‘Above our front door are the words caritas, humilitas and sinceritas, qualities associated with Saint Swithun himself. If we can equip our students to be kind, quietly self-confident and honest, we know that will take them far’.
Jane Gandee, Head.
St Swithun’s is a World Class High Performance Learning School set in 45 acres in the South Downs National Park on the outskirts of Winchester. The school offers weekly boarding, flexi-boarding, full boarding and day options for girls aged 11–18. At present, the senior school (girls aged 11–18) has 300 day girls and 208 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 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. 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.
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 minibus service from St Swithun’s to Richmond and Kensington on a Friday evening, with 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. 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 which 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.
St Swithun’s has been among the vanguard of forward-looking UK independent schools in adopting the High Performance Learning (HPL) philosophy, having been a member of the Fellowship and Global Community of HPL Schools since 2018 and first accredited as an HPL World Class School in 2020. In 2025, St Swithun’s was recognised as a High Performance Learning International Research School, further advancing our commitment to research-based development of learning and teaching practice. 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.
Girls take 9 or 10 GCSE exams and we 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.
At Sixth Form, a flexible options system is offered in which students study either three or four A levels as two-year courses (or four or five if further mathematics is included). Girls select from the subject choices below in the spring term of year 11. Most students will begin with four subjects (or five if taking further mathematics) and make an informed decision as to which subject to discontinue during year 12, as informed by evidence from regular assessment. In addition, all sixth formers may choose to do the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). This is worth half an A level and 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.
Girls at St Swithun’s 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 with topics such as magic and mathematics, biblical Hebrew, cryptic crosswords and French cinema. M5 girls will use Stretch to undertake community service.
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 chapel at the heart of the main building. St Swithun’s welcomes people of all faiths and no faith, and offers opportunities for all girls to explore the spiritual dimension of life during their time at the school. 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.
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. 75% have instrumental lessons and there is a choice of 22 instruments to study. Thirty flourishing school ensembles create a wealth of music and everyone is welcome to join in. The more accomplished musicians are also cathedral choristers or play in county and national groups. Learning to compose enables some to express themselves through music and performing is an integral part of the offering.
Sports. In 2024, St Swithun’s was ranked 1st out of all Hampshire schools, 1st out of all girls’ boarding schools in the country and 4th out of all girls schools in School Sport Magazine ‘Top 200 sporting schools of 2024’. The rankings included both state and independent schools and take into account results in more than 20 different sports and more than 120 different events. In 2025, St Swithun’s were finalists in the Independent Schools of the Year for Sporting Achievement category.
St Swithun’s recognises the role that sport and exercise play in a pupil’s long-term mental, physical and social health. The goal is to ensure that every pupil leaves the school believing that sport and/or exercise is a vital part of their life and aim to provide all pupils with a positive and purposeful journey through sport and exercise. The dedicated head of active wellbeing works across the school to reduce the barriers that often prevent girls from taking part in sport and physical activity while extolling the benefits, both physical and mental, of exercising.
Facilities. The school buildings are modern and well-equipped. As well as academic classrooms and science laboratories, there is a magnificent performing arts centre with a 600-seat auditorium, a music school, an art and technology block, a sports hall and a full-size indoor swimming pool. There is an impressive library and ICT facility. The grounds are spacious and encompass sports fields, athletics track with all-weather jumping and throwing areas, tennis courts and gardens. 2026 will see the opening of phase one of a major indoor sports facilities development with phase two to follow shortly.
School houses. There are six boarding houses and four 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 where they have their own room. 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. An extensive range of co-curricular activities and an organised programme of visits and activities happen at the weekend. Girls participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, Young Enterprise and local community service work. 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 water sports holidays.
Health. The school health centre 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 do not attract any fee remission but are an honour and a privilege. They are available for day girls and boarders entering the school at 11+, at 13+ and to the Sixth Form.
Music scholarships include free tuition on two instruments; exhibitions provide free tuition on one instrument.
Sports scholarships are awarded at the end of Year 9 when all girls will have had the opportunity to develop skills in all of the sports that the school offers. Sports scholarships are also available for internal and external candidates at 16+.
Other scholarships include: Drama, Art and Maths.
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 (2025–2026). Senior School: Boarders £18,332.40; Day Girls £10,846.80. Prep School: £5,638.80–£7,657.20. Fees include VAT.
Charitable status. St Swithun’s School Winchester is a Registered Charity, number 307335.