Oxford International College (OIC) is an independent college based in central Oxford, United Kingdom for girls and boys from 14 to 18 years. The school teaches GCSE and A-Level courses to prepare students for entry into British universities. In 2019, they were the number 1 ranking UK boarding school according to the UK A Levels League Table, with 91.84% of students scoring A*/A for their A Levels examination. In 2020, 98% of students achieved A*/A grades in their A Levels examination.

Cardiff Sixth Form College, abbreviated to CSFC, is an independent mixed education sixth form college in Cardiff, Wales for 15- to 19-year olds. The college is owned by Dukes Education. The College was established in 2004 as the Cardiff Centre of Excellence (CCOEX), and was originally intended as a private tutorial centre which met regularly in a local church. The College caters for students studying for their A Levels and uses the WJEC exam board for all subjects, but the main emphasis is on providing students with the relevant experiences and skills to enter the university of their choice. It also offers summer school courses based at its UK campus in Cardiff. Since 2013, the College has come top amongst other independent schools in the UK in league tables.

St Paul’s Girls’ School was founded by the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1904, using part of the endowment of the foundation set up by John Colet, to create a girls’ school to complement the boys’ school he had founded in the sixteenth century. St Paul’s girls regularly perform extremely well in the GCSEs and A Levels. In the 2020 GCSE and IGCSE results, students were awarded the higher of their centre- assessed grade and the statistically-adjusted calculated grade. 86% of entries were awarded a 9 grade and 97.9% of entries gained an 8 or 9 (which are equivalent to the old A* grade).

Westminster School is a public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It derives from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the 1066 Norman Conquest, as documented by the Croyland Chronicle and a charter of King Offa. Continuous existence is clear from the early 14th century. Its academic results place it among the top schools nationally; about half its students go to Oxbridge, giving it the highest national Oxbridge acceptance rate. Boys join Under School at seven and Senior School at 13 by examination. Girls join the Sixth Form at 16. About a quarter of the 750 pupils board. Weekly boarders may go home after Saturday morning school. The school motto, Dat Deus Incrementum, quotes 1 Corinthians 3:6: “I planted the seed… but God made it grow.” Westminster was one of nine schools examined by the 1861 Clarendon Commission and reformed by the Public Schools Act 1868.

Concord College is an independent co-educational international day/ boarding school in Shropshire, England situated in the grounds of Acton Burnell Castle. The college admits students aged between 12 and 19; the majority of whom come from overseas. Concord College excels in academic results with an 85% A*-A at A-level and 82% A*-A at GCSE level. In 2009, to celebrate its 60th year, Concord was visited by the Princess Royal. The main building of Concord College is Acton Burnell Hall, the manor house of Acton Burnell Castle. In 2016, The Times league table for independent co-educational schools in the UK placed Concord tenth in the UK.

Magdalen College School (MCS) is a public school (English independent day school) in Oxford, England, for boys aged seven to eighteen and for girls in the sixth form. It was founded by William Waynflete about 1480 as part of Magdalen College, Oxford. In 2010 The Good Schools Guide described the school as having “A comfortable mix of brains, brawn and artistic flair but demanding and challenging too. Not what you might expect a boys’ public school to look like or feel like.” The school was named Independent School of the Year by The Sunday Times in 2004, and 2008, being the first boys’ school to attain this accolade twice. MCS ranks among the top independent secondary schools in The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2021, placed sixth nationally and third in the Southeast.

St Paul’s School is a selective independent school for boys aged 13–18, founded in 1509 by John Colet and located on a 43-acre site by the Thames in London. St Paul’s is one of the nine original English public schools investigated by the Clarendon Commission, which subsequently became known as the Clarendon schools. However, the school successfully argued that it was a private school and consequently was omitted from the Public Schools Act 1868, as was Merchant Taylors’, the other day school within the scope of Lord Clarendon’s terms of reference. Since 1881, St Paul’s has had its own preparatory school, St Paul’s Juniors (formerly Colet Court), which since 1968 has been located on the same site. St Paul’s has been ranked the leading boys’ school in the country academically, maintaining high average GCSE and A-Level results, and one of the highest Oxbridge acceptance rates of any secondary school or college.

Ruthin School is a public school (i.e. independent school) located on the outskirts of Ruthin, the county town of Denbighshire, North Wales. It is over seven hundred years old, making it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Originally a school for boys, it has been co-educational since 1990. In 2017 the school had the 27th best A-level results of British independent schools. The school won the 2016, 2017 and 2018 UKMT national mathematics competitions, resulting in their selection to represent the United Kingdom in Europe for three consecutive years. The school won the national Chemistry Analyst Competition in 2015, and has had gold award winning pupils in Olympiads for Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry every year in recent times. On the hundredth anniversary of the school’s relocation, the Hall was further extended and in 2006 the Hewer Hall, a sports facility, was opened by The Princess Royal.

Winchester College is a public school (a fee-charging independent school) in Winchester, Hampshire. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest school of the nine considered by the Clarendon Commission and is regarded as among the most prestigious in the world. The school is currently undergoing a transition to become co-educational and to accept day pupils, having previously been boys’ boarding school. According to its 1382 charter and final statutes (1400), the school is called in Latin Collegium Sanctae Mariae prope Wintoniam, or Collegium Beatae Mariae Wintoniensis prope Winton, which translates as St Mary’s College, near Winchester, or The College of the Blessed Mary of Winchester, near Winchester.

The City of London School, is an independent day school for boys in the City of London, England, on the banks of the River Thames next to the Millennium Bridge, opposite Tate Modern. It is a partner school of the City of London School for Girls and the City of London Freemen’s School. All three schools receive funding from the City’s Cash. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). It is one of the most academically selective and successful schools in the country. The school was founded by a private Act of Parliament in 1834. The school provides day education to about 900 boys aged 10 to 18 and employs approximately 100 teaching staff and around another 100 non-teaching staff.

Brighton College is an independent, co-educational boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 in Brighton, England. The school has three sites: Brighton College (the senior school, ages 11 to 18); Brighton College Preparatory School (children aged 8 to 13, located next to the senior school); and the Pre-Prep School (children aged 3 to 8). Brighton College was named England’s Independent School 2019 of the Year by The Sunday Times. In 2018 it was ranked 5th in the country for average A-level results, with 99% of grades being A*-B. In 2011, Brighton College opened its first international campus in Abu Dhabi. Brighton College International Schools (BCIS) has opened campuses in Al Ain, Bangkok and Dubai.

Wycombe Abbey is an independent girls’ boarding and day school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is consistently ranked as one of the top all-girls schools in academic results. The school was founded in 1896 by Dame Frances Dove, who was previously headmistress of St Leonards School in Scotland. Its present capacity is approximately 650 girls, aged 11 to 18.The current headmistress is Jo Duncan. The school is on a 69 hectare campus in central High Wycombe. The land includes woods, gardens, a Cold War bunker (RAF Daws Hill) and a lake, and rises up to 150 metres above sea level in the Chiltern Hills. The freehold is owned by the school; the main house and several buildings at Wycombe Abbey are Grade II* listed.

