Windermere School, The Lake District
Windermere School is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 20 in The Lake District. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Windermere School in detail
Windermere School in its own words
In its own words: "Welcome to Windermere School in the heart of the English Lake District National Park. Established in 1863, we are a co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 3 to 18 years. With access to a spectacular greater classroom, we live our school motto: Vincit qui se Vincit. One conquers, who conquers oneself."
From the headteacher's welcome: "A very warm welcome to Windermere School. We are a school that is as unique and all-encompassing as our idyllic location on the banks of England’s largest lake at the very heart of this UNESCO World Heritage site. Place only makes up one element of what makes our school so special, of equal importance is people."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, dance, ballet and art.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Windermere School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Where pupils go next
Of the 35 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 60% went on to university or other higher education and 9% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 45 pupils (19.9%) received SEN support and 2 (0.9%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
24 February 2026
Regulatory Compliance
18 January 2023
Short Visit
10 January 2022
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
6 February 2018
Intermediate (Boarding)
3 February 2015
Integrated
1 March 2012
About
Windermere School is a independent co-educational boarding and day school in the English Lake District. Founded in 1863, it has approximately 300 pupils between the ages of 3 and 18, around a third of whom are boarders.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Windermere School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
Keep up with Windermere School
Getting There
Ferry Terminals
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
46%
Available places
226 pupils
496 places
270 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - The Lake District
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for The Lake District
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,857
Applications
1,903
Got 1st preference
96.4%
Got preferred school
99.5%
All secondary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
45
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
20.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
226
Total Pupils
114
Boys
112
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Windermere School
What are GCSE results like at Windermere School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Windermere School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was Windermere School last inspected?
Windermere School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in February 2026.
How many pupils go to Windermere School?
Windermere School has around 226 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Windermere School?
Windermere School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Windermere School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Windermere School?
Windermere School is at Browhead, Patterdale Road, The Lake District, LA23 1NW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)