We love keeping in touch with our Alumni and as a school that’s 95 years old, we’ve got plenty. We’ve seen pupils grow from small boys into impressive young men and we’re proud of every single one. We have an active Alumni network and encourage all leavers to sign up to the Pilgrims’ Alumni Newsletter.
Many Old Pilgrims acknowledge the positive part Pilgrims’ still plays in their lives and they love coming back to school to talk to the boys and tell us what they’re up to. What’s better than hearing stories from ‘olden days’ even if it feels like yesterday.
It is always wonderful to welcome former Choristers back to the school who left in 95/96. Some of these Old Pilgrims’ (OP) we’ve seen recently, some not since they left in 95/96. They all joined us with rich and interesting stories of their time both during and after Pilgrims’. Tales of pipe climbing, ‘pig’ tables and previous masters brought their childhood antics back to life.
1995 was clearly a vintage year when friendships blossomed, and life was full of possibilities. An inspirational group of friends who have held both Pilgrims’ and their shared love for music, dear to their hearts.
“I was at The Pilgrims’ School between 1952 and 1957. Humphrey Salwey was the Headmaster, always elegant even when wearing bicycle clips. He and his wife, Lorna, with her porcelain blue eyes, were a strong team, who made the Pilgrims’ one of the country’s outstanding prep schools.
It was a good school to go to if you had academic aptitude and motivation, although it’s strange now to think there was no formal science in the curriculum. I was coached as a batsman with the same thoroughness as I was taught Latin and Greek. The teacher who, for me, was outstanding was W.A.Stephen (nicknamed Inky Stephen), who taught history. We played a lot of games and every morning we would perform exercises in the yard and run around the beautiful old garden. The school food was revolting: grey liver, brown pilchards, pink milk jelly.
More elevating, even those of us who were not Choristers spent many hours in Winchester Cathedral. Stanford in B flat and Stekel’s Remember Now Thy Creator live in my musical memory. Although my friendships with fellow Pilgrims faded after I left, I still treasure very affectionate memories of those days. I owe to Pilgrims’ a solid foundation of learning.”
We suit boys who’ll make the most of the opportunities we offer, whilst also contributing to the school community. While founded on a Christian ethos, we welcome boys of all faiths and none and we aim to foster the character of every single Pilgrim.
We’re a forward-thinking school in the ancient capital of England with state of the art sports facilities and choirs of choristers who are part of an ancient tradition going back centuries. We offer academic excellence whilst fostering a sense of fun, so boys from Pilgrims’ leave ready for the world beyond the school gates.
On 1st September 2025, the School merged with Winchester College marking a significant point in its history, having previously been owned by Winchester Cathedral.
Set in the heart of Winchester’s Cathedral Close, the school enjoys a unique and peaceful setting between Winchester Cathedral and Winchester College, with the city on its doorstep and the South Downs countryside just beyond.