Runnymede College

Runnymede College is a leading private non-denominational British school in Spain offering a British education to boys and girls of all nationalities from the age of three to eighteen. The School regards its task as being to provide its pupils an academically excellent, all-round liberal humanistic education and the necessary basis to succeed in the adult world, and above all, to help them to acquire a moral sense as members of the international, world-wide community.

Runnymede College was founded by Arthur F Powell and his wife Julia in 1967. Arthur Powell became Founder Chairman of the National Association of British Schools in Spain in 1978, from which organisation he resigned in October 1991. Mr Powell and his wife Julia managed the School until their retirement in 1998. Runnymede College is a selective entry school. The admissions process is designed to ensure pupils joining the school will be able to cope with the British curriculum and enjoy their learning experience at Runnymede. All parents and pupils are invited to meet the Headmaster who personally oversees every application with the support of his admissions team.

In the Foundation Stage (Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Reception), children attend school for a full day and are taught by the class teachers, specialist teachers and teaching assistants. Children are engaged in whole class, small group and individual activities, which are tailored to their learning needs. Activities are planned around topic themes and we incorporate cultural activities and festivals which are of significance to our families. Reading is taught primarily by phonics, but our educational approach varies to suit every child. Maths is taught using practical examples, early computer skills are introduced, and appropriate technology is utilised to reinforce learning.

Our philosophy in Key Stage 1 is to help the children to develop as confident, enthusiastic learners, by providing them with an engaging, broad and rich curriculum. To get the most out of learning, the children need to work on four basic skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Through Literacy, we provide them with the opportunity to express themselves clearly and creatively. They listen to and read stories, non fiction and poetry from a range of different cultures, explore their imagination and learn to read to discover facts. We, as adults, use Maths as part of our everyday lives, whether shopping, travelling or working. We endeavour to set our mathematical activities wherever possible in a practical context, related to the real world they will later encounter. Learning to calculate with money, for example, becomes much more real through role play in the class shop! All children have a natural curiosity about the way the world works. Through Science activities we can teach them how to get the answers to questions such as how plants grow or why it is dark at night. Any opportunities to make Science practical are taken; highlights of the year being visits to the local Science museum and in Term 3 to an Outdoor Educational Centre, where the children have first hand experience of caring for plants and animals.

Sixth form students at Runnymede have a dedicated team of staff who are there to support their university applications process, whether they are applying to the UK, USA, Spain or elsewhere in the world. The Headmaster, Mr F. Powell, is ultimately responsible for all applications, and takes a keen interest in ensuring every student at Runnymede has the opportunity to apply for the higher education institutions which are right for them. The Headmaster is supported by two Co-Heads of Sixth Form, as well as form tutors, subject teachers and administrative staff, all of whom work hard to make sure that our students achieve offers from some of the world’s best universities. The Headmaster also undertakes a yearly tour of US and UK universities, meeting admissions tutors and making useful contacts.

Students receive detailed advice on how to write their UCAS personal statements, and they work closely with their referee to complete an application which highlights their academic and extracurricular skills and achievements. With an enviable record of securing places for Runnymede students at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, the school offers special support for viable Oxbridge candidates – including reading lists, advice on courses and colleges, and mock interviews. This support is directed by members of staff who themselves attended Oxford or Cambridge.

We are delighted that so many of our students also go on to study at other top universities in the UK, including Imperial, UCL and Warwick. We have representatives from these institutions and more coming to Runnymede throughout the academic year to deliver presentations and offer targeted advice to our students. We are also delighted that a growing number of students receive offers to study at world-class US universities, including Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, NYU and Georgetown. Runnymede staff work with students applying to the USA to help them with their Common Application and essays, and we also offer support to students taking the SATs.