The 10 best UK private schools for 2026, and how tragically high the fees are

The Sunday Times has dropped their annual ranking of UK schools ready. I’m afraid the 10 best private schools in the UK in 2026 have some truly astronomical fees. You’d better start saving now…

These league tables are based on how well the GCSE (or IGCSE) and A-Level students did in summer 2025.

So, here are the 10 best private schools for 2026 according to The Sunday Times, plus the current fees:

10. Latymer Upper School

It’s a co-ed day school in Hammersmith, that charges £31,095 a year. You have to pay even more for lunch and music lessons.

9. City of London School for Girls

The girls’ school beat the boys’ City of London School in the rankings. A year of fees is £30,247.20. Lunch also costs £6.30 per day.

8. Westminster School

Shockingly, Westminster School is a school in Westminster (Credit: Cmglee)

Students at this London school get plenty of Oxbridge places – and access to the school’s own shooting range. Fees reach £65,976.

7. King’s College School, Wimbledon

This co-ed day school charges £34,212 per year for Year Nine and above (but parents may spend more than that if they sign up for lunches and coaches to school).

6. St Paul’s Girls’ School

St Paul’s Girls’ School also won the title of Independent Secondary School of the Year 2026. It costs £40,227 a year – and it’s only a day school.

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A post shared by St Paul’s Girls’ School (@stpaulsgirlsschool)

5. Guildford High School

It’s a private day school for girls in Surrey. A year of fees here will set you back £25,989. That almost seems cheap compared to some schools on this list.

4. The Godolphin and Latymer School

This is yet another private day school for girls in London. Fees are £34,622 per year at the moment.

3. North London Collegiate School

Anna Wintour went here, which I guess is a flex? North London Collegiate School is also a day school for girls. Tuition fees in the senior school are £29,751.

2. Brighton College

The very imposing exterior of Brighton College
(Credit: Antiquary)

Brighton College is known (and often dragged by right-wing tabloids) for being “woke”. It is actually the second-most expensive in the UK. Boarding fees for sixth form students are £66,375 a year.

1. St Paul’s School

The boys’ school overtook St Pauls Girls’ School in the rankings this year, and is apparently the best private school in the UK for 2026. The Sunday Times also named it the Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026. Boarding in the senior school costs a harrowing £53,943.

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Featured images by and Paul Farme and Mike Quinn.