Eton College is a public school (private sector) for boys in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name Kynge’s College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore, intended as a sister institution to King’s College, Cambridge, making it the 18th-oldest Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) school. Eton is particularly well-known for its history, wealth, and notable alumni (Old Etonians). Eton is one of only three public schools, along with Harrow (1572) and Radley (1847), to retain the boys-only, boarding-only tradition, which means that its boys live at the school seven days a week. Eton has educated prime ministers, world leaders, Nobel laureates, Academy Award and BAFTA award-winning actors.

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate incorporates four boarding and day schools for girls and boys from 3 months to 19 years old, located in Thorpe Underwood, near Little Ouseburn, close to York and Harrogate, England. It is a member of the Independent Schools Association. It is named after Æthelburh of Kent. Queen Ethelburga’s College, comprises three sections: the Chapter House preparatory school, King’s Magna middle school, and a Key Stage 4 (GCSE) and Sixth Form (A Level) section. The second is the Faculty of Queen Ethelburga’s and is purely Key Stage 4 (GCSE) and Sixth Form (A Level and BTEC). Queen Ethelburga’s has 42 acres of outdoor sports pitches and a full time team of grounds keepers.

King’s College School, also known as King’s College School, Wimbledon, KCS, King’s and KCS Wimbledon, is a public school in Wimbledon, southwest London, England. The school was founded in 1829 as the junior department of King’s College London and had part of the school’s premises in Strand, prior to relocating to Wimbledon in 1897. KCS is a member of the exclusive Eton Group of schools. It is predominately a boys’ school, but accepts girls into the Sixth Form. In the Sixth Form pupils can choose between the International Baccalaureate and A-Level qualifications. KCS occupies a 20 acre site on the south side of Wimbledon Common and owns a boathouse and 2 additional playing-fields in Raynes Park and Motspur Park.

The Perse School is a public school in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1615 by Stephen Perse, its motto is Qui facit per alium facit per se, taken to mean ‘He who does things for others does them for himself’. The School began accepting girls at 11 and 13+ in September 2010 and was fully co-educational by September 2012. ‘Perse’ is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, an association of the leading UK independent schools. The organisation now comprises three schools, which together provide for children aged 3 through to 18. The Pelican is the Perse’s nursery and pre-preparatory school, and accommodates pupils from 3–7. It is situated on Glebe Road, close to the main school site.

Hampton School (formerly Hampton Grammar School) is an independent boys’ day school in Hampton, Located in a highly desirable area of South West London, Hampton School is situated on a beautiful 28-acre green eld site. Hampton School dates its foundation to 1556/7 when, thanks to a bequest by Robert Hammond, a prominent local businessman, provision was made for the elementary instruction of local children by the Vicar of St Mary’s, Hampton upon Thames. The School has undergone many transformations since then. Today Hampton School is recognised as one of the leading academic boys’ schools in the UK. It has over 1,200 pupils, almost all of whom progress to top universities either in this country or abroad.

The Godolphin and Latymer School is an independent day school for girls in Hammersmith, West London. The school motto is an ancient Cornish phrase, Francha Leale Toge, which translates as “free and loyal art thou”. The school crest includes a double-headed white eagle, Godolphin in Cornish signifies a white eagle. The Good Schools Guide called the school a “Very strong academic school with a friendly atmosphere, an outstanding head and a broad range of extra-curricular activities.” Godolphin girls are warm, lively and grounded in the real world, achieve excellent GCSE, A Level and IB results, but wear their academic credentials lightly.

Guildford High School is an independent day school for girls founded in 1888. Around one thousand girls, age 4 to 18, from Guildford and its surrounding towns and villages, attend the school. Guildford High School comprises a Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form. From the beginning, Guildford High School, founded by the Church Schools Company in 1888, was a progressive school. While some early girls’ schools were designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of prospective governesses, Guildford High School sought to provide a feminine counterpart to the reformed public schools for boys. The current site on London Road was completed in 1893 and is still in use.

Oxford High School is a public secondary institution located in Oxford Township, Michigan, United States. It is operated by the Oxford Community Schools. The school draws from an area of the village of Oxford and most of Oxford Township, as well as portions of Orion, Dryden, Metamora, and Addison townships. Oxford High School is an authorized International Baccalaureate World School for the Diploma Programme. Oxford High School offers 24 different varsity sports. Teams participate in the Oakland Activities Association, a high school athletic conference whose member schools have similar enrollments and are all located in the Oakland County area. The statewide class designation is “Division 1” or “Class A”.

St Mary’s School Ascot is a Roman Catholic independent day and boarding school for girls in Ascot, Berkshire, England. It is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. It was named 2015 “Public School of the Year” at the annual Tatler Schools Awards. It was ranked No. 1 in the U.K. by The Daily Telegraph in the 2018 GCSEs. St Mary’s has enjoyed success in both GCSE and A Levels examinations. In 2019, girls placed 12th in the Top U.K. Boarding School Ranking based on their 77.1% A*-A results. St Mary’s School was founded by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM). The school chapel was built in 1885 and funded by Cecilia Marshall, and the First Mass was celebrated there on 2 July 1896.

The City of London School for Girls (CLSG) is an independent school in the Barbican in the City of London. It is the partner school of the all-boys City of London School and the City of London Freemen’s School. All three schools receive funding from the City’s Cash. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) and the Girls’ Schools Association. The school was founded using a bequest by William Ward, a merchant of Brixton, in 1881 and opened in Carmelite Street in 1894. The school moved to new buildings in the Barbican Estate in 1969. The school has an excellent academic reputation. There have been 12 headmistresses of the school; as of April 2021 the headmistress is Jenny Brown.

Lady Eleanor Holles School (LEH or LEHS) is an independent day school for girls in Hampton, London. It consists of a small junior school and a larger senior school, which operate from different buildings on the same 24-acre (10-hectare) site. It is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association and the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school was founded in 1710 with an endowment from Lady Eleanor Holles, the daughter of John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare. The curriculum is based on the National Curriculum. Girls typically study ten GCSE subjects, including English language and literature, Mathematics and the Sciences (combined or separate), with the other 4-5 being chosen from 16 options.

South Hampstead High School is an independent day school in Hampstead, north- west London, England, which was founded by the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). It is for girls aged 4–18 with selective entry at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+ (Sixth Form). In 2019, South Hampstead High School was ranked 13th in the country for A Level results, based on data collated by the Independent Schools Council (ISC). Typically around one fifth of the student body goes on to study at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In January 2020, the school unveiled a new state-of- the-art performance space, Waterlow Hall. School motto is “Mehr Licht” – More Light (German)

Haberdashers’ Boys’ School (Habs, or Habs Boys), until September 2021 known as Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, is a public school for pupils age 4 to 18 in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and the Rugby Group. The school was founded in 1690 by a Royal Charter granted to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers to establish a hospital for 20 boarders with £32,000 from the legacy of Robert Aske (equivalent to approximately £5M in 2019). The school relocated in 1903 and currently occupies 104 acres of green belt countryside in Elstree. At its centre is Aldenham House, a Grade II* listed building.

Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley’s School at Highgate, is an English co-educational, fee-charging, independent day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgate Pre- Preparatory School (ages 3–7), Highgate junior school (ages 7–11) and the senior school (11+) – which together comprise the Highgate Foundation. As part of its wider work the charity was from 2010 a founding partner of the London Academy of Excellence and it is now also the principal education sponsor of an associated Academy, the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham, which opened in September 2017. The principal business sponsor is Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Merchant Taylors’ School is a selective British independent public school for boys founded in 1561 in London. The school has occupied various campuses since its founding; from 1933, it has been located at Sandy Lodge, a 285 acres (115 ha) site close to Northwood in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire. Founded in 1561 by Sir Thomas White, Sir Richard Hilles, Emanuel Lucar and Stephen Hales. The Merchant Taylors’ remains a school for boys only and accepts pupils based upon an entrance examination, which the boys sit when they are either 11, 13 or 16 years old. The school celebrated its 450th anniversary in 2011. The school has a close relationship with its “sister school” St Helen’s School, Northwood.

King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) is an independent secondary school in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It is part of the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham and occupies the same site as, and is twinned with, King Edward’s School. The school has consistently been ranked top of the national league tables for both A level and GCSE which has resulted in the school receiving such recent accolades as “Independent School of the Year” from The Times. There are places for approximately 560 girls, 80 in a year ( four forms) with entrance exams taking place in late January. The school encourages independent learning and fostering creativity. Students are offered a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.

University College School, generally known as UCS, is an independent day school in Frognal, Hampstead, northwest London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution’s progressive and secular views. UCS is a member of the Eton Group of twelve independent schools and the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. It is well known for its established bursary programme and music scholarships, as well as its outreach work with a number of other schools in North and West London, including Westminster Academy, the London Academy of Excellence and UCL Academy. It also has strong ties with the Equatorial College School in Uganda.

The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a free grammar school next to Manchester Parish Church, it moved in 1931 to its present site at Rusholme. In accordance with its founder’s wishes, MGS remains a predominantly academic school and belongs to the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. In the post-war period, MGS was a direct-grant grammar school. It chose to become an independent school in 1976 after the Labour government abolished the Direct Grant System. Fees for 2016–2017 were £11,970 per annum.

Haberdashers’ School for Girls, until September 2021 Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, is an independent day school in Elstree, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as “Habs”. The school was founded in 1875 by the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London. Admission to the school is competitive. Entrance exams have to be taken and passed in order to secure a place, as well as an interview for the 11+ and 16+ candidates and parents. Years which students can enter the school are Reception (the 4+ exam is taken), Year 1 (5+), a small number at Year 3 (7+), Year 7 (11+) and Sixth Form, or Year 12 (16+). The school provides financial assistance with fees.

Cardiff Academy stands for the traditional values of honesty, integrity, professionalism, and, above all else, a duty of care for each and every student that passes through our doors. Cardiff Academy have a holistic and inclusive approach to student entry and progression. Cardiff Academy is housed in an elegant Edwardian building situated within an architectural conservation area of Cardiff known as The Parade. Its proximity to Cardiff University and other independent schools gives the area a traditionally academic atmosphere. Cardiff Academy is also just a 5 minute walk from the city centre and main shopping district. Within the Academy there are a host of high quality facilities, creating a pleasant environment for both students and teachers alike.

St. Michael’s School is an independent boarding and day school for children aged from 3 to 18 years old in Llanelli, Wales. The school is divided into four sections, comprising the Pre-Preparatory School, Preparatory School, Senior School and Sixth Form. The current head teacher is Benson Ferrari. The school was first established in 1923 and has been situated in the east Llanelli village of Bryn since 1928. The school was acquired in 2019 by Chinese company Bright Scholar, as part of a £150m purchase of colleges in the UK. The school offers GCSE and A-Level qualifications, with 60.9% of all A-Level entries graded A* or A in 2018, winning the Sunday Times 2018 Welsh Independent Secondary School of the Year.

James Allen’s Girls’ School, abbreviated JAGS, is an independent day school situated in Dulwich, South London, England. It is the oldest girls’ independent school in Greater London. It is a registered charity and was originally part of Edward Alleyn’s College of God’s Gift charitable foundation, which also included Alleyn’s School and Dulwich College. It has a senior school for 11- to 18-year-old girls, a prep school for 7- to 11-year-old girls (James Allen’s Preparatory School), and a pre-preparatory school for 4- to 7-year-old girls. It is the sister school of Dulwich College and Alleyn’s. A new Community Music Centre was officially opened in 2018. Vaughan Williams Auditorium was named who worked at the school.

North London Collegiate School (NLCS) is an independent educational institution with a day school for girls in England. Founded in Camden Town, it is now located in Edgware, in the London Borough of Harrow. Sister schools were opened – one in South Korea, on Jeju Island, one in Dubai, and one in Singapore; all are coeducational day and boarding schools offering the British curriculum. It is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. North London Collegiate School is located at the western edge of Edgware near the Canons Park. North London Collegiate is one of the most academically successful schools in England, having been placed in the top two in the Daily Telegraph exam league tables every year for over a decade.

Cheltenham Ladies’ College is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. Consistently ranked as one of the top all-girls’ schools nationally, the school was established in 1853 to provide “a sound academic education for girls”. It is also a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school badge depicts two pigeons, taken from the Cheltenham town coat of arms, above three stars, which are in turn above a daisy, a school symbol. In 2020, Cheltenham Ladies’ College was named Southwest Independent School of the Decade by The Times and The Sunday Times. The school was founded in 1853.

Withington Girls’ School is an independent day school in Fallowfield, Manchester, United Kingdom, providing education for girls between the ages of seven and eighteen. Withington is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association and the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. Withington Girls’ School was founded in 1890 by a group of eminent Manchester families who wanted the same educational opportunities for their daughters as were already available for their sons. The following subjects are available for all third form (first year/year seven) pupils: English and English Literature, Maths, Two of French/German/Spanish, Latin, ICT, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Physical Education, Food and Nutrition, History & more.

Latymer Upper School is a coeducational public school in Hammersmith, London, England, between King Street and the River Thames. The school has approximately 1,200 pupils, and is highly selective, accepting under 10% of applicants (in 2016); most are admitted through examination and interview to Upper School at the age of eleven, with some entering into the Sixth Form at 16. The school can be traced to a charity school for boys founded by the English merchant Edward Latymer in 1624. It moved to its present site in 1863 and in the mid-20th century became a direct grant grammar school. It has been independent since the abolition of that system of funding in the 1970s. It remained single-sex until Sixth-Form admissions were opened to girls in 1996; the remainder of the school became coeducational in rst decade of the 21st century.

