Top 10 Day Schools In The UK – The Complete Guide For 2025
Searching for the finest day schools in the UK? Look no further! Whether you’re seeking a primary school to lay a solid foundation or a secondary school to propel your child towards a successful future, our top 10 list encompasses a range of options to cater to various needs and preferences. Each school in this list offers a distinctive approach to education, ensuring that students receive a comprehensive and enriching learning experience.
Table of Contents
Top Day Schools in the UK
The Cathedral School Llandaff - Best Day Schools in the UK
The Cathedral School Llandaff is a co-educational independent school located in Llandaff, a district in the western part of Cardiff, Wales. Established in 1880, the school has a strong historical and educational presence in the region. It caters to students from nursery through to sixth form, providing education in a range of subjects. The school has a connection with the nearby Llandaff Cathedral, and its ethos often incorporates values such as community and a commitment to academic and personal development. The curriculum encompasses a variety of subjects, and the school places importance on extracurricular activities and pastoral care.
Highgate School - Best Day Schools in the UK
Highgate School, situated in London, is a renowned independent day school with a rich history dating back to 1565. Known for its academic rigour and commitment to holistic education, the school offers a wide range of subjects and a vibrant extracurricular programme. Highgate School places great importance on intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and character development. According to the Sunday Times’ 2021 School Guide, Highgate School won the coveted London Independent School of the Decade award! For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the school’s official website.
Guildford High School - Best Day Schools in the UK
Guildford High School is a prestigious all-girls day school situated in Guildford, Surrey. Founded in 1888, the school has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence and a supportive learning environment. Guildford High School offers a well-rounded education, combining rigorous academics with a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, arts, and community service.
The school’s commitment to empowering young women and fostering intellectual curiosity is evident in its strong track record of academic achievements and university placements. To obtain the most accurate and up-to-date information about Guildford High School, please visit their official website or consult one of our in-house consultants.
City of London School For Girls - Best Day Schools in the UK
City of London School for Girls is a highly regarded independent day school for girls situated in London. Opened in 1894, the school provides an outstanding education for able students from all backgrounds, cultures and faiths. With a strong focus on academic excellence, the school provides a stimulating and supportive environment for students to thrive. It offers a diverse curriculum, a wide range of extracurricular activities, and opportunities for personal growth and leadership development. For detailed and up-to-date information about City of London School for Girls, please refer to their official website.
James Allen's Girls' School - Best Day Schools in the UK
James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) is a well-established independent day school for girls located in Dulwich, South London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1741, the school has a long history and a reputation for providing high-quality education. JAGS offers education for girls from the age of 4 through to 18, covering the key stages from reception to sixth form.
The school places a strong emphasis on academic excellence, and students typically follow the British curriculum, including GCSEs and A-levels. Beyond academics, JAGS is known for fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. The school encourages participation in extracurricular activities, including sports, arts, and community service.
Magdalen College School (MCS) - Best Day Schools in the UK
Magdalen College School, located in Oxford, is a well-regarded independent day school with a rich history dating back to 1480. The school places a strong emphasis on academic excellence and holistic development. It offers a broad curriculum, including a wide range of subjects and extracurricular opportunities. Magdalen College School is known for its supportive environment, encouraging students to explore their interests and achieve their potential.
MCS easily ranks in our top 10 list as almost all their pupils proceed to prestigious universities in the UK or abroad. More impressively, around 25% of their Sixth Form pupils obtain offers from Oxford or Cambridge. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the school’s official website.
King Edward VI High School for Girls (KEHS) - Best Day Schools in the UK
King Edward VI High School for Girls, located in Birmingham, is an esteemed independent day school for girls. Known for its academic rigour and supportive environment, the school aims to empower girls to achieve their full potential. It offers a wide range of subjects and extracurricular activities to foster well-rounded development.
The Sunday Times recently rated KEHS number one in the Midlands Top 10 Independent Schools for their outstanding education. It takes pride in valuing each girl and helping them navigate wisely the choices ahead, giving the opportunities to develop their leadership and collaborative skills as well as resilience. For more detailed information, please refer to their official website.
The Perse School - Best Day Schools in the UK
The Perse School offers a comprehensive curriculum, including a range of subjects at both GCSE and A-level. The institution emphasises a well-rounded education, encouraging students to engage in extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, and community service.
The school is divided into different sections, including the Pre-Preparatory School, the Prep School, and the Upper School, each tailored to the specific educational needs of the students in those age groups.
