It’s September, and as students return to class, we explore ghost stories from the most haunted schools in England
Schools are places of learning, discipline and tradition — but many of England’s oldest (and even some newer) schools carry echoes of a darker past.
From monks and headmasters who never left their posts, to phantom pupils still roaming the corridors, these institutions are alive with ghost stories passed from one generation of students to the next.
Here are some of the most haunted schools in England, where the bell might summon more than just the living.
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Abingdon School, Oxfordshire
With roots stretching back to Saxon times, Abingdon has centuries of stories attached.
Pupils in the boarding houses have spoken of doors opening in the night, accompanied by the sound of breathing just out of sight.
In the chapel, former masters are said to appear briefly during services, their stern faces glaring across the pews.
The oldest classrooms are prone to sudden drops in temperature. Ghostly figures in gowns have been spotted drifting through the corridors, ensuring Abingdon’s past is never entirely at rest.
Ackworth School, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Ackworth was founded by Quakers in the 18th century, but its older buildings are steeped in folklore.
Pupils have reported seeing hooded monks drifting through the grounds, perhaps tied to medieval religious activity in the area.
The cellars are particularly unsettling, with strange bangs and cold spots felt by those brave enough to venture below.
In dormitories, whispers have been heard when all should be asleep. Ghostly figures have been glimpsed at the ends of beds.
Archbishop Holgate’s School, York, North Yorkshire
Though now a modern secondary, the school traces its roots to 1546.
Local legend speaks of ghostly monks roaming the grounds, with pupils reporting shadowy figures near the chapel.
During building works in the 20th century, workers claimed to hear chanting beneath the site.
Today, stories persist of books falling from shelves and unseen hands brushing past students in quiet corridors.
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
Founded in 1527, Bishop Vesey’s still teaches within historic grounds, and ghost stories have lingered for centuries.
A spectral schoolmaster in Tudor robes is said to patrol the corridors, glaring at latecomers.
Pupils working after hours in the library have reported books falling unaided and whispered voices close to their ears.
The basement is especially feared — cold spots, footsteps, and the sound of chains have been heard when no one is present.
Blue Coat School, Liverpool, Merseyside
The old Bluecoat School, founded in 1708, is today the Bluecoat Chambers arts centre — but its schooldays left a ghostly imprint.
Visitors report the sound of children’s laughter in empty rooms and fleeting glimpses of boys in blue uniforms dashing across stairwells.
Cold spots linger in the basement, and some staff have claimed to see shadowy figures peering out of windows after the building has closed.
Though the school itself has moved, its spectral past continues to haunt the original premises in central Liverpool.
Bradfield College, Berkshire
Bradfield, founded in 1850, is perhaps best known for its Greek theatre carved into a chalk pit — but it’s also known for hauntings.
Actors rehearsing there speak of cold blasts sweeping across the stage, accompanied by strange whispers.
In the cloisters, pupils report seeing shadowy figures slipping past them, disappearing into walls.
The library, with its ancient atmosphere, is another focal point for ghost stories, with books falling from shelves unaided.
Some believe former masters still stalk the grounds, unwilling to leave their beloved school.
Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, London Borough of Bexley
Founded in the 1930s but standing near far older land, the school has a persistent legend of a “White Lady” seen drifting along its boundary fence.
Teachers working late have reported the sound of running footsteps and laughter in empty classrooms.
One caretaker in the 1960s swore he saw a spectral boy vanish into a locked storeroom.
Christ’s Hospital School, Horsham, West Sussex
Known for its Tudor-style bluecoat uniform, Christ’s Hospital carries centuries of legends.
A headless monk is said to patrol the cloisters, his heavy steps echoing across the stone.
Pupils rehearsing in the theatre report disembodied voices and sudden icy draughts sweeping across the stage.
Staff walking the grounds at night have spotted a hooded figure gliding through the quadrangle before vanishing.
Dover College, Dover, Kent
Dover College was established within the ruins of a 12th-century priory, and its ghost stories are rooted in that medieval past.
Monks in dark robes have been sighted crossing the lawns and vanishing into the Great Gatehouse.
Cold blasts of air have startled pupils rehearsing in the Great Hall, while the chapel is said to ring with spectral chanting.
Local lore suggests the priory’s former inhabitants never left, their prayers still resounding centuries after the dissolution.
