An imposing red brick school building with tower under a blue sky with clouds

St Swithun's School

St Swithun's School

Winchester, England

Founded in 1884, St Swithun’s School is a very prestigious girls' school. Here, academic excellence - particularly the natural sciences - are clearly in focus. The school has been part of the "High Performance Learning World Class Schools" since 2020. Following the motto "Intelligence is not innate, but learned," every girl is encouraged to perform at her personal best. St Swithun's also ensures that pupils optimize their artistic and athletic talents. Especially in the areas of music, theater, and lacrosse, St Swithun’s offers outstanding programs and support. With more than 100 recreational activities, 45 clubs, numerous excursions, trips, about 40 to 50 weekend activities per term, and other extracurricular activities, there is certainly no boredom at this school.

Number of students
520
Number of boarders
340
Percentage of international boarders
16%
Average class size
13
Diploma offered
A-Levels
Closest International Airport
1 Hr.
London-Heathrow - by car
laboratory of the design departmentThe engineering

The Details

The Academics

Students at St Swithun's have been improving their GCSE grades by about one grade compared to their predicted grades based on prior performance for years. At A-Levels, they achieve on average half a grade better than expected.

In the 2024 GCSEs, 86% of the girls achieved top grades of 9 to 7. In the 2024 A-Levels, 68% of the girls achieved A grades at At level. These are truly outstanding results!

The school's approach is to maximize the academic excellence of each individual pupil. Since St Swithun’s has been one of the High-Performance Learning schools since 2020, parents can expect contemporary teaching methods and maximum support. Nevertheless, or perhaps for this reason, the admissions process is not unrealistically selective. With SEN (Special Educational Needs) support, students with learning difficulties are optimally supported. However, the entrance exam must be passed.

Mathematics and the natural sciences hold a special place at St Swithun's. For instance, sciences are taught at an elite level across three floors with special laboratories equipped with laser cutters and much more. It's little wonder that many graduates choose to pursue scientific studies, such as medicine. Among its alumni, St Swithun's is particularly proud of Emma Walmsley, who, as CEO of the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, excellently embodies what the school stands for.

Languages Taught

Greek, Latin, French, German and Spanish.

The Boarding

Around 60 percent of girls live in the boarding facilities. Of these, 16 percent are not from the UK but from a total of 17 countries.

In addition to houses for day girls, there are three houses for boarding students. In Le Roy, the younger students live in shared bedrooms. In the middle years, the girls live in the four senior boarding houses Earlsdown, High House, Hillcroft, and Hyde Abbey. Here, two students share a room for the duration of a term before the allocation is redistributed to ensure everyone gets to know each other. While in the middle years, day students are accommodated in separate houses from full-time boarders, in the upper years, everyone comes together in Finlay House. Here, the senior boarding students live in single rooms.

Each house has cozy common rooms and house mothers who live with the girls in the house and are always available for any concerns. For sick girls, there are isolation rooms, and a health center is available to the students. In addition, a psychologist offers discreet appointments in the old school chapel.

St Swithun's School has an exeat weekend in the summer term. It is always scheduled to include a public holiday to give the boarding students an extra day.

Three girls in blue coats working on a race car prototypeThe engineering

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

Although St Swithun's is not overly selective and does not have strict admission conditions, the academic results are really extraordinarily good.

What we also like are the school's science department and the wide range of recreational activities that have something for every girl.

The musical education at the school is exemplary. Here, over 70% of the girls play at least one instrument. There are orchestras, bands, and choirs.

The teachers and house parents - all extremely dedicated boarding school staff!

Weaknesses

Nothing we could discern. We are big fans!

Location

The 45-hectare grounds of St Swithun's School are located just 15 minutes from the center of Winchester. From the elevated position of the school, there is a spectacular view of the adjacent chalk landscape of the South Downs National Park. For those who find the extensive cultural offerings in Winchester insufficient, London is just an hour away by train.

Closest International Airport
London Heathrow - 1 hr by car
Closest Train Station
Winchester Station - 10 min by car
Nearest Cities
Winchester - 30 min walk
Southampton - 20 min by car
London - 1 hr by train
Our Opinion

One of THE girls' boarding schools in the UK! Yet friendly, supportive and grounded.

Our Insider Tip

If you visit Winchester, be sure to spend some time exploring the old town. 

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