At this full-boarding school, tradition and diversity take centre stage. Once a naval school, it is now a paradise for water sports enthusiasts — and the maritime spirit of its past is still very much alive on campus.
The impressive Royal Hospital School building is set in the county of Suffolk, just two hours from London, and on the estuary of the River Stour as it flows into the sea.
Alongside its high success rates at A-level and GCSE, the school offers its adventurous students a wealth of sports and leisure activities. Thanks to its private waterfront, pupils can enjoy sailing, scuba diving, and kayaking. But it isn’t just water lovers who will thrive here: creative and musical students will also find plenty to inspire them, with modern studios, a state-of-the-art music school, and even its own concert hall.
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 pupils: 750
International pupils: 13%
Boarding pupils: 450
Pupils in the Sixth Form: 106
Average class size in the Sixth Form: 1:8
Boarding fees for the Sixth Form per term: £17,507
Main sports on offer in addition to traditional team sports: a wide range of water sports, especially sailing, canoeing, water polo, as well as riding, dry slope skiing, shooting, kickboxing, martial arts, dance, mountain biking, climbing, and golf.
Nearest airports: London Stansted (1 hour), also easily accessible by train.
http://www.royalhospitalschool.org/
Key Strengths at a Glance
Traditional British full boarding school (large community of boarders)
Excellent sports programme
Own sailing academy
Outstanding art and music departments
Royal Hospital School – Photo Highlights
Royal Hospital School in Detail
British Culture and Values
Since its founding in 1712, the Royal Hospital School has been built on traditional values such as loyalty, commitment, courage, and respect. With around 87% of students being British, the authentic ethos of British boarding school life is evident at every turn on campus. Soft skills, too – like teamwork and handling stressful situations – are a clear part of the education here. Senior students are encouraged to take responsibility as prefects, and voluntary membership of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) remains a cherished tradition, teaching independence, resilience, and leadership.
Sport
The school’s sporting life is steeped in British tradition, with classic team sports like cricket, netball, tennis, rugby, and football, all thriving. Its maritime heritage is equally celebrated, with sailing at the very heart of school life. All pupils have the opportunity to join the Sailing Academy and compete at school, national, or even international level. Particularly gifted sailors can also receive tailored support through the Royal Yachting Association.
Arts and Music
Creative and craft skills are strongly encouraged at the Royal Hospital School. The extensive art and design department boasts superb exhibition spaces that showcase students’ creativity — we were captivated by the unique artworks we saw during our visit. Musical talent is equally nurtured: the school has its own beautiful, fully equipped concert hall, the Burns Recital Hall, which hosts over 50 concerts a year and partners with renowned organisations such as the Warwick Music Group.
Academic Principles and Pastoral Care
Learning at the Royal Hospital School is innovative and delivered in a modern, dynamic environment. Developing students’ confidence in using digital media is a priority. With an unusually broad curriculum that includes subjects like psychology, product design, and film studies, the school offers an individualised learning pathway for each child. Mental health and wellbeing are taken seriously to ensure a healthy environment for learning. The house system creates a familial, Harry Potter–esque atmosphere that immediately struck us on our visit.
Photos From Our Visit
Our Visit
Simply put — postcard perfection! It is hard to describe just how beautiful the imposing building looked, glittering in the late summer sun. The campus, with its cutting-edge facilities, left us speechless. We were especially fascinated by the creativity and skill on display in the art and design department. Our heartfelt thanks go to the highly dedicated Head of International Admissions and the Headmaster for the warm welcome and superb tour. We felt truly at home.
The Head’s Perspective
Irfan Latif
Fees Royal Hospital School
Fees at the Royal Hospital School are currently £17,507 per term, or £52,521 per year. The registration fee is currently £75.
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Conclusion Royal Hospital School
The Royal Hospital School is a traditional British boarding school with a unique sporting offer.
That said, it is far from the only school in the UK with an outstanding sports programme. We recommend that families seek personalised advice to find the right fit for their child’s needs and aspirations. Do feel free to contact us — our long-standing relationships with schools enable us to offer authentic, nuanced guidance.
We’re confident we can help you find the right school for your child.
On our Boarding Schools in England page you’ll find:
- Enhanced chances of acceptance at the Royal Hospital School
- Authentic, up-to-date insights from our latest campus visit
- Exclusive video material from our interview with Headmaster Lockyer, where he discusses community, daily life, and the school’s ethos
- Our personal experience in placing students at RHS
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.
