Top 17 girls only schools in London

• A combination of academic traditions and modern scientific trends. British education is considered one of the best in the world, but local schools do not focus only on old rules and schemes: teachers regularly upgrade their skills, monitor global trends in education and the labor market, and update programs so that students receive practice-oriented knowledge.
• Not just the basic list of subjects. Teachers are moving away from the classics not only in matters of lesson content, but also in the choice of subjects themselves, so that in schools girls can study music in addition to compulsory disciplines, go to technical or scientific electives. Moreover, the additional classes are constantly being supplemented, updated and saturated: for example, now you can find electives on working with neural networks, artificial intelligence, video blogging, environmental sustainability, cybersport — at the beginning of the XXI century there was no talk of such areas at all.
• High-tech, modern infrastructure. All rooms and classrooms are perfectly prepared for learning in comfort. Girls in British private schools study in laboratories, sports complexes and thematic classrooms, residences are also equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable life, there are often swimming pools and gyms (own, at school, or partner within walking distance).
• A personalized approach to education: teachers create a program in accordance with the peculiarities of girls' perception of subjects, are always ready to provide additional advice, fill in knowledge gaps, and provide additional materials for study.
• Support from teachers. Group classes, individual consultations, mentoring system, psychological service — the administration of schools for girls in London does everything to make students feel comfortable.
• Prospects for future admission. Graduates of girls' schools in London often enter renowned English-speaking universities in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States. According to statistics, there are more than 80% of such school graduates. This is a strong academic forge, which produces well-educated young ladies.

Anna Chebotar

Regional Manager CIS

In addition to academic success, what details do parents consider when choosing a school?

Location: Most often, parents consider schools in the city center, but in a calm and safe area. The infrastructure and equipment of the classrooms, the teaching staff and the atmosphere in general. In the end, parents must be sure that the child will be comfortable, they will always be supported and helped!
 

• Students are subject to increased academic performance and discipline requirements. Keep in mind that a free schedule is not about schools for girls in London: here they will find a rich curriculum and a strict timetable from morning to evening.
• Girls at boarding schools should have multitasking skills or develop them during their studies in London: they need this to create several educational projects at once, master different subjects, and keep up with several areas of study.
• While studying at girls' schools in London, students work not only to expand their academic knowledge base, but also on personal development: girls are taught to be self-sufficient and self-confident, and they develop the qualities of leaders in the modern global world.
• The curriculum often focuses on technical sciences. Girls in separate schools traditionally show good results in these subjects. If they wish, they can attend additional electives to prepare for admission to technical universities: girls who graduate from boarding schools in London are about 5 times more likely to choose technical directions when applying to university than their peers from mixed schools, and they are also 2 times more likely to become heads of large corporations.
• Girls can choose the most comfortable sport for themselves as physical education classes: it can be football, tennis, or sailing, with no restrictions and no division into men's and women's disciplines.

Private schools in England conduct rigorous selection of candidates, as there are always more applicants than there are available places in the classrooms of girls' schools in London.

Each boarding school for girls puts forward its own list of requirements for potential students, but there is a basic list of conditions that are found in almost every school:

• Compliance with the age criterion (not only for a specific class — there are full-cycle schools, from 5-6 to 18 years old, there are those that accept only from 11-13 years old, there are also institutions that are designed exclusively for high school students aged 15-18 years),
• Passing an international language test (IELTS is popular) or an internal school test (in some cases),
• Taking entrance exams and passing an interview, which can be held online on demand,
• Writing a motivational essay,
• Demonstrating financial security (sponsorship letter, grant or scholarship certificate, bank statement).

London girls' schools rely on a few recognized admissions assessments. UKiset is widely used for international applicants: developed with Cambridge University Press & Assessment, it assesses academic potential and English proficiency and compares each candidate with British students of the same age. The test is adaptive and most candidates take it online under secure invigilation, so a single report can be sent to several schools and families pass fewer entrance exams. Gabbitas, a consultancy working since 1873, launched UKiset in 2013.

