Main image: Moulsford School
In the second instalment of our guide to stellar schools in the south-east, we shine the light on Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. (Interested in Kent, Surrey or Sussex? Find part one of the best schools in the south-east of England
here.) Plus, sweeping them all up in one handy go-to is our bumper South-East Schools Guide, which will be ready to land in just a few weeks.
BERKSHIRE
Cheam School, Newbury
This prep has heaps of countryside charm with its 100 acres of gorgeous grounds where pupils engage in woodland learning, grow vegetables in the greenhouse, play golf, cricket and tennis, fish in the lake, shoot on the rifle range, climb trees and romp along the cross-country trail. And for more contemplative moments, there are landscaped gardens with majestic lily ponds.
Most pupils live within 40 minutes of the school, a radius that sweeps up nearby Newbury and Basingstoke, as well as all the surrounding pretty little villages, including Highclere (famous for its Downton Abbey castle). A weekly bus service to London serves boarders who live in the capital.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into central London in around an hour and 40 minutes. Newbury and Basingstoke are just 10-15 minutes away. Trains from Basingstoke into Waterloo take 45 minutes.
Downe House, Thatcham
Set in the heart of rural Berkshire, this all-girls school’s 110-acre campus feels like a pretty, tranquil village with its mix of historic and modern buildings, immaculate gardens, woods and nature trail. Lessons and wellbeing sessions are often held outside, and its elevated position on a hill – which founder Olive Wells specified when she went looking for a larger home for Downe House 100 years ago – means the air is fresh and the views uplifting.
Nearby Newbury offers shopping, dining, entertainment and local sports clubs, and with London and Heathrow both easily accessible via the M4, it’s super-convenient for overseas and UK families alike.
How to get there: Central London is around 90 minutes by car, and trains from Newbury, which is a 10-minute drive from the school, run regularly to Paddington, the fastest in under an hour.
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Elstree School, Woolhampton
The stunning grounds at Elstree School, with a striking Georgian manor house at its heart, encompass 150 acres of manicured lawns, woodland, lakes, ponds and fields, affording lucky pupils an idyllic setting for their prep-school days. Kayaking, paddleboarding and raft-building happen on the lakes, while younger pupils learn how things grow and investigate pond life, from water boatmen to newts. Everyone throws themselves into sport, with timetabled sessions five times a week and plenty more on top, and outreach activities see the school hosting local programmes and charity days.
Five minutes away is the lovely village of Woolhampton, with its countryside pubs and walks along the River Kennet. It also has a station, Midgham, which is on the mainline to Paddington.
How to get there: Reading is a 20-minute drive away and central London is 90 minutes. By train, Midgham to Paddington is around 90 minutes.
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Heathfield School, Ascot
Small but perfectly formed, this girls’ school sits in 36 acres of grounds on the outskirts of Ascot, with a beautiful Italianate building at its centre. Lacrosse pitches, tennis courts, a pool and a dance studio are all on site, and the impressive equestrian programme sees girls learning showjumping, polo, dressage, hacking and military riding, training locally at a number of places including Great Windsor Park and Cool Hooves Polo Academy – the school’s polo team has beaten the likes of Eton and Harrow.
Heathfield is easily accessible, with Ascot on its doorstep and central London just 45 minutes away. Transport links are first-rate, with seven local minibus routes for day pupils and a daily bus to and from west London. There is also a weekly service for boarders that drops off at South Kensington, Clapham and Chiswick.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into London in around an hour; by train there are direct services into Waterloo.
Holme Grange School and Prep School, Wokingham
Set within 21 acres of idyllic Berkshire countryside, this nurturing school is nestled between leafy residential streets and farmland just south of Wokingham. And with its own school farm that is home to goats, pigs, turkeys, birds, bees and even a peacock, pupils enjoy hands-on animal-care courses and a real immersion in rural life. Lots of sport takes place on the lovely playing fields, while forest-school sessions are spread around five sites in the grounds. There are also three outdoor classrooms and a heated outdoor pool.
Holme Grange is very conveniently located for the London commuter belt. Many parents drive to and from the school, but there is also a comprehensive bus service that includes pick-ups at six local train stations.
How to get there: Wokingham to London is 80 minutes along the M4, or you can catch a train to Paddington via Reading, with the fastest services taking less than 40 minutes.
