The Best Private Schools in the UK for 2025

To set your child up for success, it’s worth sending them to one of the best private schools in the UK. Doing so can make a huge difference when it comes to securing top university placement. This is because of their high academic standing and social environments. In addition, they offer class sizes averaging 8-12 students per teacher. When compared to the size of 25-30 found in state schools, this can have a huge impact on performance.

With all this in mind, it can seem overwhelming to choose the right one, especially since there are over 1,500 private schools in the UK. In addition, securing placement requires additional preparation. It’s for this reason we offer online Year 5/6 courses for maths, science, English, and 11+ exams. They’re designed to prepare your child for private school admission. Click here to explore our course offerings.

That said, continue reading to learn more about the following topics.

What are private schools?
How much do private schools cost?
Scholarships and bursaries for private schools
Lifelong social benefits
List of 100 best private schools

What are private schools?

Private schools, also called independent schools, are not funded by the government. As a result, they can offer their own approach to examinations and university preparation. One of the main benefits of private schools is their diverse curricula, in comparison to state schools. This means you can get specific about finding one that’s tailored to your child’s interests. In addition, depending on the level of immersion sought, you can choose between day and boarding schools.

How much do private schools cost?

As mentioned, there are both day and boarding private schools. Since boarding schools include accommodation and meals they are the more expensive option. Generally speaking, day schools cost around £12,000-£18,000 per year and boarding schools average £30,000-£40,000 per year.

In addition to cost, you’ll also want to consider distance from home. Where a school is located can have implications on how much independence your child can have on the school run. Adding to this, many of the best 100 private schools in the UK are found in cities, with a majority in London. In short, a day school may not be geographically feasible.

Scholarships and bursaries for private schools

If you find the cost to be a deterrent, some private schools do offer scholarships and bursaries for private schools. They will consider factors like family income, and academic performance.

With this in mind, it’s best to prepare your child as early as possible to improve their chances of receiving such support. If this applies to you, then taking our Year 5/6 courses, mentioned above, are worth the spend.

In addition to academics, you’ll also find scholarships tailored to creative talents. For more information on how to best prepare your child, we recommend checking out the Good Schools Guide.

Lifelong social benefits

Now that we’ve covered the cost, there’s one thing left to discuss, social benefits. Secondary school is a crucial time in a child’s development. This is a big reason why many parents choose private schools. When considering this, you’ll want to pay attention to what each school offers. Doing so will help focus your search.

Whether centred around religion, art, or business, private schools tend to offer a wide range of extracurricular activities to help your child grow their community. While academic performance is a top priority, it’s equally important that your child feels a sense of meaningful belonging.

To get a sense of the culture and community each one offers, it’s advised to tour the ones that are most interesting. The best way to start is with the top 100 private schools in the UK, which can be found below.

100 best private schools in the UK for 2025

The following list is pulled from the Independent Schools Council. It’s based on A level and GCSE results, along with percentage of A*, A, B, C, D, E, and U grades. While it doesn’t provide a full picture of what’s best suited for your child, it’s a good starting point. If your child is surrounded by those who are performing at a high level, they’ll likely be encouraged to follow suit.

We hope the information provided above helps you best prepare for choosing a private school. If you decide not to go this route, you're also welcome to compare our list of best state and grammar schools for 2025.

