Which are THE BEST independent schools near me for 2023 entry?

There are many private schools, independent school and public school differences, so let’s focus here on the best 2023 independent schools.

Here’s our recommended 13+ practice papers for the common entrance.

Plus, other ISEB, CEM practice pre-tests available.

School Entrance Tests’ top independent schools 2023 include the relevant practice tests for 2023 entry.

Top 50 independent schools 2023

1	1	St Paul’s Girls’ School	London	52.1	87.7	97.1	5	99.6	1
2	6	The Godolphin and Latymer School	London	46	81.5	96.7	6=	96.3	6=
3	7	Brighton College	Brighton	44.2	82.5	97.2	4	94.5	11
4	3	King’s College School, Wimbledon	London	49.9	84.6	96.1	8=	96.3	6=
5	4	Wycombe Abbey School	High Wycombe	32.7	80.6	95.2	11	97.6	3
6	5	Magdalen College School	Oxford	45.5	83.9	96.1	8=	94.2	13
7	9	Guildford High School	Guildford	42.7	79.7	94	16=	97.3	4
8	16	St Mary’s School Ascot	Ascot	41.1	79.4	94.9	14	95.5	9
9	10	St Paul’s School	London	50.2	82.1	93.9	18	96.7	5
10	26	King Edward VI High School for Girls	Birmingham	36	76.9	95.5	10	93.2	15
11	15	Eton College	Windsor	41.5	80.2	95	12=	92.9	16
12	17	Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls	Elstree	30	75.1	95	12=	92.6	17=
13	–	Cardiff Sixth Form College	Cardiff	51.8	90.3	99.2	1	83.9	54
14	8	Westminster School	London	46.7	76.2	90.7	44=	98.8	2
15	48	City of London School	London	46.7	82.2	92.8	25	94.6	10
16	12	North London Collegiate School	Edgware	33.8	75	91.5	35	96.3	6=
17	25	Concord College	Shrewsbury	41.2	84.3	97.3	3	84.6	51=
18	13=	Sevenoaks School	Sevenoaks	39.6	80.4	93.8	19	91.2	24=
19=	31	Hampton School	Hampton	45.2	78.6	93.5	20	91.2	24=
19=	13=	The Perse School	Cambridge	49.3	80.2	92	32=	94.1	14
21	34	Withington Girls’ School	Manchester	31.8	72.2	93.3	21=	90.6	27
22	44=	UCS Hampstead	London	31.8	75.8	92.5	28=	91.8	22
23	11	The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School	Elstree	45.4	76.3	93.3	21=	89.1	35=
24	2	City of London School for Girls	London	42	79	90.5	48=	94.4	12
25	33	Highgate School	London	41.6	75.8	92.5	28=	90.3	29=
26	46	South Hampstead High School GDST	London	37.7	77.4	91.2	39=	92.6	17=
27	35	Latymer Upper School	London	31.9	70.7	91.3	37=	92.1	20
28	30	James Allen’s Girls’ School	London	28.1	70.3	91.3	37=	92	21
29	44=	Oxford High School GDST	Oxford	42.1	77.5	92.7	26=	88.4	37=
30	42	Eltham College	London	29.1	70.1	93.3	21=	87	42
31	23	Cheltenham Ladies’ College	Cheltenham	33.7	74.5	91.2	39=	90.3	29=
32	24	Winchester College	Winchester	42.3	81.2	92.7	26=	87.1	41
33	38=	St Albans High School for Girls	St Albans	30.8	68.8	90.9	43	90.5	28
34	38=	Tonbridge School	Tonbridge	28.8	69.2	89.9	53	92.5	19
35	18	Lady Eleanor Holles	Hampton	37	76.5	90.7	44=	90.8	26
36	19	Wimbledon High School GDST	London	32.3	72.3	89.6	54	91.7	23
37	22	Royal Grammar School, Guildford	Guildford	35.5	67.8	90.3	50	90.1	31
38	47	King Edward’s School, Birmingham	Birmingham	35.3	75.7	92.9	24	84.8	48=
39	79	Whitgift School	South Croydon	26.7	66.7	94.2	15	81.7	63
40	32	Merchant Taylors’ School	Northwood	32.4	74.6	90.7	44=	88.4	37=
41	29	St Helen and St Katharine	Abingdon	28.7	65.8	90.6	47	86.5	44
42	50	Channing School	London	27.7	70.2	91.1	41	85.3	46=
43	37	The Manchester Grammar School	Manchester	32.9	75	89.1	55	89.1	35=
44	57	Abingdon School	Abingdon	30.6	69.4	90.2	51	86.7	43
45	76	Ruthin School	Ruthin	36.7	82.7	98	2	70.6	116
46	21	Putney High School GDST	London	27.4	68.8	91.8	34	82.4	60
47	49	Queen Ethelburga’s College	York	31.5	80.3	92.5	28=	80.5	67
48	55=	Reigate Grammar School	Reigate	–	66	90.5	48=	84	53
49	27	Alleyn’s School	London	31	68.6	88.7	59	87.5	40
50	40	Trinity School, Croydon	Croydon	22.6	61.1	87.2	63=	89.7	33=