Horris Hill School, Newbury
Located at the end of a long driveway and surrounded by woodlands, playing fields and trees, this prep offers 65 glorious acres to mooch around in and spot deer, birds and squirrels. Weekly ‘wild child’ outdoor sessions give pupils time to explore the woods, developing their independence as well as a connection with nature. The kitchen garden and orchard, meanwhile, help them to learn how to grow fruit and vegetables around the seasons. Harvest time is celebrated with the produce being used to make school meals.
Local children head in from Winchester, Basingstoke and Marlborough, usually by car, but there is also a morning bus service three times a week from Winchester and Andover, as well as one to and from London for boarders.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into central London in around an hour and 40 minutes. Newbury and Basingstoke are just 10-15 minutes away. Trains from Basingstoke into Waterloo take 45 minutes.
Lambrook School, Ascot
A grand white country house sits at the heart of this country prep’s 52 acres, and although it’s in prime Home Counties commuter territory, once through the gates you’re in a pastoral paradise where racing around with cricket bats, swinging from old tyres hanging from trees, and cartwheeling on the croquet lawn are all part of daily life for these outdoorsy pupils. Outdoor learning includes tending the raised veg beds and beehives in the orchard and looking after the school rabbits.
Pupils also learn how to forage for food and build shelters, play golf on the nine-hole course and mountain-bike around the grounds. Pupils hail from a catchment area that includes Ascot, Henley, Marlow and Windsor, while a daily school bus that serves Chiswick means the country-prep experience is accessible to west London families too.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into London in around an hour; by train there are direct services into Waterloo.
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Leighton Park School, Reading
One of the ‘green lungs of Reading’ (an accolade it shares with the town’s university), Leighton Park has a wonderful country-campus vibe with its 65 acres of parkland where pupils burn off energy playing sport, take part in gardening and bird-watching clubs, and just enjoy the calm of the grounds. The proximity of the university across the road means subjects such as chemistry and food tech get a boost with access to some of the uni’s outstanding facilities. It’s also at the forefront of climate-change education, with Leighton Park pupils joining in with events and activities. They also support the nearby Whitley community, going into primary schools to provide maths tuition.
Reading is easily accessible to pupils, with lots of entertainment and weekend socialising. And, of course, the town is well connected to London by train and car.
How to get there: Trains into Paddington are frequent and take just 30 minutes. Driving is also quick, with the M4 taking you into central London in an hour and a bit depending on traffic.
Papplewick School, Ascot
There’s a lot packed into this traditional boys’ prep’s 15-acre grounds, where pupils get involved in everything from football, rugby and cricket to croquet, rowing, shooting and polo. At the heart of the charming grounds is the Square, where playtimes see boys enjoying cricket, whizzing around on RipStiks, climbing trees and hanging upside down on the adventure playground.
The brilliant Papplewick Express minibuses ship the boys in from west London and Maidenhead, while local pupils hail from Ascot and surrounding villages.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into London in around an hour; by train there are direct services into Waterloo.
Queen Anne’s Caversham, Reading
This all-girls senior is an oasis of calm with its lovely green grounds on the edge of Reading and its riverside setting near the Thames. Pupils are taught in an ivy-clad Victorian mansion that is all Scandi chic inside. Manicured lawns stretch down to the playing fields, where pupils hone their lacrosse skills – a big passion with the girls, alongside tennis and dance.
Reading is on the doorstep, Oxford is just 20 minutes away by train and, via the Elizabeth Line, you can get to London in just 20 minutes. Pupils love the school so much that many boarders live surprisingly close. With the lovely boarding houses, complete with farmhouse-style kitchens, school dogs everywhere and fun evenings and weekends, it’s not hard to see why.
How to get there: Trains into Paddington are frequent and take just 30 minutes, or you can jump on the Elizabeth Line and be there in 20. Driving takes an hour and a bit depending on traffic.
Reddam House School and Junior School, Wokingham
It’s hard not to be bowled over by Reddam House’s 125-acre site with its period-drama mansion house, lake and woods, as well as seven sports pitches, a full-sized, all-weather pitch, four tennis courts, two sports halls and a professional-level theatre. The extensive woods are used to learn outward bound skills, run by the brilliantly named Reddam Adventure Department, and older pupils can also do clay-pigeon shooting as well as play golf at the adjoining Bearwood Lakes Golf Course.
