There’s one thing you cannot deny about private schools: they know how to make their kids succeed. They churn out prime ministers, actors, musicians and lawyers like it’s nothing, always proving themselves worth the eye-watering fees they charge.
Naturally, if you’re going to be paying more than the average person’s salary each year in tuition for your child, you don’t just expect pretty good things: you expect the best. High grades, world class teachers – everything that a growing tween could possibly need – so where are you most likely to find them?
That’s where Ivy Education comes in. The tutoring company has analysed the exam results of every private school in England and ranked them according to percentage of students who achieved an A or A* at GCSE and A-level. This is slightly more info than the Telegraph was working with when it ranked private schools based on A level results.
Without further ado, if you’re near London and have the funds, send your kids to Westminster School, which came out on top. It’s no surprise – according to the researchers the school is known for ‘rigorous entrance exams and demanding curriculum,’ so only the brainiest end up getting in in the first place. You can read more about Westminster’s triumph on Time Out London here.
That sort of education will set you back quite a bit – £36,873 per student per year, and that’s only for day students. Boarders shell out £52,488 PA for the privilege.
In second was Brighton College, where 86.4 percent of those who sit exams will achieve grade A or A*. Ivy Education highlighted its ‘modern approach to education, combining academic rigour with an emphasis on creativity and individuality,’ in its explanation as to what makes the college so great.
At third was Dulwich College, a boys school in London, which sees just over 60 percent of its students getting As and A*s. It is described as maintaining ‘an impressive balance between scholarly achievements and a strong commitment to the arts, sports, and personal development,’ which is some pretty high praise. It is one of quite a few schools based in the capital that made the list.
The rest of the top ten list is as follows.
England’s top 10 private schools for 2024, according to Ivy Education
- Westminster School
- Brighton College
- Dulwich College
- The Perse School
- King’s College School, Wimbledon
- Magdalen College School
- Concord College
- Alleyn’s School
- City of London School
- Manchester Grammar School
You can read Ivy Education’s full ranking here.
Education with Time Out
After heading to one of these esteemed schools, you’re going to want to go to an even better uni. That’s why there’s so many university rankings: Times Higher Education published its global list today (October 9), the Sunday Times 2025 ranking was topped by LSE and St Andrews, the Daily Mail and the Guardian placed Imperial at the top, the ARWU had Oxford and Cambridge repping the UK and QS had Imperial as the highest-ranking UK uni.
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