St Swithun’s is a modern and flourishing educational organisation. The school is set on an impressive and attractive campus of 45 acres in the South Downs National Park on the outskirts of Winchester. It offers girls excellent teaching, sporting and recreational facilities. St Swithun's is a World Class High Performance Learning (HPL) School.
The school offers weekly boarding, full boarding and day options for girls aged 11–18. At present the senior school (girls aged 11–18) has 299 day girls and 223 boarders. There is an adjoining Prep School for girls aged 4–11 with a co-ed pre-school (see Prep School entry in IAPS section).
Ethos. St Swithun’s is an ‘appropriately academic’ school which means that we celebrate intellectual curiosity and the life of the mind, but not to the exclusion of all else. We expect our pupils to develop individual passions and through them to acquire a range of skills and characteristics. These characteristics will include a willingness to take risks, to question and to debate, and to persevere in the face of difficulty. In the words of Samuel Beckett: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” If a girl can immediately excel at everything we ask of her, we as educators must set the bar higher.
We want all girls to learn about life beyond the school gates, to appreciate the rich variety of our world, to develop an understanding of compassion and to value justice. We encourage all pupils to become involved in fundraising and community work. They should appreciate how their decisions and their actions can affect those around them.
St Swithun’s was founded by Anna Bramston, daughter of the Dean of Winchester, and Christian values underpin our approach to education. We provide a civilised and caring environment in which all girls and staff are valued for their individual gifts and encouraged to develop a sense of spirituality and of kindness. We believe that kindness and tolerance are at the heart of any fully functioning community.
Location. The school is on a rural site in Winchester’s ‘green belt’ but only a short distance from the city centre. It is easily accessible from Heathrow and Gatwick airports and is one hour from London by car (via the M3 motorway). There is a frequent train service to London Waterloo (one hour). We also offer a popular London taxi service from St Swithun’s School to London on a Friday evening and a return journey on Sunday.
Curriculum. Girls at St Swithun’s benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes individual choice and achievement. The timetable is designed to enable each pupil to fulfil her intellectual, physical and creative potential through a dynamic range of purposeful lessons and activities.
From their first years here girls are taught to examine social, cultural and moral issues so that they can make informed decisions about their own way of living as well as respecting the values of each individual. The PSHEE & citizenship programme is tailored for each year group and is delivered through a range of school activities and specialist speakers.
All girls follow an enrichment programme known as Stretch. This consists of taught short courses and lectures from visiting speakers. Courses are wide-ranging and topics such as magic and mathematics, biblical Hebrew, cryptic crosswords and French cinema. M5 girls will use Stretch to undertake community service.
Games and PE are taught throughout the school so that girls can participate in a wide range of team and individual sports. Both in lessons and as recreational activities, the emphasis is on personal enjoyment and the development of a healthy, active life, but all pupils receive expert coaching and the most talented individuals and teams are entered into county, regional and national competitions.
Learning support provides bespoke support for individual girls who may be experiencing difficulties in aspects of their academic studies.
Girls take 9 or 10 GCSE exams to allow time for other interests and activities. Everyone takes English language, English literature, mathematics, at least two sciences and one modern foreign language. The girls then choose a further three or four subjects from a choice of 13. Girls are encouraged to take at least one humanity or social science to ensure a breadth of knowledge and skills.
In the sixth form girls are offered 24 subjects from which they choose four at A Level (five if maths and further maths are chosen). Advice is given about the implications for their choice of university, degree course and career to ensure sensible combinations. Some girls choose to follow courses in subjects which are not offered at GCSE. Over half the sixth form study at least one science subject at A Level. Girls normally continue with three of their lower sixth subjects to complete three full A Levels.
In addition, all sixth-formers may choose to do the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). This is worth half an A Level and is graded from A*–E. The qualification gives girls the opportunity to research an area of personal interest. Universities recognise the value of the skills required for the qualification and it attracts UCAS tariff points. Italian GCSE is also available in the sixth form.
In 2020 St Swithun's became accredited as a High Performance Learning (HPL) World Class School and was re-accredited in 2023. The philosophy and principles of HPL, that everyone can perform highly, are embedded across the curriculum and all areas of school life for all students in the school. Our unique academic enrichment programme, delivered in lunchtime and break sessions, is also open to the whole school.
Religion. The school is a Church of England foundation. There are close ties with Winchester Cathedral, where termly services and the annual confirmation and carol services are held. A full-time chaplain prepares girls for confirmation. There is a newly converted chapel at the heart of the school. Although rooted in the Anglican tradition we welcome people of all faiths and no faith, and we offer opportunities for all girls to explore the spiritual dimension of life during their time here. Students are encouraged to respect religious faith and to think for themselves: to question beliefs, to be open to possibilities and the unexpected, to respect difference and to listen to other perspectives. We are happy to enable girls of different denominations and faiths to join a local congregation if so desired.