Wimbledon High School is an independent girls’ day school in Wimbledon, South West London. It is a Girls’ Day School Trust school and is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. Wimbledon High School was founded by the Girls’ Public Day School Trust (now known as the Girls’ Day School Trust or GDST). It opened on 9 November 1880 at No. 74 (now No. 78) Wimbledon Hill Road with 12 students and Miss Edith Hastings as Headmistress, aged just 29. Over the next decade, the school roll grew to over 200 girls. The first lesson taught was on the subject of the apple. Soon after, the fruit was used as the emblem of the school. Every year on the school’s birthday in November, pupils and staff eat apple-green cakes in memory of this.

Abingdon School is a day and boarding independent school for boys in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. The twentieth oldest independent British school, it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2006. The school was described as “highly selective, strongly academic” in The Tatler School Guide. The date of Abingdon’s foundation is unclear. Some believe the school to have been founded prior to the 12th century by the Benedictine monks of Abingdon Abbey, with a legal document of 1100 listing Richard the Pedagogue as the first headmaster. The school currently has about 1,040 pupils aged 11–18, of whom 135 are boarders. The school is split into 10 houses, one of which is for boys in years 7 & 8 (Lower School, around 135 boys).

Tonbridge School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for boys 13 -18) in Tonbridge, Kent, England, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde. It is a member of the Eton Group and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies. There are currently around 800 boys in the school, aged between 13 and 18. The school occupies a site of 150 acres (61 ha) on the edge of Tonbridge, and is largely self-contained, though most of the boarding and day houses are in nearby streets. Since its foundation the school has been rebuilt twice on the original site. For the academic year 2019/20, Tonbridge charges full boarders up to £14,035 per term and £10,529 per term for day pupils, making it the 4th and 6th most expensive HMC boarding and day school respectively.

Manchester High School for Girls is an English independent day school for girls and a member of the Girls School Association. It is situated in Fallowfield, Manchester. The head mistress is Helen Jeys who took up the position in September 2020 and is the 11th head mistress in the school’s history. Manchester High School for Girls has a preparatory department for girls aged 4 to 11 with the majority progressing into the senior school. Prep pupils have an infant section, two assembly halls and a playground and gardens. There are also specially designated areas for mathematics and science, a music room, library and two computer-suites providing multi-media facilities. In 2006, the school introduced the teaching of Mandarin to girls in years 3 and 4.

Eltham College is an independent day school situated in Mottingham, southeast London. Eltham and Mottingham once formed part of the same parish, hence its name. It is a member of The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). The school moved to its present site – centred on an 18th-century mansion (Fairy Hall) in Mottingham – in 1912. The building had previously been used by the Royal Naval School from 1889 to the end of the summer term in 1910. School was founded in 1842 as the School for Sons of Missionaries. It began as a small boarding school in Walthamstow catering for the sons of Congregational and Baptist missionaries serving overseas, mainly in India, China and Africa.

Alleyn’s School is a 4–18 co-educational, independent, Church of England, day school and sixth form in Dulwich, London, England. It is a registered charity and was originally part of Edward Alleyn’s College of God’s Gift charitable foundation, which also included James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) and Dulwich College. It has been a member school of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference since 1919. The school has one of the largest Combined Cadet Forces in the country, where students can choose between joining the Navy Section, Army Section or RAF Section. Alleyn’s CCF offers JNCO CADRE, a leadership training programme, as well as visits to European Battlefields, military bases in England and Wales.

Putney High School is an independent all-girls school in Putney, London. It admits students from the ages 4–18. Founded in 1893 it is a member of the Girls’ Day School Trust, a union of 26 schools with 19,500 students and 3,500 staff. The school uniform is purple and has always been since a uniform was put in place. On average, in the junior school, there are 48 children in a year, 2 classes in a year and 24 in each class. In the senior school, there are about 25–7 in a class and each year has an intake of about 110, so 4 classes a year. According to the Good Schools Guide, the school maintains a “Positive, friendly but hardworking atmosphere with good balance of sport, art, music, etc.

St Albans High School for Girls is a selective, independent day school for girls aged 4 – 18 years, which is affiliated to the Church of England and takes girls of all faiths or none. There are approximately 328 pupils in the preparatory school with 632 in the senior school and 186 sixth formers. Founded in 1889, the high school has close links with the Diocese of St Albans through the bishop, who is visitor to the school, and the dean, who is honorary vice-chair of the governing body. The high school moved from its original site on Holywell Hill to its current location on Townsend Avenue in 1908. The preparatory school took up residence at Wheathampstead House in 2003.

Channing School is an independent day school for girls at Highgate Hill in Highgate, North London. Channing School is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. The junior school is for pupils aged four to twelve and includes the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), in April 2015, awarded Channing School the highest possible judgements in each category inspected, saying ‘The quality of the pupils’ achievements and learning is exceptional’. The Good Schools Guide called the school “A sheltered, isolated school in a beautiful setting, less pressured than many London girls’ schools but still getting excellent results and producing self-assured young women.”

The Royal Grammar School, Guildford (originally ‘The Free School’), also known as the RGS, is a selective independent day school for boys in Guildford, Surrey in England. The school dates its founding to the death of Robert Beckingham in 1509 who left provision in his will to ‘make a free scole at the Towne of Guldford’; in 1512 a governing body was set up to form the school. The school moved to the present site in the upper High Street after the granting of a royal charter from King Edward VI in 1552. Initially tuition at the school was free, funded by various endowments and rents obtained from lands the most significant arising from the Abolition of the Chantries Acts, and the re-appropriation of funds to the school.

St Gabriel’s School is an independent day school located at Sandleford Priory in Sandleford, two miles (3 km) south of Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. Boys attend the nursery and junior school, up to age 11 (Year 6). Girls attend the nursery, junior school, secondary school and the sixth form, up to age 18 (Year 13). There is now a school community of over 460 pupils, 60 teaching staff and 20 support staff. It is associated with traditional Church of England values. St Gabriel’s School was founded in 1929 in Mill Hill in London. The present Sandleford Priory is a Grade I listed building in 54 acres (22 ha) of parkland landscaped by Capability Brown.

Epsom College is a co-educational independent school on Epsom Downs, Surrey, England, for pupils aged 11 to 18. It was founded in 1853 as a boys’ school to provide support for poor members of the medical profession such as pensioners and orphans (“Foundationers”). The college caters takes day pupils throughout with some boarding in 5 of the 13 houses in the senior (14 to 18) part of the school. The headmaster is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school was founded in 1853 by John Propert as The Royal Medical Benevolent College, the aims of which were to provide accommodation for pensioned medical doctors or their widows in the first instance, and to provide a “liberal education” to 100 sons of “duly qualified medical men” for £25 each year.

