Leweston School has closed: the schools nearby
Leweston School near Sherborne has announced that it will not reopen after half term. For families now looking for a new school, here are the independent schools within an hour’s drive, and those further afield with similar fees.
Douglas Wilson · Founder, Chapel & Tuck
· 5 min read
It is a sad day for the pupils, families and staff of Leweston School. The Catholic co-educational day and boarding school near Sherborne in Dorset announced on 27 October 2026 that it will not reopen after the October half term, and will close. The school said it was sorry for how little notice it had been able to give. Every pupil has been offered a place from Monday 2 November at a school in the Inspired Learning Group, which includes Clayesmore School and Sunninghill Prep.[1]
Leweston is the 11th school in Chapel & Tuck’s coverage to close in 2026. The others include Chafyn Grove School in Salisbury, which closed in September, and Moyles Court School in Hampshire, which closed in July.[2]
Leweston in figures
Leweston’s 2026/27 fees, including VAT, were £18,486 a year for a day pupil in Year 6, £25,425 for a day pupil in Year 9 and £38,640 for a full boarder in Year 9.[3] Pupil numbers are from the Department for Education’s 2025/26 census.[4]
Senior schools within an hour’s drive
There are 17 senior schools within an hour’s drive of Leweston. Of those with a published 2026/27 Year 9 day fee, two charged less than Leweston: Talbot Heath School and Ringwood Waldorf School.[5]
| School | Distance | Pupils | Year 9 day | Year 9 full boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherborne School (Boys) | 3 miles | 538 | £38,175 | £59,700 |
| Sherborne School for Girls (Girls) | 3 miles | 456 | £37,140* | £58,095* |
| Milton Abbey School (Co-ed) | 12 miles | 190 | £34,236 | £65,196 |
| Clayesmore School (Co-ed) | 14 miles | 414 | £35,672 | £49,511 |
| King's Bruton (Co-ed) | 14 miles | 304 | £34,257 | £51,693 |
| Bryanston School (Co-ed) | 15 miles | 776 | £40,665 | £59,250 |
| Millfield School (Co-ed) | 17 miles | 1,276 | £39,465 | £60,615 |
| Wells Cathedral School (Co-ed) | 22 miles | 670 | £31,872 | £52,224 |
| Downside School (Co-ed) | 24 miles | 249 | £31,035 | £53,985 |
| Warminster School (Co-ed) | 25 miles | 433 | £27,099 | £51,561 |
| King's College Taunton (Co-ed) | 26 miles | 389 | £33,600 | £51,180 |
| Canford School (Co-ed) | 26 miles | 650 | £42,945 | £57,219 |
| Queen's College (Co-ed) | 27 miles | 613 | £29,520 | £44,985 |
| Taunton School (Co-ed) | 27 miles | 667 | £30,345 | £50,985 |
| Talbot Heath School (Girls) | 30 miles | 427 | £22,878 | £42,882 |
| Wellington School (Co-ed) | 31 miles | 776 | – | – |
| Ringwood Waldorf School (Co-ed) | 31 miles | 248 | £13,092 | – |
Prep schools within an hour’s drive
For younger pupils, there are 18 prep and junior schools within an hour’s drive. Some of the senior schools above also have their own prep departments.[5]
| School | Distance | Pupils | Year 6 day | Year 6 full boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherborne Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 3 miles | 204 | £23,250 | £33,000 |
| Hazlegrove Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 9 miles | 375 | £25,332 | £32,808 |
| Perrott Hill School (Co-ed) | 11 miles | 134 | £23,220 | – |
| Hanford School (Girls) | 13 miles | 69 | £25,065 | £32,700 |
| Sunninghill Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 14 miles | 167 | £21,582 | – |
| Port Regis Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 15 miles | 305 | £32,025 | £43,050 |
| Millfield Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 18 miles | 435 | £23,805 | £44,340 |
| Chard School (Co-ed) | 19 miles | 58 | £12,546 | – |
| All Hallows School (Co-ed) | 20 miles | 201 | £24,363 | £37,830 |
| Sandroyd School (Co-ed) | 20 miles | 194 | £32,490 | £40,350 |
| Castle Court School (Co-ed) | 23 miles | 227 | £18,882 | – |
| Yarrells Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 24 miles | 238 | – | – |
| Dumpton School (Co-ed) | 25 miles | 338 | £23,367 | – |
| Springmead Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 26 miles | 100 | £13,650* | – |
| King's College Prep (Co-ed) | 27 miles | 260 | £19,230 | £30,540 |
| Taunton Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 27 miles | 588 | £18,420 | £31,170 |
| Bournemouth Collegiate Preparatory School (Co-ed) | 29 miles | 238 | £16,035 | – |
| Lumiar Stowford School (Co-ed) | 30 miles | 50 | £9,960 | – |
Senior schools with similar fees
These senior schools within 40 miles had a published 2026/27 Year 9 day fee within 10% of Leweston’s £25,425. Warminster School is the only one within an hour’s drive.[5]
| School | Distance | Year 9 day | Year 9 full boarding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warminster School (Co-ed) | 25 miles | £27,099 | £51,561 |
| Sidcot School (Co-ed) | 31 miles | £25,266 | £43,926 |
| Prior Park College (Co-ed) | 32 miles | £25,450 | £51,195 |
| Godolphin School (Co-ed) | 34 miles | £25,050 | £41,700 |
| Kingswood School (Co-ed) | 34 miles | £25,313 | £52,205 |
| Stonar School (Co-ed) | 36 miles | £25,845 | £51,900 |
| Clifton High School (Co-ed) | 38 miles | £23,454 | – |
Contact each school’s Admissions team to confirm current fees, bursaries and the places available.
Sources
- Leweston School’s statement of 27 October 2026, as reported by Dorset Life, “Leweston School announces sudden closure during half-term”, 27 October 2026. dorsetlife.co.uk
- Department for Education, Get Information about Schools, establishments recorded as closed in 2026, matched to Chapel & Tuck’s coverage; Leweston from source 1. Get Information about Schools
- Leweston School, Fee Information 2026-27. leweston.co.uk
- Department for Education, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, school-level data 2025/26. Headcount of pupils, including part-time, and boarders. Explore education statistics
- Each school’s own published fee schedule for 2026/27, linked from each figure in the tables. Annual fees including VAT; * the school’s fee page does not say whether VAT is included. “–” means no 2026/27 fee is published for that year group. Schools within an hour’s drive are those inside Leweston’s 60-minute drive-time area, from OpenRouteService using © OpenStreetMap data, the same area as Chapel & Tuck’s catchment map. Distances are straight-line, from each school’s recorded location, calculated by Chapel & Tuck. Pupil numbers are from source 4.