Giving their children the best education is every parent’s dream.
If you are reading this article, you are most probably wondering: how can I find the best private schools near me?
Because London offers various private schooling and private tutoring options, most of which include tuition fees, we have put together a London independent schools list according to London regions and the 2021 league tables to further facilitate your search for only the best in town.
In the below list of top schools in London, you will find the best independent or private schools near you, the basic details and information regarding the school, and everything necessary to help narrow down the schools you’d like to contact or apply with to offer the best education to your little one.
West London
1. St. Paul’s Girls School
This school is probably one of the best in all of London. However, only a girl’s school does not rate low in the overall development of its pupils. The school was founded in 1904 and has continued with its legacy since then. Rachel Weisz and Misha Barton are only a few of the famous alums of this school. So, if you are worried about which school to choose, St. Paul’s Girls School is on the top of the list of private schools near me.
Happy Birthday to us! It’s St Paul’s Girls’ School’s 119th birthday 🎉 Check out the cake on the Marble 🎂 #birthday #happybirthday #schools #education #stpaulsgirlsschool pic.twitter.com/xsyEFnAztD
— St Paul’s Girls’ School (@SPGSMain) January 19, 2023
Performance: The school received an outstanding rating of 99.8 % for GCSE in 2019. This means the school is an A* grade school for GCSEs
Address: Brook Grn, London W6 7BS, UK
Website: St Paul’s Girls’ School – St Paul’s Girls’ School (spgs.org)
Fees: The school fee per term for the academic year 2021-2022 is £8,802.
Contact Details: Phone 020 7603 2288
2. Westminster School
Easily one of the best schools in London, this prep or independent school located in the heart of the city is hands down the perfect school for your child. Although a bit hard to get into, the school with its outstanding curriculum holds the ability to make the future of your child. Westminster appears on top of the list of independent schools near me and should be the topmost choice if your child is not a girl.
Out of Abbey and into class. pic.twitter.com/YChKRaiYGg
— Westminster School (@wschool) January 20, 2023
Performance: Westminster ranks just below St. Paul’s girls school received a whooping rank of 98.6 in the 2019 GCSE rankings.
Address: 17A Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.westminster.org.uk/
Fees: £28,809 is the daily fee while the boarding fee is £28,809
Contact Details Phone +44 20 7963 1000
3. St. Paul’s School
Along with the St. Paul’s Girls School, St Paul’s School is also on the top of the list of best schools in London. The school is a boy’s school for ages 13 to 28 and is located by the river Thames.
We would like to thank all those who have supported our events this term. Over 2,500 people engaged with the programme. We would like to extend our thanks to all the staff, parent volunteers, guest speakers and the Old Pauline Club, who enable us to curate such a varied programme pic.twitter.com/91fv4p5wY7
— St Paul’s School (@StPaulsSchool) December 16, 2022
Performance: Standing just below the Westminster School, St. Paul’s School boasts a rating of 96.7 in the GCSEs of 2019.
Address: Lonsdale Rd, London SW13 9JT, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.stpaulsschool.org.uk/
Fees: £25,908
Contact details: Phone +44 20 8748 9162
4. Godolphin and Latymer School
Godolphin and Latymer School is another girl school located in the West of London. The staff of the school is praised for their warm hearts and kind ways of feeling with the children. According to the Good Schools Guide, the atmosphere of the school is friendly and provides a plethora of extracurricular activities. Godolphin and Latymer School is top on the list of best private primary schools near me for the most intelligent parents.
Delighted to have been named as the Sunday Times IB School of the Year 2023 and to be placed 4th in their national league table for independent secondary schools. Congratulations to our brilliant students, their dedicated and committed teachers, and to the whole school community. pic.twitter.com/TYiC1fTR30
— Godolphin and Latymer (@GandLSchool) December 9, 2022
Performance: The school achieved a rank of 96.1 in the 2019 GCSE rankings which is surely more than enough to build the future of your daughter.
Address: Iffley Rd, London W6 0PG, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.godolphinandlatymer.com/
Contact: Phone +44 20 8741 1936
Fees: £23,085
5. Notting Hill and Ealing High School
This is one of the most successful schools in the UK with more than enough girls who strive for excellence. The school admits girls from age 4 to 18 and is known for its focus on academic as well as creative excellence. Even with a smaller number of students, the school is still growing as the staff focuses more on quality than quantity.
