Best Private Schools in London

Written by Sascha Pendigrast, Education Consultant at London Relocation | Last updated: November 2026

Private education in London is some of the best in the world, and some of the most competitive. Most guides rank schools by exam results. Families moving to London need something else: a realistic shortlist for their children’s ages, and an idea of where to live to make the school run work.

This guide covers the schools we’re asked about most, what they cost in 2026/27 with VAT, when to apply and which neighbourhoods families choose for each one.

London’s best private schools at a glance (2026)

These are the private schools London families ask us about most. It isn’t a top 10 private schools in London league table: it’s a shortlist of strong schools across the city, with the facts you need to compare them. Fees are annual day fees for 2026/27 including VAT, from each school’s website.

How we chose the best private schools in London

There is no official ranking of private schools in London, so we’re open about our method. We looked at published exam results, the latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) reports, university destinations and the breadth of what each school offers beyond the classroom.

We also weighed what matters to relocating families: entry points that work for a mid-career move, how international the community is, and what families who have joined these schools tell us. Strong schools are left out simply because there isn’t room; our consultant can suggest others for your children’s ages and area.

The best private secondary schools in London

Each profile uses the same facts, so you can compare the top private schools in London side by side.

Westminster School

Westminster School is one of London’s oldest and most selective schools, set beside Westminster Abbey. It takes boys at 13+ and girls into the sixth form, and girls will join at 13+ from September 2028, with full co-education by 2030.

• Area: Westminster, SW1
• Ages: 13–18 (Westminster Under School 4–13)
• Pupils: Boys, with girls in the sixth form; girls at 13+ from 2028
• Day or boarding: Day and weekly boarding
• Entry points: 13+, 16+ (4+, 7+ and 11+ through the Under School)
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £49,368 day (13+), £52,446 day (16+), £69,282 boarding
• Known for: 2026 A levels: 58% of grades at A*; leavers took up 43 Oxford and 24 Cambridge places

LR families usually rent in: Pimlico, Westminster or Marylebone

St Paul’s School

St Paul’s School is a boys’ school on the Thames in Barnes, founded in 1509 and consistently among the top schools in the country. Boys usually join its prep school at 7+ or 11+, or the senior school at 13+.

• Area: Barnes, SW13
• Ages: 13–18 (St Paul’s Prep School 7–13)
• Pupils: Boys
• Day or boarding: Day and boarding
• Entry points: 7+ and 11+ (Prep School), 13+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £37,998 day, £57,543 boarding
• Known for: 2026 A levels: 60% of grades at A*, 91.5% A*/A

LR families usually rent in: Barnes, Putney, Hammersmith or Chiswick

St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School is a highly selective girls’ day school in Brook Green, Hammersmith. It is regularly ranked among the very best schools in the country at both GCSE and A level.

• Area: Brook Green, Hammersmith, W6
• Ages: 11–18
• Pupils: Girls
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £38,562 (£41,640 for new sixth formers)
• Known for: Sunday Times Parent Power Independent School of the Year for GCSEs 2026

LR families usually rent in: Hammersmith, Kensington, Chiswick or Fulham

King’s College School, Wimbledon

King’s College School, Wimbledon (KCS) is a day school on the edge of Wimbledon Common, offering both A levels and the IB Diploma in the sixth form. It currently takes boys from 7 and girls at 16+, and is phasing in co-education from 2029.

• Area: Wimbledon, SW19
• Ages: 11–18 (King’s College Junior School 7–11)
• Pupils: Boys, with girls in the sixth form; co-education phased in from 2029
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 7+ (Junior School), 11+, 13+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: about £35,820 (Years 9–13, to confirm with the school)
• Known for: A levels and the IB Diploma side by side in the sixth form

LR families usually rent in: Wimbledon, Putney or Raynes Park

North London Collegiate School

North London Collegiate School (NLCS) is a girls’ day school for ages 4 to 18 on a large green campus at Canons Park, Edgware. It offers A levels and the IB Diploma, and its 2026 IB average of 43.2 points was its best ever.

