Independent School Options

EDUCATION CHOICES MAGAZINE RECOMMENDED SCHOOLS

Abercorn School

Based in central London, Abercorn School is a ‘family’ of schools for students aged between 2 and 13 years old. The school provides a caring, inspiring and friendly academic atmosphere encouraging students to develop a genuine love and passion for learning. Students are constantly supported, challenged and evaluated to ensure that their individual talents and skills are being effectively nurtured. Abercorn is committed to preparing students to face the challenges of the modern world with confidence. www.abercornschool.com

Abingdon House School

Abingdon House School is a special education school for students aged 5 to 19 years. It provides education for students with specific learning difficulties such as ADD/ADHD, dyspraxia, dyslexia, autism spectrum condition, and social communication difficulties. The school provides both teaching and integrated therapy, focusing on the specific challenges faced by the students and how these may impact their learning, as well as their selfesteem and confidence levels. A warm, nurturing and aspirational environment has been created by staff and students, and each individual student is able to be fully supported by fully trained teachers, teaching assistants, and therapists, who work together effectively to create multi-sensory lessons, implementing both traditional teaching methods and the newest technological advancements in educational software and hardware. www.abingdonhouseschool.co.uk

Alpha Preparatory School

Alpha Preparatory School ranks #2 in multiple national preparatory school league tables. They aim to provide a varied curriculum for all students, providing challenges appropriate to each student on an individual level, and ensuring children place pride and a sense of responsibility in their work. Alpha Preparatory also strives to create a family atmosphere, surrounding students with dedicated and experienced staff, and maintaining the school’s Christian tradition while still being understanding and respectful of others’ beliefs. www.alpha.harrow.sch.uk

Arnold House School

Arnold House School is a preparatory school for boys aged 3 to 13 years old. The thriving school is home to excellent facilities; a supportive, stimulating, and purposeful environment, and an exceptional pastoral care system, so each student is able to reach their full potential both inside and outside the classroom. Arnold House is known to produce well-mannered, motivated boys with confidence in themselves, and is wellrespected as a school by leading senior day and boarding schools. www.arnoldhouse.co.uk

Belmont Mill Hill Preparatory School

Belmont Mill Hill Preparatory School forms part of the Mill Hill School Foundation based in North West London. They hold the firm belief that the happiness and wellbeing of the students is paramount to a fulfilling education. Belmont offers a wide range of opportunities to pupils, which enables them to find their own unique path to success, helped along by an incredibly committed team of professionals. Pupils are prepared both intellectually and socially for their futures and will thrive at Belmont. www.millhill.org.uk/prep/

Brampton College

Brampton College, based in Hendon, has a team of enthusiastic, highly dedicated teachers ensuring that students can reach their full potential and achieve their desired examination grades. The exceptional teaching staff work with small classes of students enabling them to receive attention and assistance on an individual basis. The students are taught using a varied, flexible curriculum in a friendly and disciplined atmosphere. www.bramptoncollege.com

Broadhurst School

A co-educational nursery and pre-preparatory day school for children aged 2 to 5 years. Family-run since its establishment in 1958, the school provides a caring and safe environment in which learning through play is given a particular emphasis alongside high standards of teaching. Students in their first year are offered half-day classes and then move to full-day classes in their second year to ease the transition from home to school. www.broadhurstschool.com

Buckingham Preparatory School

Buckingham Preparatory School is a selective, independent school for boys aged 2-11 years. They ensure the boys achieve their full potential is at the heart of everything we do at Buckingham Preparatory School. The school has a pastoral care system second to none. Each class does not exceed 18 pupils to ensure every child receives the individual attention and focus they deserve. The academic level of achievement is well above the national average across the school and we tailor our curriculum to best suit each child’s individual needs. Their emphasis on the individual extends to all aspects of their school life and community. www.buckprep.org

Buxlow Preparatory School

Buxlow Preparatory School is an independent school based in Wembley for children aged between 2 and 11 years old, their main goal being to promote a life-long joy of learning. The students are surrounded by a caring environment, encouraged to be ambitious and reach their full potential, as well as realising the joy of discovering through learning. There is a careful balance between the high academic standards set by the school and the nurturing, small learning environment surrounding the students. www.buxlowschool.org.uk

Devonshire House Preparatory School

Devonshire House Preparatory School is a co-educational school for girls aged 2 ½ to 11 years and boys aged 2 ½ to 13 years located in Hampstead. Their aim is to encourage skills in a variety of creative mediums as well as nurture exceptional ability in traditional subjects, to enable students to reach their full potential in all aspects of life. www.devonshirehouseschool.co.uk

