
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.
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What are private schools?
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How much do private schools cost?
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Scholarships and bursaries for private schools
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Lifelong social benefits
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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