• Area: Canons Park, Edgware, HA8
• Ages: 4–18 (Junior School 4–11)
• Pupils: Girls
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 4+, 7+, 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £31,095 senior school, £26,775 junior school
• Known for: 2026 IB average of 43.2 points; 2026 A levels: 49.5% of grades at A*

LR families usually rent in: Stanmore, Mill Hill or Hampstead Garden Suburb

City of London School

City of London School is a boys’ day school on the river in the City, close to St Paul’s Cathedral. It is one of the more affordable schools on this list, and from 2028 it will share a new co-educational sixth-form centre with City of London School for Girls.

• Area: City of London, EC4
• Ages: 10–18
• Pupils: Boys (shared co-ed sixth-form centre from 2028)
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 10+, 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £29,545
• Known for: 2026 A levels: 43% of grades at A*, 83% A*/A

LR families usually rent in: Islington, the Barbican or Clerkenwell

City of London School for Girls

City of London School for Girls is a girls’ day school in the Barbican, at the heart of the City. Younger children can start at City Junior School, which it runs with City of London School, at 7.

• Area: Barbican, EC2
• Ages: 11–18 (City Junior School 7–11)
• Pupils: Girls (shared co-ed sixth-form centre from 2028)
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 11+, 16+, occasional places in Year 9
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £31,833
• Known for: A co-ed junior route through City Junior School

LR families usually rent in: Islington, the Barbican or Clerkenwell

The Godolphin and Latymer School

The Godolphin and Latymer School is a girls’ day school in Hammersmith for ages 11 to 18. It is one of the few London girls’ schools to offer both A levels and the IB Diploma in the sixth form.

• Area: Hammersmith, W6
• Ages: 11–18
• Pupils: Girls
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £36,380 (fees rise in January; spring and summer terms to confirm)
• Known for: 2026 IB average of 41.3 points; 2026 A levels: 49.8% of grades at A*

LR families usually rent in: Hammersmith, Chiswick or Fulham

Latymer Upper School

Latymer Upper School is a large co-educational day school by the river in Hammersmith, with around 1,400 pupils aged 11 to 18. Its prep school takes children from 7, and it is one of the few top London schools that has been fully co-ed for years.

• Area: Hammersmith, W6
• Ages: 11–18 (Latymer Prep School 7–11)
• Pupils: Co-ed
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 7+ (Prep School), 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £32,025
• Known for: Fully co-educational, with around 1,400 pupils

LR families usually rent in: Hammersmith, Chiswick or Fulham

South Hampstead High School

South Hampstead High School is a girls’ day school for ages 4 to 18 in Hampstead, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). It pairs strong results with a central north London location near Finchley Road.

• Area: Hampstead, NW3
• Ages: 4–18 (Junior School 4–11)
• Pupils: Girls
• Day or boarding: Day
• Entry points: 4+, 7+, 11+, 16+
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £30,060 senior school, £24,558 junior school
• Known for: 2026 A levels: 50% of grades at A*, 86% A*/A

LR families usually rent in: Hampstead, Belsize Park, West Hampstead or St John’s Wood

Mill Hill School

Mill Hill School is a co-educational day and boarding school for ages 13 to 18 on a large green site in Mill Hill, north London. Its prep schools, Belmont and Grimsdell, take children from 3.

• Area: Mill Hill, NW7
• Ages: 13–18 (Belmont 7–13, Grimsdell 3–7)
• Pupils: Co-ed
• Day or boarding: Day, weekly and full boarding
• Entry points: 13+, 16+ (11+ through Belmont)
• Fees 2026/27 incl. VAT: £33,594 day including lunch, £57,906 full boarding
• Known for: One of the few London schools with full boarding; 2026 A levels: 55% A*/A

LR families usually rent in: Mill Hill, Totteridge or Highgate

The best private primary and prep schools in London

Many families look first at private primary schools in London that lead on to the senior schools above. These linked junior and prep schools give you a route from the early years, although a place at the junior school does not always guarantee one at the senior school.