Dwight School London

Dwight School London is an international school for pupils aged 2 to 18 years. The International Baccalaureate curriculum is offered to all students, and non-selective small classes help maintain a positive learning environment. There are sister schools throughout the world, such as in China, Dubai and Manhattan, New York, and online teaching is also offered. www.dwightlondon.org

Fine Arts College

Established in 1978 as the only independent college in London specialising in arts and humanities, Fine Arts College offers students aged 13 to 19 a wide range of courses: from GCSEs and A Levels a one-year GCSE course for students who have changed schools between Year 10 and 11. Their Portfolio Course is also particularly popular amongst post-A Level students wishing to apply for further study at degree or art school level. Students are able to make full use of the college’s specialist studio spaces and have flexibility within their chosen subjects. Prospective students are selected based on their future potential rather than prior academic performance. www.hampsteadfinearts.com

Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park

An academic day school for girls aged 11 to 18. Students boast excellent exam results in both GCSEs and A Levels, and a high percentage of students move on to university after finishing their exams. Based in Regent’s Park, the school utilises its surroundings for hockey, netball, tennis, and rounders, and there is also a wide range of other extra-curricular activities available, including music and drama. www.fhs-nw1.org.uk

Hall School

A selective independent school for boys aged 4 to 13, Hall School endeavours to produce ambition and individuality in every one of their students. The school’s investment in sports facilities enables the nurturing of co-curricular activities, alongside emphases on skills built through other endeavours such as music, drama, debating and art. Students are prepared for a range of pre-entry assessments to instil confidence when facing school entrance exams in Year 8, after which boys typically move on to a range of very good senior schools. www.hallschool.co.uk

Harrow School

Founded in 1572, Harrow School is a full-boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18 years. The school has clear values which they expect students to uphold: courage, honour, humility, and fellowship. These values enable students and staff alike to make good decisions dayto-day, ensuring better performance, behaviour and overall enabling all members of the school community to thrive. In 2022, almost 50% of all GCSE grades were grade 9s, with 75% of grades being grade 9, grade 8, or A*. www.harrowschool.org.uk

Hendon Prep

Hendon Prep is a private day school for girls and boys aged 3 to 11 years. Their aim is to develop every child’s potential, ensuring they engage with their learning, are stimulated intellectually and embrace new ideas. They nurture each child’s talents on an individual level, taking on a more personal approach to learning to ensure all educational needs are supported. In their recent Ofsted rating, the Hendon Prep Preschool achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating, owing to the students reporting that they felt safe, secure, confident, and happy. www.hendonprep.co.uk

Hereward House School

A preparatory school for boys aged 4 to 13 that aims to cultivate their students’ values to produce well-rounded and conscientious individuals. As one of the leading schools nationally with regards to senior school destinations and academic results, the curriculum is progressive and broad. A range of extra-curricular clubs are run alongside academics too, such as fencing, coding, cricket and more. Above all, Hereward House believes its students should reflect on their school days with pride and affection, having been prepared not just for further study but for life as well. www.herewardhouse.co.uk

Holland House School

Holland House School is a non-denominational, independent mixed school for students aged 4 to 11 years old. The pupils are characterised by their vitality, confidence, respectfulness and genuine enthusiasm, as well as their ability to articulate and take pride in and responsibility for their learning. Holland House School has four pillars: the moral, intellectual, civic and performance virtues. The team of skilled and dedicated teachers work hard to enable students to reach their full potential, encouraging them to participate in teamwork and leadership roles. www.hollandhouse.org.uk

King Alfred School

Founded in 1898, King Alfred School is a co-educational day school with clear goals for their students. They want to encourage academic success, emphasise the importance of wellbeing, foster a genuine enjoyment of school and education, and for their students to be well-prepared for their futures. As a school, they seek to make a difference in the world, as well as inspiring their pupils to feel like they have the ability to make a genuine difference in the world. www.kingalfred.org.uk

La Petite Ecole Bilingue

La Petite Ecole Bilingue is an independent private bilingual primary school, and welcome pupils aged between 3 and 10 year of age. Pupils are taught English and French equally and are taught both the National Curriculum of England and the Education Nationale French program. Year groups are kept small to ensure each child can be catered to individually, and multiple school outings are organised to ensure children can genuinely enjoy learning. www.stewartbilingualschool.com

Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill

Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill is a Wembley-based fully bilingual school. They offer two pathways for students: the International Track, where teaching is taught mostly in English with French as a second language, leading to the IB Diploma in Years 12 and 13, and the French Track, which is taught mostly in French with advanced English, and leads to the French national exams. This school also offers ‘Opening Minds’ classes as part of the secondary curriculum, which go beyond the traditional curriculum and encourage students to be curious and foster a joy for learning. www.lyceeinternational.london

Maple Walk School

Maple Walk School is an independent, non-selective primary school for students aged 4 to 11 years. They aim to give children a top-class education in a friendly, successful, and vibrant environment with ample resources and small classes to ensure each child has the opportunity to flourish. There are also abundant extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, drama, and art, so that every student can nurture their non-academic skills in addition to their studies. www.maplewalkschool.co.uk

Merchant Taylors’ School

An independent, academically-selective school for boys aged 11 to 18, Merchant Taylors’ School, located in Moor Park, has been a top ten school in England since 1561. They are rooted in traditional values but offer forward-looking education. Students are given access to top-class facilities and pastoral support, as well as excellent programmes in both sports and the arts to ensure all talents are being nurtured. In their 2008 Ofsted inspection, Merchant Taylors’ School was rated ‘outstanding’. www.mtsn.org.uk

Mill Hill School

Mill Hill School is a mixed, independent day and boarding school located in Mill Hill, London. It was established in 1807, and is a member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference. They provide students with a highly stimulating academic environment, as well as multiple extra-curricular activities in order to encourage growth beyond academics. Mill Hill houses a supportive and friendly community that is committed to developing every pupil further as an individual. www.millhill.org.uk

Mulberry House School

A pre-preparatory day school for co-educational students aged 2 to 7, which aims to develop students into well-rounded individuals with a love of learning. Working closely in partnership with parents, a strong sense of community is established to ensure that each student is fully supported and their best interests looked after. The school also maintains excellent links with top feeder schools in the area such as Latymer and University College School. www.mulberryhouseschool.com

Naima Jewish Preparatory School

Naima Jewish Preparatory School aims to synthesise religious beliefs and values with a strong secular education, extending beyond the National Curriculum. The community of students and parents alike are encouraged in their spiritual growth towards values of compassion and tolerance. Students are prepared for a range of 11+ assessments and the school maintains strong relationships with other senior schools in the area. www.naimajps.org.uk

Nancy Reuben Primary School

Nancy Reuben Primary School is a high-achieving independent Orthodox Jewish school for students aged 2 to 11. It prides itself on its community feel, providing a warm and nurturing environment for its students. The school has specialist teaching in a multitude of unique subjects, such as PE, Yoga, Music, and Ivrit as a Modern Foreign Language. Wrap-around care before and after school is also readily available, from 7.30am to 6pm. Nancy Reuben Primary treats pupils’ mental health and wellbeing as paramount, and thus provides strong pastoral support. www.nrps.co.uk

North Bridge House

North Bridge House is a family of six independent schools based in North West London for students aged 2 to18 years. They strive to know and understand every student on an individual basis and ensure that every student finds a direction in life that reflects their personality and their unique skillset through realising their true personal and academic potential. They boast excellent exam results, with over 20% of their students securing university places at Oxford, Cambridge, and other top Russell Group members. www.northbridgehouse.com

Northwood College for Girls

Northwood College for Girls is an independent day school for ages 3 to 18 years. Founded in 1870, the school aims to provide every single student with the motivation and knowledge to grow up to succeed as confident, ambitious, and conscientious members of society. While Northwood aims to enable students to achieve excellent academic results, they also want them to be equipped with the skills to embrace change, maintain a love of learning, and take a path in life that is suited to their own talents. www.northwoodcollege.gdst.net

Orley Farm School

Orley Farm School is a preparatory school for boys aged 4 to 13, based in Harrow. It has clear-cut aims as a school which were written by the students. They aim to provide development opportunities for all students, including social, emotional, local, and global development, and they wish to provide a unique curriculum which encourages creativity, mastery of knowledge, and highlights the benefits of both success and failure. In addition, Orley Farm School wishes to create broad opportunities for students both inside and outside the classroom, enabling students to develop a multitude of interests including the arts and sports. www.orleyfarm.harrow.sch.uk

Quainton Hall

Quainton Hall is a preparatory school offering education to pupils ages 3 to 11 years. Having been founded over 120 years ago, the school provides first-class facilities for its students, holding high academic expectations as a result of teaching a varied curriculum. They ensure a focus on family, providing a nurturing environment for the students. In the most recent school inspection completed by Independent Schools Inspectorate, Quainton Hall achieved the highest possible score of Excellent-Excellent. www.quaintonhall.org.uk

