United Kingdom · Manchester
Withington Girls’ School is a selective independent day school for girls aged 7–19. It offers Junior School, GCSEs and A levels on one Fallowfield campus. This guide separates its 2027 entry routes and explains the full published fees, bursaries, support and withdrawal liabilities.
Withington Girls’ School is a selective, independent day school for girls. Junior School covers Years 3–6, Senior School covers Years 7–11, and Sixth Form covers Years 12–13. All pupils attend the Fallowfield campus.
The school’s current contract describes an age range of 7–19. There is no boarding. Pupils normally live with a parent or an education guardian acceptable to the school.
The Junior curriculum includes English, Mathematics, Science, humanities, languages, arts, technology, music, physical education, religious studies and PSHCE. Specialist teachers and facilities are shared with the Senior School.
Years 7–9 follow a broad English curriculum. Pupils begin two modern languages from French, German and Spanish and also study Latin. Mathematics is set from Year 8; most other teaching remains in form or mixed-attainment groups.
Pupils choose GCSE subjects during Year 9. They normally take nine GCSEs, with Further Mathematics available to some pupils as an additional qualification.
English Language, English Literature and Mathematics are compulsory. Pupils take either three separate sciences or Combined Science: Trilogy. At least one modern foreign language is also required.
Sixth Form pupils study three or four A levels. Each subject normally receives eight periods per week, and groups are usually capped at 16. An Extended Project Qualification is recommended for many pupils taking three A levels.
Subject blocks are rebuilt each year. An advertised subject can therefore be unavailable in a particular combination.
The main entry points are Years 3, 7 and 12. Additional places are normally available in Years 4 and 5, with occasional Year 6 places. Senior vacancies can arise in Years 8–10.
The school does not accept applications for Year 11 or Year 13. Other-year admission depends on a vacancy and the normal age-appropriate assessment.
The non-refundable application fee is £66. The application portal also requests a recent photograph, full birth certificate and the information page of the applicant’s passport.
Current Junior pupils automatically receive a Year 7 place if they meet progression, behaviour and support conditions. They still sit the Year 7 examination for internal benchmarking and curriculum planning.
Siblings receive priority, but admission is not automatic. Every applicant must meet the published academic and interview criteria.
Junior applicants complete English, Mathematics and reading work, followed by a short taught task. The assessment takes about half a day. There is no formal interview, although the school may request a report or reference.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | Monday 7 December 2026 |
| Bursary deadline for Years 5–6 | Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Year 4–6 assessment | Friday 8 January 2027 |
| Year 3 assessment mornings | 12, 14, 19 or 21 January 2027 |
| Offers issued | By Friday 29 January 2027 |
| Induction morning | Friday 18 June 2027, provisional |
| First day | Friday 3 September 2027 |
The overview says the school admits two Year 3 classes, but it does not publish a number of places. Offers normally require a response within three weeks and payment of an acceptance deposit.
The examination has four papers: English for 60 minutes, Mathematics for 45 minutes, verbal reasoning for 50 minutes and non-verbal reasoning for 20 minutes. Selected applicants then have an interview with two senior staff members.
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | Friday 4 December 2026 |
| Bursary deadline | Thursday 10 December 2026 |
| Entrance examination | Friday 8 January 2027 |
| Interview invitations | By the week beginning 18 January 2027 |
| Interviews | 18 January–12 February 2027 |
| Decisions | Tuesday 23 February 2027 |
| Assisted-offer acceptance | Noon, Tuesday 2 March 2027 |
| Other-offer acceptance | Noon, Thursday 4 March 2027 |
| Induction day | Friday 18 June 2027, provisional |
| First day | Friday 3 September 2027 |
An outcome may be an offer, a reserve-list place or a refusal. The school only makes later reserve-list offers to families that confirm continued interest.
An external applicant first submits a personal statement with interests, predicted grades and proposed A-level subjects. The school invites suitable families to make a formal application, requests a current-school reference and interviews the applicant.
The minimum is six GCSE grades at 7–9, including grades 8–9 in the proposed A-level subjects. Further Mathematics requires grade 9 in Mathematics.
The first-round deadline is Thursday 26 November 2026. This round is important for bursary applicants and pupils whose choices should inform the subject blocks. Personal statements continue to be considered from January 2027.
