The table below lists the top 100 UK private schools published by The Telegraph. The rankings are based on the percentage of A*-A or 9-7 grades achieved by students who took GCSEs in 2018.
Please note:
– Schools have been ranked by their rate for A*-A or 9-7 grades, for both GCSE and iGCSE results combined.
– All schools in this table had a minimum of 20 candidates taking the exams.
– The school data shown is correct at the time of posting. Please contact us for the most up-to-date information.
– The data below is ordered by A-level rank. Click on a heading title to order the data by that attribute.
– Use the search box (top right of the table) to search for a particular school, location, region or school type.
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Rank | School | Location | Region | Day/Boarding | Gender | School Size | A*-A or 9-7 entries | Candidates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | St Mary's School Ascot | Ascot | South East | Day & Full Boarding | Girls | 386 | 97.49% | 55 |
2 | Guildford High School for Girls | Guildford | South East | Day | Girls | 1000 | 97.22% | 96 |
3 | North London Collegiate School | Edgware | London | Day | Girls | 1099 | 97.21% | 105 |
4 | Westminster School | Westminster | London | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 743 | 97.1% | 118 |
5 | King's College School (KCS) | Wimbledon | London | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 967 | 95.95% | 147 |
6 | City of London School For Girls | London | London | Day | Girls | 732 | 95.3% | 92 |
7 | Magdalen College School | Oxford | South East | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 897 | 95.15% | 95 |
8 | The Perse School | Cambridge | Eastern | Day | Co-educational | 1611 | 94.01% | 180 |
9 | Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls | Borehamwood | London | Day | Girls | 1168 | 93.97% | 120 |
10 | Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School | Elstree | London | Day | Boys | 1127 | 93.37% | 170 |
11 | Hampton School | Hampton | London | Day | Boys | 1313 | 92.97% | 204 |
12 | James Allen's Girls' School | London | London | Day | Girls | 1081 | 92.4% | 114 |
13 | King Edward VI High School for Girls | Birmingham | Midlands | Day | Girls | 590 | 92.34% | 74 |
14 | Highgate School | Highgate | London | Day | Co-educational | 1724 | 92.16% | 166 |
15 | Wimbledon High School GDST | Wimbledon | London | Day | Girls | 970 | 92.15% | 90 |
16 | Putney High School GDST | Putney | London | Day | Girls | 1020 | 92.06% | 84 |
17 | Alleyn's School | Dulwich | London | Day | Co-educational | 1013 | 91.81% | 145 |
18 | Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST | Ealing | London | Day | Girls | 894 | 91.59% | 86 |
19 | The Manchester Grammar School | Manchester | Northern | Day | Boys | 1542 | 90.56% | 163 |
20 | Brighton College | Brighton | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 1099 | 89.96% | 189 |
21 | Oxford High School GDST | Oxford | South East | Day | Girls | 854 | 89.38% | 83 |
22 | Withington Girls' School | Manchester | Northern | Day | Girls | 718 | 89.12% | 79 |
23 | South Hampstead High School GDST | Hampstead | London | Day | Girls | 883 | 89.04% | 97 |
24 | Royal Grammar School | Guildford | South East | Day | Boys | 955 | 88.42% | 139 |
25 | Trinity School | Croydon | London | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 1013 | 88.41% | 134 |
26 | Merchant Taylors' School | Northwood | London | Day | Boys | 911 | 88.01% | 157 |
27 | The Abbey School | Reading | South East | Day | Girls | 1066 | 87.78% | 107 |
28 | University College School | Hampstead | London | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 876 | 87.59% | 123 |
29 | Concord College | Shrewsbury | Midlands | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 577 | 87.14% | 75 |
30 | Badminton School | Bristol | South West | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 448 | 86.82% | 43 |
31 | Royal Grammar School | Newcastle upon Tyne | Northern | Day | Co-educational | 1318 | 85.69% | 145 |
32 | Bancroft's School | Woodford Green | London | Day | Co-educational | 1143 | 84.92% | 125 |
33 | St Catherine's | Guildford | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 649 | 84.59% | 100 |
