SchoolScoresIndependent school guide

Best private boarding schools in England

How this list works. Ranked by average points per entry across A levels, the IB Diploma, Pre-U and other academic qualifications, on DfE's scale where an A level A* is 60, an A is 50 and a B is 40, averaged over up to the last three years and weighted by the number of students each year. Years with fewer than 10 students don't count. Inspection outcomes are shown but aren't part of the ranking. Full methodology.

Boarding schools are those DfE's register lists as taking boarders; most also take day pupils. Private schools aren't ranked on GCSEs. Many take IGCSEs, which DfE's figures don't count, so some of the strongest schools would show 0%. Schools that publish no results to DfE, or have fewer than 10 students sitting these exams, aren't listed.

#SchoolPoints per entry
1 St Paul's School Richmond upon Thames · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 216 students a year 53.8A+ average
2 Westminster School Westminster · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 196 students a year 53.5A+ average
3 Brighton College Brighton · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 234 students a year 53.1A+ average
4 The National Mathematics and Science College Westwood Way · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 46 students a year 52.4A+ average
5 Eton College Windsor · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 271 students a year 51.2A average
6 Wycombe Abbey High Wycombe · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 95 students a year 50.9A average
7 Concord College Shrewsbury · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 170 students a year 50.7A+ average
8 Tonbridge School Tonbridge · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 164 students a year 50.7A average
9 Oxford International College Oxford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 162 students a year 50.4A- average
10 Winchester College Winchester · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 151 students a year 50.2A average
11 Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cambridge Cambridge · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 35 students a year · 2 years of results 49.7A average
12 Sevenoaks School Sevenoaks · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 233 students a year 49.1A average
13 Cheltenham Ladies' College Cheltenham · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 161 students a year 49.1A average
14 Abingdon School Abingdon · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 178 students a year 48.9A average
15 Harrow School Harrow-on-the-Hill · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 171 students a year 48.8A- average
16 St Mary's School Ascot Ascot · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 57 students a year 48.7A- average
17 St Swithuns Winchester · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 69 students a year 48.2A average
18 City of London Freemen's School Surrey · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 104 students a year 48.1A average
19 Dulwich College Southwark · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 238 students a year 48.1A average
20 Wellington College Crowthorne · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 239 students a year 47.7A- average
21 Caterham School Caterham · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 163 students a year 47.6A- average
22 Radley College Vale of White Horse · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 156 students a year 47.5A- average
23 St Catherine's School Guildford · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 83 students a year 47.4A average
24 Benenden School Cranbrook · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 97 students a year 47.2A- average
25 St Marys Calne and St Margarets Prep Calne · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 60 students a year 47.1A- average
26 Hurstpierpoint College Hassocks · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 168 students a year 46.9A- average
27 Whitgift School Haling Park · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 195 students a year 46.8A- average
28 Epsom College Epsom · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 188 students a year 46.6A- average
29 Burgess Hill Girls Burgess Hill · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 30 students a year 46.4A- average
30 Canford School Wimborne · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 139 students a year 46.4A- average
31 Oundle School Northamptonshire · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 201 students a year 46.3A- average
32 Marlborough College Wiltshire · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 220 students a year 46.3A- average
33 The Leys School Cambridge · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 102 students a year 46.2A- average
34 Downe House Thatcham · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 86 students a year 46.2A- average
35 St Francis College Letchworth Garden City · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 23 students a year · 2 years of results 45.9A- average
36 Roedean School Brighton · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 88 students a year 45.8B+ average
37 Rugby School Rugby · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 179 students a year 45.7A- average
38 Ardingly College Haywards Heath · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 133 students a year 45.7A- average
39 Headington School Oxford Oxford · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 113 students a year 45.6A- average
40 Reed's School Cobham · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 153 students a year 45.4B+ average
41 d'Overbroeck's Oxford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 200 students a year 45.3A- average
42 Haileybury College Hertford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 178 students a year 44.9B+ average
43 St John's School Leatherhead · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 127 students a year 44.8B+ average
44 Uppingham School Rutland · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 182 students a year 44.8B+ average
45 The King's School Canterbury Canterbury · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 191 students a year 44.8A- average
46 Ipswich School Ipswich · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 144 students a year 44.7B+ average
47 Loughborough High School Loughborough · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 71 students a year 44.7A- average
