Sedbergh School
Same Westmorland and Furness area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 17 August 2026
Windermere School is a private secondary-stage school in The Lake District, Westmorland and Furness, with a published age range of 3-20.
Private school Co-ed Ages 3-20 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-20
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Windermere School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-20
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Windermere School uses the Lake District as a working part of education. Geography pupils investigate natural and human environments in the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage site, while outdoor learning, sailing and adventure sit alongside a co-educational day and boarding programme. The academic offer is non-selective and allows pupils to follow different paces of study.
Years 7 to 9 follow the National Curriculum before pupils choose GCSE or IGCSE subjects for Years 10 and 11. The usual programme contains nine courses, combining core subjects with option blocks. Food and Nutrition includes practical work as well as theory, and Geography turns the local area into a resource for fieldwork and investigation.
Residential life has several patterns. Full boarders stay for weekend hiking, sailing and mountain biking; weekly boarders can use the supervised Manchester service; and flexible boarding allows an occasional night. Langdale House accommodates boarders aged eight to 16, while senior pupils move towards twin or single study bedrooms during the IB years.
Post-16 study centres on International Baccalaureate pathways, including the Diploma and Career-related programmes, alongside vocational qualifications. Windermere's character comes from the connection between a flexible academic offer, residential life and a school day that makes real use of the Lake District beyond the classroom.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 25.4 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Westmorland and Furness and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 25.4
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 1.61
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Westmorland and Furness and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 3-20
- Headteacher
- Mr Frank Thompson
- Pupil roll
- 226 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Browhead, Patterdale Road, Windermere, The Lake District, Westmorland and Furness
- Postcode
- LA23 1NW
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr Frank Thompson
School contact
- School phone
- 01539446164
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions email
- admissions@windermereschool.co.uk
- Admissions phone
- 01539446164
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-20
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Boarding fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 25.4 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 1.61 EBacc APS
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 24 February 2026
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2026 records an inspection beginning 24 February 2026. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Windermere School handle admissions?
Windermere School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Windermere School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Windermere School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Windermere School?
Windermere School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 24 February 2026.