In September 2025, The Pilgrims’ School merged with Winchester College, strengthening a partnership that has existed for nearly a century.
Pilgrims’ is a leading independent prep and pre-prep for boys aged 4-13, renowned for academic excellence, musical distinction, and an all-round education.
Home to both the Winchester Cathedral Choristers and the Winchester College Quiristers, Pilgrims’ nurtures two of the country’s finest treble lines, performing in services, concerts, broadcasts, and recordings all year-round.
Pilgrims’ merger with Winchester College reflects a shared educational philosophy of intellectual curiosity and independent thought, ensuring both schools continue to provide an education of exceptional quality while creating new opportunities for increased collaboration and innovation.
The Pilgrims’ School will continue to prepare its pupils for entry to a wide range of local and regional senior boarding and day schools, including Winchester College.
Pilgrims’ remains committed to offering advice and guidance to families about the senior school options which would best suit their son and preferences at 11+ or 13+.
Pilgrims’ pupils looking to apply to Winchester College for their senior school follow the usual College admissions process.
When William of Wykeham founded Winchester College in 1382 he made provision for 16 young boys between the ages of 9 and 13 to sing in the Chapel. The school has maintained this same choral foundation for more than 600 years and the Quiristers form a vital part of Winchester College’s Chapel Choir.
Quiristers are weekly or full boarders at The Pilgrims’ School. They receive a scholarship worth 40 per cent of the school’s full boarding fee, with additional means-tested bursaries available, as well as free instrumental tuition and vocal training. Most Quiristers will go on to achieve a Winchester College Music Award.
In addition to a first class academic education at Pilgrims’, the Quiristers regularly play competitive sport and enjoy the wider co-curricular offering of the prep school.
The new Winchester College Sports Centre includes squash courts, fives courts, a studio & martial arts Dojo. The Sports Hall can accommodate futsal, basketball, badminton, volleyball, tennis and cricket nets. It will also be home to a 6-lane 25-metre swimming pool.
Winchester College’s state-of-the-art concert hall and theatre space provides Pilgrims’ pupils with an outstanding performance and assembly venue throughout the academic year.
An outdoor classroom in Winchester College’s grounds, situated near a private section of the River Itchen allows for hands-on geography and wildlife exploration.
The College’s purpose built Music School features 55 teaching rooms, 4 Steinway grand pianos and the impressive Music Hall performance venue.