Alleyn's School - Best Day Schools in the UK
Alleyn’s School is a respected independent day school located in Dulwich, London. With a reputation for academic excellence and a supportive learning environment, the school aims to nurture students’ intellectual, social, and personal growth.
Alleyn’s School offers a broad and varied curriculum, along with a range of extracurricular activities and opportunities for artistic and sporting pursuits. Among the many aims of the institution, they strongly preach Alleyn’s ROCCK, which includes Respect, Opportunity, Curiosity, Courage and Kindness. These are strong values I would personally want my children to have. For specific details about Alleyn’s School, please visit their official website.
Latest Day School League Table
| Rank | Result (A*/A) | School Name | Location | Gender | Candidates | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 86.1 | King's College School (KCS) | Wimbledon | Co-ed | 162 | Day |
| 10 | 82.7 | Guilford High School | Guildford | Girls | 102 | Day |
| 11 | 82.2 | Godolphin and Latymer | London | Girls | 74 | Day |
| 12 | 81.9 | The Perse School | Cambridge | Co-ed | 185 | Day |
| 13 | 81 | Magdalen College School | Oxford | Co-ed | 163 | Day |
| 14 | 80.3 | King Edward VI High School for Girls | Birmingham | Girls | 100 | Day |
| 15= | 80 | City of London School | London | Boys | 150 | Day |
| 15= | 80 | Wimbledon High School GDST | Wimbledon | Girls | 87 | Day |
| 17 | 79 | City of London School For Girls | The City | Girls | 97 | Day |
| 18 | 77 | Reigate Grammar School | Reigate | Co-ed | 134 | Day |
| 20 | 76.8 | Alleyn's School | Dulwich | Co-ed | 165 | Day |
| 21= | 76 | Highgate School | London | Co-ed | NA | Day |
| 21= | 76 | Withington Girls' School | Manchester | Girls | 77 | Day |
| 23 | 75.3 | Royal Grammar School Guildford | Guildford | Boys | 140 | Day |
| 24= | 75 | South Hampstead High School GDST | Hampstead | Girls | 89 | Day |
| 24= | 75 | The Cathedral School Llandaff | Cardiff | Co-ed | 52 | Day |
| 26 | 74.2 | St John's College, Cardiff | Cardiff | Co-ed | 57 | Day |
| 28 | 73.6 | Putney High School GDST | London | Girls | 93 | Day |
| 29 | 73.2 | University College School, Hampstead | Hampstead | Co-ed | 174 | Day |
| 31 | 73 | James Allen's Girls' School | London | Girls | NA | Day |
| 32 | 72.9 | Howell's School, Llandaff GDST | Cardiff | Co-ed | 83 | Day |
| 34 | 71.2 | The Maynard School | Exeter | Girls | 45 | Day |
| 35 | 71 | Merchant Taylors' School | Northwood | Boys | 146 | Day |
| 37 | 70.3 | Royal Grammar School, Newcastle | Newcastle upon Tyne | Co-ed | 162 | Day |
| 39 | 69 | St Albans School | St Albans | Co-ed | 179 | Day |
| 40 | 68.4 | Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST | Ealing | Girls | 67 | Day |
| 41 | 68.3 | Queen's College London | London | Girls | 49 | Day |
| 43= | 66 | Eltham College | Mottingham | Co-ed | 108 | Day |
| 43= | 66 | Trinity School | Croydon | Co-ed | 168 | Day |
| 45 | 65.9 | Nottingham High School | Nottingham | Co-ed | 130 | Day |
| 46= | 65 | RGS Worcester | Worcester | Co-ed | 115 | Day |
| 48 | 64.9 | The Manchester Grammar School | Manchester | Boys | 183 | Day |
| 49 | 64.4 | Emanuel School | London | Co-ed | 147 | Day |
| 53= | 63 | Norwich High School GDST | Norwich | Girls | 48 | Day |
| 55 | 62.5 | Oxford High School GDST | Oxford | Girls | 84 | Day |
| 57 | 62.2 | Surbiton High School | Kingston upon Thames | Girls | 139 | Day |
| 58 | 62.1 | Birkenhead School | Wirral | Co-ed | 36 | Day |