For state primaries as well, see our guide to the top primary schools in London.

Best private schools by area

Distance matters more than most families expect, because the school run happens twice a day for years. This is how the schools on our list map onto London’s neighbourhoods.

For a wider look at family neighbourhoods, see our guide to the best areas in London for families.

What private school in London costs in 2026

Since 1 January 2025, private school fees in England include 20% VAT, which has pushed most top London day schools to around £30,000 to £50,000 a year. The ISC Census 2026 puts the average London day fee at £7,580 a term before VAT. Lunch, trips, music lessons, exam fees and one-off joining fees come on top.

Many schools offer means-tested bursaries and some scholarships, but these are aimed mainly at families already living in the UK, and deadlines come early in the admissions cycle.

Westminster, St Paul’s and Mill Hill also take boarders, but most London private schools are day schools. If you are considering full boarding, see our guide to boarding schools in and around London.

How to choose a private school when you are relocating

Which independent schools in London are best for relocating families depends less on league tables and more on timing and fit. Work through it in this order:

1. Your child’s stage. The year group decides which entry points are open now and which schools have places.
2. Curriculum. Most schools teach GCSEs and A levels; some, such as Godolphin and Latymer and King’s College School, also offer the IB. If you may move again, the IB travels well.
3. Location and commute. Aim for a school run of 30 to 40 minutes or less, and check whether the school runs buses.
4. Entry point. Applying at a main entry point (4+, 7+, 11+, 13+ or 16+) gives you the best chance. Between those points, you’re relying on a place coming free.
5. Timing. Check registration deadlines against your move date, then register with three to five schools at different levels of selectivity, keeping one realistic back-up.

If you’re moving from the US, also compare the American schools in London, which keep your children on a US curriculum.

When to apply, and what if you arrive mid-year

London’s private school year runs on a fixed admissions cycle. This is the timeline for a September start, using 11+ entry in September 2027 as the example.

Private, independent or public school: what the terms mean

In England, “private” and “independent” mean the same thing: fee-paying schools that set their own admissions. So the best independent schools in London are the same schools as the best private ones. Confusingly, “public school” usually means an old, elite private school such as Westminster or St Paul’s, the opposite of the US meaning. Free schools run by the state are called state schools.

How London Relocation helps families find a school place

We plan school and home together. Our education consultant builds a realistic shortlist for your children’s ages and timing, explains each school’s entry process and helps you avoid the common timing mistakes. Our home search team then finds a home within an easy school run. Read more about how we help families moving to London, or see our guides to the best secondary schools in London and our wider guide to schools in London.

FAQ

What is the most elite school in London?

Westminster School and St Paul’s School are the London schools most often described as the most elite, thanks to their history, results and university destinations. Eton and Harrow are better known internationally, but Eton is outside London and Harrow is a boys’ boarding school in north-west London.

Is there a girls’ equivalent to Eton?

There’s no single equivalent. The girls’ boarding schools most often compared with Eton are Wycombe Abbey and Cheltenham Ladies’ College. In London, St Paul’s Girls’ School is the day school most often named alongside them.

How much does private school cost in London?

Most of the top London day schools charge about £30,000 to £50,000 a year for 2026/27, including 20% VAT. The ISC Census 2026 puts the average London day fee at £7,580 a term before VAT. Boarding costs considerably more.

Which independent schools in London are best for relocating families?

Schools with regular entry points and some movement in year groups are the most realistic. Co-ed day schools such as Latymer Upper, and schools with a sixth-form entry, often suit families arriving at short notice. Our consultant can tell you where places are likely.

Which private girls’ schools send pupils to Oxbridge?

St Paul’s Girls’, North London Collegiate, City of London School for Girls, Godolphin and Latymer and South Hampstead High all send pupils to Oxford and Cambridge each year. Each school publishes its university destinations, which are worth reading year by year.

What are the key differences between private and public schools in London?

In England, “public school” usually means an old, elite private school, so the two terms overlap. The real difference is between private schools, which charge fees and select pupils, and state schools, which are free and admit mainly by address.