Kingston Grammar School is an independent co-educational day school in Kingston upon Thames, England. The school was founded by Royal Charter in 1561 but can trace its roots back to at least the 13th century. It is a registered charity under English law. It was a boys’ school from its foundation until 1978, when the first girls were admitted. In 2018 the GCSE results recorded 85% of grades were A*/A or 9-7, and at A-level 62.7% of all grades were A or A*. The Good Schools Guide described the school as “An academic school with a modern edge”. There are five houses, named after Medieval and Elizabethan figures connected with the school and the city of London, with the exception of Stanley Shoveller, an Old Kingstonian who played international hockey in the early 20th century.

Reigate Grammar School is a 2–18 mixed independent day school in Reigate, Surrey, England. It was established in 1675 by Henry Smith. The school site is split into two locations separated by the churchyard. On the “Broadfield” site, named so because of the playing field dubbed “Broadfield” behind the old science block, there are several old and new buildings. Until recently, Broadfield house, an old Reigate home, was where History, Economics, Business studies, Politics and other subjects were taught. It is now used for Drama. Opposite Broadfield house is the Cornwallis building, which is another old Reigate home. Offsite, the school owns the playing fields at “Hartswood” nearby Woodhatch.

St Helen & St Katharine is an independent girls’ day school, located in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. St Helen’s School, Abingdon was founded in 1903 by the Community of St Mary the Virgin (CSMV) to provide a Christian education for girls. St Katharine’s School, in Wantage, is named after St. Catherine of Alexandria, although spelled with a “K”. The schools merged in 1938 to create St Helen & St Katharine. St Helen & St Katharine is an independent day school for girls located on the outskirts of Abingdon. An extensive network of school buses, which St Helen & St Katharine shares with Abingdon School, brings pupils to the school from across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and surrounding counties.

Bancroft’s School is a co-educational independent day school located in Woodford Green, London Borough of Redbridge. The school currently has around 1,000 pupils aged between 7 and 18, around 200 of whom are pupils of the Preparatory School and 800 of whom are pupils of the Senior School. The school’s alumni – or “Old Bancroftians” – include naturalists, poets, academics, politicians, authors, sportsmen, actors, and military figures. The school was founded in 1737. For the first two years, students study the following subjects: English, Maths, Spanish, German, Combined Science, Drama, Religious Studies, Geography, PSHE, History, PE, Games, Music, Technology and Art.

The King’s School, Chester, is a British co-educational independent day school for children aged 4 to 18. It is one of the seven ‘King’s Schools’ established (or re-endowed and renamed) by King Henry VIII in 1541 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. It is situated outside the city of Chester, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school comprises an Infant school (years 4–7), a Junior school (years 7–11), a Senior school (years 11–16) and a Sixth form (years 16–18) in which the students choose their A-level subjects. The school’s pupils engage the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. The King’s School’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a voluntary contingent within the CCF.

Charterhouse is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Originally founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charterhouse Square, Smithfield, London, it educates over 800 pupils, aged 13 to 18 years, and is one of the ‘great’ nine English public schools reported upon by the Clarendon Commission in 1864. Today pupils are still referred to as Carthusians, and former pupils as Old Carthusians. Charterhouse charges full boarders up to £40,695 per annum (2020/21) and is among the most expensive Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) schools in the UK. It educated the British Prime Minister Lord Liverpool.

Downe House School is a selective independent girls’ day and boarding school in Cold Ash, a village near Newbury, Berkshire, for girls aged 11–18. The Good Schools Guide described Downe House as an “Archetypal traditional girls’ full boarding school turning out delightful, principled, courteous and able girls who go on to make a significant contribution to the world”. As most girls at Downe House are boarders, the house system is incorporated with the boarding programme. Downe House educates girls between the ages of eleven and eighteen, taking them from the last years of junior school through to the sixth form. The core subjects at Downe House are English, Mathematics and Science as well as Humanities, Classics and more.

Lime House School has strong roots in the local community and has offered a traditional academic education since the late 19th century. The school was formally established in 1899 in Wetheral, a small village located five miles to the east of Carlisle. The school moved to its present location at Hawkesdale near the village of Dalston in 1946, and initially operated as a traditional prep school for boys up to the age of 13. Lime House School was ranked 2nd in the country in the Daily Telegraph (smaller schools) league table with A Level A*/A performance at 64.3%. Entrance to Russell Group universities is robust with three pupils gaining entry to Oxford University this year.

St Catherine’s School is an independent girls’ school in the village of Bramley, near Guildford, Surrey, England. The school is divided into a senior school, for ages 11–18, and a preparatory school for girls aged 4–11. St Catherine’s School opened in 1885 with seventeen pupils, most of whom were boarders. Miss Susan Burnett was the founding headmistress. Academic scholarships are offered for entry at 11+ and for year 11 and/or sixth form, alongside additional awards for excellence in art, sport, and music. The girls take part in a wide range of sports, including netball, tennis, swimming, and lacrosse. The school has four lacrosse pitches and a number of courts for netball and tennis. In the Preparatory School, hockey is played.

St Mary’s School is an independent day and boarding school in Calne, Wiltshire, for girls aged 11 to 18. The school is a registered charity. St Mary’s Calne is the top performing independent school in the South West, ranked by 2017 examination results published in The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018, ‘Parent Power’ and ranks in the top 3 best girls’ boarding schools (based on A*-A grades in A Levels, 2018) in the Education Advisers’ Best UK Schools list. St Mary’s was founded in 1873 by Canon John Duncan, Vicar of Calne, who worked for over thirty years to establish it as an ‘outstanding’ girls’ school. The range of extra-curricular activities in school is broad, with music, sport, drama, and art activities alongside horse-riding.

Dulwich College is a 2–19 independent, day and boarding school for boys in Dulwich, London, England. As a public school, it began as the College of God’s Gift, founded in 1619 by Elizabethan actor Edward Alleyn, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars. It began to grow into a large school from 1857, and took its current form in 1870 when it moved into its current premises. Admission by examination is mainly into years 3, 7, 9, and 12 (i.e. ages 7, 11, 13, and 16 years old) to the Junior, Lower, Middle and Upper Schools into which the college is divided. It is a member of both the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and the Eton Group.

Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. Up to 1667, the school remained in comparative obscurity. Its re-establishment by Thomas Arnold during his time as Headmaster, from 1828 to 1841, was seen as the forerunner of the Victorian public school. It was one of nine prestigious schools investigated by the Clarendon Commission of 1864 and later regulated as one of the seven schools included in the Public Schools Act 1868. Rugby School is the birthplace of Rugby football.

The Stephen Perse Foundation is a family of independent schools in Cambridge and Saffron Walden for students aged 1 to 18. The Foundation is made up of 3 nurseries (2 in Cambridge and 1 in Saffron Walden, Essex) for ages 1-5, 2 Junior Schools (Junior School Rosedale House in Cambridge and Junior School Dame Bradbury’s in Saffron Walden, Essex) for ages 5-11, a Senior School for ages 11– 16 (boys joined Year 7 for the first time in September 2017); and the Stephen Perse Sixth Form, for students aged 16–18. The school has a strong reputation for academic excellence and a progressive attitude towards learning and social skills, being named the top Independent school in East Anglia.