Red Balloon

Red Balloon is an education community based in Harrow for students aged 11 to 16 years. They cover core national curriculum subjects, as well as the arts, humanities, home cooking and PSHE. Where possible, The Centre accommodates for students’ interests and skillset, and offers qualifications based on particular interests. There are also excellent facilities accessible to students, including high-class sports facilities. All education centres with Red Balloon are based around three key elements: wellbeing, education and social reengagement. www.redballoonlearner.org

Reddiford School

Reddiford School is based in Pinner, London. It is an established, mixed school for students from preschool through to age 11. The family-friendly environment ensures the children reach their full potential academically and socially, resulting in excellent academic performance. The specialised Early Years Department provides a positive and nurturing environment for pupils embarking on their education journey, while the Pre-Prep and Prep Departments supply a balanced curriculum, covering the arts, sports, and languages, as well as academia, to ensure that older pupils can make outstanding progress in all areas of their education. www.reddiford.co.uk

Roxeth Mead School

A small pre-preparatory school with a nursery for children aged from 3 months to 7 years. Its small size means the school’s teaching is very much centred around valuing individual qualities in students, and enabling staff to help students grow and reach their potential on a personal level. Particular focus is put upon developing reading skills, as the school ensures children will be read to for 10 minutes every day by a class teacher. Student achievement is typically high, with 80% of Year 2 pupils achieving above the National norms in 2018. www.roxethmead.com

Saint Christina’s School

Saint Christina’s is one of very few independent co-educational pre-prep and prep schools for boys and girls aged 3 to 11 in North London. They offer a contemporary curriculum characterised by variety and innovation, and the children here approach all that they do with great enthusiasm. Following an extensive building programme, their new facilities include a stunning Early Years setting for their Nursery and Reception classes alongside outdoor learning terraces and spaces. With great academic outcomes and strong provision in STEM, sports, and music amongst other extra-curricular activities, alongside a belief that children should absolutely be allowed to enjoy a rich childhood, they believe they offer a ‘great life and a great beginning.’ www.saintchristinas.org.uk

Sarum Hall School

This preparatory school for girls aged 3 to 11 promotes creativity and curiosity in learning above all else. Students, alongside core subjects, have access to a range of specialist teachers in sport, music, art, computing and more to enable them to achieve their full potential. The staff take care to know each girl as an individual, enabling the celebration of personal achievements within the school community and the fostering of sincere friendships and compassion within the school community. www.sarumhallschool.co.uk

South Hampstead High School GDST

One of the UK’s leading schools for academic results, South Hampstead enables girls aged 4 to 18 to not simply succeed, but thrive in an environment that is both enriching and empowering. State-of-the-art sports facilities allow students to take part in just a few of over 100 different extracurricular activities. The school’s Futures Programme prepares students for life beyond the classroom with supported sessions in CV building, work experience and Career Insight Days too. www.shhs.gdst.net

Southbank International School

Southbank International School teaches pupils aged 3 to 18 years old and is London’s leading International Baccalaureate School. They offer a different approach to learning, nurturing talent, developing curiosity in their students, and celebrating their individuality, ensuring all students believe in themselves first and foremost. They boast first-choice university places and consistent outstanding results. Southbank aims to instil within their students a desire to give back to local, national, and global communities. www.southbank.org

St Anthony’s School for Boys

A Catholic preparatory school for boys aged between 4 and 13 with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Priding itself on being an academic ‘greenhouse’ rather than a ‘hothouse’ environment, the school’s values ensure that the students remain happy and can achieve to the best of their ability whilst prioritising their wellbeing. The school supports students through both 11+ and 13+ entrance examinations, and the large majority of boys progress to take places at leading senior schools. www.stanthonysprep.org.uk

St Anthony’s School for Girls

St Anthony’s School for Girls is based in Hampstead. In their most recent Ofsted inspection, they were rated ‘Outstanding’, and they are a unique school that creates a safe community for the students to enable them to reach their full academic potential. They teach their students that they can reach incredible heights through determination and hard work and ensure that they are well-equipped to deal with their futures. St Anthony’s provides an individual curriculum that can be tailored to fit the learning of each child, giving them the ability to succeed in all areas of the curriculum. www.stanthonysgirls.co.uk

