deeply proud of. For us, these awards highlight our commitment to offering the very best guidance, personal service and long-term support for families embarking on this exciting journey.
Quick Overview
Number of students: 675
Boarding students: 121
Average class size in Sixth Form: 11
Boarding fees for Sixth Form per term: £15,445.20
Key Sports (besides traditional team sports): Swimming, diving, shooting, show jumping, modern pentathlon, fencing, canoeing, kayaking
Nearest airports: Exeter (85 km)
https://www.plymouthcollege.com/
Key Strengths at a Glance
Olympic-level swimming and diving
Close to town yet set in the countryside
Own fencing and pentathlon academy
Motivating and inspiring atmosphere
Plymouth College – Photo Highlights
Plymouth College in Detail
A Centre of Sporting Excellence
The focus here is firmly on elite sport. A large sports complex, indoor climbing wall, weights room, playing fields and a 25-metre swimming pool offer everything an aspiring athlete could want. Pupils regularly qualify for national and international competitions. The school is particularly renowned for its swimming and diving: 15-year-old Ruta Meilutyte famously won Olympic gold for Lithuania in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 2012 Games, and broke the world record a year later. Over 50 national champions in fencing, biathlon, triathlon and pentathlon have trained at Plymouth. There’s even a dedicated Pentathlon and Fencing Academy. Other popular sports include hoseriding, hockey, badminton, golf and basketball.
Creative and Performing Arts
Despite its strong sporting ethos, Plymouth College gives ample room to the arts. Visual art, drama and music play a central role in school life. Almost every instrument can be studied here, and pupils can perform in orchestras, choirs, and regular recitals for piano and guitar. Budding actors take part in workshops and the school’s annual drama competition. Recent productions include School of Rock and The Great British Bump Off. In the two-storey art building, pupils can explore everything from photography and textiles to illustration and graphic design.
Academic Life
We were particularly impressed by how Plymouth encourages curiosity and real-world learning. Teachers regularly take pupils on inspiring trips—to London, Ireland, or even Greece—to bring subjects to life. There is an excellent range of subjects on offer, including Philosophy, Biology, Computer Science, Drama, Spanish and German. With average class sizes of just 13, each child receives focused attention, and it shows: in 2021, 51% of all A-Level grades were A*–A.
Beyond the Classroom
The co-curricular offering is vast. From the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to yoga, sailing and creative clubs (including model railway building!), there are around 40 activities to choose from. Overseas trips have included destinations as far afield as Africa, Sri Lanka and Switzerland. And the school’s beautiful surroundings with moorland, beaches and coastline all offer a wealth of outdoor pursuits: surfing, climbing, kayaking, caving, archery and more. Whether it’s paintballing, Samba Club or Model United Nations, there’s something for everyone.
Plymouth College Fees
Boarding fees are currently £16,700 per term, or £50,101 per academic year.
Our Visit
Plymouth College lives and breathes sport. From the sports bags outside buildings to the posters of athletic heroes in the pupils’ rooms, you can feel the ambition, camaraderie and drive that sport brings to daily life here. Students grow into disciplined, resilient young people who support one another and perform at the highest level.
This is Plymouth
Photos From Our Visit
What our clients say about us
Get a free consultation and find out more about Plymouth College
A Word from the Headmaster
Adam Carr
“We are delighted to be working with Akademis! Our strong partnership means that pupils joining us have a smooth transition and settle in quickly. Our admissions and boarding teams work closely together and bring a wealth of experience to make each child feel welcome and supported. We truly value the individuality of every student. Our aim is to celebrate each child’s personality and passions and give them space to express themselves, both in and outside the classroom. We want to nurture and inspire confident, responsible and globally minded young people.”
Final Thoughts
Plymouth College is an exceptional boarding school for sporty, ambitious young people. But it’s far from the only UK school offering outstanding opportunities in sport and beyond. We’d be delighted to advise you further and help you discover which British boarding school is the right fit for your child.
Why choose Akademis?
- Insider knowledge and first-hand impressions
- Strong links with admissions departments
- Years of experience placing students in top UK schools
- Support with visa queries and application processes
Explore our full list of UK boarding schools on the Boarding Schools in England section of our website. We look forward to helping you take the next step.
What Makes Akademis Stand Out?
- We remain your trusted contact throughout your child’s stay, well beyond the placement process.
- We provide support with guardianship, visa applications and recognition of qualifications within the German school system.
- We offer fully tailored advice. Our school recommendations are unique to each child and can run to 40 pages in length.
- Families receive our 30+ page boarding school guide, packed with practical tips and insights.
- We prepare your child thoroughly for entrance exams and interviews to maximise their chances of success.
- We arrange school visits, ensuring you have the opportunity to experience each school first-hand.
Every boarding school has its own character and ethos. Having personally visited more than 100 schools, we understand these nuances. We also work with schools that do not pay commission, ensuring that our advice remains independent and always in the best interest of your child.
Our roots lie in the UK. For years, we have placed 200–300 families annually into British boarding schools. While our portfolio now includes schools beyond Britain, the UK remains at the heart of what we do.
Our tailored approach results in exceptional acceptance rates. For example, in 2022/23, all seven students we placed at the highly selective Malvern College received offers – a 100% success rate.
We arrange for prospective families to speak with our current students to hear first-hand accounts of life at a UK boarding school.
