Windlesham House welcomes pupils from around the world. Our international boarders enrich our community with diverse perspectives and cultures while receiving the support they need to thrive in British boarding school life.
We have a rich tradition of boarding and academic achievement stretching back to 1837. Our ethos of respect and kindness ensures children from all backgrounds flourish. International pupils gain outstanding education, excellent English language skills, deep understanding of British culture and preparation for leading senior schools.
Windlesham House is a distinctive school where tradition meets innovation, offering opportunities for children to be creative, courageous, kind, successful and happy. Our 70-acre campus in the South Downs National Park provides the perfect environment for international pupils to experience the very best of British boarding education.
Our specialist EAL programme helps international pupils develop English language skills quickly and confidently. Experienced EAL teachers work with pupils individually and in small groups, focusing on:
EAL lessons are timetabled alongside the main curriculum. Pupils receiving EAL support remain fully integrated in mainstream classes, developing language skills through immersion while receiving targeted teaching to accelerate progress.
Our experienced boarding staff understand the challenges international pupils face being away from home and family in an unfamiliar culture. We provide:
Beyond formal EAL lessons, we organize cultural trips and experiences that help international pupils apply language skills and gain deeper cultural understanding. From visiting museums and nature spots to watching shows and playing sport, pupils are introduced to new experiences which enhance their understanding and embed language skills.
Most international pupils are full boarders, staying at school five or more nights per week. This allows them to take full advantage of all opportunities Windlesham House offers while avoiding time spent travelling. They complete prep at school and enjoy weekends either at home (if living in the UK) or at school where there is always an array of outings and activities.
We offer two immersion course options for international pupils wanting to sample British boarding education:
Summer immersion course
Our summer course runs for the last for weeks of the summer term and is mostly aimed at pupils who want to improve their English and experience boarding life. Pupils take part in day-to-day lessons, receive extra English teaching, go on trips and enjoy a residential activity weekend.
Term-time immersion courses
We also run short immersion courses at other times during the year for pupils who have good English and high academic ability. They will easily fit into our existing classes with less additional English support. These courses provide a genuine prep boarding experience and all our pupils thrive from the diversity shared in the classroom and boarding houses.
We welcome pupils for one, two or three terms. Spending a term at Windlesham House allows pupils to sample the benefits of a boarding prep school education. Many of our one-term pupils make incredible friends, coming back year after year and often returning for a full year or more.
Windlesham House has a genuinely international community, with pupils from diverse cultural backgrounds. This diversity enriches school life for everyone, creating a globally-minded environment where children learn from each other.
International pupils participate fully in all aspects of school life, from lessons to sports, music, drama and weekend activities. They make strong friendships with British and international pupils alike, creating a supportive community. Form groups deliberately mix day pupils, British boarders and international boarders, ensuring integration rather than separation.
UK regulations require all international pupils under 18 to have an appointed guardian resident in the UK. Guardians act as local parents, providing accommodation during exeat weekends and half-term breaks when the school closes. They also attend parent meetings, receive school reports and can be contacted in emergencies.
Many families appoint professional guardian organizations that specialize in caring for international pupils. We can recommend reputable guardian companies if families do not have relatives or friends able to act as guardians.
During longer holidays (Christmas, Easter, summer), the school closes completely. International pupils either
We work with families to ensure every international pupil has appropriate and safe accommodation during all holiday periods.
If your child is a national resident of a country outside the United Kingdom, including the European Union, they will require permission to study in the United Kingdom at Windlesham House School.
We are experienced in supporting families through the visa application process and can provide all necessary documentation for child student visa applications. We are a licensed Tier 4 sponsor and can guide you through the requirements.
The admissions office provides detailed information about visa procedures, timelines, and documentation requirements once families decide to proceed with application to Windlesham House.
Many international pupils join Windlesham House specifically to prepare for entry to leading British senior schools. Our preparation includes:
Windlesham House welcomes pupils from diverse countries including USA, France, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Russia, Spain, Germany, United States, Middle East nations and many others. This diversity creates a genuinely international community where pupils gain global perspectives and lifelong international friendships.
This varies depending on starting level, age, first language, and individual aptitude. Younger pupils typically achieve fluency within one to two years. Older pupils might need two to three years to develop academic English proficiency. Immersion in an English-speaking boarding environment significantly accelerates language learning compared to traditional classroom only approaches.
Yes, many of our international pupils successfully gain places at competitive senior schools including Charterhouse, Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Brighton College and other leading senior schools. We prepare them carefully for entrance examinations and work with senior schools to ensure they understand pupils’ language learning journeys and potential.
