This guide is written for international families considering Stamford High School（斯坦福德高中）in Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. A quick identity check first: this is the school founded in 1877 as part of Stamford Endowed Schools, now fully co-educational under the Stamford School brand, and its only official website is stamfordschools.org.uk. There is an unrelated public high school of the same name in Connecticut, USA — nothing in this guide refers to it. Every fact below comes from the school’s own website, accessed on 7 August 2026; where the site does not publish something, we say so instead of guessing.
About Stamford High School: A Merger to Know
Stamford High Schoolwas founded on 10 May 1877 as a girls’ school on the south side of Stamford, using surplus revenue from Browne’s Hospital. It sits inside Stamford Endowed Schools, whose boys’ school Stamford School dates back to 1532 and whose foundation was approved by Queen Victoria in 1882. In May 2022 the governors voted unanimously to move to co-educational learning at all stages; the transition began in 2023 and all year groups were co-educational by September 2024. The website now operates under the single Stamford School brand, while the History & Heritage page keeps the full Stamford High School story intact.
Today the school is an HMC (Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference) member covering Nursery and Preschool (ages 2-4), Junior School (4-11), Senior School (11-16) and Sixth Form (16-18). Campuses sit within the town: Nursery and Junior are to the west, while the Senior School’s St Paul’s campus and the Sixth Form’s St Martin’s campus — converted from the original Stamford High School site in summer 2023 — are in the town centre. The administrative address is Southfields House, St. Paul’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2BQ. For international families the practical point is simple: admissions, fees and assessment are all handled through the current Stamford School structure, and the official site is the only reliable source of current terms.
Programs: GCSE to A Level and Vocational Pathways
Stamford High Schooldelivers the English national curriculum by age stage. In the Senior School, Years 7-8 follow a broad curriculum — English, Maths, Science, French or Spanish from Year 7 with a second language added in Year 8, Humanities (Geography, History and Religious Studies), Technology (Computing and Design Technology Engineering), PE, Music and Art. The three-year GCSE programme begins in Year 9, with option choices made in the spring term of Year 8; students sit GCSE/IGCSE at the end of Year 11.
The Sixth Form offers 26 A Level subjects, three Level 3 Extended Diplomas, one Cambridge Technical and two Level 3 Qualifications. Vocational routes include BTEC Level 3 Certificates in Business, Sport and Agriculture plus the Leiths Certificate in Professional Cookery, all carrying the same UCAS points as A Levels. Around 90% of Sixth Form students apply through UCAS and 90% of those gain a place at their first-choice university, including Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group institutions. Published results for 2025 (including BTEC and EPQ): A*-A 37.1%, A*-B 65.7%, pass rate 100%, 192 candidates; GCSE 2025 saw 12% of grades at 9, 50% at A*-A/9-7 and a 100% pass rate. Note that A Level subjects each have their own entry requirements in the Course Options Guide — subject choice is confirmed at Sixth Form entry, not taken for granted.
Entry Requirements and Assessment
Admission to Stamford High Schoolis based on four elements: an academic assessment tailored to the child’s year group, a satisfactory school reference, a successful interview with a member of the academic staff, and the latest school reports. For Year 7 entry, the assessment comprises online tests in verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning (3D shapes and patterns) plus a 30-minute handwritten creative writing task, followed by an informal interview of around 15-20 minutes that is deliberately not academically focused — it explores hobbies, interests and family life. Year 9 and mid-year applicants sit an age-appropriate online assessment plus an informal interview.
For Sixth Form entry, students need at least Grade 4 in GCSE Maths and English Language, with subject-specific requirements set out in the Course Options Guide; external Year 11 applicants sit an entrance assessment in the autumn term, and final GCSE results are the deciding factor (Year 11 CAT scores may be submitted). If your child has additional learning needs, the school asks you to say so before the visit so a meeting with the SENDCo can be arranged; support capacity in each year group is limited. The website does not publish a universal English-language minimum score — language level is assessed through the assessment and interview, and current practice should be confirmed against the official site.
