About the School

Sir William Perkins, a wealthy Chertsey merchant, founded the school in 1725 to educate the town’s children. The school moved to its present site in 1819 and later became a girls' school and a voluntary controlled Grammar School in 1944. In 1978, it became fully independent as an educational foundation administered by trustees, who also form the Board of Governors. This history underpins the ethos of the school. Our policy is to keep fees as low as is consistent with the high quality of education that is offered.

Today the school has around 550 pupils aged eleven to eighteen, who join us from many different independent preparatory and maintained sector schools. Situated on Green Belt land in twelve acres of attractive gardens and playing fields, the school is easily reached by road and public transport and girls travel here from a wide area.

The school is continually developing, with buildings and equipment updated and extended to meet the current needs. Among the facilities are a Design and Technology Centre, a Sixth Form Centre, a Performing Arts Centre with recital hall and recording studio and a Sports Centre with fitness studio. Recent developments include a newly refurbished library with careers centre, a Sixth Form study room, an Astroturf all-weather pitch and a digital language laboratory.

The school has a Christian foundation and ethos which underpins the way it operates. However, we value the fact that the Sir William Perkins community is diverse and girls of all faiths and their families are warmly welcomed.