Ranking of the best UK boarding schools

The United Kingdom is often regarded as one of the best countries for secondary education in the world and its reputation is more than well-deserved. The British isle is home to some of the most highly praised boarding schools and children from all over the world come here to ensure they are accepted by Oxford, Cambridge or even Ivy League universities.

Whether you are looking for a private or an independent school or cannot make up your mind between urban, suburban or rural campuses, this exclusive ranking of the top 30 boarding schools in the UK made by our expert team will surely help both parents and children to decide what school is best for them and their near future goals.

When deciding which boarding school is best, parents often ask us about the percentage of alumni that is accepted into Oxford or Cambridge – the two top English universities par excellence – from each school. The average percentage in 2013 was 18% which is considerably high compared to public schools. Furthermore, this percentage increases dramatically depending on each school with some of them, such as Westminster School in London receiving a splendid 44% rate of admission.

The second area that most troubles parents is the A-Levels and it is here where boarding schools truly excel thanks to their superb academic programmes; some of which focus on the unique skills and virtues on each student and foster them to make them reach their highest potential. The average score achieved by these 30 boarding schools is 72 but most of them excel it and half of them are within the 90 to 99 points frame. This means that students do very well at the A-Levels and are more likely to attend the University of their Choice.

The first three schools in 2013 were Wycombe Abbey School boasts a 99 score while Westminster School and St. Paul’s School, both in London, got a 98. On the fourth place we can find Downe House School which got a 95.

The third area that parents tend to be worried about is the amount of students per class. The average for these 30 top schools is as little as 12. However, we would like to emphasize that a small class size does not guarantee better grades. For example, St. Paul’s School in London has 18 students per class and yet achieved the second highest score in the A-Levels in 2013 while other schools such as Christ’s Hospital did not scored as high and their class size is much lower with just 11 students.

More important than class size is the total enrolment of each school and here is where the biggest difference with public schools is found. The average number of pupils per school is under 1,000 which means that teachers can get to know their students on a more personal level and have a good knowledge of where your child’s strengths and weaknesses are. These aspects are particularly important as they can easily help them to improve and reach their highest potential.

The fourth area, and perhaps one of the most important ones, is the cost of education in the UK. However, with most boarding schools offering both day and boarding tuition options the opportunities for families are widened; especially for those considering moving aboard with their children and wishing to still spend time with their children without compromising their education. The average day tuition fees are under £17,000 per year and the boarding tuition fees are under £30,000 per year.

More details

The full detailed report can be requested for free to our education consultant or alternatively you can send us an email by clicking on the following link: UK Boarding Schools Query

Our team is also happy to help you with personalized counselling.