International Admissions Process
International applications to Stamford High Schoolrun through the International Registrar, who is the single point of contact from first enquiry to enrolment. The published process: get in touch, and the school arranges an introductory Zoom call to discuss the child’s subject interests, requirements and intended length of stay; complete the application form and pay the £150 application fee; the Registrar then guides you through the assessment and interview stage. The school currently has around 160 boarders from more than 10 countries, and it emphasises a welcome weekend before term begins plus ongoing induction support so that new international students can settle into the school and the town quickly. There is no published international deadline separate from the main entry points, so plan around the Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12 key dates below.
Costs and Financial Support: 2026/27
Fees at Stamford High Schoolare published on the official Fees page for the 2026/27 academic year. Senior day fees: £26,816 per year for Years 7-8 and £27,575 per year for Years 9-13, both including VAT. Boarding: £51,732 per year for 7-day full boarding for non-UK students and £49,405 for UK students; £42,878 for 5 nights, £39,987 for 4 nights and £37,253 for 3 nights per week, with casual boarding at £107.79 per night. Junior Years 3-6: £21,214 per year day, £38,267 per year for 7-day boarding (non-UK). Administrative charges: £150 application fee, £500 acceptance fee and a £5,000 international deposit held against the final term’s fees. Fees are payable monthly, termly or annually, and the Fees in Advance Scheme offers discounted termly credits for advance payment.
On financial support, the distinction matters. Scholarships cover academic, sport, music, drama and art, are awarded on talent and do not reduce fees. Bursaries are means-tested on family income and assets, are mostly awarded at the Year 7 and Year 12 entry points, are reviewed annually, and are generally not available to students living overseas. The school also runs a Hardship Fund for families facing sudden financial difficulty.
Boarding and Student Support
Boarding at Stamford High Schoolis available from Year 5 upwards in three rhythms: full boarding seven days a week during term time, five nights weekly, and casual/flexible boarding of one to four nights. There are three houses: Welland House (Years 5-8, co-educational, a Grade II* listed Georgian home beside the River Welland in the town centre), Browne House (Years 9-13 boys) and Byard House (Years 9-13 girls), both on the St Paul’s site close to the sports field, sports centre, gym and pool. Children aged 9-13 board in a co-educational house and students aged 14 and above in single-sex provision. International boarders receive EAL (English as an Additional Language) support, a welcome weekend before term and a buddy pairing with a current student; supervised prep and after-school support are built into the boarding day, and House Parents plan weekend activities by age and interest. Stamford town has around 21,000 residents and was named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Live in Britain in 2024 — a safe, walkable setting that suits younger international students.
Key Dates
For Year 7 entry at Stamford High Schoolin September 2027: Open Day Saturday 26 September 2026; applications and bursary deadline Friday 11 December 2026; entrance assessment and interview day Saturday 9 January 2027 (9am-2pm); offer letters Monday 1 February 2027; deadline to accept Monday 15 February 2027. For Year 12 entry in September 2026: open morning Saturday 26 September 2026; academic information evening Wednesday 7 October 2026; applications and bursary deadline Friday 30 October 2026; assessment and interview day Saturday 7 November 2026; offer letters Tuesday 1 December 2026; deadline to accept Friday 8 January 2027. Places are limited in each year group, so international families should start earlier than local families to leave room for visa and travel preparation.
Official Sources and Next Steps
All facts in this guide come from stamfordschools.org.uk — the History & Heritage page, Our Schools, Senior and Sixth Form academic pages, GCSE and A Level results pages, Senior/Sixth Form/International admissions pages, Fees, Bursaries, Scholarships, Boarding, Our Boarding Houses, International Boarding and Stamford Town pages — accessed 7 August 2026. Fees, dates and policies change with the academic year, so always check the official site for the current version; what the site does not publish (such as a universal language score or visa guidance) is not filled in here. Whether Stamford High Schoolfits your child’s year group, English level and budget is a decision best made case by case — talk to our consultants about your child’s specific situation and they will help you work through a plan.