Located between Wokingham and Reading, it’s a serene setting that feels far away from everything, even though Heathrow is just 35 minutes away and transport links to London, Reading and Oxford are on the doorstep.
How to get there: Wokingham to London is 80 minutes along the M4, or you can catch a train to Paddington via Reading with the fastest services taking less than 40 minutes.
St George’s Ascot, Ascot
Occupying a prime location just off Ascot High Street, this all-girls senior school has 30 acres of grounds where pupils can enjoy the amazing facilities, including a standout new swimming complex that’s been built ahead of the launch of a Performance Swimming programme in September 2025. The girls also excel in singing; the chapel choir recently sang evensong in St George’s Chapel in Windsor, and also sings at St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.
Windsor is an easy 45-minute bus ride away, and is popular with senior boarders on the weekend. Ascot itself is a pull too with its independent shops and cafés. There’s a good mix of locals and overseas boarders, and more and more Londoners are joining now too with weekly and daily buses serving Richmond, East Sheen, Chiswick and Hammersmith. A route to and from Gerrards Cross via Eton and Windsor also helps day pupils with the commute.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into London in around an hour; by train there are direct services into Waterloo.
Sunningdale School, Sunningdale
This nurturing, family-owned boys’ prep sits in prime commuter territory on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in the affluent village of Sunningdale. There’s no grand entrance to the school, and its red-brick manor house feels more homely than schooly. Outside in the 25 acres of enclosed greenery there’s a tiny chapel and plenty of space for pupils to kick a football around, build dens, mess about with giant inflatables in the pool and, in quieter moments, tend to the allotments, picking lettuce and tomatoes for the chef.
It's the perfect place for a wholesome childhood and also extremely convenient for families, with Hammersmith only 25 miles away and trains into Waterloo taking just 50 minutes. Pupils come from all over the country, with a few from overseas too.
How to get there: You can get to London via the M4 and the M3, with the journey to the centre between an hour and 75 minutes. Direct trains from Sunningdale to Waterloo are frequent and take under an hour.
The Marist School and Prep, Ascot
A stone’s throw from Ascot racecourse and a few minutes from the high street, this all-through girls’ school sits in a glorious, 55-acre site complete with walled gardens, a lake, magical woodland and endless playing fields. Younger pupils enjoy one of the best forest schools around with teepees and dens, and the stellar sports facilities include pitches galore and an indoor pool.
The school bus routes cover local towns and villages, and the public transport links mean London is commutable too.
How to get there: The M4 takes you into London in around an hour; by train there are direct services into Waterloo.
Wellington College and Wellington College Prep, Crowthorne & Sandhurst
This famous school has a vast 400-acre campus packed with old quads, landscaped gardens and endless lakes, parkland and pitches, with an imposing baroque main building and Gilbert Scott-designed chapel presiding over everything. The prep’s less grand scale – its 32 acres with a former Victorian hunting lodge at its centre lie on the outskirts of Sandhurst – is perfect for younger children, with lots of woodland and not-too-manicured fields to play on.
From outdoor learning and sport to quiet moments in the peaceful setting, pupils have ample opportunity to connect and reflect away from the world outside – although London is a mere 35 miles away. Both schools share an extensive minibus route around Berkshire, Surrey and Hampshire.
How to get there: Reading is just 15 minutes away by train, and you can change there for direct services to Paddington that take 25 minutes. Sandhurst to Reading is around 35 minutes by car.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Bruern Abbey Prep and Senior School, Aylesbury & Bicester
The prep and senior schools are within 20 minutes of each other, and while they don’t share the same site, they absolutely share the same warmth and style of teaching that focuses on neurodiverse boys who, to reach their full potential, need something a bit different. With its outdoorsiness, organised chaos and mischievous joy, Bruern Abbey certainly offers something wonderfully different. Climbing trees, building dens and wading in streams are all very much encouraged, with everything from dog-walking to clay-pigeon shooting keeping older pupils occupied.
Both sites are easily accessible from Oxford, Thame and Bicester, with the M40 and trains making London easy too. There’s a direct link to Marylebone from Bicester Village, and the school buses weekly boarders to and from London at weekends.
How to get there: Central London is around 90 minutes away via the M40, and trains from Bicester to Marylebone take 50 minutes.
