When it comes to choosing the best school for your child, North West London has a lot of esteemed institutions on offer, with many celebrated for their academic excellence, extracurricular opportunities and pastoral care.
As one of the leading removal companies in North West London, we’ve found just a few of the best independent schools in the area and investigated what makes them special using exam attainment data from My Top Schools, plus information from inspection reports and the Independent Schools Council.
North London Collegiate School
The North London Collegiate School is one of the best schools in North West London and, indeed, the world, having been featured in the Schools Index of 150 notable schools. Located in Edgware, the school educates girls aged 4-18 and has been established since 1850. There are around 1,101 pupils in total.
The school recently ranked 7th out of all the London independent schools for GCSE attainment, with 96.3% of pupils achieving the equivalent of A*s and As. For A Levels, the school ranked 13th overall, with 72.5% of pupils achieving A*-As.
The latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report found the school to be achieving well across the board, stating “pupils are encouraged to be bold and explorative learners, pushing the boundaries of attainment with confidence, whilst also considering how to manage their workload.”
On the school’s website, the Head’s welcome reads “From the earliest years, we teach pupils to think for themselves and be intellectually courageous. The development of emotional intelligence and character is just as important… Our aim is that, as adults, our pupils will have the intellectual curiosity and personal resilience to adapt to and shape an increasingly fast-paced and dynamic world.”
South Hampstead High School
South Hampstead High School is located in Hampstead and educates girls aged 4-18. The school was founded in 1876 and was the ninth school established by the Girl’s Day School Trust, a group of 25 independent schools across England and Wales. There are currently around 965 pupils.
The school ranked 11th out of all independent schools in London for GSCE attainment, with 94.3% of pupils achieving A*-A grades in their exams. A-Level pupils also performed well, with 70% of pupils reaching A*-A grades.
In the recent regulatory compliance report from the ISI, the school was found to have met all relevant requirements. In the previous report which looked more closely at the quality of the school, the report stated, “The school is highly successful in providing an excellent quality of education and it fully meets its aims to foster a spirit of aspiration, resilience and joy in learning, in order to equip pupils for life.”
The Head’s message on the school website says, “We educate with intent in order to deliver an illuminating, innovative and individual experience for every child” and “Throughout their time here, pupils benefit from a huge range of academic enrichment opportunities… that combine to ignite a genuine joy in learning.”
St Helen’s School
St Helen’s School is located in Northwood, educating girls aged 3-18, with around 1,211 pupils attending. It was established in 1899 and has strong associations with the Merchant Taylors’ Company, working closely with the Merchant Taylors’ School for boys in a range of areas.
St Helen’s ranked 21st out of all London private schools for GCSE attainment, with 89% of pupils achieving the equivalent of A*-A grades. At A-Level, 45% of pupils achieved A*-A grades.
In the most recent ISI report, the school was found to have met all the necessary requirements. In the previous, more detailed report, it was stated, “Pupils achieve high standards in lessons, extra-curricular activities and external examinations, so confirming the school meets its aim to provide each and every pupil with the opportunity and means to achieve academic excellence.”
The welcome message on the school’s website says, “Our passionate, dedicated and deeply knowledgeable teaching staff are highly ambitious for all our students, and they are committed to supporting, encouraging and challenging every girl to be the very best version of themselves.”
Merchant Taylors’ School
The Merchant Taylor’s School is located in Northwood and educates boys aged 11-18, with around 963 pupils attending. The school was established in 1561 by Sir Thomas White of the Merchant Taylors’ Company.
The Merchant Taylors’ School ranked 24th out of all London independent schools for GCSE attainment, with 88.1% of pupils reaching A*-A grades. At A-Level, the school came 17th overall, with 68% of pupils achieving at least A*-A grades.
In the latest report from the ISI, the school was found to be outstanding across many areas. The report states, “Pupils emerge as confident, self-motivated, high level learners” and “Pupils are confident to speak out on intellectual matters and display mature skills of reflection. This is supported by a skilled staff body who teach with pace and high expectations.”
The welcome message from the Head Master on the school’s website says, “The school serves exceptionally able young men who excel… We send them on to the best universities and degrees, equipped to find success in life wherever they choose to look for it.”
University College School
University College School is located in Hampstead and is a boy’s school for pupils aged 3-18, with a co-educational sixth form. Around 960 pupils currently attend the school. It was founded in 1830 as part of the University College of London, before moving to Hampstead in 1907.
The University College School ranked 34th out of all independent London schools when it comes to GCSE achievements. 81% of pupils attained the equivalent of A*-A grades in their exams. At A-Level, the school ranked 21st overall, with 66% of pupils reaching A*-A grades.
In the latest compliance report from the ISI, the school was found to have met all requirements. In the most recent report that looked at the school in more detail, it was stated that “Pupils are very well educated and the school fulfils its aim in providing an education that stimulates intellectual curiosity and independence of mind”.
On the school’s website, the Aims and Ethos page says “For us, liberal scholarship means intellectual curiosity, creativity, breadth of study and independence of mind, as a basis for academic excellence. This equips our pupils with something we call ‘a foundation for life’ – qualities young people need in order to go into the world and live out their full potential.”
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