48 Kingswood School Bath · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 121 students a year 44.6B+ average
49 Bromsgrove School Bromsgrove · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 215 students a year 44.6A- average
50 Abbey College Cambridge Cambridgeshire · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 107 students a year 44.6B+ average
51 Hurtwood House School Dorking · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 162 students a year 44.4B+ average
52 The Stephen Perse Foundation Cambridge · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 104 students a year 44.4A- average
53 Charterhouse Godalming · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 199 students a year 44.3B+ average
54 Warwick School Warwick · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 144 students a year 44.3A- average
55 Badminton School Bristol · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 60 students a year 44.2B+ average
56 Mayfield School Mayfield · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 61 students a year 44.2B+ average
57 Berkhamsted School Berkhamsted · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 203 students a year 44.0A- average
58 Chigwell School Chigwell · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 94 students a year 44.0B+ average
59 Cranleigh School Cranleigh · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 137 students a year 44.0B+ average
60 Bishop's Stortford College Bishop's Stortford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 121 students a year 43.6B+ average
61 St Peter's School 2-18 York · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 128 students a year 43.4B+ average
62 Woldingham School Caterham · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 78 students a year 43.2B+ average
63 Bedford School Bedford · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 134 students a year 43.2B+ average
64 St Mary's School cambridge · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 50 students a year 43.0B+ average
65 King's High School Warwickshire · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 97 students a year 43.0B+ average
66 Royal Masonic School for Girls Rickmansworth · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 83 students a year 43.0B average
67 Clifton College Bristol · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 160 students a year 42.9B+ average
68 Cheltenham College Cheltenham · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 152 students a year 42.9B+ average
69 Truro School Truro · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 82 students a year 42.9B+ average
70 Mill Hill Schools Barnet · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 165 students a year 42.8B+ average
71 Gresham's School Holt · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 108 students a year 42.7B+ average
72 Chafyn-Godolphin Salisbury · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 43 students a year 42.7B average
73 Brentwood School Brentwood · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 198 students a year 42.6B+ average
74 King's Ely Ely · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 103 students a year 42.5B+ average
75 Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 188 students a year 42.5B+ average
76 Moreton Hall School Oswestry · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 47 students a year 42.4B+ average
77 Eastbourne College Eastbourne · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 131 students a year 42.4B+ average
78 Blundell's School Tiverton · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 95 students a year 42.3B average
79 Lancing College Lancing · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 130 students a year 42.3B+ average
80 Bradfield College Bradfield · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 172 students a year 42.1B+ average
81 Royal High School GDST Lansdown Road · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 59 students a year 41.9B+ average
82 The Yehudi Menuhin School Cobham · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 13 students a year 41.9B+ average
83 Dauntsey's School Devizes · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 142 students a year 41.8B+ average
84 New Hall School Chelmsford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 113 students a year 41.7B average
85 Lord Wandsworth College Hook · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 86 students a year 41.6B+ average
86 Woodbridge School Woodbridge · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 67 students a year 41.5B+ average
87 Kimbolton School Huntingdon · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 104 students a year 41.5B average
88 Bede's Senior School Hailsham · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 113 students a year 41.5B+ average
89 Queen Anne's School Reading · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 57 students a year 41.5B+ average
90 Sherborne School for Girls Sherborne · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 93 students a year 41.5B average
91 Repton School Derby · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 133 students a year 41.4B+ average
92 Loughborough Grammar School Loughborough · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 119 students a year 41.4B+ average
93 St Clare's, Oxford Oxford · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 103 students a year 41.3B average
94 St Teresa's School Dorking · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 34 students a year 41.1B+ average
95 The Mount School (York) York · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 17 students a year 41.1B average
96 Bootham School York · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 78 students a year 41.1B+ average
97 Sherborne School Sherborne · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 118 students a year 40.9B- average
98 Adcote School for Girls Shrewsbury · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 15 students a year 40.9B+ average
99 Talbot Heath School Bournemouth · Boys only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 31 students a year 40.8B average
100 St George's School Ascot · Girls only · Boarding · Inspected by ISI · about 35 students a year 40.8B+ average

Source: DfE school performance tables to 2025; DfE Get Information about Schools for school details and boarding; Ofsted inspection data. All England lists.

Page updated 26 September 2026.