Best Private Schools in the UK in 2026

Based on 2025 A-level and GCSE results, the best private schools in the UK include St Paul's School, Brighton College, North London Collegiate School, Godolphin and Latymer, and Guildford High School, with the full top 10 and top 100 set out below. There are over 2,500 private schools across the UK, educating roughly 650,000 children, around 6 percent of all school age children. Most leading private schools are highly selective, so preparing a child for entrance exams well before Year 6 or Year 7, ideally starting in Year 4 or 5, gives the strongest possible chance of success. 

Choosing between more than two and a half thousand independent schools can feel completely overwhelming. Here is a clear, detailed guide to the best private schools in the UK, ranked by 2025 results, along with how many private schools actually exist and how to prepare a child for entry.

What are private schools?

Private schools, also called independent schools, are fee paying schools that sit entirely outside the state education system. Rather than being funded by local authorities, they charge fees directly to families, usually split into three payments across the academic year, one per term.

Because you apply directly to each individual school rather than through a single local authority process, admissions timelines, entrance requirements and application forms vary considerably between schools. Families considering both private and state options will still need to complete the standard secondary school application form for any state schools they are also applying to.

Many of the most sought after private schools are selective, meaning a child needs to meet specific academic standards, usually through an entrance exam, to be offered a place. For 11+ entry into Year 7, most senior schools close registration in October or November of Year 6, though some set earlier deadlines during the summer term of Year 5, with entrance exams typically taking place in December or January.

How many private schools are there in the UK?

There are over 2,500 private schools operating across the UK, together educating approximately 650,000 children, roughly 6 percent of all school age pupils in the country. England accounts for the vast majority of this total, with well over 2,400 independent schools on its own.

Not every private school belongs to a representative body, but the largest and most established is the Independent Schools Council, whose member schools alone account for around 1,400 institutions, including roughly 500 that offer boarding places. ISC schools tend to include many of the most well-known and highest performing names in the sector, including most of the schools featured further down this guide.

This scale is exactly why families often feel overwhelmed when they start researching options. Understanding roughly how many schools exist, and how selective the very top tier actually is, helps set realistic, well informed expectations from the outset.

Top 100 private schools in the UK in 2026

The list below ranks the top 100 private schools in the UK.