Rank	School	Town	*A-level (% A/B)**	*GCSE (% A/A/ 9/8/7)**	Entry gender
1	St Paul’s Girls’ School	London	98.2	98.5	Girls
2	St Paul’s School	London	98	97.5	Boys
3	Brighton College	Brighton	99.3	94.7	Co-ed
4	King’s College School, Wimbledon	London	97.4	98.6	Co-ed
5	Westminster School	London	96.8	98.7	Co-ed
6	Godolphin and Latymer	London	96.4	97.8	Girls
7	North London Collegiate School	London	96.9	96.3	Girls
8	Guildford High School	Guildford	95.8	98.2	Girls
9	City of London School for Girls	London	96.6	95.2	Girls
10	King Edward VI High School for Girls	Birmingham	95.7	95.4	Girls
11	Lady Eleanor Holles	London	94.9	96.8	Girls
12	Wycombe Abbey	High Wycombe	94.7	97	Girls
13	Highgate School	London	95.8	94.8	Co-ed
14	Reigate Grammar School	Reigate	96.8	90	Co-ed
15	Hampton School	London	93.8	95.8	Boys
16	Latymer Upper School	London	94.4	94.3	Co-ed
17	South Hampstead High School GDST	London	94.2	93.2	Girls
18	Haberdashers’ Girls’ School	Elstree	96	89.5	Girls
19	Magdalen College School	Oxford	94.9	91.5	Co-ed
20	Putney High School GDST	London	93.9	92.7	Girls
21	City of London School	London	94.6	91.2	Boys
22	Queen Ethelburga’s College	York	96.7	86.9	Co-ed
23	Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST	London	94.7	90.7	Girls
24	Eton College	Windsor	93.6	92.7	Boys
25	University College Senior School	London	93.3	92.9	Co-ed
26	Withington Girls’ School	Manchester	92.9	93.6	Girls
27	Alleyn’s School	London	95.5	88	Co-ed
28	Tonbridge School	Tonbridge	94.6	89.5	Boys
29	Wimbledon High School GDST	London	92	94.6	Girls
30	Sevenoaks School	Sevenoaks	96.1	86.4	Co-ed
31	The Haberdashers’ Boys’ School	Elstree	93	92.3	Boys
32	St Mary’s School Ascot	Ascot	93.3	91.4	Girls
33	Concord College	Shrewsbury	94.2	89.1	Co-ed
34	The Perse School	Cambridge	94.5	88.3	Co-ed
35	James Allen’s Girls’ School	London	91.9	93	Girls
36	Francis Holland School, Sloane Square	London	94	88	Girls
37	Cardiff Sixth Form College	Cardiff	96.9	81.8	Co-ed
38	Bancroft’s	Woodford Green	91.7	91.6	Co-ed
39	Kingston Grammar School	Kingston upon Thames	94.9	84.6	Co-ed
40	Winchester College	Winchester	90.4	92.1	Co-ed
41	Whitgift School	South Croydon	92.9	86.1	Boys
42	Royal Grammar School, Guildford	Guildford	93	85.5	Boys
43	Francis Holland, Regent’s Park	London	92	87	Girls
44	King Edward’s School, Birmingham	Birmingham	92.2	86	Boys
45	Eltham College	London	91.2	87.9	Co-ed
46	City of London Freemen’s School	Ashtead	91.9	85.8	Co-ed
47	Emanuel School	London	90	89.7	Co-ed
48	St Helen and St Katharine	Abingdon	91.7	85.7	Girls
49	Benenden School	Cranbrook	92.7	83.3	Girls
50	Trinity School, Croydon	Croydon	91.3	85.9	Co-ed
51	Radley College	Abingdon	91.7	85.1	Boys
52	St John’s College, Cardiff	Cardiff	94.5	79.3	Co-ed
53	Merchant Taylors’ School	London	91.6	85	Boys
54	Cheltenham Ladies’ College	Cheltenham	91.1	85.8	Girls
55	Caterham School	Caterham	91.2	85.5	Co-ed
56	Royal Grammar School, Newcastle	Newcastle upon Tyne	90.9	85.6	Co-ed
57	St Albans School	St Albans	89.2	87.3	Co-ed
58	Abingdon School	Abingdon	89.6	86.4	Boys
59	Dulwich College	London	86.8	91.7	Boys
60	St Swithun’s School	Winchester	92.4	79.9	Girls
61	The Abbey	Reading	87.4	89.1	Girls
62	St Michael’s School	Llanelli	96.7	70.4	Co-ed
63	The Cathedral School, Llandaff	Cardiff	95.9	71.5	Co-ed
64	Channing School	London	88.8	85.3	Girls
65	St Albans High School for Girls	St Albans	87.8	86.3	Girls
66	Surbiton High School	Kingston upon Thames	85.1	91.3	Girls
67	Oxford High School GDST	Oxford	86.9	86.8	Girls
68	Epsom College	Epsom	88	82.8	Co-ed
69	Nottingham High School	Nottingham	85.7	86.8	Co-ed
70	Wellington College	Crowthorne	87.5	83.3	Co-ed
71	Hurstpierpoint College	Burgess Hill	89	79	Co-ed
72	St John’s School, Leatherhead	Leatherhead	88.6	79.8	Co-ed
73	St Mary’s Calne	Calne	87.6	81.8	Girls
74	Queen’s College, London	London	92.1	72.1	Girls
75	St Catherine’s, Bramley	Guildford	85.8	84.1	Girls
76	The Manchester Grammar School	Manchester	85.1	85.1	Boys
77	Headington Rye Oxford	Oxford	87.2	79.8	Girls
78	St Dunstan’s College	London	88	77.7	Co-ed
79	Colfe’s School	London	86.8	79.2	Co-ed
80	Burgess Hill Girls	Burgess Hill	92.6	67.5	Girls
81	Birkenhead School	Oxton	84.2	84	Co-ed
82	Churcher’s College	Petersfield	88.3	74.4	Co-ed
83	Manchester High School for Girls	Manchester	85.8	78.8	Girls
84	Westbourne School	Penarth	89.5	71.1	Co-ed
85	Oundle School	Peterborough	87.6	74.2	Co-ed
86	Ardingly College	Haywards Heath	88.2	71.9	Co-ed
87	King Edward’s School, Bath	Bath	81.7	84.1	Co-ed
88	St Helen’s School, Northwood	London	82.8	81.5	Girls
89	Walthamstow Hall Senior School	Sevenoaks	86.4	74.4	Girls
90	Leicester Grammar School	Leicester	83.2	80.6	Co-ed
91	Reed’s School	Cobham	86	75	Co-ed
92	The Leys	Cambridge	87.6	71.4	Co-ed
93	Harrodian	London	85.6	75.3	Co-ed
94	Chigwell School	Chigwell	84	77.8	Co-ed
95	Roedean School	Brighton	83.4	78.9	Girls
96	Croydon High School GDST	South Croydon	83.3	78.7	Girls
97	The Yehudi Menuhin School	Cobham	88.5	66.3	Co-ed
98	Blackheath High School GDST	London	83	77	Girls
99	The Maynard School	Exeter	86.3	70	Girls
100	Forest School	London	82.4	77.6	Co-ed

Also See: The Best State and Grammar Schools in the UK for 2025

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