📣📣📣 BREAKING NEWS!
We’ve won Senior School of the Year in the @tes Independent School Awards 2021 #TesISAwards 🏆. We’re thrilled to bits. Such an important testament to the hard work of our students and teachers. Thank you TES. 👏🏻 #NHEHSsparksLeadership @GDST @GSAUK @HMC_Org pic.twitter.com/GXKZstVqEj— NottingHill&Ealing (@nhehs) April 30, 2021
Performance: Its rank was 18th in the 2109 GCSEs and an average of 89.5 percent of its students receive the grades of A* and A in the A level subjects.
Address: 2 Cleveland Rd, London W13 8AX, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.nhehs.gdst.net/
Fees: £19,212
Contact: Phone +44 20 8799 8400
East London
1. Eltham College
Eltham College, situated in southeast London is one of the best schools in the East of London. Known for the art gallery sponsored by Eltham College, this co-ed school provides a perfect routine and caters to the personal growth as well as academic growth of children.
Welcome back to everyone in the #ElthamCollege community! pic.twitter.com/4MQTTVesiC
— Eltham College (@ElthamCollegeUK) January 5, 2023
Performance: Receiving a high rank of 85.3 in the 2019 GCSEs, the school remains on top of the best private school list in all of London.
Address: Grove Park Rd, London SE9 4QF, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.elthamcollege.london/
Fees: £18,918
Contact details: Phone +44 20 8857 1455
2. Bancrofts School
Bancroft’s School is a co-educational school with students from age 7 to age 18. The children are taught the value of culture as well as how to excel in academics along with several clubs that students can participate in for their overall growth.
After a busy autumn term, @BancroftsSchool has now broken up. Whether you are celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah or just relaxing with family & friends, we wish you all a very happy holiday season and a peaceful, healthy 2023. pic.twitter.com/1whnLdZLST
— Bancroft’s School (@BancroftsSchool) December 19, 2022
Performance: With an average grade of A- the school is a leading prep school. Almost 53.9 percent of students at Bancroft’s School got the top grades in A- level subjects making Bancroft’s School one of the top schools in East London.
Address: 611-627 High Rd, Woodford, Woodford Green IG8 0RF, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.bancrofts.org/
Fees: £5,413
Contact details: Phone +44 20 8505 4821
3. Brampton Manor Academy
A school for innovation and free thinkers, Brampton Manor Academy places much importance on academic excellence. With a high college acceptance rate, this school is the second largest in the London Borough of Newham. Last year, a total of 55 students of this academy were offered places in Oxbridge.
Massive congratulations to the 360 students in this cohort. Incredibly proud of you all and excited about the amazingly bright futures that lie ahead of you all. Keep smiling and keep working ahead. Nearly 90% of the grades awarded today were at grades 9 to 5! pic.twitter.com/5F9fyH0vmr
— Brampton Manor (@BramptonManor1) August 25, 2022
Performance: This school has an average of 41.1 % of students with the highest grades in A- level subjects and the average grade was B+.
Address: Roman Rd, London E6 3SQ, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.bramptonmanor.org/
Fees: £21,385 annually
Contact: Phone +44 20 7540 0500
4. Ilford County High School
Formerly known as Park High Grade School, this selective secondary grammar school is a unisex school for boys. Owing to its old name, the students at this school are commonly known in the region as Old Parkonians. This is a public school that is known for its discipline, prestige, and authentic teaching of the English Language and therefore in high demand.
Thank you to all the parents and potential students who attended our open evening on Thursday. We enjoyed meeting you all. #ICHS-Community pic.twitter.com/Pbocbaa6AN
— Ilford County High School (@IlfordCountySch) June 27, 2022
Performance: The school is one of the top-performing schools in East London with 37.5 % of students achieving the coveted grades in A-level subjects. The average grade of this school is B.
Address: Fremantle Rd, Ilford IG6 2JB, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.ichs.org.uk/
Fees: Free
Contact: Phone +44 20 8551 6496
South London
1. King’s College Wimbledon
Founded by George the IV and a public school, Kings College is a member of the Eton Group of schools. This makes it one of the most exclusive schools in Wimbledon. The school is not easy to get into and has a curriculum that is absolutely unique. The school, although a boy’s school, accepts girls in the sixth form.