Durham School, Durham City, County Durham
Set near the great Norman cathedral, Durham School has been the backdrop to whispered tales of phantom choirboys.
In the chapel, visitors report hearing faint voices singing hymns long out of fashion, the sound fading as suddenly as it begins.
A hooded monk has also been glimpsed in the cloisters, vanishing into solid stone.
The school’s proximity to medieval religious foundations makes the stories plausible to believers.
Teachers have sometimes dismissed the tales, but generations of pupils carry on recounting them, ensuring Durham’s ghostly reputation lingers.
Eton College, Windsor, Berkshire
Founded by Henry VI in 1440, Eton has gathered its share of spectral tales.
Students whisper of shadowy monks gliding through the cloisters at night, thought to be remnants of the school’s ecclesiastical origins.
Cold spots linger in the chapel, and the sound of unseen footsteps echoes across deserted quadrangles.
A figure in long robes has been glimpsed disappearing into locked rooms, while others claim outbreaks of plague left spirits of boys who never truly left.
Haileybury, Hertfordshire
Built in the early 19th century on the grounds of the East India College, Haileybury has long been associated with ghostly tales.
Its endless corridors invite stories of footsteps trailing behind late-night wanderers.
A woman in Victorian dress is said to appear in the chapel, her sorrowful face gazing towards the altar before vanishing.
Teachers working late in classrooms report the faint smell of tobacco smoke, attributed to long-dead masters who once ruled the school with strict authority.
Ilkley Grammar School, Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Though modern on the surface, Ilkley Grammar sits in a town long steeped in hauntings.
Students have whispered of a Grey Lady seen drifting across the playing fields at dusk.
In older parts of the school, doors slam without reason, and phantom footsteps echo in corridors.
Teachers working late have reported hearing laughter and voices in classrooms that stand completely empty.
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford, Essex
This ancient grammar, dating to 1551, carries strong traditions — and eerie lore.
Pupils say the spirit of a headmaster who ruled with a rod of iron still prowls the halls.
Shadows flit across the oldest classrooms, and unexplained draughts chill the assembly hall.
Ghostly whispers are often reported by students rehearsing music in the chapel, as though unseen singers join in.
King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Better known as Shakespeare’s school, this historic grammar has its fair share of eerie reports.
Visitors exploring the Guildhall classrooms speak of icy chills and the sensation of unseen presences.
A spectral schoolmaster is said to appear at dusk, his robes sweeping the floor as he checks the rooms.
Pupils rehearsing plays have reported whispers behind them, only to find they are alone.
Given Stratford’s theatrical heritage, many wonder if the Bard himself lingers nearby, adding an extra ghostly layer to performances staged within these ancient walls.
King’s School, Canterbury, Kent
Often described as the oldest school in the world, King’s was founded around 597 and sits in the shadow of Canterbury Cathedral.
Unsurprisingly, monks and scholars are said to haunt the cloisters, their footsteps echoing at night.
Visitors have spoken of seeing boys in Tudor dress appear briefly in doorways, while spectral chanting has been reported near the crypt.
Cold gusts sweep through the oldest classrooms without cause. With such deep history, King’s stands as one of the most haunted schools in England.
Pocklington School, East Riding of Yorkshire
Founded in 1514, Pocklington carries a reputation for spectral sightings.
Tales tell of a ghostly headmaster who patrols the halls, still enforcing discipline centuries after his death.
Students report doors opening by themselves in the dormitories, accompanied by the sound of footsteps on creaking boards.
The chapel has an atmosphere that unsettles even the most sceptical, with whispers heard near the altar.
The stories are so ingrained in school tradition that every generation of pupils adds new layers to Pocklington’s haunted history.
Redruth School, Redruth, Cornwall
Cornish schools often come with legends, and Redruth is no exception.
Pupils tell tales of a ghostly miner wandering the corridors, lantern in hand — a nod to the region’s industrial past.
Shadows appear at the edge of vision, and footsteps echo in empty stairwells.
Some believe the site sits on former mining land, the restless dead of Cornwall’s hard history still making their presence known.
Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, Suffolk
Built to educate the children of naval officers, the Royal Hospital School carries the weight of maritime tragedy.
Ghostly sailors are said to march in formation across the parade ground, their boots clicking in perfect time before vanishing into the night.
In the dormitories, the sound of weeping has been reported, as if echoing the grief of young cadets far from home.