St Christopher’s School

A school for girls aged 4 to 11 in which students are celebrated as individuals, combining academic achievement with childhood mirth. Creativity is prioritised in the school ethos, alongside the cultivation of an innate curiosity for learning. Academic forums are held for parents and two of the school’s teachers run emotional literacy support sessions, demonstrating the importance the school places upon student wellbeing. The National Curriculum is extended so as to be constantly evolving and ensuring every girl’s potential is realised during their time at the school. www.stchristophers.london

St Helen’s School

St Helen’s School is a private day school for girls aged 3 to 18 years, based in Northwood, North West London. The school is committed to academic excellence: this year, 94% of students achieved A*-B at A Level, and 77% of students went on to study at their firstchoice university. St Helen’s sets out to ensure that, not only are its students reaching their full potential academically, but they are also equipped with skills that will help them when they move beyond education into adulthood. www.sthelens.london

St Margaret’s School

‘170 girls and every one outstanding.’ It is not only the tallest, most athletic girls who represent the school at netball, or the most extrovert who get the speaking roles in a school play. Everyone is valued. We encourage and celebrate excellence and enthusiasm equally. Our girls’ exam results are brilliant, 50% out of 14 girls graded the equivalent of A* this year. Our inspection report was exceptional, but there is no substitute for coming to see us in person. What should be immediately apparent are our small class sizes, a culture of learning and an environment in which treating each other with respect and kindness is the norm, not an aim. www.st-margarets.co.uk

St Martin’s School

St Martin’s School utilises a creative curriculum to provide an outstanding academic education for students, where emphasis is placed on a child’s development as an individual. Self-motivation and self-reliance are encouraged, as well as the development of mutual understanding and respect. The pursuit of non-academic extracurriculars is also enabled, with a wide range of activities on offer such as art, music, and drama. The school’s atmosphere is warm, friendly, and loving, and this is easily maintained due to the staff, students, and parents. www.stmartins.org.uk

St Mary’s School Hampstead

A Catholic school for girls aged 2 to 11 years that aims to inspire students to pursue their talents, with high expectations that all pupils will endeavour to pursue their potential to the best of their ability. The school’s extensive refurbishment programme ensures the school always employs the most up-to-date teaching spaces and technology, alongside the Global Learning Centre featuring facilities such as an Engineering and Robotics Lab. The promotion of STEAM subjects is particularly emphasised within the girls’ curriculum, alongside creative and physical development through activities such as sport, music, drama and art. www.stmh.co.uk

St Nicholas

St Nicholas is an independent preparatory school based in Kingsbury. They take pride in their innovative curriculum, expertly designed to build up children’s skills and ensure they are always curious and asking questions, even when they move forward in the world. The students study modern coding, experience STEM lessons, and undertake inquiry projects, which all form part of the accelerated curriculum they cover in their small classes. The strong pastoral support in the school helps children to develop into confident and ambitious students who are always up for a challenge and enjoy academic success. www.stnicholasschool.org.uk

The Cavendish School

A school for girls aged 3 to 11 that fosters an atmosphere of fun and friendship, encouraging risk-taking and an awareness and engagement with the wider world. Stateof-the-art facilities and specialist, small-class teaching provides students with incredible opportunities for success. Despite being non-selective, the school’s academic attainment is impressive with pupils transferring to excellent senior schools after their 11+ examinations. www.cavendishschool.co.uk

The Mount, Mill Hill International

The Mount, Mill Hill International is a co-educational day and boarding school in North London. It forms part of the Mill Hill School Foundation. Staff at The Mount ensure that every student can make the best use of all their talents while still maintaining a focus on academic development. Students studying at The Mount come from many different cultural backgrounds, but all have a shared passion for learning as well as a strong sense of purpose, which creates a dynamic environment for all students to thrive in. www.millhill.org.uk/international/

Trevor-Roberts School

This independent day school is co-educational, providing high-class education to pupils aged 5 to 13 years. Small classes and careful individual attention ensure high success rates throughout the year groups, and the school’s happy atmosphere helps to build students’ self-confidence in both an academic and social sense and increases overall motivation. They are also taught high self-discipline and perseverance as early as possible, and extracurricular activities are encouraged to ensure students possess a wide range of skills. www.trevor-robertsschool.co.uk

University College School

University College School is rated one of the top academic schools in London, consisting of a Pre-Prep, Junior Branch and Senior School. They have a mission to ensure that every student is given the tools to reach their full potential and become the best version of themselves. Exceptional in-class education is provided, as well as excellent pastoral care. UCS have four key learning values instilled in their students: resourcefulness, responsibility, relationships, and resilience, which are woven into every aspect of teaching. www.ucs.org.uk