On Wednesday evening we welcomed back former junior school headmaster, Dr Gerard Silverlock, to formally open our new library: https://t.co/JAR8E06LhM pic.twitter.com/Dj7vy6vsw3
— KCJSWimbledon (@KCJSWimbledon) September 26, 2022
Performance: The school is ranked 6 in GCSE of 2019 and boasts 95.9 percent of students receiving a* or A grades in their A-level subjects.
Address: Southside, Wimbledon Common, London SW19 4TT, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.kcs.org.uk/
Fees: £7,665 for seniors termly
Contact: Phone: 020 8255 5335
2. Whitgift School
Owned by the charitable trust of the same name, Whitgift is a day school that provides limited boarding. It was founded in 1596 and had previously established its reputation as a coveted Grammar School. Whitgift is a boy’s school for years 10 to 18.
#WhitgiftGrounds display a picturesque winter scene for our students’ last week of the Michaelmas Term.❄️#winter #snow #whitgiftwildlife 🦚🦩 pic.twitter.com/HUDyNp9m2Z
— Whitgift School (@WhitgiftSchool1) December 12, 2022
Performance: With the 27th rank in the 2019 GCSEs, Whitgift has an average of 81.7 % of its students achieving A* or A grades in all A – level subjects.
Address: Whitgift School, Haling Park Rd, South Croydon CR2 6YT, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.whitgift.co.uk/
Fees: £21,240 annually and £7,080 termly
Contact: Phone +44 20 8688 9222
3. Hampton Court House School
Hampton Court House School is a co-ed school. It is situated in Hampton Court with beautiful scenery and a great strive to excel. The staff is as nice as the grounds and your child will find the much-needed separation from the overpopulated streets. The school admits children from ages 3 to 13.
Welcome to those joining our Open Day today! We are aware that many of you were unable to book due to high demand, so please do get in touch if you would like arrange a bespoke tour: https://t.co/QRQTFrk8Wg#AchievementWithHeart@DukesEducation @GoodSchoolsUK @isaschools pic.twitter.com/ezNmMhO6Li
— Hampton Court House (@HCHSchool) October 13, 2022
Performance: Its rank in 2019 GCSEs was 14th in the whole of the UK and almost 90.6 percent of its students achieve A* and A grades in the A- level subjects.
Address: Hampton Ct Rd, London KT8 9BS, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.hamptoncourthouse.co.uk/
Fees: £6,897 termly which varies as per the grades
Contact: Phone +44 20 8614 0857
4. Hampton School
Hampton School is a unisex school admitting boys only. It is a day school in Greater London. The school was established in 1557 and was founded by Robert Hammond. Its colours are black and yellow, and the albums are known as Old Hamptoninas.
The frosty winter morning showing off the School grounds to their best ❄️ pic.twitter.com/n9TltYvDhB
— Hampton School (@HamptonSchool) December 8, 2022
Performance: Ranking just below the Hampton Court House School, the Hampton Boys School was placed 15th in 2019 GCSEs with 90.6 percent of its pupils achieving the A and A* grades in the A level subjects.
Address: Hanworth Rd, Hampton TW12 3HD, United Kingdom
Website: https://hamptonschool.org.uk/
Fees: £7,300.00 per term
Contact: Phone +44 20 8979 5526
5. Alleyn’s School, Dulwich
Alleyn’s School is easily one of the leading schools in London with its top-of-the-world curriculum and vast historical background of almost 400 years. The school provides a progressive environment with an emphasis on personal development.
Lent term has officially started. Welcome back to all our pupils, and best of luck to our Year 11s sitting their mock exams this week. #AllWeCanBe pic.twitter.com/PwInWGzRqo
— Alleyn’s School (@AlleynsSchool) January 9, 2023
Performance: In the 2019 GCSEs, Alleyn’s School received ratings of 87.1. Clearly, one of the top-ranking schools with a vibrant curriculum to brighten your child’s future.
Address: 400 Townley Rd, London SE22 8SU, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.alleyns.org.uk/
Fees: £20,850
Contact details: Phone +44 20 8557 1500
6. Dulwich College
Located in Southeast London, Dulwich College is another republic school that was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, the famous actor. It was originally founded with the goal of educating 12 poor scholars but has now grown into an example of discipline, academic greatness, and a creative hub.
Science is fun; experiments are the best… pic.twitter.com/PBISlxADgT
— Dulwich College (@DulwichCollege) January 24, 2023
Performance: Achieving a rank of 24 in the 2019 GCSEs, Dulwich College has garnered high hopes from parents and students alike who can see the great future of this school.
