Ages: 13-18

Registration: Four years before year of entry for 13+

Admissions: Winchester has its own entrance examination, called the Winchester Entrance, and does not use Common Entrance. The students take either the Winchester Entrance exam or the Election—the school’s academic scholarship exam—in addition to an interview in Year 6. The school has recently announced that all boys who have registered will be required to sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test. These tests take place at approved centres during October and November in Year 6, effective from September 2019.

No. of Pupils: 690

Curriculum: In 2008 it abandoned the A-level system to adopt the Cambridge Pre-U. All boys sit IGCSEs or GCSEs in at least two of three sciences, maths, English, GCSE Latin, and usually three or four other subjects—history, geography, ancient Greek, art, design, music, Spanish, Russian or Chinese.

Noteworthy: Winchester’s origins can be traced back to 1382 and it has existed in its present location for over 600 years thus claiming the longest unbroken history of any school in England. One of the most academically rigorous all-boys boarding schools in the UK, it has a superb track record for entry to Oxbridge. 

New: This year, the school swept awards for the National Schools Regatta, National Schools Head, Senior Epee in National Schools Fencing Championships, U19 Schools Cricket Cup, the UCL Schools Debating Cup, various UK Olympiads, the European Astro Pi Challenge, the Royal College of Science Union’s Science Challenge and more.

Term fees: £13,304 (termly boarding)

College Street, Winchester, Hampshire, winchestercollege.org