City of London Freemen’s School (CLFS) is a co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located at Ashtead Park in Surrey, England. It is the sister school of the City of London School and the City of London School for Girls, which are both independent single-sex schools located within the City of London itself. All three schools receive funding from the City’s Cash. The school is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The Good Schools Guide described the school as “A traditional academic and sporty school in a stunning setting with impressive facilities but not at all elitist – in fact quite the opposite.” The school was founded in 1854 by the Corporation of London.

Caterham School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school located in Caterham, Surrey and a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. Caterham School was founded as the Congregational School in 1811 in Lewisham. Caterham School’s GCSE academic results of 2019 saw 80% of pupils achieving an A*/A grade. The school’s 2019 A-Level academic results saw 63.85% of pupils gaining an A*/A grade and 86% of pupils achieving an A*/B. The 200-acre (81 ha) campus has facilities for extra curricular activity including 18 different sports, 20 music groups and over 36 clubs and societies. Caterham School is involved in sport. The current Headmaster is Ceri Jones, appointed in 2015.

St John’s College is an independent co-educational day school in the village of Old St Mellons in Cardiff, Wales. It is the choir school of Wales’ national Catholic cathedral, Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral. St John’s College is divided into four sections: the Nursery and Infants (ages 3–7); the Junior School (ages 8–11); the Senior School (ages 12–16); the Sixth Form College (ages 17–18). The exam results achieved by the school are among the best in the UK. In 2017 it was the highest-ranked secondary school in the UK with 98% of pupils attaining A* to B at Advanced Level. This led to St John’s being named ‘Welsh Independent Secondary School of the Year’ in the Sunday Times ‘Parent Power’ annual supplement.

Immanuel College is an independent co-educational Jewish day school in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on the outskirts of North London. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The Immanuel College Preparatory School opened in the Autumn of 2011 with a Reception class. Immanuel College is an independent co-educational Jewish day school in Bushey, Hertfordshire, on the outskirts of North London. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The Immanuel College Preparatory School opened in the Autumn of 2011 with a Reception class. The school offers public examinations in Years 10 and 11 (GCSE and the International GCSE) and in the Sixth Form.

Whitgift School is an independent day school with limited boarding in South Croydon, London. Along with Trinity School of John Whitgift and Old Palace School it is owned by the Whitgift Foundation, a charitable trust. The school was previously a grammar school and direct grant grammar school, but the school’s headmaster is now a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. Whitgift is located in a 45-acre (18 ha) parkland site. Most boys are admitted to the school at the ages of 10 or 11 with smaller numbers of boys enter the school at 12, 13, 14 and 16. Entry is based on performance in entrance exams and interviews. Whitgift School offers co-curricular activities within the school.

The Grange School is an 11–18 mixed, foundation secondary school and sixth form in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. It was established in 1954 and is part of the Aylesbury Learning Partnership. In 1959, the school was visited by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Mother’s Clubs in Buckinghamshire. The school is notable as the location where the jury retired to consider their verdict in the Great Train Robbery case in 1963. They used the room that is now the main office of the youth centre on the school site. In early 2009, it was awarded Business and Enterprise status and underwent refurbishment in areas of the school, funded by the Business & Enterprise grant.

Churcher’s College is an independent, fee-charging day school for girls and boys, founded in 1722. The Senior School (ages 11–18) is in the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire with the Junior School and Nursery (ages 2 years, 9 months–11) in nearby Liphook. It is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). The College was founded in Petersfield in the 1720s by the will of Richard Churcher to educate local boys in the skills needed for service in the merchant navy. The headmaster is Simon Williams who replaced Geoffrey Buttle in September 2004. Alumni are known as Old Churcherians or Ocs. Girls were first admitted to the Sixth Form in 1980, and the school became fully co-educational in 1988.

The Trinity School of John Whitgift, usually referred to as Trinity School, is a British independent boys’ day school with a co-educational Sixth Form, located in Shirley Park, Croydon. Part of the Whitgift Foundation, it was established in 1882 as Whitgift Middle School and was a direct grant grammar school from 1945 until 1968, when it left the scheme. The present name was adopted in 1954. The school’s head is now a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC). Many of Trinity’s pupils come from local schools and so join aged 10 or 11, but there is also a large intake of prep school boys at 10, 11 and 13+. The school has a co-educational Sixth Form, a feature that was implemented in September 2012.

King Edward’s School (KES), Bath, Somerset, England is an independent co-educational day school providing education for 1016 pupils aged 3 to 18. The school is a member of The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. The school was established in the 16th century in a city centre site, founded in 1552. In the 1960s it moved to the outskirts onto a multi building site. In addition to the academic curriculum the schools includes drama, music, sport and a combined cadet force. King Edward’s School Bath was judged as “excellent” in every category in the school’s 2015 Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report. The report noted that “The school’s extra-curricular provision is outstanding”.

The Maynard School is an independent and selective day school for girls aged 4–18 in the city of Exeter in Devon. Founded in 1658, the school is the second oldest girls’ school in the country, only predated by the Red Maids’ School in Bristol (1634). The school performs consistently well in UK school league tables, the 2016 results placed the school 16th in the country at GCSE in the Daily Telegraph Independent Schools League Tables. 2017 Department for Education League Tables ranked the school as the best independent school in Devon in key areas. In a recent ISI inspection, the school was rated excellent and its teaching staff were given the highest praise; the assessors noting that academic standards were above average.

Thetford Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Thetford, Norfolk, England. The school might date back to the 7th century, which would make it one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. Thetford Grammar School, one of the oldest schools in the country, traces its origins to AD 631 when it is likely that Sigbert, King of the East Angles, provided a school for his court in Thetford. Less conjecturally, a document of 1114 under the seal of Herbert Losinga, by then Bishop of Norwich. The school returned to independence in 1981, rebuilding itself as a small but academically ambitious school which at the same time pays attention to the “wider curriculum” – a contemporary orthodoxy which has clearly, however, always been part of its long tradition.

The Royal Grammar School (RGS), Newcastle upon Tyne is a selective British independent day school for pupils aged between 7 and 18 years. Founded in 1525 by Thomas Horsley, the Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne, it received royal foundation by Queen Elizabeth I and is the city’s oldest institution of learning. It is one of seven schools in the United Kingdom to bear the name “Royal Grammar School”, of which two others are part of the independent sector. The School is located in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England, and is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. In 2008, RGS became fully co-educational after 450 years as an all boys’ school. It has a current enrolment of more than 1,300 pupils.

Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a selective English independent day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as an episcopal grammar school established by Herbert de Losinga, first Bishop of Norwich. The school was refounded in 1547 in a royal charter granted by Edward VI and moved to its current site beside the cathedral in 1551. The school is divided into the Senior School, which has around 850 pupils aged from 11 to 18 across eight houses, and the Lower School, which was established in 1946 and has around 250 pupils aged from 4 to 11.