Music. From the first hymn in the morning to the final applause on concert nights every day is enriched by music and the school enjoys a fine reputation for the excellence and variety that girls achieve. Through lessons, practice, rehearsals, exams, competitions, performances and cathedral services, the girls are drawn together to make the most of a busy and ambitious musical life: 75% have instrumental lessons and there is a choice of twenty-two instruments to study. Thirty flourishing school ensembles create a wealth of music and everyone is welcome to join in. Our most accomplished musicians are also cathedral choristers or play in county and national groups. There are endless possibilities at St Swithun’s whether it is Renaissance church music, African drumming or 21st century pop music that girls wish to study, listen to, compose or perform. They are taught to appreciate many different styles of music from all over the world and from different historical eras. Learning to compose enables some to express themselves through music and we encourage performing as an integral part of what we offer. Learning a musical instrument and sharing this with an audience requires a high standard of creativity, commitment, technique and courage.
Sports. At St Swithun's we know the importance that sport and exercise plays in a pupils long term mental, physical and social health. Our goal is to ensure that every pupil leaves the school believing that sport and/or exercise is a vital part of their life and has the desire, competence and confidence to continue their journey in sport and exercise once they leave the school. We hope to achieve this by providing all pupils with a positive and purposeful journey through sport and exercise.
We understand that every pupil comes to us with different perceptions of sport and ambitions in sport. We aim to provide a tailored programme that allows each pupil to fulfil their potential. From year 7 to 9 we offer a diverse curriculum allowing the girls to experience a variety of activities. As pupils move through the school they will have the option to choose specific activities that they are more passionate about and want to develop within.
Outside of the curriculum we offer a broad range of sport and exercise classes before school, during lunch times and after school. The sports clubs available provide pupils with an additional development opportunity and our modern exercise classes aim to provide pupils with a love of movement that will serve them well beyond school.
Facilities. The original school building contains the main teaching rooms and libraries and has been extended and developed to provide specialist areas for languages, information technology, food and textiles and careers. The science wing contains eight fully equipped modern laboratories and project rooms. In addition, there is an art, design and technology centre and a performing arts building was opened in 2003. This has a 600-seat main auditorium and two smaller performance spaces. A new library, careers and ICT facility was opened in 2007. A new further education study centre for sixth form students opened in late 2021.
School Houses. There are 6 boarding houses and 4 day girl houses, each staffed by a housemistress or housemaster and assistant who take pride in the high level of pastoral care offered to each girl. The junior house is for day girls and boarders aged 11 who are then transferred to one of the senior houses after a year. They remain in the senior house until they have completed one year in the sixth form. The upper sixth house is for boarders and day girls together, with study-bedrooms for boarders, study facilities for day girls and common rooms and a kitchen for all.
Careers. Most girls continue to university, including Oxford and Cambridge, and all continue to some form of higher education and training. Each girl is counselled by one of the team of careers staff in a well-resourced department. Lectures and video presentations are organised frequently and a careers fair held annually. St Swithun's is the Oxbridge hub in Winchester.
Leisure Activities. There is an extensive range of co-curricular activities and an organised programme of visits and activities at the weekend. Girls participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, Young Enterprise and local community service work. The sixth form are able to assist with Stretch activities and this can count towards their UCAS tariff. Each year there are drama productions as well as regular drama activities. There are many overseas study and activity trips which include volunteer work, language trips, ski trips and watersports holidays.
Health. The school health centre forms part of the main buildings. It is staffed by qualified RGNs and visited by the school doctor twice a week.
Entrance. Entry is by means of a pre-test and the Common Entrance examination for Independent Schools. The majority of girls enter the senior school at the age of 11 or 13 years, but girls are accepted at other ages, including the sixth form, subject to satisfactory tests.
Scholarships and Bursaries. Academic scholarships, carrying a fee subsidy of up to 20%, are available for day girls and boarders entering the school at 11+, at 13+ and to the sixth form.
Music scholarships carry a subsidy of up to 10% and provide free tuition on two instruments; exhibitions provide free tuition on one instrument. Music scholars can apply for a means-tested award of up to 100% of school fees.
Sports scholarships are awarded at the end of year 9 when all girls, whether they joined the school at year 7 or year 9, will have had the opportunity to develop skills in all of the sports which the school offers. Sports scholarships are also available for internal and external candidates at 16+. These scholarships have a maximum value of 10% fee remission.
Bursaries of up to 100% of school fees are available for girls who meet the school’s entrance criteria. All bursaries are subject to means-testing. In addition, the school offers a number of 20% boarding bursaries to new HM Forces families joining the school.
Fees per term (2023-2024). Senior School: Boarders £14,217; Day Girls £8,452. Prep School: £4,414-£5,938.
Charitable status. St Swithun’s School Winchester is a Registered Charity, number 307335.