Private school Stowe School

School Tour

The Stowe School was opened in 1923. Today it is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the UK, focused on preparing students for admission to Oxford and Cambridge. The school is located in the beautiful countryside in Buckinghamshire, 3 kilometres from its centre, 50 minutes from London.

The Stowe House building complex is a masterpiece of world architecture. More than 40 monuments and buildings today amaze visitors with their beauty.

According to the first director and founder of the school, J. Roxburgh, children must grow, surrounded by beauty, among the majestic architecture and magnificent nature. The central building of Stowe is located in one of the most beautiful palaces of the XVIII century - the former estate of the Duke of Buckingham. Around the school on 750 acres are landscaped gardens, parks and lakes. Parks and grandiose gardens of the school are considered the most important in Europe, are the embodiment of the Enlightenment of the 18th century.

The school is proud that over the 90 years of the institution's existence, all ruling monarchs or their spouses have visited it. In 2007, Queen Elizabeth II took part in the opening of the house where the girls live.

Schooling and education are based on the philosophical ideas of Stoicism, and students are called "Stoics."

About 915 students’ study at the school.

DIRECTOR (stand 2026)

Anthony Wallersteiner, Education - University of Cambridge, Ph.D. Winner of the title "Director of the Year" -2007 according to the magazine "Tattler".

Famous school graduates

• Sir Richard Branson, businessman, founder of Virgin Records and Virgin Atlantic Airlines
• Baron Jeffrey Russell, businessman
• Major Jack Anderson, holder of the highest military order in the UK - Victoria Cross
• Noel Annan, former rector of King's College and University College, London
• Baron Alexander Bernstein, member of the House of Lords
• Oliver Bertram, race car driver
• Richard Boston, journalist and writer
• Baron John Boyd Carpenter, politician
• Lord Simon Brown, lawyer, former judge of the Supreme Court of Great Britain
• Florence Brudenel-Bruce, actress and model
• Martin Buckmaster, diplomat
• Henry Cavill, actor (films "Tristan and Isolde", "Stardust")
• Simon Clegg, businessman, executive director of Ipswich Town Football Club, former executive director of the British Olympic Association
• Oliver Colville, politician, MP
• John Corlett, architect
• John Cornford, poet
• Alki David, entrepreneur, media mogul
• Simon Digby, Orientalist, awarded the Burton Medal from the Royal Asiatic Society
• Martin Edwards, former chairman of Manchester United Football Club
• Howard Goodall, musician
• Michael Grade, businessman, television producer
• Harry Gregson-Williams, composer
• Edward Harduik, actor (films "Real Love", "Elizabeth")
• Sir Jack Hyard, businessman of the English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Sir Nicholas Henderson, diplomat
• John Hennicker, diplomat
• Roger Hodgson, musician, founder and vocalist of Supertramp
• Oscar Hampfire, journalist
• Mark Koska, inventor of the disposable syringe
• George Mellie, a jazz musician
• Crispian Mills, musician
• Christopher Robin Milne, son of writer Alexander Milne (a book about Winnie the Pooh), a prototype of the character of the book Christopher Robin
• Toby O'Brien, journalist and public relations expert
• Baron Anthony Quinton, politician, philosopher
• Reine III, Prince of Monaco
• Miranda Rayson, actress (film "Match Point", the series "Doctor Who", "Poirot")
• Jame Reeves, poet
• Graham Riddick, politician
• David Sheppard, artist
• Graeme White, athlete (cricket)
• Karen Tapar, journalist

KEY FACTORS

• The school has an exclusive career guidance system that allows students to choose their future profession as accurately as possible.
• 98% of graduates enter universities every year, of which 4% go to Oxford and Cambridge. Graduates choose specialties related to economics and business. Many go to higher schools of fine art, as well as to leading music and theatre universities.
• Stowe School teachers are highly qualified professionals with many years of experience working with children.
• Student-teacher ratio: 7 to 1 - this is one of the best indicators among UK private schools.
• The school is famous for its music and arts.
• Students win prizes at the national level in rowing, cricket, rugby, lacrosse, golf, fencing and horseback riding.
• Mandatory drug tests.

EQUIPMENT

Classes and residences are equipped with the latest technology, school laboratories and workshops meet modern quality standards. The school is famous for its rich library. There is internet throughout the school. Stowe School has a new spacious music school with Stein piano and other musical instruments. There is a private radio station with a DJ. In educational laboratories there are projectors, interactive whiteboards. A computer room with laptops is equipped.

On the territory of the school there are: playgrounds, a 25-meter indoor pool, a sports hall, tennis courts, a 400-meter running track, squash, tennis and badminton courts, a track for motorbikes. There are stables for 20 horses and a riding centre. You can bring your own horse.

