Royal Hospital School

What Royal Hospital School does

Royal Hospital School (RHS) is a co-educational boarding and day school located on a 200-acre riverside campus in Holbrook, Suffolk, approximately one hour from London. Founded in 1712 as Greenwich Hospital School, the school moved to its current Holbrook site in 1933 and became co-educational in 1991. RHS serves roughly 560 pupils aged 11-18 across Years 7-13, with approximately 51% (around 350 pupils) enrolled as boarders. The school offers flexible boarding configurations including full, weekly, three-night, and ad-hoc bundles alongside day places, with annual tuition and boarding fees ranging from £22,527 (Years 7-8 Day) to £53,835 (Years 9-13 International Boarding), all inclusive of VAT.

The school's academic and pastoral platform spans GCSE, A Level, and BTEC pathways, augmented by differentiated programs including the Compass Programme (Years 7-9 focus on AI, oracy, career readiness), RHSXtra (Sixth Form electives, life skills, guest speaker workshops), and the RHS Futures careers programme powered by Unifrog. Technology infrastructure centers on a Microsoft Showcase School designation with a 1:1 Microsoft Surface device program, My School Portal for grades and scheduling, and SOCS integration for sports fixtures. RHS is differentiated by a nationally recognized Sailing Academy operating a 91-dinghy fleet at Alton Water (named #1 Sailing Academy), over 100 co-curricular activities, and an on-campus Health Centre and Dental Clinic. It operates within the Inspired Learning Group (ILG) network since 2025 and benefits from historic ties to Greenwich Hospital and MOD CEA for service families.

RHS generates revenue primarily through termly tuition and boarding fees across a tiered pricing matrix differentiated by year group, attendance type, and international status, plus supplementary charges (examinations, music/sailing/drama lessons, Microsoft Surface scheme, airport transfers, physiotherapy). Donations and legacies via the Centennial Bursary Campaign (Launching 100 Lives) form a secondary philanthropic revenue stream. Go-to-market is direct admissions via a seven-step enrollment journey (registration, assessments, experience days, scholarship assessments), supplemented by open events (Open Mornings, Sixth Form Evenings, Sailing Tasters, Scholarship Insight Evenings), and digital presence across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. International recruitment is supported through Sable International for visa processing, with separate UK and international admissions teams.

Name

Royal Hospital School

Legal name

Royal Hospital School

Website

https://royalhospitalschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1712

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Royal Hospital School is a co-educational boarding and day school (ages 11-18) on a 200-acre Suffolk campus, serving approximately 560 pupils. Founded 1712, now part of Inspired Learning Group, it offers flexible boarding options and is differentiated by a leading Sailing Academy and Microsoft Showcase School technology integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Boarding and Day Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subject-Specific Short Courses & Academies (e.g., STEM, Business, Arts) (EDAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Boarding school education
• Independent day school
• Secondary school tuition
• Sixth form education
• International student programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Ipswich

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Boarding Fees: Primary revenue from termly tuition and boarding fees for Years 7-13. Fees vary by year group (Years 7-8 vs Years 9-13) and attendance type (day, three-night boarding, weekly boarding, full boarding, international boarding). Published fees are inclusive of VAT.
2. Supplementary Charges: Additional charges including pocket money management, Friends of RHS association fee, Careers Advice Programme, Return 2 Play concussion service, Microsoft Surface scheme, examination fees, ad hoc boarding nights, activity charges (sailing, drama lessons, music lessons, judo, golf), counselling, physiotherapy, and airport transfers.
3. Bursary Campaign Donations: Centennial Bursary Campaign (Launching 100 Lives) accepting donations, legacies, and gifts including regular giving, one-off donations, Gift Aid donations, payroll giving, and tax-efficient share gifts to fund bursaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Royal Hospital School is a co-educational boarding and day independent school providing full secondary education for pupils aged 11-18 (Years 7-13) on its 200-acre riverside campus in Holbrook, Suffolk. The school delivers a broad curriculum across Years 7-9, GCSE, A Level, and BTEC pathways, with flexible boarding options (day, three-night, weekly, full, and international boarding), a flagship Sailing Academy at Alton Water, and specialised programmes including the Compass Programme (digital fluency for younger years), RHSXtra (Sixth Form electives and life skills), and international academic pathways (One Year GCSE, Short Term Study, A Level Foundation).