Independent school 2021 differences

A private school is a school that is not financed by the State but by school fees paid by parents. Private schools can catertor any age group and there is a considerable range in the size of the fees they charge.  Independent schools are all private schools. These terms are often used interchangeably. However, technically independent schools are all overseen by a board of governors or trustees. Whilst other private schools may be run by their owner with no governing body.  Public schools are, confusingly, also private schools. Mostly the oldest and most expensive of boarding secondary schools.

Public, Private and Independent schools all share the common ground of having the independence to operate outside of government regulations although they do have to conform to official standards of education, health and safety and are regularly inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate as well as or instead of Ofsted.  All these schools that cater for pupils of the relevant year groups prepare pupils for the GCSEs and A-levels or IBs as do state maintained schools.

Public schools

In the UK, ‘Public School’ is the term used for a group of old-established boarding secondary schools. The term ‘public’ actually refers to the fact that in 1868 a small group of boys’ schools were given independence from the Crown, church or government in favour of management by a board of governors. These original seven were;

• Charterhouse
• Eton College
• Winchester College
• Harrow School
• Rugby School
• Shrewsbury School
• Westminster

There are now several hundred Public schools, including many girls’ and co-educational schools.  Nearly all of these schools have a proportion of day pupils. The majority have with boarding fees upwards of £35k per year and some have highly selective entrance requirements

Preparatory schools and Primary schools

Preparatory (‘Prep’) schools prepare pupils for entry into private senior schools via exams known as Common Entrance taken at age 13.  Unlike state-funded Primary schools, Prep schools are all fee-paying.  Pre-prep schools usually take children from the ages of 3 or 4 and feed into prep schools at 7 or 8.

Some, but by no means all, girls’ Prep schools finish at the end of year 6, as do some co-educational Preps that feed independent day or grammar schools starting in year 7.  Many senior schools require students to take an 11+ style pre-test in years 6 or 7. These subsequently offer places up to two years ahead of entry. These are then secured by the Common Entrance exam and/or a further selection exam.  Pupils at a state primary school move on to their local state secondary school unless they live in a county that has Grammar schools, in which case they will set the 11+ selection tests.  Some pupils may also sit exams for fee-paying secondary schools.

Are all schools open to all pupils?

Selection for early years’ places may involve an assessment to see whether your child is school ready; for example observations with regards to speech, play and social interaction.  At age 7 or 8, your child will be assessed in maths and English. Also, possibly a reasoning test to measure potential.  Many senior schools will invite the child to a taster day to see how they interact with their potential classmates.  Some Prep schools openly select the brightest and best. Whilst others appear to be less discerning with regards to pupils’ ability levels.

When reaching a decision about which senior school to aim your child at it is essential to plan ahead.  Some school application deadlines are up to three years prior to entry.  For the Grammar schools, you can register for the 11+ during the early autumn term of Year 6.

There is no doubt that some schools are more ‘selective’ than others.  For some Prep schools, the only way to be sure of gaining a place is to put your child’s name down at birth! Others are more relaxed with the majority actively marketing for new pupils.