Named Co-educational Independent School of the Year at the 2023 Independent School of the Year awards.
Co-educational British boarding school in the Cotswolds countryside
Why this school
Named Co-educational Independent School of the Year at the 2023 Independent School of the Year awards.
Lacrosse pupils regularly represent England and Wales; drama productions have reached the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Ten daily bus routes serve surrounding areas, supporting day and flexi boarding pupils across the Cotswolds.
Westonbirt School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school set in Westonbirt House, a Victorian mansion surrounded by 210 acres of Cotswolds parkland near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Founded in 1928, the school accepts pupils from age 2 through to 18, with around 220 students on roll. In 2023, it was named Co-educational Independent School of the Year at the Independent School of the Year awards, a recognition that reflects both its academic trajectory and the breadth of what it offers beyond the timetable. Annual fees for boarding start at £48,000 (2025/26), and the school holds accreditation from both the BSA and ISA.
The school sits approximately 90 minutes from London, placing it within reach of major transport links while remaining genuinely rural in character. Bristol and Birmingham airports are the nearest international gateways, making it accessible for families travelling from the UAE, Europe, and beyond.
The curriculum at Westonbirt spans GCSEs, A-levels, and BTECs, giving pupils meaningful flexibility in how they pursue qualifications at 16 and beyond. The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is available alongside A-levels, allowing students to develop independent research skills that universities increasingly value. The school also offers the Leiths cookery programme, an unusual and practical addition that sits alongside more traditional academic routes.
A-level results in 2025 saw 46% of grades at A* or A. That figure is worth reading in context: class groups are small, individual progress is tracked closely, and the school’s size means sixth form students are known to their teachers by name. Curriculum choices are made around the individual rather than timetabling convenience.
At sixth form, students choose from A-levels and BTECs, with the EPQ available as an enrichment option. Running academic and vocational pathways side by side means pupils are not forced into a single track at 16, which matters most for those whose interests span practical and theoretical disciplines.
A-Level results
46% A*-A (2025)
Westonbirt offers full and flexi boarding options, with boarding available from Year 7 onwards. The flexi model suits families living within commuting distance who want the social experience of boarding without full residential commitment. Ten daily bus routes connect the school to surrounding towns and villages, a practical detail that shapes the day versus boarding calculation for many families.
Pastoral support runs through the boarding house structure, with staff living on site and available outside teaching hours. The school’s small scale means the pastoral team knows each pupil individually. Transitions, including the move into sixth form, are managed with continuity of care rather than a reset of relationships.
Lacrosse has a strong tradition at Westonbirt, with pupils regularly selected to represent England and Wales at junior level. Drama has taken productions to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Music runs deep across the school: over two-thirds of pupils play at least one instrument, and music scholars have performed at Highgrove House. The co-curricular offer also includes the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and the EPQ, both of which carry practical weight for university applications.
The 210-acre grounds themselves are an extended co-curricular resource. A lake, amphitheatre, grotto, Italianate gardens, and a nine-hole golf course all sit within the school boundary, alongside a 25-metre swimming pool, sports hall, gym, and tennis and netball courts.
Westonbirt House is a Victorian mansion that forms the architectural centrepiece of the campus. The 210-acre estate includes formal gardens, a lake, an amphitheatre, and St Catherine’s Church, which sits within the grounds. Sports facilities include a 25-metre pool, sports hall, and a nine-hole golf course, all on site. The Cotswolds setting means the physical environment is a working part of school life, not simply a backdrop.
Westonbirt is located near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, approximately 90 minutes from London by road. Bristol Airport is the nearest international gateway, with Birmingham Airport also within reach. The school runs 10 daily bus routes to surrounding areas, and its proximity to the M4 and M5 motorways makes transfers from both airports straightforward for international families.
Annual tuition
£51,600 per year · boarding
Bristol Airport (nearest); Birmingham Airport also accessible. School is ~90 mins from London by road.
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Westonbirt offers GCSEs, A-levels, and BTECs, alongside the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and the Leiths cookery programme. Academic and vocational routes sit side by side, so pupils are not restricted to a single pathway at 16. A-level results in 2025 recorded 46% of grades at A* or A.
The school offers full and flexi boarding, with boarding available from Year 7 onwards. Flexi boarding suits families within commuting distance who want residential experience without full-time commitment. Ten daily bus routes also support day pupils across the surrounding area.
Annual fees for boarding at Westonbirt start at £48,000 (2025/26). Families should contact the school’s admissions team directly for a full breakdown of day, weekly, and full boarding fee tiers.
The school is set in Westonbirt House, a Victorian mansion near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, within 210 acres of Cotswolds parkland. It sits approximately 90 minutes from London, with Bristol and Birmingham airports as the nearest international gateways.
Lacrosse is a particular strength, with pupils selected to represent England and Wales. Drama productions have been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Over two-thirds of pupils play at least one instrument, and music scholars have performed at Highgrove House.
Westonbirt has approximately 220 pupils in total, spanning ages 2 to 18. That small roll means small class sizes and continuity of pastoral relationships across year groups and into sixth form.
The school is accredited by the BSA (Boarding Schools’ Association) and ISA (Independent Schools Association). In 2023, it was named Co-educational Independent School of the Year at the Independent School of the Year awards.
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