Product overview

Royal Hospital School is a co-educational boarding and day school (ages 11-18) providing a full and broad education. The core educational offering spans Years 7-9 (broad Key Stage 3 curriculum), Years 10-11 (GCSE), and Sixth Form (A Level and BTEC). Supporting the academic programme are specialised offerings including the RHS Sailing Academy (#1 Sailing Academy with 80+ boats), the Compass Programme (digital fluency for Years 7-9), RHSXtra (Sixth Form elective and skills programme), RHS Futures (careers programme), and Scholars' Programme (academic stretch). The school operates My School Portal, a digital platform for parents and pupils to access grades and schedules. For international pupils, the school offers One Year GCSE, Short Term Study, and A Level Foundation programmes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Co-educational Boarding and Day Education (Years 7-13) Full secondary education for pupils aged 11-18 (Years 7-13) delivered as a co-educational boarding and day programme. Approximately 560 pupils currently enrolled (about 51% boarders), with a full curriculum spanning Years 7-9, GCSE, A Level, and BTEC pathways on the 200-acre Holbrook campus.
• International Academic Programmes (One Year GCSE, Short Term Study, A Level Foundation) Three discrete academic pathways for international pupils: One Year GCSE (intensive one-year GCSE course), Short Term Study (1-2 terms or full academic year), and A Level Foundation Programme. Includes EAL testing, appointed guardian requirement, and end-to-end Child Student Visa processing through Sable International.
• RHS Sailing Academy World-leading Sailing Academy with a fleet of 91 dinghies located at Alton Water reservoir, where all Year 7 pupils are introduced to sailing. Over 100 pupils compete regularly across competitive levels, with 28 elite sailors representing the school nationally and internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of pupils achieve Top 50 university entry
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered primary, core and strategic.

• Inspired Learning Group (ILG)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025RHS entered an exciting new chapter in 2025 as part of the Inspired Learning Group (ILG), a network of independent schools and nurseries. This partnership strengthens the school's ability to deliver exceptional education while preserving its traditions, character, and community spirit. ILG provides strategic investment and governance support as RHS approaches its centenary at Holbrook in 2033. ILG Head Office is at Georgian House, Park Lane, Stanmore, HA7 3AD.
• Greenwich HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreenwich Hospital, a Crown Body, founded the school in 1712 and continues to provide financial support to children of serving and former serving Royal Navy personnel through discounts and bursaries. This historic relationship enables 15% discount (Greenwich Hospital Discount) and up to 50% means-tested bursaries (Greenwich Hospital Bursary) for first-generation seafaring families.
• Sable InternationalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSable International manages the visa application process for international students requiring Child Student Visas. They assist with completion and submission of visa application forms, checking supporting documents, and issuance of CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) since RHS has Student Sponsor Status.
• Royal National Children's Springboard FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2014, RHS has worked with this foundation to drive social mobility through young people's access to great educational opportunities. Working with community and mentoring organisations, Springboard identifies young people most likely to flourish from boarding school bursary opportunities.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Uppingham School: HMC co-educational full-boarding school in Rutland (~800 pupils); comparable fee band (£45-55k boarding), strong academic outcomes, and similar full-boarding community model.
• Sedbergh School: HMC co-educational boarding school in Cumbria (~530 pupils); similar size, heritage, and boarding-led offering with strong co-curricular and music programmes comparable to RHS's positioning.
• St Felix School: Co-educational independent day and boarding school in Southwold, Suffolk — directly comparable geographic competitor in East Anglia with similar boarding proportions and pupil profile.
• Framlingham College: Co-educational boarding and day school in Suffolk, ~25 miles from RHS; serves ages 11-18 with similar boarding mix, fee band (~£35-45k boarding), and county-level catchment — the closest geographic direct peer.
• Stoke College: Co-educational independent boarding and day school in Suffolk explicitly listed by RHS as a feeder/support school; similar East Anglia positioning and overlapping age range.
• Woodbridge School: Independent co-educational day and boarding school in Suffolk — same county as RHS with overlapping catchment and similar mix of day and boarding pupils in the East Anglia market.
• Bromsgrove School: HMC co-educational boarding school in Worcestershire (~1,500 pupils); comparable mix of day and boarding, similar A Level/BTEC offering, and historically similar fee positioning in mid-tier independent boarding market.
• Oundle School: Large HMC co-educational boarding school (~1,100 pupils) in Northamptonshire; comparable academic profile (Top university destinations, similar A Level/GCSE outcomes) and overlapping boarding model with similar fee band.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RoyalHospitalSchoolSuffolk
• Facebookfacebook.com/royalhospitalschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-royal-hospital-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/royalhospitalschool
• TikToktiktok.com/@royalhospitalschool
• Xx.com/rhssuffolk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Royal Hospital School