Caldicott School, Farnham Royal
Surrounded by picturesque Buckinghamshire countryside with the 1,000-acre Burnham Beeches across the road, Caldicott School sits in a prime spot, just 30 minutes’ drive away from London. Younger boys use science and geography lessons to explore the ancient woodlands of Burnham Beeches and study the local fauna and wildlife, while the older boys head there for supervised cycling in the evenings. And within the school campus, pupils get stuck into team-building activities including rock-climbing, fire-building and camping.
Parents get fully involved – they even make apple juice from the school orchard – and the easy drive to London means they’re very much part of the school community. A daily minibus helps with the commute, stopping in Notting Hill, Brook Green, Hammersmith, Chiswick and Barnes Bridge.
How to get there: Central London is around an hour’s drive down the A40. Slough is 10 minutes by car, and from there you can get a train to Paddington which takes just 15 minutes.
Godstowe School, High Wycombe
This girls’ prep overlooks High Wycombe from a hilltop location on the outskirts of the town. The 12-acre site is peaceful and spacious, with sports pitches, an indoor pool and a bright airy atrium in the main school building. The rural sense of seclusion is belied by its easy accessibility. The town centre is near enough for pupils and staff to walk there together to enjoy local events or a play at the Wycombe Swan Theatre, where the school recently hosted a gala concert to celebrate Godstowe’s 125th anniversary.
The school runs four local bus routes, as well as a daily service to and from Hammersmith, which is only 30 miles away. It’s also easy to reach from Oxford, which is 30 miles away in the other direction. The station is walkable from the school, making a train commute easy.
How to get there: Direct trains to Marylebone take about 30 minutes, and to Oxford the journey time is around 45 minutes. The M40 into Hammersmith takes around 45 minutes, as does driving to Oxford.
Thornton College and Prep, Milton Keynes
Surrounded by glorious countryside and farmland, this all-through girls’ school sits just outside the village of Thornton. An impressive manor house is at the heart of the 25-acre grounds, which – as well as terraced lawns, parkland and a fountain garden – have an outdoor pool for summer parties, lots of playing fields and a fantastic forest school complete with den-making area, eco pond and bug hotel.
Milton Keynes is only 15 minutes away and Buckingham around 10, with a door-to-door bus service. It’s also close to both the M40 and the M1, making it very accessible by car.
How to get there: London is an hour and 45 minutes down the M1, while Oxford is an hour via the A34. Frequent trains run from Milton Keynes to Euston and take around 30 minutes.
HAMPSHIRE
Embley School and Prep School, Romsey
Set in a 130-acre classroom of Hampshire park and woodland on the edge of the New Forest, this all-through school utilises every inch of its magnificent grounds to enhance pupils’ school days. A performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the woods, camping on the headmaster’s lawn, building shelters and bug hotels in Wild Ones club, learning about the ecosystem in an outdoor science lesson – the opportunities to be in nature are endless here.
The school even has its own yacht, moored at nearby Royal Lymington Yacht Club, which pupils sail into the Solent to explore habitats and gather samples as part of marine biology lessons. The school is a stone’s throw from Romsey town centre, with the train station just 15 minutes away. There’s a fleet of minibuses that ferry pupils back and forth on 23 bus routes that fan out for 25 miles in every direction.
How to get there: The school sits on the A27, and Heathrow, Bournemouth and Southampton airports are all within an hour’s drive. Central London is around two hours by car. Trains to Waterloo take around 1.5 hours.
Highfield and Brookham, Liphook
In 175 acres of woodlands and playing fields in the heart of the South Downs National Park, this prep’s setting is the stuff of dreams, where forest-school adventures, geography fieldwork, camping in the woods, watching a film under the stars and getting stuck into sport – from golf to mountain biking – are all part of the rich, outdoorsy curriculum.
A real rural idyll, it feels totally remote but is in fact just an hour from London and the south coast, with the nearby surrounding towns and villages among the most picturesque in the country.
How to get there: Both Winchester and Chichester are around 40 minutes away by car, while Richmond is an hour and central London is 90 minutes. There’s a direct service from Liphook to Waterloo that takes an hour.
Lord Wandsworth College, Hook
Stretching across a whopping 1,200 acres, this college in north Hampshire has one of the largest school campuses in the UK. From bluebell woods to farmland (with tractors a common sight as pupils go about their day) and sports trails to camping areas, as well as endless pitches, courts and Astros, the setting gives pupils the space to discover their passions, hone their skills and carve out their own unique path.