| 59= | 62 | Durham High School for Girls | Durham | Girls | 29 | Day |
| 59= | 62 | Walthamstow Hall | Sevenoaks | Girls | 50 | Day |
| 64= | 61 | St Dunstan's College | Catford | Co-ed | 70 | Day |
| 68 | 60.6 | King Edward's School | Bath | Co-ed | 127 | Day |
| 71= | 60 | Queen's Gate School | London | Girls | 49 | Day |
| 71= | 60 | The Abbey School | Reading | Girls | 74 | Day |
| 74 | 59.7 | Dame Allan's Senior Schools | Newcastle upon Tyne | Co-ed | 102 | Day |
| 75 | 59.2 | Colfe's School | Lee | Co-ed | 102 | Day |
| 76 | 59 | Sheffield High School for Girls | Sheffield | Girls | 75 | Day |
| 78 | 58 | Exeter School | Exeter | Co-ed | 108 | Day |
| 79 | 57.8 | Forest School | London | Co-ed | 136 | Day |
| 82 | 56.9 | Churcher's College | Petersfield | Co-ed | 155 | Day |
| 83 | 56.4 | Ibstock Place School | Roehampton | Co-ed | 87 | Day |
| 86 | 55.2 | Leicester Grammar School | Leicester | Co-ed | 108 | Day |
| 87 | 54.9 | The Grange School | Northwich | Co-ed | 75 | Day |
| 88 | 54.3 | St John's Preparatory and Senior School | Potters Bar | Co-ed | 25 | Day |
| 91 | 53.6 | Redmaids' High School | Bristol | Girls | 59 | Day |
| 93 | 53.1 | Brampton College | Hendon | Co-ed | 131 | Day |
| 94= | 53 | Bristol Grammar School | Bristol | Co-ed | 158 | Day |
| 94= | 53 | Derby High School | Derby | Co-ed | 47 | Day |
| 97= | 52.7 | Immanuel College | Bushey | Co-ed | 60 | Day |
| 97= | 52.7 | Leicester High School for Girls | Leicester | Girls | 23 | Day |
| 97= | 52.7 | Reading Blue Coat School | Reading | Co-ed | 126 | Day |
| 101 | 52.4 | Sutton High School GDST | Sutton | Girls | 47 | Day |
| 104= | 51.8 | Queen Elizabeth's Hospital | Bristol | Co-ed | 100 | Day |
| 104= | 51.8 | St Helen's School | Northwood | Girls | 104 | Day |
| 106 | 51.5 | The King's School, Chester | Chester | Co-ed | 112 | Day |
| 107 | 51.4 | Norwich School | Norwich | Co-ed | 168 | Day |
| 108= | 51 | Hymers College | Hull | Co-ed | 64 | Day |
| 108= | 51 | Loughborough High School | Loughborough | Girls | 78 | Day |
| 108= | 51 | Nottingham Girls’ High School GDST | Nottingham | Girls | 63 | Day |
| 108= | 51 | The Grammar School at Leeds | Leeds | Co-ed | 208 | Day |
| 114 | 50.3 | St Benedict's School | Ealing | Co-ed | 91 | Day |
| 115= | 50.2 | Bedford Modern School | Bedford | Co-ed | 148 | Day |
| 117= | 50 | AKS Lytham | Lytham St Annes | Co-ed | 50 | Day |
| 117= | 50 | Newcastle High School for Girls GDST | Newcastle upon Tyne | Girls | 66 | Day |
| 117= | 50 | Solihull School | Solihull | Co-ed | 166 | Day |
| 123 | 49.4 | Bromley High School GDST | Bromley | Girls | 55 | Day |
| 124 | 49.1 | Farnborough Hill | Farnborough | Girls | 35 | Day |
| 127 | 48.4 | Bradford Grammar School | Bradford | Co-ed | 117 | Day |
| 128= | 48 | Stafford Grammar School | Stafford | Co-ed | 35 | Day |
| 128= | 48 | The King's School in Macclesfield | Macclesfield | Co-ed | 104 | Day |
| 132 | 47.3 | Bablake School | Coventry | Co-ed | 102 | Day |
| 133= | 47 | Stockport Grammar School | Stockport | Co-ed | 116 | Day |
| 135 | 46.4 | Ashbourne College | Kensington | Co-Ed | 130 | Day |
| 138 | 45.8 | Sir William Perkins's School | Chertsey | Girls | 59 | Day |
| 139 | 45.6 | Hill House School | Doncaster | Co-ed | 58 | Day |
| 141 | 45 | Streatham and Clapham High School GDST | Streatham | Girls | 55 | Day |
| 144 | 43.4 | Newcastle-under-Lyme School | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Co-ed | 71 | Day |
| 145 | 43.3 | Yarm School | Yarm | Co-ed | 108 | Day |
