Independent schools in the UK 2026: a ranking built on verified facts
A ranking of independent schools in the UK, built on verifiable facts: inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, the charity or company number, published fees, the published inspection report, the stages taught, the IB where offered, and the year the school started. The UK has no separate state accreditation of schools, so that metric stays empty for British schools. Every fact links to its source with the date we checked it. This is not advice to choose a particular school. Places are not for sale.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dulwich College | 68 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £10,662 per term (day, Years 3-8, inc. VAT) | Not verified | Not verified | 1619 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published From primary to the final exam |
| 2 | Wellington College | 68 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £15,930 per term (inc. VAT) | Not verified | Yes | 1853 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published Programme |
| 3 | Westminster School | 68 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £33,264 a year (Reception - Year 1, inc. VAT) | Not verified | Not verified | 1560 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published From primary to the final exam |
| 4 | North London Collegiate School | 68 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £8,925 per term (Junior School) | Not verified | Yes | 1850 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published From primary to the final exam Programme |
| 5 | Sevenoaks School | 61 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £12,514 per term (day, inc. VAT) | Not verified | Yes | 1432 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published Programme |
| 6 | St Paul's School | 61 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | £10,221 per term (Years 3-8, inc. VAT) | Not verified | Not verified | 1509 | Licence Tuition Inspection report published From primary to the final exam |
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £10,662 per term (day, Years 3-8, inc. VAT)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Not verified
- Open since
- 1619
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 68% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £15,930 per term (inc. VAT)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1853
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 68% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £33,264 a year (Reception - Year 1, inc. VAT)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Not verified
- Open since
- 1560
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 68% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £8,925 per term (Junior School)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1850
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 68% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £12,514 per term (day, inc. VAT)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1432
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 61% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- £10,221 per term (Years 3-8, inc. VAT)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Not verified
- Open since
- 1509
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Publishes its inspection report
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 61% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- The Manchester Grammar School (25% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
40%
Licence and accreditation
Whether the school has the state licence, registration or status its country requires, whether it holds a state or recognised international accreditation, and whether its website names the legal entity behind it.
25%
Transparency
Whether the school publishes its tuition on its own website, and whether it publishes its latest inspection report so parents can read it.
25%
Learning
The class size the school states (smaller scores higher), whether one school takes a child from primary to the final exam, and whether it offers an international programme such as the IB or, outside the UK, Cambridge or Pearson qualifications.
10%
Experience
The year the school started. A school reaches the full score after 30 years.
How to choose a private school
Check the licence and status
Find out what your country requires and check the school in the official register, not only on its website. Ask whether the certificate your child receives is a state certificate.
Decide on the final qualification
National exam, IB or A Levels lead to different universities. Choose the qualification first, then the school, and check that the school is authorised to offer it.
Ask for the full cost
Add up tuition, the entry fee, meals, transport, uniform, trips and boarding. Ask how fees rise each year and in what currency you pay.
Look at real class sizes
Ask for the number of pupils in your child's future class, not the school average, and how many teachers work with them.
Read the latest inspection
If the school is inspected, read the whole report. Ask what the school changed after it.
Read the contract
Check how you can leave, how much notice you must give, what happens to the fees you paid and who the contract is with.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check an independent school?
Independent schools in England must be registered with the Department for Education. Look the school up on Get Information about Schools, and read its report on the Independent Schools Inspectorate or Ofsted website.
Do fees include VAT?
Since January 2025 VAT applies to private school fees in the UK. We quote fees as the school publishes them; check whether the figure includes VAT.