- Location
- Manchester
- Age range
- 7–19
- Attendance
- Day school
About Withington Girls' School
Schoolscout directory record ·
At Withington Girls' School, a vibrant learning environment awaits young women eager to achieve their potential. The school prides itself on fostering not...
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
Withington Girls' School was founded in 1890 in the Manchester suburb of Fallowfield as one of the leading academic girls' day schools of the North West. The school operates today on a single Fallowfield site in south Manchester. The school is girls-only ages 7-18 with around 756 pupils. The Headmistress is Sarah Haslam. The school is a member of the GSA and is inspected by the ISI.
Withington is consistently ranked among the very top three UK girls' schools by A-Level results and Oxbridge offer rate — often the highest-performing non-London girls' independent school in the country. The school maintains a particularly strong sciences, mathematics and medical-schools pipeline.
The school's most internationally significant alumna is Dame Cicely Saunders OM — the nurse, social worker and physician who founded the modern hospice movement with the opening of St Christopher's Hospice in Sydenham in 1967 and who pioneered the development of palliative care as a recognised medical speciality. Saunders's work on "total pain" — the conceptualisation of the dying patient's experience as combining physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions — transformed the care of the terminally ill across the world; the modern hospice movement is among the most significant medical-care reforms of the late twentieth century. Saunders attended Withington from 1932 to 1937.
Dame Athene Donald DBE — Master of Churchill College, Cambridge, and the Cambridge experimental physicist whose work on soft-matter physics has made her one of the leading materials scientists of her generation — was a Withington girl. The novelist Sarah Hall — Haweswater (2002), How to Paint a Dead Man (2009 Man Booker shortlist) and Burntcoat — is an Old Withingtonian.
The school operates a substantial bursary programme via the Withington Foundation.
School life and highlights in the catalogue
- Founded 1890 — 136-year history
- Girls-only ages 7-18 with ≈756 pupils
- Set in Fallowfield, south Manchester
- GSA member
- Consistently top 3 UK girls' school by Oxbridge offer rate (often the highest non-London girls' school)
- Most internationally significant alumna: Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement
- Substantial bursary programme via the Withington Foundation
- 756-pupil community
- A-Level A*-B*: 52% achieve AAB+
- Strong Oxbridge progression
Education and school life
- Education levels
- Pre-Prep, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form
- Age range
- 7–19
- Attendance
- Day school
- Pupil intake
- Girls
- School type
- Mainstream
- Headteacher / principal
- Mrs Sarah Haslam
- Religious ethos
- None listed in this source
- Listed inspectorate
- ISI
Subjects and qualifications
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Modern languages
- Music
- Drama
- Sport
- Outdoor
Listed memberships and accreditations
- GSA (Girls' Schools Association)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
Progression and destinations in the catalogue
- Oxbridge (consistently top 3 girls' school by Oxbridge offer rate)
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, Manchester)
- Medical schools
- International universities
- Oxbridge
Alumni notes
- Dame Cicely Saunders OM (founder of the modern hospice movement; St Christopher's Hospice 1967; pioneer of palliative care)
- Dame Athene Donald DBE (Master of Churchill College Cambridge; Professor of Experimental Physics; first woman in 50 years to hold the Cambridge Cavendish Chair-related professorship)
- Sarah Hall (novelist — Haweswater, How to Paint a Dead Man; multiple Man Booker shortlistings)
- Old Withington girls active in UK academia, medicine and the sciences
Supporting school records
These dated records may contain different information. Ask our team about current details.
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
- Headteacher / principal
- Sarah Haslam (Headmistress)
- Founded
- 1890
- Religious ethos
- Non-denominational
- Campus setting
- Urban
- Scholarships / bursaries
- Options indicated; confirm availability and eligibility.
Pupil information
- Total pupils
- 756
- Girls
- 756 · 100%
- Pupils receiving SEN support
- 78 · 10.32%
- Pupils with an EHCP
- 1 · 0.13%
Counts and percentages are reproduced from the directory. SEN means special educational needs; EHCP means Education, Health and Care Plan. A pupil census year is not supplied.
A-Level results
- Results year
- 2025
- Progress score
- 0.14 (Above Average)
- Average grade
- A
- AAB percentage
- 52.20%
Results refer to the year shown. The directory does not provide a cohort size or a full methodology for these measures.
Tuition and costs
The fee year is not specified. Ask our team about current fees, VAT and included services.
Schoolscout directory record ·
| Attendance | GBP · Period and VAT unverified |
|---|---|
| Day | £4,476 – £6,223.2 |
Current fees and VAT treatment require confirmation from the school. Directory labels are not a verified school quotation.
Check whether boarding, meals, registration, deposits, examinations, trips and guardian arrangements are included. Amounts are in pounds sterling (GBP), without currency conversion.
Ask about current feesPlanning your application
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Read the directory’s school and admissions questions below.
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Explore MEC guidanceQuestions in the school directory
Schoolscout directory record ·
What type of school is Withington Girls' School?
Withington Girls' School is a girls' independent mainstream school for pupils aged 7 to 19, located near Manchester in Lancashire. The school offers education from Pre-Prep through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to Withington Girls' School?
Historical directory text below. Its fees, billing period and VAT have not been verified with the school.
Applications typically begin 1–2 years in advance and may include registration, assessments and interviews. Families can explore the UK private school admissions timeline to understand key dates and entry points.
What are the fees at Withington Girls' School?
Historical directory text below. Its fees, billing period and VAT have not been verified with the school.
The cost of attending Withington Girls' School typically ranges around £4,476–£6,223 per term, with variations based on age and boarding.
Is Withington Girls' School a day or boarding school?
Withington Girls' School offers day options. Where boarding is available, this may include full, weekly or flexi arrangements.
Is Withington Girls' School a single-sex or co-educational school?
Withington Girls' School is a girls' independent school.
School location and enquiries
- Street address
- Wellington Road, Fallowfield
- Town / locality
- Manchester
- County
- Lancashire
- Region
- North West
- Postcode
- M14 6BL
- Country
- United Kingdom
Talk to our team about this school, current fees and your application.
Enquire about this schoolView the school locationWellington Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, Lancashire, North West, M14 6BLSchoolscout directory record ·
Supplementary catalogue notes ·
Additional source record ·
Collection and catalogue update dates are shown above; they are not fee years or pupil census dates. Source text is retained in its original language. The school’s official information takes precedence for current admissions, programmes and fees.