It also has a 100-year tradition of supporting bereaved children or those who have lost their parents through other circumstances – more proof of the healing power of this wonderfully rural, community-minded school. Two coaches and 10 minibuses ferry pupils from Hook, which is 10 minutes away, and Basingstoke, which is 20 minutes.
How to get there: London is just an hour away by car, as is Heathrow Airport, while Guildford is a 30-minute drive. Basingstoke to Waterloo by rail takes 45 minutes.
St Neot’s Prep, Hook
It’s notable that boiler suits and wellies are both part of the uniform at this rural prep set in 70 acres of woodland in north Hampshire. It’s famous for its outdoorsy streak, with pupils enjoying knockout adventure playgrounds, a dedicated mountain-biking trail and a brilliant forest school.
Most families live locally in and around Hook, Wokingham and Basingstoke, but more and more Londoners are being drawn in, especially since the 2021 partnership with Lord Wandsworth College that offers a smooth transition to senior school.
How to get there: Wokingham is just over 15 minutes’ drive away, Basingstoke 25 minutes and London just under 1.5 hours. From Wokingham, the train to Reading is 15 minutes, from where frequent trains run non-stop to Paddington in 23 minutes.
St Swithun’s School and Prep, Winchester
It feels like another world on the other side of the gates at this all-through girls’ school where luxurious buildings and grounds greet you with a magical embrace. Indeed, there’s a sense of magic everywhere you look, from the red-brick school building with its shiny floors, long corridors and Harry Potter-style classrooms, to the playing fields where pupils excel at football and cricket, to the pet chameleon and tortoises who live in the wellbeing space. The academics are exceptional – the school is accredited as a High Performance Learning World Class School – and achievement is high, but never at the cost of pastoral care.
How to get there: The school is within walking distance of Winchester town centre and a mile or so from the train station with direct trains into Waterloo that take an hour. Driving to central London is around two hours, Salisbury is a 45-minute drive and Southampton 25. On Fridays and Sundays the school runs a school bus service to and from London for weekly boarders
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The Pilgrim’s School, Winchester
This boys’ prep nestled between Winchester Cathedral and Winchester College (which many of the boys go on to) is as inspiring as its venerable neighbours. Historic, listed buildings dating back to the 14th century are arranged around three courtyards, an idyllic chalk stream runs through the grounds, a pretty bridge leads the way to the playing fields and arboretum where pupils go for forest school, and a walled garden is flanked by the ruins of Wolvesey Castle.
Cars are few and far between which makes the setting even more serene, and a walking bus means parents can drop off with ease, while the Pilgrim’s Express escorts boarders to and from London on the train for exeats and half-terms.
How to get there: Direct trains into Waterloo take an hour; by car is around two hours. Salisbury is around 45 minutes away and Southampton 25 minutes.
Walhampton School, Lymington
Proximity to both the New Forest and the Solent means this prep offers its pupils the best of both worlds in its utterly magical grounds – within the 100 acres there are three huge lakes, stables, a hobbit house, woodland and endless trails to ride through and explore on foot. Riding and kayaking are popular pastimes, and outdoor learning is embedded in the curriculum.
Even getting to and from school sounds exciting, with a chaperoned ferry service to and from the Isle of Wight and the Walhampton Express train to and from Waterloo, with homemade teas for the journey.
How to get there: Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth and Salisbury are all under an hour’s drive away, while London is two. The train from Brockenhurst, which is a 10-minute drive from the school, is direct and takes an hour and 35 minutes to Waterloo.
OXFORDSHIRE
Chandlings Prep School, Oxford
Located just five miles from the centre of Oxford but another world away from the city, this prep has the feel of a small village with its honey-coloured Cotswold stone buildings, manicured gardens and stables. Outdoor learning is part of everyday life, with storytelling under the trees, science experiments in the fields, wildlife-spotting in the woods, pond-dipping, riding lessons and golf club (there’s a nine-hole course on site). Plus pupils get to help look after the school’s two resident pygmy goats and the ponies who come for weekly sleepovers.
This pastoral paradise is conveniently close to Oxford, with two buses catering to pupils in the north and south of the city.
How to get there: Central Oxford is between 10 and 20 minutes away depending on traffic; central London via the M40 is around an hour and 20 minutes. Trains from Oxford to Paddington take 50 minutes.