| 148 | 42.4 | Hulme Grammar School | Oldham | Co-ed | 47 | Day |
| 151 | 42.2 | Wolverhampton Grammar School | Wolverhampton | Co-ed | 66 | Day |
| 153 | 41.7 | Cranford School | Wallingford | Co-ed | 21 | Day |
| 154 | 41.3 | Claremont Fan Court School | Esher | Co-ed | 81 | Day |
| 155= | 41 | Lewes Old Grammar School | Lewes | Co-ed | 31 | Day |
| 158 | 40.7 | Shrewsbury High School GDST | Shrewsbury | Girls | 41 | Day |
| 160= | 40 | King Henry VIII School | Coventry | Co-ed | 80 | Day |
| 160= | 40 | Salesian College | Farnborough | Co-ed | 68 | Day |
| 160= | 40 | Wellingborough School | Northamptonshire | Co-ed | NA | Day |
| 167 | 39.5 | Elizabeth College | Guernsey | Co-ed | 80 | Day |
| 168 | 39.3 | Bolton School Girls' Division | Bolton | Girls | 105 | Day |
| 169 | 39.2 | Victoria College | St Helier | Boys | 70 | Day |
| 173 | 38.2 | The Cedars School | London | Boys | 18 | Day |
| 174 | 38.1 | Old Palace of John Whitgift School | Croydon | Girls | 51 | Day |
| 177= | 37 | Mander Portman Woodward (MPW), London | South Kensington | Co-ed | 272 | Day |
| 181 | 36.4 | St Columba's College | St Albans | Co-ed | 82 | Day |
| 182 | 35.8 | Cheadle Hulme School | Cheadle | Co-ed | 133 | Day |
| 183 | 35.5 | Silcoates School | Wakefield | Co-ed | 40 | Day |
| 186 | 34.2 | St Gabriel's School | Newbury | Girls | 12 | Day |
| 187= | 34 | St Edward's School | Cheltenham | Co-ed | 33 | Day |
| 187= | 34 | St Mary's College | Liverpool | Co-ed | 50 | Day |
| 192= | 33 | Alderley Edge School for Girls | Alderley Edge | Girls | 31 | Day |
| 192= | 33 | Hampstead Fine Arts College | London | Co-ed | NA | Day |
| 192= | 33 | Lichfield Cathedral School | Lichfield | Co-ed | 39 | Day |
| 198 | 32.3 | Dixie Grammar School | Market Bosworth | Co-ed | 32 | Day |
| 201= | 31 | Clifton High School | Bristol | Co-ed | 58 | Day |
| 201= | 31 | Mander Portman Woodward Birmingham | Birmingham | Co-ed | 96 | Day |
| 204 | 30.3 | Loughborough Amherst School | Loughborough | Co-ed | 22 | Day |
| 207 | 28.2 | Langley | Norwich | Co-ed | 53 | Day |
| 210 | 27 | The Ladies' College | Guernsey | Girls | 46 | Day |
| 212= | 25 | St Bede's College | Manchester | Co-ed | 49 | Day |
| 218 | 22.9 | Merchant Taylors' Boys' School | Liverpool | Boys | 54 | Day |
| 220 | 22.5 | Merchant Taylors' Girls' School | Liverpool | Girls | 47 | Day |
| 223= | 21 | St James Senior Boys' School | Surrey | Boys | NA | Day |
| 223= | 21 | Westholme School | Blackburn | Co-ed | 67 | Day |
Frequently Asked Questions about UK Day Schools
A day school is an educational institution where students attend classes during the day and return home in the evenings, as opposed to boarding schools where students reside on campus.
Consider factors such as academic reputation, curriculum offerings, extracurricular activities, location, class sizes, facilities, and the school’s ethos. Visiting schools, attending open houses, and talking to current students and parents can also help you make an informed decision.
Day schools in the UK usually cater to students ranging from early years or nursery (ages 3-4) to secondary school (ages 11-16 or 18). Some schools offer education from primary (ages 4-11) to sixth form (ages 16-18).
Day schools in the UK may follow various curricula, including the national curriculum of England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Some schools may offer international curricula such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).
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