34 | Channing School | London | London | Day | Girls | 915 | 84.31% | 83 |
35 | Eltham College | Mottingham | South East | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 975 | 84.17% | 71 |
36 | King Edward's School | Birmingham | Midlands | Day | Boys | 880 | 84.04% | 138 |
37 | St Albans High School for Girls | St Albans | Eastern | Day | Girls | 1038 | 84.02% | 112 |
38 | Dulwich College | Dulwich | London | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Boys | 1821 | 83.73% | 209 |
39 | Headington School | Oxford | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 1084 | 83.72% | 112 |
40 | Kingston Grammar School | Kingston upon Thames | London | Day | Co-educational | 829 | 83.36% | 123 |
41 | Ibstock Place School | Roehampton | London | Day | Co-educational | 945 | 83.13% | 86 |
42 | City of London Freemen's School | Ashtead | London | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 910 | 82.62% | 104 |
43 | St Albans School | St Albans | Eastern | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 848 | 82.1% | 131 |
44 | Oundle School | Peterborough | Midlands | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 1104 | 81.68% | 189 |
45 | Sir William Perkins's School | Chertsey | London | Day | Girls | 601 | 81.48% | 82 |
46 | The Stephen Perse Foundation | Cambridge | Eastern | Day | Co-educational | 1225 | 80.99% | 73 |
47 | St Swithun's School | Winchester | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 522 | 80.44% | 69 |
48 | Queen's Gate School | London | London | Day | Girls | 536 | 80.36% | 53 |
49 | Caterham School | Caterham | London | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 926 | 80.35% | 135 |
50 | Palmers Green High School | Winchmore Hill | London | Day | Girls | 277 | 79.47% | 26 |
51 | Reigate Grammar School | Reigate | South East | Day | Co-educational | 1006 | 79.27% | 147 |
52 | Loughborough High School | Loughborough | Midlands | Day | Girls | 581 | 79.04% | 82 |
53 | St Helen's School | Northwood | London | Day | Girls | 1164 | 78.84% | 99 |
54 | King Edward's School | Bath | South West | Day | Co-educational | 1087 | 78.07% | 97 |
55 | Warwick School | Warwick | Midlands | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Boys | 1231 | 77.83% | 130 |
56 | Surbiton High School | Kingston upon Thames | London | Day | Girls | 854 | 77.57% | 151 |
57 | Forest School | London | London | Day | Co-educational | 1366 | 76.79% | 161 |
58 | Croydon High School GDST | South Croydon | London | Day | Girls | 561 | 76.6% | 42 |
59 | Epsom College | Epsom | London | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 900 | 76.43% | 138 |
60 | Bablake School | Coventry | Midlands | Day | Co-educational | 746 | 76.1% | 103 |
61 | Leicester Grammar School | Great Glen | Midlands | Day | Co-educational | 1209 | 76.03% | 117 |
62 | Bradford Grammar School | Bradford | Northern | Day | Co-educational | 1043 | 75.71% | 126 |
63 | Burgess Hill Girls | Burgess Hill | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 524 | 74.74% | 42 |
64 | Howell's School Llandaff GDST | Cardiff | Wales | Day | Girls (co-ed sixth form) | 778 | 74.71% | 64 |
65 | St George's College Weybridge | Addlestone | London | Day | Co-educational | 920 | 74.57% | 140 |
66 | Exeter School | Exeter | South West | Day | Co-educational | 922 | 74.55% | 110 |
67 | Ardingly College | Haywards Heath | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 989 | 74.48% | 109 |
68 | St John's School | Leatherhead | London | Day and Weekly Boarding | Co-educational | 763 | 73.72% | 121 |
69 | Wolverhampton Grammar School | Wolverhampton | Midlands | Day | Co-educational | 738 | 73.58% | 73 |
70 | Chigwell School | Chigwell | London | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 924 | 73.45% | 89 |
71 | King's High School | Warwick | Midlands | Day | Girls | 617 | 73.2% | 77 |
72 | The King's School | Worcester | Midlands | Day | Co-educational | 915 | 72.8% | 129 |
73 | The King's School | Canterbury | South East | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 819 | 72.28% | 149 |
74 | Marlborough College | Marlborough | South West | Full Boarding | Co-educational | 962 | 72.18% | 173 |
