St Swithun’s School

St Swithun’s has a long-standing reputation for academic rigour and success, but this is only a part of what the school offers. Jane Gandee, headmistress, describes the school as ‘appropriately academic’ expecting girls to give their full attention to classwork and to homework before taking advantage of the wide range of co-curricular activities on offer. Girls are encouraged to develop individual passions and expected to display intellectual curiosity, courage, perseverance, compassion, humility, respect and a sense of fun.

The senior school has six boarding houses for its 214 full and weekly boarders, with separate houses for those in their first year and those in the upper sixth. The school buildings are modern and well equipped. As well as the normal 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 swimming pool. There is an impressive library and ICT facility. The grounds are spacious and encompass sports fields, tennis courts and gardens.