Address: Dulwich Common, London SE21 7LD, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.dulwich.org.uk/senior-school
Fees: £21,246
Contact: Phone +44 20 8693 3601
North London
1. Highgate School
Highgate, formerly known as Sir Roger Cholmeley’s School is a co-ed school that provides education to nearly 1500 students. It was founded in 1565 by Sir Roger Cholmeley as a grammar school. The school has a challenging curriculum and focuses on rigorous academic practices.
Children across all three schools have been out in the snow, having fun today! @Highgate_Senior @HighgateJunior @HighgatePrePrep pic.twitter.com/Hw1kgMYNjc
— Highgate School (@highgate1565) December 12, 2022
Performance: Ranking 16 in the GCSEs of 2019, the school is working its way up the rank charts. The school has also an average of 90.2 percent of students who earn A* or A grades in their A-level subjects.
Address: North Rd, London N6 4AY, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.highgateschool.org.uk/
Fees: £21,600
Contact: Phone +44 20 8340 1524
2. St. Helens School Northwood
This girl’s school is known for valuing its students and making them feel special. The private day school focuses on personality development as well as academic versatility. This could be the reason why the students of this school are polite and overachievers. The warm atmosphere of the school makes the girls feel safe and rarely do the students want to skip school.
Booking now open for our School in Action Open Morning on 22nd March 2023!
Explore our exciting and thriving school, meet our senior staff and speak to current students.
Register here: https://t.co/prbiTDpbY3
— St Helen’s School (@StHelensSchool) November 8, 2022
Performance: Ranking just below Eltham College, St Helen’s School stands at number 22 in the 2019 GCSEs with an average of 85.2 percent of its students gathering A* and A grades in all the A level subjects.
Address: Eastbury Rd, Northwood HA6 1AG, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.sthelens.london/
Fees: £18,321
Contact: Phone +44 1923 843210
3. Channing School
Although a school for girls of young age, Channing Girls School is not behind in any of the categories the other schools in this list excel at. A member of the Girls Schools Association, this school puts a well-rounded education over anything else. Surrounded by the lush greenery of Highgate and the overall environment of the school which propels personal growth.
The winners of the Clean Air Day banner competition were Scarlett in Year 7 and Leila in Year 3. You can see their banners hanging outside the school gates at each site encouraging our community to use public transport and reduce air pollution in the local area! pic.twitter.com/LXek9ociQI
— Channing School (@ChanningSchool) December 8, 2022
Performance: Ranking just below St. Helen’s School, the Channing girl’s school stands at 23rd number in the GCSEs of 2019. The school has an average of 84.8 percent of its students achieving A grades in all the A-level subjects.
Address: The Bank, London N6 5HF, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.channing.co.uk/
Fees: £21,300
Contact: Phone +44 20 8340 2328
4. Palmers Green High School
Palmers Green High School is a unisex school divided into four categories: Senior school, junior school, preparatory, and Nursery. The school educates all ages girls up to 18 years and has a high rank in GCSEs every year.
We are delighted to be Number 1 in The Sunday Times’ Parent Power League Table for Small Independent Schools yet again! This year’s table was created using exam results dating back to 2017, showing just how consistently well our fabulous pupils have achieved. @GSAUK @ISC_schools pic.twitter.com/GA5UMiklD8
— Palmers Green High (@PGHSGirls) December 4, 2021
Performance: Standing at the rank of 28 in the GCSEs of 2019, Palmers Green High school is pushing for brilliance. The average percentage of students achieving A* or A grades in A-level subjects is 81.0.
Address: 104 Hoppers Rd, London N21 3LJ, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.pghs.co.uk/
Fees: £16,590
Contact: Phone +44 20 8886 1135
Get to know the School before Making a Choice
If you are new to your neighbourhood and do not want to compromise on the quality of education of your children, the above list will help you find the best independent school near you in London. However, it is vital to understand what the school is about, how the curriculum and extra-curricular activities are conceptualized, and whether it is suitable for your child and for the future career you all are looking for. Because Eton College has produced many influential and famous personalities. Get in contact with the schools you favour, arrange a viewing and a meeting with the headmaster and ask all the questions you have before you register your child. Every family and child are different and finding the best match is key.
Editorial note: all information presented has been retrieved online on the date of this publication.
