10 | LUXlife Magazine included Evolution and Inheritance, Bravery versus Fear, Ambition and Desire, Power versus Principles, Magic and Wonder, Heroes and Villains, Dreams and Curiosity, and more. Leweston School also stands out for the quality and rarity of its cocurricular pathways, as one of the very few schools in England where Modern Pentathlon is fully integrated into school life. Leweston is a Pentathlon GB Talent Hub, one of only nine in the country, with access to elite-level coaching and development. Its equestrian provision, through the Leweston Chedington Riding Academy, is a BHS-Approved Centre boasting strong national competition results: Leweston has been NSEA Regional Champions for six years running and has also scored the highest numbers of points twice. One area Leweston staff is particularly proud of, and where external recognition has followed, is the school’s career guidance capabilities. Leweston was shortlisted for Independent School of the Year for Careers Advice in both 2025 and 2026, reflecting an ethos that its staff feels strongly about: preparing a young person for life beyond school is not a bolt-on at the end of Year 13. “Our approach starts early and stays personal,” said John. “We offer oneto-one UCAS and careers mentoring, support for both university and degree apprenticeship pathways, and a genuine commitment to helping each pupil understand what they are good at and where they want to go, not steering them towards a predetermined path. For a school of our size to be recognised twice in this category says something, we think, about what happens when you know your pupils well enough to guide them honestly.” From its deliberately personal philosophy to the myriad opportunities offered to students through outstanding cocurricular pathways, Leweston School has emerged as a top choice for students seeking a warm, values-led community, earning further well-deserved recognition as Dorset’s Best Co-Educational Day and Boarding School 2026. Contact: Mr John Paget-Tomlison Company: Leweston School Web Address: www.leweston.co.uk ased in Dorset, Leweston School is an independent, coeducational boarding and day school set on a beautiful rural estate near Sherborne. The school was originally founded as St Antony’s school in 1891 by the Religious of Christian Instruction, the order’s first establishment in its mission to promote an academic and spiritual education in the UK. Leweston has been built upon a longstanding foundation of Catholic education, which continues to shape every aspect of its culture, approach, and values today. Leweston School cares for approximately 550 pupils from nursery age to Sixth Form. It offers five distinct boarding packages, from occasional boarding through to an all-inclusive World package for international families. Ultimately, the school strives to know each student well enough to help them become more than they ever thought possible, not through selective intake or league table positioning but through genuine pastoral care, strong teaching, and a remarkably broad range of opportunities. “Our vision is for every pupil to leave Leweston knowing themselves, their strengths, their character, and what they’re capable of,” John stated. “Academic results matter, but they are not the whole story. We want young people who are confident, curious, resilient, and ready for a world that does not always play to a script.” In a school of Leweston’s size, it is entirely possible for every child to be known by name, and for every member of staff to contribute towards a shared culture of care and ambition. From class sizes that allow for personal attention to a boarding community where staff and students eat, live, and work alongside one another, Leweston School offers a calibre of pastoral care that larger schools can only aspire to provide. As an independent school, Leweston is able to enrich its curriculum further, particularly in its Prep School, by having a forward-thinking approach that blends the core academic requirements of literacy and numeracy with other disciplines. Every half term the learning for each class centres around a focus topic that connects different subjects and disciplines in a meaningful and relevant way, allowing students to make connections between their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the world. Each thought-provoking topic has an engaging title that is open to interpretation, enabling pupils and teachers to work together on building a learning journey that is exciting, meaningful, and allows opportunities for students to follow their own lines of enquiry. Previous topics have Best Co-Educational Day & Boarding School 2026 – Dorset Every child deserves the chance to achieve academic success, but too many are unfortunately being overlooked within the education system. From overwhelming class sizes to generic guidance on university and beyond, countless children are not receiving the quality of education they deserve. All children are empowered to reach their full potential at Leweston School, with a teaching philosophy that incorporates small class sizes and individual mentoring programmes within a broad, flexible, and enriching curriculum. We heard more from Leweston’s own Headmaster, Mr John Paget-Tomlison, below. B
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