St Swithun’s School is an independent day, weekly and full-boarding school for girls in Winchester, Hampshire. It is named after Saint Swithun, a Bishop of Winchester and patron saint of Winchester Cathedral. Today, St Swithun’s includes both junior and senior schools, meaning pupils can attend from nursery all the way to sixth form level. Boys may attend Nursery. A new junior school building was opened in September 2015 with a further sports hall opening in Easter 2016. St Swithun’s has traditionally had a strong academic reputation. In 2011 GCSEs, it topped the results table for the city of Winchester with a 100% passing rate and all candidates achieving at least 5 A*-C grades, surpassing Winchester College. The same year, it broke its records in the A Levels with 11 girls scoring 3 or more A* grades.

Truro High School for Girls is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Truro, Cornwall. The school consists of a girls-only prep school, senior school and sixth form. It is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. The school was founded in 1880 by the future archbishop Edward White Benson, then Bishop of Truro. As well as establishing Truro High School, Benson also oversaw the building of Truro Cathedral before moving on to become Archbishop of Canterbury. Girls in senior school are required to take English, mathematics, all three sciences, a foreign language, PE and a number of electives. Years 7, 8 and 9 subjects include art and design, biology, chemistry, drama, English language, English literature, food and nutrition, French, geography, German, history, ICT, Latin, mathematics, more.

Radley College, formally St Peter’s College, Radley, is a public school (independent boarding school for boys) near Radley, Oxfordshire, England, which was founded in 1847. The school covers 800 acres (320 hectares) including playing fields, a golf course, a lake, and farmland. Before the counties of England were re-organised, the school was in Berkshire. Radley is one of only three public schools to have retained the boys-only, boarding-only tradition, the others being Harrow and Eton. Formerly this group included Winchester, although the school is currently undergoing a transition to co-ed status. There are three academic terms in the year. The inspection report rated the school’s standard of education as “outstanding”, the highest rating.

St Peter’s School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school (also referred to as a public school), in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, it is the third oldest school in the world. It is part of the York Boarding Schools Group. The school accepts pupils aged two to eighteen. The school grounds are located near the centre of York and stretch to the banks of the River Ouse. The main front of the school faces along Bootham; this is the oldest part of the site and comprises the Memorial Hall, Alcuin Library and Chapel, as well as dining facilities. The school has a history of high academic achievement across all age ranges.

Surbiton High School is a private independent school in Surbiton in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England. It has seven buildings overall including the Boys’ Preparatory School, Girls’ Preparatory School, the Senior School and the Sixth Form. The school was founded in 1884 by a group of Anglican clergymen who instituted the Church Schools Company. Surbiton High School takes female students from 4 years old to 18 years old, while the Boys’ Preparatory School caters for 4 to 11 year olds. The school has an active rowing club called the Surbiton High School Boat Club which is based on the River Thames at Trowlock Way, Off Broom Road, Teddington.

Farnborough Hill is a Roman Catholic independent day school for 550 girls aged 11–18 located in Farnborough, Hampshire. The school was established by the Religious of Christian Education order of nuns in 1889 and moved to the current site when the order purchased the house and grounds in 1927. It is now set in an expansive park including Grade I Listed buildings. The school has a mixture of historic and modern buildings. The house, built in Victorian times is used for offices and teaching rooms. The school chapel was built in 1932, a classroom block was opened in 1953 and further extensions to teaching facilities were added in the 1960s including a gymnasium and science laboratories.

Ibstock Place School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 4–18 located in Roehampton, southwest London. It was founded as the Froebel Demonstration School, owing to its affiliation with the Froebel Institute and the demonstration of its educational principles. Ibstock Place School is a member of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference, an association including heads of schools which are ‘distinguished by their excellence in pastoral care, co-curricular provision and classroom teaching.’ Over 950 pupils attend Ibstock Place School from Kindergarten to year 13. The school has been noted for its diverse curriculum, clubs, and academic rigour.

St Albans School is a public school (English independent school) in the city of St Albans in Hertfordshire, in the South East of England. Pre-sixth form admission is restricted to boys, but the sixth form has been co-educational since 1991. Founded in 948 by Wulsin, St Albans School is the oldest school in Hertfordshire and one of the oldest schools in the world. Nicholas Carlisle, in 1818, described the school as “of very ancient origin, and of great celebrity” and the Good Schools Guide describes St Albans as a “traditional public school, with a rich history”. The headmaster is Jonathan Gillespie, appointed in 2014. The school coat of arms is composed of the cross of Saint Alban together with the School motto.

Sydenham High School is an independent school for 4- to 18-year-old girls located in London, England. Sydenham High School was founded by the Girls’ Public Day School Trust in 1887. Since then, the original school roll of 20 pupils has grown to 724 girls. The school is separated into the senior and prep schools, each with a separate site on Westwood Hill in Sydenham. The school was created by the Girls Public Day School Trust in 1887 with an initial school roll of twenty and Ms I Thomas as the founding head. Sydenham High School’s first building in 1900. In 1901 the mathematics graduate Helen Sheldon became the school’s second head teacher. She created the school’s first orchestra. She introduced the idea of senior girls becoming prefects and she divided the school into houses.

Bromsgrove School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. Founded in 1553, it is one of the oldest public schools in Britain, and one of the 14 founding members of the Headmasters’ Conference. Bromsgrove School has both boarding and day students consisting of three schools, pre-prep nursery school (ages 2–7), preparatory school (ages 7–13) and the senior school (13–18). Bromsgrove charges up to £12,740 per term, with three terms per academic year. The school has a total of 200 teaching staff, with 1,660 pupils. Spread across 100 acres, the main campus is located in the heart of the town of Bromsgrove.

Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital (also known as QEH) is an independent day school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1586. In 2020 Rupert Heathcote took over as Headmaster, succeeding Stephen Holliday who had served as Headmaster since 2000. QEH is named after its original patron, Queen Elizabeth I. The present patron is Queen Elizabeth II. Known traditionally as “The City School”, Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital was founded by the will of affluent soap merchant John Carr in 1586, gaining its first royal charter in 1590. The school accepts boys from ages 7 to 18 and, since September 2017, girls aged 16 to 18 into the co-educational Sixth Form. The school began as a boarding school, accepting ‘day boys’ for the first time in 1920s.

St James’ Independent Schools in London (UK) are three fee-paying schools for children aged 4 to 18. The Junior and Senior Girls’ Schools are in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and the Senior Boys’ School in Ashford, Surrey. In 2019 The Times UK School Guide ranked St James’ Senior Girls School 102nd with 82.1% scoring A*-B at A-Level, and St James’ Senior Boys 251st with 75.9% scoring A*- B at A-level. St James’ incorporate stillness, meditation, reflection techniques into the school routine. Unusually for a UK school, the St James Schools teach Sanskrit which is a compulsory second language for the junior students.