Teachers claim phantom footsteps follow them along the echoing corridors, while the chapel organ sometimes plays a single note on its own, as though touched by unseen hands.
Rugby School, Rugby, Warwickshire
The birthplace of rugby football is also a home of ghostly lore.
Apparitions of boys in old-fashioned uniform are said to dart across playing fields, only to vanish when approached.
In one of the oldest classrooms, chalk once appeared on the board overnight, written in an elegant Victorian hand.
Teachers recount walking the corridors late at night only to hear laughter and running footsteps ahead of them — yet the halls are empty.
Rugby’s history of discipline and tradition seems to echo through its hauntings.
Sedbergh School, Cumbria
Founded in 1525, Sedbergh lies in rugged countryside where legends thrive.
Pupils tell of monks wandering the cloisters, their chants drifting across the quads on windy nights.
Dormitories are said to shake with sudden bangs, as if unseen hands are rattling the beds.
Teachers recount hearing the sound of prayer in the chapel after midnight, long after it has been locked.
Sedbergh’s remote setting only adds to the atmosphere, giving its ghost stories a raw, lingering edge.
St Bede’s Catholic School, Durham
Known for its dark corridors and chapel, St Bede’s has gathered tales of flickering lights, sudden cold, and apparitions in religious dress.
Pupils in the 1970s first spread rumours of a nun who appeared by the stairwells.
Teachers who dismissed the stories later admitted hearing unexplained knocks and voices in the dead of night.
St Peter’s School, York, North Yorkshire
Dating back to AD 627, St Peter’s is one of the oldest schools in the world.
Guy Fawkes studied here, and some say his restless spirit still roams the halls.
Shadows flit along the ancient cloisters, accompanied by sudden drops in temperature.
Pupils have told of seeing boys in Tudor dress darting across courtyards before vanishing. Others hear whispers in classrooms locked for the night.
With York itself one of England’s most haunted cities, it’s no surprise the school sits at the heart of ghostly tradition.
Stowe School, Buckinghamshire
Stowe began life as a grand country house, and its layers of history include centuries of hauntings.
A Grey Lady is said to drift through the marble halls, while phantom servants still busy themselves in rooms long abandoned.
Students exploring the ornate gardens at dusk have seen figures in Georgian dress flitting among the trees.
The chapel carries its own chill, with ghostly voices reciting prayers in the dead of night.
Stowe’s combination of aristocratic legacy and school life ensures the ghosts remain woven into its daily rhythm.
Thomas Alleyne’s High School, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire
Founded in the 16th century, Thomas Alleyne’s is said to be haunted by its founder himself, who wanders the grounds at night.
Pupils claim to have seen a dark-robed figure drifting through classrooms, accompanied by sudden chills.
The assembly hall is notorious for cold spots, and cleaners speak of footsteps following them after hours.
Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton, Greater Manchester
Catholic schools often attract ghost stories, and Thornleigh is filled with them.
Pupils claim to have seen ghostly priests near the chapel, and strange chanting has been heard in corridors after hours.
A phantom nun is said to glide through the main building, her face hidden by her wimple.
Students rehearsing in the theatre have reported icy drafts and sudden crashes without cause.
Uppingham School, Rutland
Founded in the 16th century, Uppingham is steeped in ghostly lore.
Dormitories are said to echo with footsteps when no one is there, and some pupils swear to have woken to see a figure watching them silently from the foot of the bed.
Teachers moving through empty corridors late at night have reported doors opening and closing by themselves.
The most persistent tale is of a Victorian schoolmaster who patrols the grounds, cane in hand, his stern figure vanishing into the mist.
Winchester College, Hampshire
As one of the oldest schools in England, founded in 1382, Winchester brims with ghostly lore.
Students and masters alike have reported seeing robed monks wandering the ancient cloisters.
The chapel sometimes rings with phantom chanting, and cold spots cluster in certain pews.
A boy in medieval dress is said to haunt one of the dormitories, his form fading into shadow when approached.
Winchester’s reputation for discipline and learning is matched by its legacy of spirits who refuse to leave the ancient stone.
From medieval cloisters to modern classrooms, England’s schools are alive with ghost stories that refuse to fade.
Each new generation of pupils adds fresh accounts to the legends — passing them along like secret lessons whispered in corridors.
Next time you walk past an old school at night, listen closely: you might hear the echo of footsteps that belong to no one living.
Have you seen a ghost at a haunted school? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