1. St Paul's School, London

2. Brighton College, Brighton

3. North London Collegiate School, London

4. Godolphin and Latymer School, London

5. Guildford High School, Guildford

6. St Paul's Girls' School, London

7. King's College School, Wimbledon

8. Westminster School, London

9. City of London School for Girls, London

10. Latymer Upper School, London

11. King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham

12. Lady Eleanor Holles, London

13. Alleyn's School, London

14. Eton College, Windsor

15. Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks

16. South Hampstead High School GDST, London

17. City of London School, London

18. Wycombe Abbey, High Wycombe

19. Highgate School, London

20.  Magdalen College School, Oxford

21. Queen Ethelburga's College, York

22.  Royal Grammar School, Guildford

23.  Putney High School GDST, London

24.  Hampton School, London

25.  University College School, London

26.  Winchester College, Winchester

27.  The Perse School, Cambridge

28.  Tonbridge School, Tonbridge

29.  Reigate Grammar School, Reigate

30.  Kingston Grammar School, Kingston upon Thames

31. Concord College, Shrewsbury

32.  Trinity School, Croydon

33.  James Allen's Girls' School, London

34.  Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST, London

35.  Withington Girls' School, Manchester

36.  Wimbledon High School GDST, London

37.  Bancroft's, Woodford Green

38.  Caterham School, Caterham

39.  The Manchester Grammar School, Manchester

40.  Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cardiff

41.  King Edward's School, Birmingham

42.  Emanuel School, London

43.  Oxford High School GDST, Oxford

44. Eltham College, London

45.  Channing School, London

46.  Dulwich College, London

47.  Colfe's School, London

48.  Wellington College, Crowthorne

49.  Nottingham High School, Nottingham

50.  Surbiton High School, Kingston upon Thames

51. St Albans High School for Girls, St Albans

52.  Epsom College, Epsom

53.  Whitgift School, South Croydon

54.  St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon

55.  Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood

56.  Westbourne School, Penarth

57.  City of London Freemen's School, Ashtead

58.  St Michael's School, Llanelli

59.  Francis Holland School, Sloane Square

60.  Abingdon School, Abingdon

61. St Mary's School Ascot

62. Cheltenham Ladies' College, Cheltenham

63.  Harrow School, Harrow on the Hill

64.  St Catherine's, Bramley

65.  St Swithun's School, Winchester

66.  Radley College, Abingdon

67.  The Leys, Cambridge

68.  Sir William Perkins's School, Chertsey

69.  Sheffield Girls' GDST, Sheffield

70.  King Edward's School, Bath

71.  St Dunstan's College, London

72.  Ibstock Place School, London

73.  Churcher's College, Petersfield

74.  Hurstpierpoint College, Hassocks

75.  St John's College, Cardiff

76.  Benenden School, Cranbrook

77.  Haileybury, Hertford

78.  Harrodian, London

79.  The King's School, Chester

80.  Queen's College, London

81.  Francis Holland School, Regent's Park

82.  Royal Grammar School, Newcastle

83.  Oundle School, Peterborough

84.  St Helen's School, Northwood

85.  St Augustine's Priory, London

86.  Redmaids' High School, Bristol

87.  St Albans School, St Albans

88.  The Cathedral School, Llandaff

89.  Reading Blue Coat, Sonning-on-Thames

90.  Immanuel College, Bushey

91.  Manchester High School for Girls, Manchester

92.  The Abbey, Reading

93.  Solihull School, Solihull

94.  The Maynard School, Exeter

95.  Downe House, Thatcham

96.  Bedford School, Bedford

97.  The Grammar School at Leeds, Leeds

98.  Leicester Grammar School, Leicester

99. Croydon High School GDST, South Croydon

100. Reed's School, Surrey

Top 10 private schools in the UK

1. St Paul's School (Barnes, West London · Boys · Day and boarding) 

A boys' school sitting on a spacious 43 acre site, St Paul's was founded all the way back in 1509 by John Colet, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. Its students, known as Paulines, have a strong record of progression to leading universities, with dozens heading to Oxford, Cambridge and top North American institutions each year. 

2. Brighton College (Brighton, East Sussex · Mixed · Day and boarding)

Founded in 1845, Brighton College has built a reputation for combining strong academic results with a genuinely innovative approach to teaching. It has picked up several major sector awards in recent years, including recognition as a leading school for both academic excellence and boarding provision. 

3. North London Collegiate School (Edgware, North West London · Girls · Day)

Founded in 1850 by Frances Buss, a genuine pioneer of girls' education, North London Collegiate was the first school in the country to give girls the same educational opportunities as boys. It occupies a 30 acre Georgian estate and remains one of the strongest academic performers in the country.

4. Godolphin and Latymer School (Hammersmith, West London · Girls · Day)

Founded in 1905, Godolphin and Latymer offers a broad sixth form curriculum including both A-levels and the International Baccalaureate, alongside a long standing reputation for strong academic outcomes.

5. Guildford High School (Guildford · Girls · Day)

Guildford High School is known for an unusually broad co-curricular offering, with more than 70 clubs running weekly, and a genuine focus on sustainability, having been recognised with an Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction.

6. St Paul's Girls' School (Hammersmith, West London · Girls · Day)

Founded in 1904 as the sister school to St Paul's School, this consistently sits among the very top independent schools in the country. Students, known as Paulinas, benefit from small class sizes of around 20 pupils in the Lower School.

7. King's College School, Wimbledon (Wimbledon, South West London · Boys, mixed sixth form · Day)

Founded by royal charter in 1829 as part of King's College London before relocating to Wimbledon in 1897, this school sits on the edge of Wimbledon Common and admits girls into its sixth form.

8. Westminster School (Westminster, London · Boys, girls in sixth form · Day and boarding)

Set within the historic precincts of Westminster Abbey, this school has an exceptionally strong record of sending sixth form leavers to highly selective universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.

9. City of London School for Girls (Central London · Girls · Day)

Educating girls aged 7 to 18 in the heart of the City, this school places genuine emphasis on building confidence, social and emotional intelligence alongside strong academic outcomes.

10. Latymer Upper School (Hammersmith, West London · Mixed · Day)

One of London's leading co-educational day schools for pupils aged 7 to 18, Latymer Upper combines strong academic provision with a genuinely broad co-curricular programme spanning music, drama, sport and the arts.

How to prepare for private school entrance exams

1. Start early, ideally in Year 4 or Year 5

Building core skills in maths, English and verbal or non-verbal reasoning takes real time to develop properly, rather than being crammed in the final months before Year 6. 

2. Understand each school's specific exam format

Entrance exams vary between schools; some use standardised tests like ISEB, others set their own papers entirely. Knowing exactly what a target school actually tests focuses preparation far more effectively than generic revision. 

3. Practise regularly under timed, realistic conditions

Working through 11+ past papers and sitting 11 plus mocks builds the pace, stamina and calm needed for the real thing, well before it counts. 

4. Get experienced, structured support

Working with tutors who genuinely understand independent school entrance exams, not just the general 11+, helps a child prepare for the specific style and standard these schools expect. 

We support families through exactly this kind of preparation with our 11 plus tuition, and for families wanting a concentrated push before exam season, our 11 plus intensive summer course combines every core skill into one structured, focused programme. 

Final thoughts

The best private schools in the UK vary depending on exactly what a family is measuring, whether that is raw exam results, pastoral care, extracurricular breadth, or simply which school feels like the right fit for a particular child. The rankings above offer a genuinely useful starting point, built on real 2025 results, but they are exactly that, a starting point rather than the final word.

With over 2,500 private schools across the UK, there is a genuinely wide range of options beyond the names that top every league table, many of which offer an excellent education and a strong sense of community. Whatever school your family is aiming for, thorough, well timed preparation gives your child the best possible chance of getting there.