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School profile Verified 17 August 2026

Manchester Private schools

Withington Girls' School

Wellington Road, Fallowfield, M14 6BL

Withington Girls' School is a private secondary-stage school in Manchester, Greater Manchester, with a published age range of 7-19.

Private school Girls Ages 7-19 Sixth form No boarders
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
7-19
ISI ?
Standards met
Boarding ?
No boarders
Compare Official website Map

On this page

At a glance

Key facts

Sector
Private school
Gender
Girls only
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
7-19
Boarding ?
No boarders
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

Withington Girls’ School began in 1890 as a direct challenge to the restricted educational opportunities then available to girls. Its founders wanted a school small enough for individual development, with Natural Sciences, physical exercise and practical work given real weight. That origin still gives the school a sharper identity than a conventional academic slogan.

The curriculum carries science, humanities and arts alongside music, drama and sport. In the Junior School, Thinking and Learning lessons make room for open-ended enquiry, while languages, PE, music, trips and residentials extend the week beyond desk-based work. At senior level, pupils encounter sciences, classics, computing, modern languages, creative subjects and philosophy.

Sixth Form teaching is deliberately close: normal groups are capped at 16, though most are smaller. Students choose three or four A levels; those taking three are strongly encouraged to add the Extended Project Qualification. Timetabled extension sessions support Olympiad preparation, competitive course applications and work that reaches beyond an A-level specification.

Withington remains a girls’ day school in Manchester where academic seriousness and wider participation have the same long history. Older pupils and alumnae feature in the school community, and means-tested bursaries widen entry. Its founding commitment to girls’ intellectual opportunity still informs the individual, outward-looking education offered today.

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 48.8 Attainment 8
Sixth form
Sixth form available with 52.2% AAB or better.

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Manchester and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Withington Girls' School, Manchester, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
48.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
0%
EBacc APS
5.13
EBacc entry
0%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Manchester and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Withington Girls' School, Manchester, and England. 80 66.7 53.3 40 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

School details
Sector
Private school
School type
Other independent school
Funding
Independent fee-paying
Application
Apply direct to school
Gender
Girls only
Age range
7-19
Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Haslam
Pupil roll
733 pupils
Sixth form
Yes

Location and contact

Address

Address
Wellington Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, Greater Manchester
Postcode
M14 6BL
Area
Manchester

School leadership

Headteacher
Mrs Sarah Haslam

School contact

School phone
01612241077

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Admissions
Admissions email
admissions@wgs.org
Admissions phone
0161 249 3371
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Application route
Apply direct to school
Age range
7-19
Gender
Girls only
Boarding
No boarders
Day 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

Entrance route and assessment

Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.

Assessment route
Apply direct to school
Papers and stages
3 stages
Format
Mixed format

Papers and rounds

  1. Round 1

    English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning

    Year 7 entrance examination

    Year 7 applicants sit English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers in January.

  2. Round 2

    Interview

    Year 7 interview

    Girls who perform well in the entrance examination are invited to an interview with two senior members of staff.

  3. Round 3

    Interview

    Sixth Form selection interview

    External Sixth Form applicants are considered using GCSE requirements, predicted grades, school references and interview.

Published assessment components

English, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Interview are listed across the school's published assessment routes.

Published

  • English

  • Maths

  • Verbal reasoning

    Year 7 applicants sit English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers in January.

  • Non-verbal reasoning

    Year 7 applicants sit English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning papers in January.

  • Interview

    Girls who perform well in the entrance examination are invited to an interview with two senior members of staff.

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders

  1. Year 7 application deadline

    4 December 2026

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027.

  2. Year 7 financial assistance deadline

    10 December 2026

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027.

  3. Year 7 entrance examination

    8 January 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027.

  4. Year 7 interviews

    From week commencing 18 January to week commencing 8 February 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027.

  5. Year 7 decisions

    23 February 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027. Decisions are sent by post and email.

  6. Year 7 acceptance deadline with financial assistance

    2 March 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027. The published deadline is 12 noon.

  7. Year 7 acceptance deadline

    4 March 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027. The published deadline is 12 noon and applies to offers without financial assistance.

  8. Year 7 first day of term

    3 September 2027

    Route: Year 7 (11+); entry year: September 2027.

  9. Sixth Form first-round application deadline

    26 November 2026

    Route: sixth form (16+); entry year: September 2027. This round covers applicants seeking financial assistance or subject consideration while A Level blocks are set.

  10. Sixth Form application outcome for applicants needing a term's notice

    26 March 2027

    Route: sixth form (16+); entry year: September 2027.

  11. Sixth Form first day and induction

    3 September 2027

    Route: sixth form (16+); entry year: September 2027.

How to apply

  1. 1

    Apply direct to the school

    Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.

    Check school admissions

Results

Attainment snapshot

Attainment 8 ?
48.8 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 ?
5.13 EBacc APS
A-level results
52.2% AAB or better
A-level average points
50.59 A-level points per entry

Inspection
View report
Standards met

Latest inspection: 4 February 2025

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 2025 records an inspection beginning 4 February 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.

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Shortlist comparisons

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Explore this school in context

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Related pages and guides

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Withington Girls' School handle admissions?

Withington Girls' School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.

How do I apply to Withington Girls' 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 Withington Girls' School?

Year 7 application deadline: 4 December 2026. Year 7 financial assistance deadline: 10 December 2026. Year 7 entrance examination: 8 January 2027. Year 7 interviews: From week commencing 18 January to week commencing 8 February 2027. Year 7 decisions: 23 February 2027. Year 7 acceptance deadline with financial assistance: 2 March 2027. Year 7 acceptance deadline: 4 March 2027. Year 7 first day of term: 3 September 2027. Sixth Form first-round application deadline: 26 November 2026. Sixth Form application outcome for applicants needing a term's notice: 26 March 2027. Sixth Form first day and induction: 3 September 2027

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Withington Girls' School?

Withington Girls' School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 4 February 2025.