News & Diary
Winchester Weekly – 2nd December 2025
Weekend Sign-out
WEEKEND ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOARDERS (6th-7th DECEMBER)
Dear parents,
Details for this weekend can be found via the link below.
Please access the Parent Portal via the link below to inform us of your child’s plans for this weekend by 23:00 on Thursday 4th December. Log in, select ‘Interactive’ and ‘Weekend Sign-out’ to complete the form.
END-OF-TERM & SCHOOL HOLIDAY ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOARDERS
In preparation for the end of term, all parents of boarders should complete the End-of-Term & School Holiday Arrangements form, which is also accessed via the same route on the Parent Portal; under ‘End-of-Term & School Holiday Arrangements’. Please complete the form by 13:00 on Friday 5th December.
As we approach the end of the term, and at this festive time of year, we understand that parents may wish to show their gratitude to staff through thank you gifts.
From the school’s perspective, we would like to emphasise that there is no obligation or expectation of gifts in any circumstances.
If you are organising a collection for a joint gift, please be mindful that parents have a wide range of financial circumstances and not everyone will be able to afford to participate or wish to contribute.
Please also note that our internal policies do not permit staff to accept gifts of cash or vouchers of any amount and staff will donate these to the College or the College’s nominated charity.
To access some of these events, you may need to be a registered user of the Winchester College Society website and logged in.
Parents Drinks in London – 12th February 2026: Parents are invited by Winchester College Society to join us for drinks at the Cavalry and Guards Club, London on Thursday 12th February.
Family Carols – Saturday 13th December – New Hall
A memorable festive occasion for your family and friends to enjoy. Led by the Winchester Philharmonic Choir and strings, and also featuring Cantores Episcopi and the Quiristers of the Chapel Choir. There will be choral favourites old and new, as well as many carols for the audience to sing. A special effort is made to entertain the youngest concert goers.
Bach: Mass in B Minor – Wednesday 21st January, 19:30, Winchester Cathedral
Rehearsals are well underway for what looks set to be a impressive and inspiring concert featuring J. S. Bach’s great choral masterpiece. The forces involved are considerable combining Winchester College Choral Society, Winchester Philharmonic Choir, Winchester Cathedral Chamber Choir and the Oxford Bach Society directed by Sarah Baldock. Tickets are selling fast and available from the Cathedral Box Office below.
Parents are very welcome to join us for College events. Upcoming events, including the Autumn Lecture Series (link below) are highlighted in the Winchester Weekly newsletter.
End of Term Celebrations
All parents are welcome to join us for the traditional celebrations at the end of Short Half on Friday 12th December, including the Cathedral Carol Service from 14:30-15:30, followed by our annual Illuminā celebrations at 15:45.
Since the 19th century, the College has celebrated the end of Short Half with Illuminā, a celebration including the lighting of candles along Meads Wall, enjoying the bonfire, and gathering to sing Domum. There will also be mince pies, sausage rolls, festive drinks, and stalls for the College community to enjoy.
The College community gathered at the weekend in Chapel for two Advent services, with beautiful music from the Chantry and Chapel Choir, marking the start of the season and the final stretch of the term.
Thank you to all the parents who were able to join us.
Earlier in November, the Art Department was delighted to host the internationally acclaimed Japanese artist, Junko O’Neill.
During the afternoon, she ran an intensive workshop exploring the traditional ink painting techniques of Sumi-e. The calligraphy based artform, of which she is an expert, was introduced to Japan by Chinese monks in the 14th Century.
A select eight pupils from various year groups thoughtfully developed stylised images of bamboo by grinding and mixing their own ink, learning how to hold and deploy specialist brushes and carefully handle delicate Japanese calligraphy paper.
The workshop was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to work in a different style of art and was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Last week, thirteen Wykehamists travelled to Wiltshire for a swim meet against hosts Marlborough, Clifton College and Dean Close, delivering an impressive turnaround from last year’s defeat. Despite a slow start, the team’s momentum shifted when Tim (F) clinched a thrilling win in the 50m Backstroke by just one-hundredth of a second. Strong performances followed, including a dominant breaststroke victory from Bobby (G), and Winchester went on to win three of the four relays.
Their combined effort secured a well-deserved overall win, finishing with 186 points, ahead of Marlborough (173), Clifton (124), and Dean Close (83). The squad’s growing confidence and team spirit were clear throughout, a promising sign as they look ahead to next term.
The College’s 1st badminton team achieved a hard-fought 9–7 win against Wellington in a closely contested match that opened with singles before moving into two rounds of doubles.
The singles featured several tight encounters, with Isaac (K) delivering an exceptional performance at second seed. Strong determination across the rest of the team kept Winchester well-placed heading into the doubles.
In the doubles, Porpiang (K) and Oliver (D) showed real resilience at 4th pair, while Isaac and Ed (F) offered steady, composed play at 3rd. Jesse (A) and Kelvin (I) combined effectively at 2nd pair, demonstrating clear communication and sharp tactical awareness. Leading from the front, Ayson (C) and Bryan (D) secured crucial points with controlled, confident play at 1st pair.
It was an excellent all-round effort, with Winchester emerging deserved winners. Man of the Match went to Isaac for his outstanding singles victory and his strong contributions in the doubles.
The House Art Competition returns on Saturday 6th December under the arches of Musā.
This year’s theme, “The Trusty…”, invites each house to reinterpret the 1579 emblematic artwork, The Trusty Servant, directly relating their masterpiece to their own Boarding House identity. If you have ever wondered what The Trustee Hopperite or The Trusty Beloeite might look like, then now is your chance to see!
An independent judge will select the winning piece, with the coveted trophy awarded at 16:00, alongside hot chocolate for all.
Come along and enjoy the creativity on show!
Thank you to all parents who attended and contributed to the success of Studium this past weekend (otherwise known as Div for Parents!).
We look forward to welcoming you to more sessions in the future!
