Private school Windlesham House School

Windlesham House School is one of the UK's leading preparatory schools. It was founded in 1837 as the first preparatory school in the country. Located in a scenic area in West Sussex, 1.5 hours’ drive from central London, close to Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

School Windlesham House provides the basics of classical education and is engaged in targeted preparation for students to enter senior classes of leading British schools.

The spacious area creates a feeling of freedom in children. And in combination with a safe location, it is an ideal place for young students. Each child is surrounded by the attention and support of adults and gets every opportunity to develop their talents.

The school has about 350 pupils, boys and girls about the same number.

DIRECTOR (stand 2025)

Ben Evans, Education - University of Exeter.

FAMOUS SCHOOL GRADUATES

• Guy Ritchie, director (films "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows", "Cards, Money, Two Trunks")
• Edward Eliott, soccer player
• Frederick Head, Archbishop
• John Davis, businessman
• Sir Michael Horden, actor (the films The Taming of the Shrew, Cleopatra, the series Shogun)
• Tamzin Merchant, actress (films "Jane Eyre", "Pride and Prejudice", the series "The Tudors")
• Donald Beaves, Academician, Former Dean at King's College, University of Cambridge
• James Hamilton-Peterson, poet and writer
• Frank Davis, music producer
• Noah Huntley, actor (films "28 days later", "The Chronicles of Narnia", the series "Purely English murders")
• Lucy Griffiths, actress (films "Robin Hood", "True Blood")
• Jackett Wheeler, model
• Tom Williams, rugby player
• Alfie Allen, actor (films "Agent Cody Banks", "Atonement", the series "Game of Thrones")

KEY FACTORS

• Teachers of the school strive to give students strong academic knowledge and self-confidence, which will allow them to successfully study in high school in the future.
• Small classes allow you to pay maximum attention to each child.
• Teachers and school staff are in constant contact with the students' parents. At the end of each semester, parents receive a detailed report on the successes and achievements of their child.
• The school is designed to develop children not only academically. Much attention is paid to sports development, art, theatre and music, as well as a variety of interesting active events.
• One of the main principles of teaching is that students should have fun. Jokes, smiles and laughter are present everywhere: in the classroom, on the sports ground, in music classes or in staging a play.

EQUIPMENT

The school is located on 65 acres of land in a picturesque area, with magnificent architecture and breath-taking landscapes. The school has excellent equipment: 3 scientific laboratories, a music department with all the necessary equipment and a recording studio, a library with a huge selection of literature, a dance studio, a theatre, a chapel, a design centre, an information technology department with 4 computer classes. Excellent conditions for sports: an indoor pool, artificial turf playgrounds, 9 golf courses, 8 tennis courts, a gym.

PROGRAM

The school offers a diverse curriculum with a large number of subjects. Children are encouraged to work independently. All students have access to electronic educational materials, television programs and films related to the subject under study. Students from other countries are taught English as a foreign language.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

Accommodation in a school residence in one of 6 houses. The school staff strives to create all conditions so that the children feel at home, so the school has a truly family and cosy atmosphere. Each house has two mentors who look after the children. The health and well-being of children is the main concern of the school. There is a 24-hour medical centre where qualified doctors and nurses work. Medical examinations are held regularly.

Boys and girls live separately. Boys live for 8-10 people in a room, girls live for 6-8 people. All rooms are very bright, the interior creates a joyful mood. Near their bed, children can hang posters, postcards, photographs, bring toys from home that will create comfort and make the space around more individual. Each house has a relaxation room where children can relax, play games or watch a movie.

The school offers healthy wholesome nutrition. All dishes are prepared daily, under the supervision of a chef. There is a vegetarian menu, a diet for children with special needs and allergies is provided.

SPORT

The school seeks to instil in students a love of sports and an active lifestyle and teach them how to enjoy sports. Through sports, children learn to understand the value of teamwork and fair play. Playing sports stimulate to achieve goals and build confidence in yourself and your strengths - and these are very important qualities for later life.

The following sports are offered: athletics, golf, swimming, horse riding, tennis, mountain biking, climbing, netball, soccer, hockey, basketball, rugby, fencing, squash, water polo, yoga. Children constantly participate in sports tournaments of various levels.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

In their free time, children can attend additional classes of interest: ballet, chess, modelling, computer club, fencing, cooking, gymnastics, judo, karate, horse riding, golf, gardening, origami, yoga, street dancing, animation, making films and much more another.

Music is an important part of school life. 80% of students learn to play various musical instruments. The music department of the school with the professional staff of teachers gives you the opportunity to try yourself in different musical styles: from playing bagpipes to bass, from saxophone to xylophone. You can study the most diverse areas of music: from writing music to sound recording. Students perform at school concerts at least twice a year, this experience helps to gain self-confidence and see their own progress.

All students attend weekly theatre classes and participate in at least three annual theatre productions (performances of various styles are staged: from rock musicals to Shakespeare’s plays). In addition to theatre lessons, students can work outside the stage: project managers, lighting, sound engineers, costumes.

