Windermere Preparatory School: Central Florida's Only IB Diploma Private School
What sets WPS apart — and what families relocating to Windermere actually need to know
Windermere Preparatory School (WPS) is a private, coeducational day and boarding school located at 6189 Winter Garden Vineland Road in Windermere, FL 34786. Founded in 2000, WPS sits on a 48-acre campus on Lake Cypress and serves approximately 1,600 students from Pre-K3 through Grade 12. WPS has offered the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme since 2008 and is the only independent (non-religious, non-chain) IB school in Central Florida. Day tuition is approximately $29,950 per year and boarding tuition is approximately $78,150 per year. The school is part of the global Nord Anglia Education network and was named the #1 Best Private K-12 School in Orange County by Niche's 2026 rankings.
If you're moving to Windermere and shopping for private schools, one name dominates every conversation: Windermere Preparatory School. WPS isn't just the closest big-name private school — it's the only independent school in Central Florida that offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, the same globally recognized credential that students sit for in London, Singapore, and Geneva.
That "only" claim deserves a footnote. Public magnet high schools in Orange County also offer the IB Diploma, and religiously affiliated private schools exist across the region. WPS's distinction is being the sole independent private school running the IB Diploma — not parochial, not a charter. For families relocating from countries where IB is the standard route to university, that matters a lot.
The Basics: What WPS Actually Is
WPS opened on September 5, 2000, with 184 students in 12 portable classrooms surrounded by orange groves. Twenty-five years later, it's a 48-acre campus on Lake Cypress with about 1,600 students, 160-plus faculty and staff, and graduates that consistently land at top-50 U.S. universities, including most Ivy League schools.
The school is part of Nord Anglia Education, a global network of more than 80 international schools. That's the source of the partnerships WPS markets heavily: collaborations with MIT (STEAM and robotics), Juilliard (performing arts), UNICEF (community service), and IMG Academy (athletics).
The IB Diploma: Why It's the Headline
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year curriculum for juniors and seniors that culminates in external exams across six subject groups, plus a 4,000-word extended essay, a Theory of Knowledge course, and a community service requirement. It's recognized by universities in 100-plus countries, and many institutions award college credit for high IB scores.
WPS has offered the IBDP since 2008. As of 2024, the school is also a candidate for the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), which would extend the IB framework all the way down through the lower grades — though candidate status doesn't guarantee authorization.
For Windermere families weighing private versus public, this is the real decision point. Olympia, West Orange, and Windermere High School are all strong public options with AP tracks and dual enrollment, but none of them are IB schools. If you specifically want the IB pathway in a private setting, WPS is the only game in town.
What It Costs — and Who Goes There
Let's not be coy: WPS is expensive. Current published rates run approximately $29,950 per year for the highest day-student grade levels, with lower grades priced below that, and roughly $78,150 per year for boarding students in Grades 7-12. Tuition is updated annually, so confirm current numbers with admissions before you budget anything serious.
The student body is genuinely international — students come from more than 60 countries, with about 8% international enrollment. That global mix is part of the value proposition. Your kid is sharing a classroom with peers whose families are placing them at WPS specifically because the IB credential travels to universities in London, Hong Kong, and Madrid.
Pros
- The only independent IB Diploma pathway in Central Florida — full stop.
- Genuinely international student body and globally portable credential.
- Niche ranked WPS the #1 Best Private K-12 School in Orange County for 2026.
- Nord Anglia partnerships with MIT, Juilliard, UNICEF, and IMG Academy add real programmatic depth.
- Boarding option available for Grades 7-12 — rare in the Orlando metro.
- 15+ interscholastic sports and a strong arts program (the Cypress Center for the Arts is a 33,000-square-foot facility with a 535-seat theater).
Cons
- Tuition is steep and increases each year.
- The IB Diploma is rigorous — it's not the right fit for every student, and pulling out mid-program is disruptive.
- Reviews of large private schools are mixed by definition; the same scale that funds the partnerships can feel impersonal to some families.
- If your child needs significant learning-difference support, vet that fit carefully during admissions.
Where It Sits — and Why That Matters for Real Estate
WPS is at 6189 Winter Garden Vineland Road, on the southwest side of Windermere near the boundary with Horizon West. From most Windermere 34786 neighborhoods you're looking at a 5-15 minute drive. Families in Summerport, Lakes of Windermere, Windermere Trails, Bellaria, and the Lake Burden corridor are particularly well-positioned. From Isleworth and Keene's Pointe it's a slightly longer 10-15 minutes depending on traffic on Conroy-Windermere Road.
For relocating families, that geography drives a lot of buying decisions. We routinely see parents choose southern Windermere or the Horizon West border specifically to shorten the WPS run. If your child is at WPS for 13 years, that drive time compounds — it's worth budgeting for in the home search.
Admissions, Application Process, and Financial Aid
WPS uses rolling admissions, with a primary application deadline around January 31 each year and applications still considered after that depending on space. Required materials typically include current and previous report cards, standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, an essay, and an interview. International students go through a parallel process with Nord Anglia's admissions team.
On the financial side, WPS participates in Florida's Step Up For Students scholarship program, which can offset tuition for eligible families, and offers internal merit and need-based aid. Don't assume the sticker price is the only number on the table — ask the admissions team specifically what's available.
How WPS Fits the Bigger Windermere Schools Picture
WPS is the headline private option, but it's not the whole map. Windermere families also consider Windermere Collegiate Prep, Foundation Academy, and other private and charter alternatives, plus the strong OCPS public zones — Windermere Elementary, Thornebrooke, Sunset Park, Castleview, Bridgewater Middle, Gotha Middle, and the high schools mentioned above. For the full picture across public and private, our Windermere schools and education guide lays out the zoning, programs, and trade-offs side by side.
What the Locals Know
WPS is a serious commitment of money and time, and Windermere parents who've done it tend to fall into two camps. The first chose WPS specifically for the IB Diploma pathway — usually because they're internationally mobile, have a child aimed at universities outside the U.S., or value the global student community. For them, WPS is the only school in Central Florida that does what they need.
The second camp considered WPS against strong OCPS options like Olympia and Windermere High and chose private for the smaller class sizes, the arts and athletics breadth, or the boarding program. That's a values call, not an academic one — Windermere's public high schools are genuinely good, and a motivated student in an AP-heavy public track can absolutely match an IB transcript on college applications.
Either way, the WPS factor influences Windermere real estate. Inventory in southwest Windermere and the Horizon West border draws buyers specifically because of the school. If a listing mentions "minutes to WPS," that's a real value signal — not just marketing fluff.
For more on programs, admissions, and the campus, visit the official Windermere Preparatory School website.
Have questions about Windermere neighborhoods, school zones, or the right fit for your family's relocation? Browse our Windermere homes for sale or contact us for personalized advice on lining up your home search with the right school.