For pupils transitioning from prep and junior schools to senior schools, the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) designs the Common Entrance assessments and the online adaptive Pre-Tests. The Common Pre-Tests are taken in Year 6 or 7 and give an age-standardised assessment of ability, and they are regarded as the leading online 11+ admissions tests. Common Entrance examinations themselves are taken at 11+ or 13+ as part of an application to the leading senior schools, with Common Academic Scholarship papers available at 13+.

• First, it is worth remembering that most prestigious schools accept applications long before the start of studies. Sometimes you need to do this several years in advance, but most often 1-2 years. The choice of educational institutions should be considered at least 2-3 years prior to entering.
• Admission procedures, as a rule, do not differ from the requirements of other English schools. However, it is necessary to understand the character, temperament and interests of the child before making a decision about choosing a school. Not all children are suitable for every school.
• Experienced consultants in the field of British education strongly recommend starting with a visit to one of the vacation programs at an English girls' school.
• Then be sure to carefully read the admission conditions and the requirements for the level of English, and only then prepare all the documents for a British visa.

The price paid by students of private boarding schools can be different: it depends on the rating and prestige of the institution, its popularity and elite, location and historical significance. You can be guided by the amount from 30 to 47 thousand sterling for an academic year: it is tuition and accommodation on a full board, free use of all campus infrastructure, additional extracurricular activities, clubs and sections.

There are also more budgetary options, for example, with the cost of 17,500-19,000 sterling per academic year - these are good, rated schools with high results of graduates.

• Wycombe Abbey school
• St Mary's school
• Cheltenham Ladies' College
• St Swithun's school
• Downe House school
• St Catherine's school
• Benenden school
• Woldingham school
• Mayfield school
• Truro High School.

One of the best schools in London for girls is St. Paul's School for Girls.

St. Paul's School for Girls is a closed private school located in West London in the Hammersmith area. The school is a unique example of a combination of the classical English secondary education system with the achievements of world pedagogy.

The official opening of St Paul's Girls' School - Hammersmith took place back in 1904. Even then, at the beginning of the 20th century, the school abandoned the obligatory uniform and wearing insignia. Each director brought her own unique leadership style, while considering the main task to preserve the individuality of each girl.

From early childhood, the pupils are instilled such qualities as responsibility, and independence. The school curriculum includes such non-child subjects as Latin or Chinese. A wide range of sports, music and dramatic activities in extracurricular activities allows the child to reveal hidden talents and contribute to diversified development.

St Paul’s Girls’ School consistently stays among the strongest UK schools by GCSE and A level results. In 2026 its pupils earned 89.6% A*-A grades at A-level and 98.7% grades 9-7 at GCSE.

Independent schools in London undergo an external audit, and parents can review the school's reports before applying. Two bodies are engaged in this work.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is formally approved by the Secretary of State for Education to inspect association independent schools in England and British schools overseas. That approval rests on section 87A of the Children Act 1989 and section 106 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. ISI is appointed by the Department for Education to inspect association independent schools in England, and by the Home Office to inspect private further education colleges and language schools in England and Wales. Its inspectors have worked in more than 50 countries across five continents, so judgements draw on a wide base of comparison.

Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, is a non-ministerial department that inspects education and skills provision for learners of all ages and also regulates services caring for children and young people. It inspects non-association independent schools in England and publishes the results, together with a school inspection toolkit and operating guides that set out how each inspection is run.

Academic results at the strongest girls' schools in London show how far their students go at A-Level, GCSE and in the IB Diploma. The figures below are taken from the educational institutions themselves and give an idea of the standards that the candidate adheres to.

• St Paul's Girls' School recorded 89.6% A*-A grades at A-Level in 2026 and 98.7% of grades at 9-7/A*-A at GCSE the same year,
• Godolphin and Latymer reports 87% A*/A at A-Level and 99% of grades at 9-7 at GCSE,
• Godolphin and Latymer students average 41.3 points in the IB Diploma against a UK average of 35 and a maximum of 45, and 91% of them secure a place at their first choice university.