London’s private schools have once again dominated England’s exam league tables, with eight of the country’s top ten fee-paying schools now based in the capital, according to 2025 A-level and GCSE results.
8 of the 10 highest-achieving private schools in England are in Greater London
The Top Schools Guide analysed 2025 A-level and GCSE performance to rank independent schools across England, using the proportion of top grades as its key metric. On that measure, London is clearly ahead: eight of the ten highest-achieving private schools in England are in Greater London, making the capital the main hub for ultra high-performing independents.
There is a wider context here too. While exam results are only one way of judging a school, they are the most easily comparable data point for parents weighing up eye-watering fees against outcomes, especially for families targeting Russell Group or Ivy League-style university pathways.
England’s best private school is right here in London
At the top of the pile is St Paul’s School in Barnes, named England’s best private school on the back of its 2025 results. Founded in 1509, this all-boys school saw 93 percent of A-level entries achieve either A or A*, while 97.9 percent of GCSE entries were awarded grades 9-7. That level of performance comes at a premium: fees range from around £9,551 to £17,981 per term, putting a full education there firmly into six-figure territory over the school career.
In second place is its sister institution, St Paul’s Girls’ School, which recorded 88.7 percent A*/A at A-level and an even more striking 99.5 percent of GCSEs at grades 9-7. King’s College School in Wimbledon takes third, with 86.1 percent A*/A at A-level and 98.26 percent top GCSE grades, underlining south-west London’s concentration of academic powerhouses.
Just behind is Westminster School, whose alumni include figures like Andrew Lloyd Webber, Helena Bonham Carter and Louis Theroux. Westminster posted an A-level A*/A rate of 86 percent and a GCSE 9-7 rate of 97.38 percent, keeping it firmly in London’s top tier.
The eight London schools in the top ten of the Top Schools Guide
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St Paul’s School, Barnes, London: 93% A*/A at A-level; 97.9% GCSE grades 9–7 (London).
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St Paul’s Girls’ School, London: 88.7% A*/A at A-level; 99.5% GCSE grades 9–7 (London).
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King’s College School, Wimbledon, London: 86.1% A*/A at A-level; 98.26% GCSE grades 9–7 (London).
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Westminster School, London: 86% A*/A at A-level; 97.38% GCSE grades 9–7 (London).
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North London Collegiate School, London: High A*/A and 9–7 rates; in England’s top 10 (London).
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Godolphin and Latymer, London: High A*/A and 9–7 rates; in England’s top 10 (London).
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Latymer Upper School, London: High A*/A and 9–7 rates; in England’s top 10 (London).
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Alleyn’s School, London: High A*/A and 9–7 rates; in England’s top 10 (London).
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Brighton College, Brighton: 97.95% A*/A at A-level; 84.37% GCSE grades 9–7 (not in London).
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Guildford High School, Guildford: 84.67% A*/A at A-level; 96.41% GCSE grades 9–7 (not in London).
Alongside stellar results, many of these schools are known for selective admissions, intense academic cultures and broad co-curricular offerings, from Oxbridge-style debating to elite-level music and sport.
How London compares with the rest of England
Only two schools in the 2025 top ten are outside London: Brighton College and Guildford High School. Brighton College reported 97.95 percent of A-level entries at A* or A and 84.37 percent of GCSEs at grades 9–7, while Guildford High achieved A*/A rates of 84.67 percent at A-level and 96.41 percent at GCSE.
In other words, while there are exceptional independents scattered across the country, the concentration of top performers in Greater London is striking. For many families, that reinforces the idea that if you want the highest exam outcomes and can afford the fees, the capital is where the action is.
Fees, access and inequality
The rankings inevitably raise questions about access and inequality. With termly fees at schools like St Paul’s running into five figures, a full secondary education can easily exceed £200,000 once extras like trips and uniforms are factored in. That creates a steep barrier to entry, even with bursaries and scholarships.
There is also the wider debate about how heavily exam performance should dictate school choice. While these London independents are clearly delivering academically, factors such as pastoral care, diversity, co-curricular opportunities and the social experience of highly pressurised environments all play into families’ decisions in ways that league tables don’t capture.