Applicants needing to give a term’s notice to their current school should receive an outcome by Friday 26 March 2027. Offers remain conditional on the required GCSE results, which must be confirmed on 19 August 2027.
If an applicant misses the required GCSE grades, the school returns the acceptance deposit. If she meets them but does not enrol, the contract requires one term’s fee instead of notice.
Published amounts include VAT where applicable. The school has not yet published 2027–28 tuition.
| Division | Tuition per term | Insurance per term | Lunch per term | Published annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior School | £4,935 | £6 | £343 | £15,852 |
| Senior School | £6,580 | £6 | £343 | £20,787 |
| Sixth Form | £6,580 | £6 | Pay as used | £19,758 before lunch |
The school says tuition includes external examination fees, textbooks, stationery and wraparound care. It does not publish bus fares, optional-trip charges or the cost of individual specialist support.
Fees may be paid annually, by termly direct debit or over ten monthly direct-debit instalments. The parent contract makes all signatories jointly responsible even when an employer or another third party agrees to pay.
An acceptance deposit is required, but the current amount is not public. It is held until the pupil leaves. A parent must request repayment within three months after departure; otherwise, the school transfers it to the Bursary Fund.
A distance contract may be cancelled within 14 days after acceptance. If no educational service has been delivered, fees and deposits are returned. If service has begun, the school may deduct its reasonable proportionate costs.
After that period, cancellation or withdrawal requires one full term’s written notice. Notice must arrive before the first day of the pupil’s final term. If notice is shorter, one term’s fee is due, less the acceptance deposit.
The school keeps the deposit when a family cancels with the required notice. A late cancellation of an offer made within one term of entry also incurs one term’s fee, less the deposit.
Late balances can accrue simple interest at 2% per month, calculated daily, plus recovery costs. A pupil excluded for unpaid fees for at least 28 days is treated as withdrawn without notice.
Means-tested bursaries are available to external applicants entering Years 5, 6, 7 and 12. Existing pupils are considered only after an exceptional, unexpected and significant financial change.
The guideline household income is £60,000 or less. Gross income above £80,000 is unlikely to qualify, although exceptional cases may be considered. Income, expenditure, property, savings, debts, family contributions and discretionary spending are assessed.
Junior awards normally cover 10%–50% of tuition. Senior awards range from 10%–100%. A full award may also bring help with uniform, music or drama lessons and school trips.
The September 2026 policy says the school spends more than £1 million a year on average to support over 90 pupils. Demand exceeds available funding, so meeting the financial criteria does not guarantee an award. The school offers no scholarships.
Awards are reviewed annually and can change. They may be reduced, withdrawn or recovered if conditions are breached or information proves inaccurate.
The September 2026 admissions policy says the school’s physical and other facilities for pupils with disabilities or special educational needs are limited. Families must disclose needs and recent professional reports during application so that adjustments and long-term provision can be assessed.
The learning-support department has a Head and three additional staff. Provision may include classroom strategies, small groups, an individual plan or weekly one-to-one specialist teaching of 30–40 minutes.
Formal assessments are paid for by the family. Additional teaching or support may also be charged after agreement with the parents. The current public material does not give those prices.
If the school concludes that it cannot adequately meet a pupil’s needs, it can decline entry or ask the family to withdraw. In that situation, the normal fee-in-lieu rule does not apply and the deposit is credited.
Pupils using English as an Additional Language are assessed on arrival. The learning-support team coordinates help and teachers monitor progress through half-termly grades. The policy does not publish an entry threshold, hours, staffing capacity or a separate charge.
Shared school-bus routes operate across Greater Manchester, with early and late services and a city-centre shuttle. Families contract directly with the bus companies, and fares are not published on the school page.
Withington does not hold a Child Student sponsor licence. Families must secure and maintain the child’s right to live and study in the United Kingdom.
Parents living outside the UK must appoint a UK education guardian before entry. The pupil must live with a parent or acceptable guardian during terms, weekends and half terms. The family, not the school, arranges the guardian, accommodation and travel.
The school’s selective curriculum and explicit requirement for a modern-language GCSE will suit some pupils better than others. Families needing extensive SEND or EAL provision should obtain a written, costed support plan before accepting.
See the Manchester guide and United Kingdom guide for other routes and local planning considerations.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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