OGWs

In 2025 Great Walstead School will be celebrating our centenary. We have a range of activities and events planned to mark this occasion, so there’s even more reason to stay in touch.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The school began life in 1925 as Kilvinton Hall in Enfield, Middlesex. Its founder, RJ Mowll, always had the vision of a Christian school, set in the country where children could develop academically, creatively, physically and spiritually. Thus it was that it moved to its present location in Sussex two years later and renamed Great Walstead after the house it now occupied.

Originally, a boys’ only boarding school, day pupils were welcomed in 1960 and 18 years’ later so were girls. Full-time boarding ceased in 1996 to allow working parents more time with their children at weekends.

Over the years, the school has grown to include a Pre-School taking children from 2½ years with their own dedicated learning and play area. Other facilities include a challenge course for older pupils, large sports hall, a Performing Arts Centre, artificial pitch for year-round sport, and covered swimming pool.

From the start the pupils took advantage of Great Walstead’s 265 acres to expand their education. The woods have long been a feature of the school and are still extensively used today by all years, with forest school, cross country, camp building in the summer and our famous Q-Day.

Great Walstead’s unique environment offers children the opportunity to learn in a wide range of ways, both inside and outside the classroom, thus continuing to fulfill its founding ethos.