United Kingdom
Best schools in London
41 tracked schools · average editorial score 70.5/100
Editorial overview
Best 300
15Best 300 schools in London
The flagship Best 300 — schools operating at or near the international frontier.

Westminster School
London, United Kingdom

King's College School, Wimbledon
London, United Kingdom

St Paul's School
London, United Kingdom

Dulwich College
London, United Kingdom

North London Collegiate School
London, United Kingdom

City of London School for Girls
London, United Kingdom

Godolphin and Latymer School
London, United Kingdom

The Henrietta Barnett School
London, United Kingdom
Challengers 300
13Challengers 300 schools in London
Ranks 301–600. Strong programmes closing the gap to the flagship 300.

Putney High School
London, United Kingdom

Latymer Upper School
London, United Kingdom

City of London School
London, United Kingdom

Mill Hill School
London, United Kingdom

Emanuel School
London, United Kingdom

University College School
London, United Kingdom

Eltham College
London, United Kingdom

South Hampstead High School
London, United Kingdom
Rising Stars 400
9Rising Stars 400 schools in London
Ranks 601–1000. On the trajectory watchlist for the next edition.

Colfe's School
London, United Kingdom

Forest School
London, United Kingdom

Channing School
London, United Kingdom

Francis Holland School, Sloane Square
London, United Kingdom

St Benedict's School, Ealing
London, United Kingdom

The Harrodian School
London, United Kingdom

Ecole Jeannine Manuel London
London, United Kingdom

Francis Holland School, Regent's Park
London, United Kingdom
Key dates · 2026-27
What's coming up in United Kingdom
7 Sept
Autumn term begins (independent schools)
3 Oct – 5 Jun
SAT test dates (typical season)
15 Oct
UCAS deadline — Oxbridge, medicine, dentistry, vet
26 Oct – 13 Nov
IB November 2026 exam session
26 Oct – 30 Oct
October half term
31 Oct
State secondary school application deadline
Relocation guide
Moving to London with kids
Computed from 41 tracked schools — verified fees, live availability, no brochure numbers. All relocation guides →
For London, a realistic annual day-fee budget is about £32,000 per child at senior level, with most families landing between roughly £29,000 and £34,000; on a broader comparable basis, the median sits just under $37,000, with an interquartile range of about $33,000 to $42,000. If you are budgeting for a five-year posting, note that median citywide fee inflation has been running at 10.1% a year, which makes today’s numbers a poor guide to total outlay by the end of the assignment. The market is overwhelmingly British in practice: 36 schools offer that route, against 4 IB, 2 French, 1 American and 1 BTEC. Admissions pressure is currently rated Low, with 4 of 23 assessed schools constrained and 4 schools reporting waitlists.
Fee reality
$36,782
median annual day fee (USD) · middle half $33,427–$41,645 · 35 schools
Senior median: GBP 31,950 (~$40,896)
Fee trajectory
+10.1%/yr
median fee growth across 10 London schools with verified fee history — budget for it over a multi-year posting
Curriculum mix
Admission pressure
Low
4 of 23 schools are waitlist-only or closed at popular entry points (17%)
Waitlist reality
2026-27: closed — Standard route · 2027-28: closed — Mid-July '26
2026-27: closed — Standard route · 2027-28: opens soon — Opens Sept '26 (11+ on 1 Sept)
2026-27: waitpool — Space-dependent (Rolling) · 2027-28: opens soon — Opens Sept '26
2026-27: closed — Standard route · 2027-28: closed — June 2 '26
Questions families ask
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