Head’s Welcome

Colfe’s is one of the oldest schools in London, established by our founder Abraham Colfe back in 1652. Our links with the Leathersellers’ City Livery Company – who have governed the school since then – still remain strong today. For centuries we have been a local school, reflecting the local mix of families and occupations here to us in south east London.

We teach both boys and girls – because we believe they work well together at all ages. We are a through school from 3-18 and our main entry points are at ages 3 and 4 in the Junior School and 11 and 16 in the Senior School. We are academically selective and take into account the whole child at assessment – we want the pupils at Colfe’s to be well-rounded, happy individuals who are each able to contribute something unique to the school. Research conducted by Durham University shows that a pupil – of any given ability – will perform better at Colfe’s than 86% of other independent schools.

Colfe’s is a happy school. Academic standards are high – students perform well in public examinations with many going on to their first place university including Russell Group institutions and Oxford and Cambridge. Our award-winning pastoral programmes give pupils the tools they need to learn and to live – supporting them at school and preparing them for life beyond.

Our on-site resources are unique for a London day school. We are lucky to have such an abundance of green space on site as well as a performing arts centre, sports centre with full size swimming pool, two additional extensive sports grounds and a dedicated forest school for younger pupils nearby.

Means-tested scholarships are available to pupils at entry to the Senior School and to the Sixth Form, including a ground-breaking, fully-funded scholarship programme made possible by the donations of the Leathersellers’ City Livery Company.

Our latest Independent Schools Inspectorate Report rated the school as ‘Excellent’.

The best way to learn more about us is to come and visit.

We look forward to meeting you.

Richard F Russell
Headmaster

Richard Russell was appointed Headmaster of Colfe’s School in September 2005. He began his teaching career at Sevenoaks School in 1983 as a Classics teacher. As International Baccalaureate Co-ordinator and Director of Studies, he managed and oversaw the expansion and development of the IB programme at Sevenoaks.

In 1998 he moved to Forest School as Deputy Warden – the only major independent school in London’s East End. He is a Governor of the British School of Paris, Deptford Green School and the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools; a member of the HMC Universities Committee and a past Chairman of the London Division of HMC.

Richard Russell was educated at Methodist College Belfast and Jesus College Cambridge where he graduated in Classics. During the latter part of his time at university and the early part of his teaching career he participated in four seasons of Mediterranean archaeology.