Ryde School impresses with its waterfront setting, global educational approach, welcoming boarding houses, and vibrant extracurricular programme. Situated as it is on the waterfront, sailing is a priority here.
Situated in the coastal town of Ryde on the Isle of Wight, just off Britain’s south coast, Ryde is one of the few small-island boarding schools in the world. This dreamy location offers endless opportunities for discovery and learning. To reach the mainland, students travel across the water by hovercraft — a journey that takes just ten minutes.
Pupils benefit from a truly international education, delivered through the IB programme and reinforced by the school’s membership of the Round Square network. Ryde also shines with its newly built, exceptionally inviting boarding houses. In 2022, the school was even a finalist in the prestigious Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) Supporting Excellence Awards.
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: 783
Age of pupils: 2–18
International pupils: 49
Average class size: 15
Boarding fees per term (Sixth Form): £15,196
Main sports in addition to traditional team games: sailing, cricket, hockey, netball, rugby, golf, squash, football
Nearest airports: London Gatwick (2.5 hours), London Heathrow (2.5 hours)
Key Strengths at a Glance
Stunning island location
Beautiful boarding houses
Modern Sixth Form Centre
First-class sailing programme
Ryde School – Photo Highlights
Ryde School in Detail
Boarding
At Ryde, boarding is rooted in family values. The two boarding houses offer spacious, modern, and cosy rooms. One of them, the award-winning Centenary House, accommodates Year 11 and Sixth Form students and boasts breath-taking sea views and open-plan communal areas. Beyond the generous gardens, boarders enjoy access to the sports fields, a vegetable garden, and the school’s own beehives. Weekends at Ryde are full of life: barbecues, football matches, communal cooking, trips to local attractions, and more. Paddleboarding, go-karting, and long walks with the boarding house dogs are firm favourites.
Creative Arts
Creativity flourishes at Ryde, both inside and beyond the classroom. Students can take part in musicals, plays, and a short film competition. Their artistic works are showcased in regular exhibitions at the school’s gallery, while visiting artists deliver lectures and workshops. Trips to galleries across the UK, visits to art schools, and real-world design projects with local businesses all enrich their experience. Musical talent is equally celebrated, with concerts, recitals, choirs, and ensembles offering ample opportunity to perform. Many alumni have gone on to careers as opera singers, conductors, or university lecturers in music.
Academic
Ryde students achieve excellent results, with an average of 32 points in the IB and 37% of A-level grades at A*–A. The school also offers a vocational IB programme designed to develop skills and competencies for higher education and the workplace, with three pathways: Arts, Business, and Sport. A highlight of the campus is the modern Sixth Form Centre, designed to encourage independent study and living. It features dedicated areas for individual and group work, a terrace overlooking the water, and a private common room with a kitchen.
Sport
Ryde’s sports facilities are outstanding and include a cricket pitch, sports hall, rugby and hockey fields, tennis and netball courts, a small artificial pitch, and strength & conditioning areas. Pupils can also play golf, squash, football, and badminton, or take part in yoga and mindfulness sessions. Fitness enthusiasts can join Pilates, Body Pump, and circuit training classes. One of Ryde’s particular points of pride is its comprehensive sailing programme, open to all abilities. The school works with the Royal Thames Yacht Club and hosts weekly regattas with the Island Sailing Club. Competitions with the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association and the National Schools Sailing Association are regular fixtures.
This is Ryde School
Fees Ryde School
Boarding fees at Ryde School are £15,196 per term, or £45,588 per year.
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Conclusion Ryde School
Ryde School stands out for its idyllic island location, exciting extracurricular opportunities, and robust IB programme.
However, Ryde is by no means the only British boarding school to combine a stunning setting with a global approach to education. We warmly encourage you to seek personalised advice to find the best fit for your child. Feel free to contact us — our long-standing relationships with schools enable us to offer genuine insight into what makes each one special.
We’re confident that together we can find the right school for your child.
You can find an overview on our Boarding Schools in England page.
Benefit from:
- Our years of experience in placements
- Our excellent relationships with Admissions Offices
- Help with visa queries
- Our support throughout the application process
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.