Notting Hill and Ealing High School is an independent school for girls aged 4 – 18 in Ealing, London. Founded in 1873, it is one of the 26 schools that make up the Girls’ Day School Trust. It has a Junior Department of 310 girls (ages 4–11) and a Senior Department of 600 girls (ages 11–18). The current Headmaster is Mr Matthew Shoults. Ms Bevan is Head of the Junior School. Since being founded in 1873, the school has changed both its location and its name. The school numbers 910 girls in 2018/19. Entry to the school is by assessment normally at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ or 16+. The school has a strong academic tradition. In 2018, 91.65% of grades at GCSE were A*/A and 98.84% were A*-B. At A Level 65% of grades were A*/A and 94% were A*-B.

Nottingham High School is an independent, fee-charging day school for boys and girls in Nottingham, England, with an Infant and Junior School (ages 4–11) and Senior School (ages 11–18). There were 738 students in the 2019–2020 academic year, of whom 151 were in the sixth form, studying for advanced certificate examinations. The Junior and Senior Schools both have four houses, each named after a person connected with the school. The house system plays an integral role in school life. House tutors provide pastoral care and support. Nottingham High School offers a wide range of GCSE, Advanced Subsidiary-Level (AS-level) and General Certificate of Education Advanced-Level (GCE A-level) subjects.

Yarm School is a co-educational independent day school in Yarm, North Yorkshire in the North East of England. The school accepts pupils aged 3–18 years old and has a Nursery Pre-Prep, Preparatory School, Senior School and Sixth Form on site. The School was founded in 1978 and is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. Yarm School is located in the market town of Yarm, on the edge of the Teesside conurbation. The Senior School and Sixth Form border the River Tees and is just off Yarm High Street. The Preparatory School is located on the opposite side of The Spital, not far from the High Street. The school has an outdoor education department which organises games, activities & school expeditions.

Mayfield School, previously St Leonards-Mayfield School, is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18. It is situated in the village of Mayfield in East Sussex. The current headmistress is Miss Antonia Beary. The school was founded by Mother Cornelia Connelly in 1872, with the oldest buildings dating from the 14th century. The school is located within the village of Mayfield, less than 40 miles from the centre of London. At the heart of the school are the 14th century chapel built for the Archbishops of Canterbury and a concert hall designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Mayfield actively maintains and strengthens links with other Holy Child Schools.

Ardingly College is an independent boarding and day school near Ardingly, West Sussex, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and of the Woodard Corporation of independent schools and as such has a strong Anglo-Catholic tradition. It was originally a boarding school for boys, and became fully co-educational in 1982. For the academic year 2015/16, Ardingly charged day pupils up to £7,710 per term, making it the 29th most expensive Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) day school. It is a public school in the British sense of the term (i.e. fee-paying). As of 2017, there are about 416 pupils enrolled at the school, aged between 13 and 18.

Roedean School is an independent day and boarding school founded in 1885 in Roedean Village on the outskirts of Brighton, East Sussex, England, and governed by Royal Charter. It is for girls aged 11 to 18. The campus is situated near the Sussex Downs, on a cliff overlooking Brighton Marina and the English Channel. The school incorporates dance studios, music classrooms, a 320-seat theatre, a heated indoor swimming pool, a golf course, a private tunnel to the beach, a farm and a chapel, as well as a range of workshops, studios, laboratories and sports pitches. It is also well-provisioned with a variety of classrooms. Roedean School is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association and the HMC.

The Queen’s School is an independent day school for girls aged 4–18 located in Chester, England. Founded in 1878 as “The Chester School for Girls”, Queen Victoria, who was the school’s first patron, issued a royal decree naming the school as “The Queen’s School” in 1882, the only school in England to have this distinction. It is a member of the Girls’ Schools Association. Founded in 1878 by a group of prominent Chester citizens as The Chester School for Girls, the school owes its royal name to Queen Victoria. Girls are taught a range of subjects including languages, mathematics, the sciences (separately), technology, the humanities, PE and the creative arts. The Queen’s School regularly appears in league tables as one of the region’s top independent schools based on examination results.

Badminton School is an independent, boarding and day school for girls aged 3 to 18 years situated in Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, England. Named after Badminton House in Clifton, Bristol, where it was founded, the school has been located at its current site since 1924 and consistently performs well in the government’s league tables, particularly at A-Level. In 2008 the school was ranked third in the Financial Times top 1,000 schools. According to the Good Schools Guide, “The secret of the school’s success is in its size and a good deal of individual attention.” Miriam Badock established a school for girls in 1858 at Badminton House in Clifton, Bristol. By 1898 it had become known as Miss Bartlett’s School for Young Ladies.

Hurtwood House is a 15–19 mixed, independent boarding school and sixth form near Dorking, Surrey, England. Founded in 1970 by Richard Jackson, the main house is an Edwardian mansion set in 200 acres (0.81 km2) in the Surrey Hills. The intern students, aged 16–19, organise their studies and leisure in 8 houses: The Hurtwood Main House, the Lodge, Radnor Cottage, Peaslake House, Ewhurst Place, the Turrets, Beatrice Webb House and Cornhill Manor. The school has a strong national academic record, regularly ranked in a broad category (including 11-16, 11-18 and 13-16, and 13-18 school) as a leading co-educational school. The school has the highest post-16 contextual value added score of any school in the UK.

Chetham’s School of Music is an independent co-educational music school in Manchester, England. Chetham’s educates students between the ages of 8 and 18, all of whom enter via musical auditions. Students receive a full academic education alongside specialist group and individual music tuition. Chetham’s offers a year-round programme of concerts at the school, Manchester Cathedral, the Royal Northern College of Music, Band on the Wall and Bridgewater Hall. Recitals also take place in churches and community spaces, at festivals and internationally. Its senior ensembles, Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra and Big Band, alongside many individual students, have won awards for their music.

Nottingham Girls’ High School is an independent selective day school for girls aged 4–18, situated just north of Nottingham city centre. The school was founded in 1875 and forms part of the Girls’ Day School Trust. Originally placed in a group of Victorian houses, the school has since expanded considerably. Its performing arts centre, The Space, where the old dining hall and uniform shop were, is used for music and drama productions at the school and can be hired for non-school conferences, meetings and performances. It provides a source of education for girls interested in aspects of the performing arts and theatre production work, from music to lighting. There is a Sixth Form Centre adjoining The Space, with modern classrooms.

Walthamstow Hall is an independent day school for girls in the centre of Sevenoaks, Kent, England. Walthamstow Hall was founded in 1838 and is one of the oldest all-girl independent schools in the country. It was founded as an inter-denominational mission school and home for the daughters of Christian missionaries. It provides an ‘all-through’ education with a Junior School for girls aged 3–11 and a Senior School for girls aged 11–18. On the day that the ship theatre opened, Mrs Lang opened her front door and on the door step was a little box. She opened the little box and in it was a brooch of a ship (the school emblem). Mrs Lang called the brooch the school jewels and wanted it to be passed down from headmistress to headmistress.