At school, you can engage in dances of different directions: ballet, tap dance, street dancing. Every year there are dance competitions.

The art department of the school offers great opportunities for art and design. Students get a unique opportunity to work in different techniques and with different art materials: watercolour, pastel, acrylic, ceramics, batik, mosaic, graphic design and much more. On weekends, workshops on art are held, and famous artists are often invited with master classes. An art festival is held annually where students can exhibit their work.

COST, 2025-2026

£13,905 - £14,309 per semester (depending on age).
There are 3 semesters in the school year.

Included in cost

• Teaching
• Accommodation and meals

Extra paid

• Registration fee - £180
• Deposit for international pupils - the cost of 1 semester
• Flights
• Transfers to / from the airport
• Visa
• Services of the company "Paradise"
• Guardianship (as required by British law)

Our services and fees

IMPRESSIONS OF A SCHOOL VISIT

Natalia Strein
Founder of ‘’Paradise’’

I am in the south of England, I am warm, although it is November outside. I am sitting in the living room by the lit fireplace with real logs and the most primitive fire, not electric or on a flash drive, while waiting for a taxi, having drunk coffee and chatted with the headmaster. Periodically, either he or the PE teacher throws on some logs. I feel like I have come to visit new friends in their big and warm country house. The house of smiles!

The music teacher claims that his department is the most important. Of course! I nod willingly. 340 music lessons a week is something! And a concert every two weeks! Not only classical music, but also rock bands. 8-year-olds and 12-year-olds with guitars in the smoke... Cool! Music is an intellectual activity of the brain that develops not only in the classroom, so music always plays a vital role in any British school. Which is not the case in schools in other countries, even if they are academically strong.

"The kids in our school are friendly to each other - and that's the most important thing. They support each other," says the music teacher. There's no question that the teachers are kind to them. I walk around the school and peek into the classrooms - how else can I find out what's hidden behind the pretty facade? The kids are relaxed in a good way: they're clearly interested, they smile immediately when they see me, and the teacher doesn't reprimand them for daring to take their eyes off the board. And I suspect he doesn't hit them with a pointer if they shake their heads, like he did to me in primary school.

Windlesham House School

My tour guides around the school are Richard from Hong Kong and rosy-cheeked Anton from Moscow. They are both 11 years old, and they've been here for three years. Richard is so small that I want to pick him up. I can barely control my amazement: is such a tiny thing really going to help me inspect the school?! You, like me, would be surprised: this little guy confidently mints words, opens doors for me, remembers to turn off the lights in the rooms we leave, and answers all my questions in detail. Anton tries to lead our mini-procession; he, like a little man, controls the time - we must see everything, but within a strictly allotted time. He talks about the school in detail and with pride. Richard also keeps up, and, mind you, without interrupting Anton, puts in his two cents. The boys compete, but politely.

The director will tell me later that he can boldly look any parent in the eye and promise that his child will leave this school at 13 confident, but not impudent.

Along the way we meet teachers, sometimes we pass through art or technological design classes, where classes are held. Everyone smiles at us. One teacher asks Anton not to forget to praise her. Which Anton does, in a joking manner, like a grown man! We laugh with surprise and pleasure!

Richard is from Hong Kong. His brother graduated from the same preparatory school and is now preparing for his final exams at the famous Oundle, a school for the best of the best. He will enroll in architecture and study for 7 years. Anton also has an older brother, in whose footsteps he is following. Now his brother is at St Edwards Oxford, and goes to the USA on vacation to look at universities: the family knew from the beginning that the best secondary education is in the UK, and there are decent universities in the USA.

Anton has been in England since he was 8, so his English is perfect, without an accent. Anton is also half Belgian, on his mother's side, but he clearly took after his blond Russian dad: handsome, reserved, courageous. Of course, French is his second native language. The family lives between Moscow and Monaco, where his 5-year-old sister goes to school; sometimes they go on vacation to their Belgian home.

What don't you like about school? They don't allow access to YouTube, access to many sites is prohibited. Outrageous!

Both boys are on the rugby team and play the piano, and Richard also plays the drums. He also does ceramics, fortunately there is a whole workshop at the school.

I ask if they missed their mothers. They say yes, but they quickly got used to it. Judging by their blooming appearance and mood, they are enjoying their young life. I look at them and remember those parents who imagine life in a boarding school as "deprivation of childhood". Of course, if a child is sent by force or the school is chosen incorrectly, does not correspond to his character and abilities, then so it will be.

Richard and Anton found themselves in a warm atmosphere of kindness and beauty, which is not found in either Russian or Chinese schools. The teachers respect them as adults, and do everything so that these children achieve their potential. The director said that he personally monitors this. They are not overloaded with excessive workload, on the contrary, curiosity is developed so that it is EASY and interesting for the children to study. So that the lesson is not waiting for the bell for a break.

By the way, gadgets are confiscated. Completely. You can call your parents on phones, of which there are plenty throughout the school, or on Skype in the Skype room. A complete victory over iPhones.