75 | The Grange School | Northwich | Northern | Day | Co-educational | 1164 | 72.12% | 106 |
76 | Francis Holland School | Regent's Park | London | Day | Girls | 497 | 71.86% | 74 |
77 | Nottingham High School | Nottingham | Midlands | Day | Co-educational | 1030 | 71.82% | 110 |
78 | The Grammar School at Leeds | Leeds | Northern | Day | Co-educational | 2100 | 71.32% | 183 |
79 | Walthamstow Hall | Sevenoaks | South East | Day | Girls | 610 | 71.2% | 59 |
80 | Queen's College London | Marylebone | London | Day | Girls | 587 | 70.92% | 54 |
81 | Norwich School | Norwich | Eastern | Day | Co-educational | 1151 | 70.77% | 128 |
82 | Northwood College GDST | Northwood | London | Day | Girls | 848 | 70.73% | 85 |
82 | Queen Ethelburga's College | York | Northern | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 1063 | 70.73% | 56 |
84 | Uppingham School | Uppingham | Midlands | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 785 | 70.27% | 145 |
85 | Mayfield School | Mayfield | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 366 | 70.14% | 56 |
86 | St Peter's School | York | Northern | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 569 | 70.03% | 101 |
87 | Canford School | Wimborne | South West | Day & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 653 | 69.89% | 133 |
88 | St James Senior Girls' School | London | London | Day | Girls | 266 | 69.58% | 44 |
89 | The Cathedral School Llandaff | Cardiff | Wales | Day | Co-educational | 799 | 69.41% | 75 |
90 | The King's School | Cheshire | Northern | Day | Co-educational | 1103 | 69.36% | 96 |
91 | Bolton School Girls' Division | Bolton | Northern | Day | Girls | 1263 | 69.29% | 112 |
92 | Monmouth School for Girls | Monmouth | Wales | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 640 | 69.25% | 69 |
93 | Wetherby Senior School | London | London | Day | Boys | 224 | 69.19% | 42 |
94 | St Michael's School | Llanelli | Wales | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Co-educational | 502 | 69.06% | 46 |
95 | Reading Blue Coat School | Reading | South East | Day | Boys (co-ed sixth form) | 754 | 69.05% | 96 |
96 | Roedean School | Brighton | South East | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 618 | 68.97% | 73 |
97 | The Royal High School Bath GDST | Bath | South West | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Girls | 610 | 68.5% | 70 |
98 | The Ladies' College | Guernsey | N/A | Day | Girls | 571 | 68.47% | 57 |
99 | Bedford School | Bedford | Eastern | Day, Weekly & Full Boarding | Boys | 1097 | 68.25% | 141 |
100 | Redmaids' High School | Bristol | South West | Day | Girls | 646 | 68.11% | 120 |
Dear Sir/Ms,
I am looking for a boarding school in UK for my son. I am wondering when would be the best time for us to visit these school? Would the summer period be a good time to do so? Would these school be opened during these time?
Thank you for your comment. From our experience, the best time to visit boarding schools in the UK is during term times when the students are there. This way, you can get a real feel for the school, atmosphere and teaching. We can arrange private visits for you to suit your schedule. Please email us at service@ukguardianship.com for more information.
Hi It’s Cici from China, i have a sister who wants to come to U.K. for high school education. We are hoping to find a fine high for girls. Do you have any suggestions。 and it’ll be very helpful if you could send more information about how to register and do my sister need a guardian if she goes to U.K. and how much will
be cost each year. Thanks very much!
Hello Cici. We would be very happy to help your sister find an excellent school in the UK and we can also be your sister’s appointed guardian when she is studying here. We have different packages for our placement and guardianship services – you can find more information on our website. I will also send you an email with more details.
Hello, I am trying to find a Co-ed boarding school for my 13 year old son. I need a school with excellent academic achievements and with good sporting facilities for football.
Thank you for your message. My colleague will be in touch by email.