For families selecting the perfect independent school for their child, there can be so many factors to consider in ensuring they make the right choice. While academic scores, exam results and leaver’s destinations can prove highly influential, additional considerations include specialist subjects, pastoral care as well as school ethos and culture.
As we make our way into 2022, we thought we’d take a look at some of the UK’s best independent schools, to learn what makes them so great.
Highest ranking independent secondary schools
For girls: StPaul’s Girls’School
Holding the top place for GCSE results in the country and an outstanding 5th place for A-level results, St. Paul’s Girls’ School in Hammersmith London is the obvious choice for academically-driven families of girls aged 11-16.
For boys: St. Paul’s School
Accepting just 36 pupils at 11+ entry, St. Paul’s School is highly selective in its admissions. The school celebrates the fifth highest GCSE scores in the country, with boys able to study unique subjects including Ancient Greek.
Mixed: Brighton College
Noted by the Sunday Times as the independent school of the decade, Brighton College also holds third place on the ranking list. While children as young as three years old can start their pre-preparatory education at the school – providing continued first-class education until 18 years of age, the admissions for 11+ starts in year six.
Best for boarding
Oakham School
Noted for its impressive academic results at both A level and GCSE/IGCSE, Oakham School is also one of the UK’s top ten International baccalaureate schools. With a future-focussed curriculum, underpinned by proactive pastoral care, girls are promised the opportunity to flourish both in school and beyond.
Wycliffe College
Offering boarding from 7-19 years of age and set within the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside between London, Bath and Bristol, students at Wycliffe College can enjoy the best of both country and city life. About 220 full boarders, make up approximately half of the whole school community.
Sevenoaks School
With 1180 pupils including a large international population from over 45 countries around the world, Sevenoaks is a lively, cosmopolitan and open-minded school. Additionally it celebrates exceptional ratings for teaching and learning and pride in its innovative, considered approach to education and strong pastoral and co-curricular foundation.
Best prep schools
Guildford HighJunior School
When it comes toacademic results, Guildford High Junior School has been ranked top Independent prep school by the Sunday Times. With fantastic SATs results for reading, grammar and maths, this all-girls’ school is also proud of its lively, happy culture, which affords its pupils the opportunity to thrive.
Notting Hill & Ealing High Junior School GDST
For girls with an aptitude for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), Notting Hill & Ealing High Junior School is the ideal place to nurture their passions. With exciting and engaging teaching and hands-on learning encouraged from a young age, there really is nowhere better for budding scientists and technicians.
Bede’s Prep
Promising sports people will have their sporting passions well and truly fuelled at Bede’s Prep. Core sports include football, hockey, cricket, tennis, netball and swimming while activities like climbing, volleyball, basketball, kayaking, paddle boarding, windsurfing, sailing and riding are offered as elements of the extra curricular programme. With several sporting triumphs to their name, Bede’s aims to foster teamwork, participation and enjoyment as well as success.
Cumnor House, Sussex
For families passionate about their child’s personal wellbeing and helping them understand their emotional, physical, social and mental health, Cumnor House ranks highly. It was the first school to adopt the pioneering iSpace Wellbing curriculum, which encourages children to talk about their feelings and discover when and how to ask for help.
Handcross Park
It’s vital to remember that children attend school, not just to develop academically but socially, emotionally and culturally too. Pastoral care is essential in any child’s development but none more so than in times of great change and disruption. Handcross Park adopted multiple measures to ensure pastoral care was delivered to each and every one of its pupils during the Covid:19 pandemic and continues to role such initiatives out today.
Gresham’s Prep School
Inspiring creativity starts at a young age and a culture that encourages exploration through a range of creative activities is vital. At Gresham’s Prep School, children have the opportunity to try their hand at a number of crafts including painting with watercolour and acrylics, modelling with clay, Modroc and papier-mâché and to gain an understanding and appreciation of the creative process.
Westbourne House School
Harnessing musical talent is a skill that takes dedication and practice, so it’s vital to have the best start and great support. Westbourne House School offers just this, with all pupils starting with he recorder and around three quarters of these going on to learn a different instrument. With two orchestras, three choirs, a big band and chamber ensembles, they clearly make fantastic use of their new performing arts centre.
Pinewood House
Some children were just born to be outdoors and one school that embraces this ethos is Pinewood School. Sprawling over 85 acres, including an orchard, mountain bike track, a Forest School, a treetops adventure playground and a fairy circle, learning outside is clearly of equal emphasis as learning inside the classroom. Their adventure programme also takes children beyond the school campus for activities including sailing and bush craft.
Cheltenham College Preparatory School
Children won’t always have clear interests and ambitions from the day dot, so a school that can help them discover these is vital. Located just over the road from the senior school, Cheltenham College’s prep school has lots of space of its own for the learning and development of its children, as well as being able to enjoy the use of the senior school’s facilities too. These include the swimming pool, vast sports hall and chapel. Furthermore, small classes and plenty of individual attention enable children to thrive.