PROGRAM

GCSE

Preparation for the exam to obtain a certificate of general secondary education. 6 core subjects are being studied. In addition to basic subjects, the student chooses to study 5 subjects of choice.
What is the difference between IGCSE and GCSE programmes?

A-level

High school exam preparation. Minimum requirements for admission to the A-level program: passing at least 6 GCSE exams for a grade of at least "4". 4 subjects of choice at the AS level (first year of study) are studied. 3 subjects are studied in depth at the A2 level (second year of study).
Find out more about A-level program

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

12 residences, eight for boys and four for girls. Residences have common lounges for relaxation and games. Each house can accommodate about 60 people at a time, there are special housemasters or housemistress staff who solve all arising issues. On the territory of the school there is a medical centre whose staff takes care of the health and well-being of their wards.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the magnificent dining room built in the 18th century. The menu is presented for every taste, as diverse as possible, balanced. The school menu changes every four weeks according to the wishes of the students. The dietary needs of vegetarians are considered, a special diet is prepared for various health problems, and religious and cultural characteristics are considered. Meals are also prepared considering the wishes of the parents.

SPORT

Sport plays an important role in education. Thanks to sports, students develop such important personal qualities for life as initiative, perseverance, self-esteem and the ability to be a leader. Students recognize the importance of team spirit and sportsmanship. The main sports for boys are hockey, rugby and cricket; for girls, hockey, tennis and lacrosse are favourites. In addition, a huge selection of other sports is offered: athletics, badminton, basketball, hunting, bench shooting, cross country, equestrian sport, fencing, fishing, golf, karate, netball, polo, rowing, sailing, soccer, squash, swimming, water polo, table tennis, fitness. At the disposal of students is a gym.

All students undergo a minimum exercise program 2 times a week, but many students study more often in their free time. Children with outstanding sports results are enrolled in the Stowe School Elite Team and receive an individual sports training program.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

One of the school’s most valuable benefits is the ability for students to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Various interests and fields of activity are represented: aerobics, yoga, ballet, dancing, design studios, a theatre studio, debates, diving, a chamber choir, two orchestras, instrumental ensembles, rock groups and jazz bands, scientific societies on biomedicine, classical languages, geography, history, art history, literature. Pupils publish the annual school magazine "The Stoic School Magazine", engage in community service and charity work.

At school, children learn to play almost any musical instrument: violin, viola, cello, double bass, harp, flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, drums, classical guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, horn, cornet, trumpet, trombone, organ, piano, jazz piano, harpsichord, bagpipes. Individual lessons on learning to play the instruments, as well as lessons in music theory are possible.

Children play in the school theatre, dance and perform music concerts. Master classes by guest masters are regularly held, which can inspire children and provide an opportunity to see prospects for further training in the field of art.

COST, 2026-2027

£19,520 per semester.
There are 3 semesters in the school year.

Included in cost

• Teaching
• Accommodation and meals

Extra paid

• Registration fee - £360
• Deposit - £1,500
• Deposit for international students - £12,000
• Flights
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"
• Guardianship (as required by British law)

Our services and fees

Our expert's impressions from school visits

As you approach Stowe School, you find yourself wondering if you've ended up in Versailles by mistake! The Dukes of Buckingham spared no expense in decorating their palace, where schoolchildren now find themselves among statues and huge canvases. It's funny to hear the clink of simple cutlery that the staff places on IKEA tables in the dining room, the ceiling of which is painted with stunning frescoes! Grand! Majestic! Views that children are spoiled with for life! As I am told, we don't mind our students enjoying beauty and carrying it throughout their lives!

They said that there are different children at the school: very rich, very famous. And simpler children...

One of the boys who conducted the tour was English, from the north. His two older brothers study at this school. He lives in a boarding house. He is very happy with the school. He said that this is already a family tradition. He is very well-mannered, open, cheerful. He joked.

The second one, John, is from Lebanon. He studied in England for 4 years at one of the international schools, and only now entered Stowe. He speaks three languages: Lebanese, English, French. And during the summer holidays he goes to study at summer courses, because he also needs Danish to obtain citizenship. His family owns a woodworking business and a large plant in Ghana, Africa. Therefore, he plans to become an engineer in the future or master a profession related to construction, in order to lead the business started by his grandfather!

The guys were passionate about the school and talked about it with great love. It was obvious. However, they were not nerds. Each repeated a hundred times that he especially loved the school for all the opportunities it provides. They are not limited to academic studies. And this is the essence of the school.

To my question "what don't you like about the school" they thought for a long time and found only one point: the playing fields and too far from the main school building :), however, this can be "tolerated". The school has many representatives of the old money: it is a place where connections are made and where, after picnics and receptions, doors can open for foreign parents that they never even dreamed of.