Question 1

Is St Swithun's School a good school?

Accepted Answer

Yes. St Swithun's met required standards across all key areas in the ISI routine inspection of 2024. Current ranking data places the school 132nd of 3,895 in England for GCSE academic outcomes and 58th of 2,549 for A-level outcomes. In the current dataset, 77.4% of GCSE grades achieved 9-7 and 90% of A-level grades achieved A*-B.

Question 2

What are the fees at St Swithun's School for 2025-26?

Accepted Answer

Tuition fees are £10,846.80 per term (day girls) or £18,332.40 per term (boarders), both including VAT. Annual equivalents are approximately £32,540 (day) and £55,000 (boarding). Registration fee is £350. Fees do not include uniform, certain trips, or private music lessons. Prep school fees range by year group from £1,404-£5,825 per term.

Question 3

What scholarships and financial aid does St Swithun's offer?

Accepted Answer

Scholarships (5-20% of fees) are awarded in academic, music, sport, art, drama, and mathematics disciplines at entry points 11+, 13+, and 16+. Means-tested bursaries cover 75-110% of tuition fees. Armed Forces families receive 20% boarding bursaries. The Bramston Foundation provides transformational bursaries covering full boarding for girls from disadvantaged circumstances. Families with three daughters receive a 10% discount.

Question 4

How selective is admission to St Swithun's School?

Accepted Answer

Admission is selective. Candidates sit entrance examinations (Common Entrance at 11+ and 13+, or school's own papers for overseas applicants), followed by interview. Girls must demonstrate capability in English, mathematics, and reasoning. Boarding entry is typically more accessible than day entry. The school is consistently oversubscribed.

Question 5

Does St Swithun's School offer music and drama?

Accepted Answer

Yes, extensively. The school operates three choirs, five rock bands, three orchestras, and smaller ensembles. Seventy-five percent of prep pupils learn an instrument; uptake remains high in senior school. Music scholarships (up to 20% of fees) are awarded at 11+, 13+, and 16+. Drama is taught and pursued through major theatrical productions. Drama scholarships and A-level drama are available.

Question 6

What sports does St Swithun's School offer?

Accepted Answer

Compulsory sports include netball, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, and rounders. Optional sports span archery, badminton, basketball, cricket, cross-country, fencing, golf, handball, karate, pilates, touch rugby, trampolining, water polo, and fitness. The school ranked 1st among Hampshire schools and 1st among girls' boarding schools nationally in 2024. Sports scholarships (up to 20% of fees) are awarded to county-level athletes.

Question 7

What is boarding life like at St Swithun's School?

Accepted Answer

Approximately 214 full and weekly boarders live in six designated boarding houses. Year 7 boarders reside in Le Roy, a purpose-designed house with small dorms and mentoring by senior students. Senior boarders (Years 8-11) live in houses with single-occupancy rooms; age groups and nationalities are balanced. Sixth formers share Finlay House with day students. Weekends feature 14+ structured activities. House staff live on-site. Exeats occur approximately every three weeks.

Question 8

What subjects and A-levels does St Swithun's School offer?

Accepted Answer

The senior school offers 26 A-level subjects including sciences (taught separately), mathematics, languages (French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Classical Greek, Russian), English, humanities (history, geography, classics, government and politics), the arts (drama, art, music), computing, psychology, and economics. The curriculum is broad, permitting genuine intellectual flexibility. Girls can pursue intellectual interests beyond narrow career pathways.

A-Level Performance

Grade Distribution