Dragon School, Oxford
The famous Dragon School boasts a huge campus across its two Oxford sites – the pre-prep in vibrant Summertown and the prep in the leafy north of the city, where the playing fields roll down to the River Cherwell. All that Oxford has to offer is on the doorstep, with University Parks just a short walk away and the river offering pupils rowing among the huge number of sports on offer, from the usual suspects to climbing, archery and golf.
The countryside is easily accessible too – one of the Saturday morning ‘Dragon Quest’ activities is to help muck out animals at a local farm. A fleet of eight ‘Dragons on Board’ minibuses brings pupils in from all around Oxford, and there’s also a shuttle bus that runs between the prep and the pre-prep.
How to get there: Via M40, Oxford into central London typically takes between one and two hours, depending on traffic. Trains from Oxford to Paddington take 50 minutes.
Moulsford Prep School, Wallingford
This prep on the banks of the Thames boasts water meadows and stunning river frontage where pupils can paddleboard, kayak, canoe and launch dinghies to Goose Poo Island. Extensive playing fields and a lovely cricket square and pavilion are also part of the mix – sport is pursued with passion here, from traditional games to judo, fencing and triathlon.
The location between Didcot and Henley-on-Thames means London and the whole Thames Valley are easily accessible. The nearby village of Wallingford with its lovely pubs and children’s sports clubs is just a few miles away. School minibuses serve Henley, Wallingford, Nettlebed and more.
How to get there: Both the M4 and M40 are options for driving into London – it’s a 90-minute journey. At Cholsey, which is five minutes from the school, you can get a train to Paddington that takes 55 minutes.
The Oratory Prep School, Reading
Surrounded by the beautiful Chiltern Hills between the villages of Goring and Woodcote, this prep with its peaceful 65-acre campus is a real rural retreat, yet it’s only 20 minutes from Reading. A wonderful forest school sees all ages learning in the school’s woodland, where they also do cross-country and cycle along the new bike trail.
This is a Catholic school – the local parishioners attend Sunday mass at the Oratory chapel and join staff, pupils and families for the annual 10km pilgrimage walk along the Thames. It’s a strong community and parents are very much part of it.
How to get there: Oxford is a 40-minute drive, while Reading is just 20 minutes, and from there trains into Paddington are frequent and take 30 minutes – or you can take the Elizabeth Line and be there in 20 minutes.
Radley College, Abingdon
It doesn’t get much more glorious than Radley College’s 800-acre grounds, which were designed by Capability Brown and include woodland and a lake used for fishing. Today there’s also a dedicated countryside centre, golf course and games pitches that are believed to make up the largest continuous area of mown grass in southern England. There’s also an impressively high-tech indoor rowing tank that allows boys to hone their technique, ready for hitting the water on the Thames, which is a 15-minute walk away.
Located on the outskirts of Abingdon, the school is just three miles from Oxford and has strong partnership projects with the local communities there, as well as in Abingdon.
How to get there: Trains from Radley to Oxford take 20 minutes, and by car it’s around 15 minutes. London is an hour or so by car; by train you can get from Oxford to Paddington in 50 minutes.
Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames
Right on the riverfront just a couple of miles upstream of Henley, Shiplake College sits in 63 splendid acres with views over the Thames and its own boathouse on the river, complete with climbing wall and a top-floor gym packed with rowing machines and static bikes. The school has a formidable reputation when it comes to rowing – at the Henley Royal Regatta, it earns its stripes each year as one of the best co-ed rowing schools in the country.
Shiplake is near both the M4 and the M40, just 20 minutes from Reading station and 40 from Heathrow, making it easily accessible for pupils and parents. The school runs nine bus routes for day pupils, as well as weekly and flexi boarders.
How to get there: Henley is an 11-minute drive, Reading is 15 minutes away and central London an hour and a half. From Reading, trains into Paddington are frequent and take just 30 minutes, or you can catch the Elizabeth Line and be there in 20 minutes.
St Edward’s School, Oxford
One of the few boarding schools in the UK set within a city (and what a city), this exceptional co-ed nevertheless enjoys 100 leafy acres just a mile away from the centre of Oxford. The storied university is a strong influence at the school, with the Oxford Lectures programme of talks and seminars given by visiting academics expanding pupils’ minds beyond the curriculum and planting seeds of interest.
Pupils frequently visit Oxford’s colleges, museums, galleries and theatres, catching a bus into town (five minutes) or cycling (10 minutes), and immersing themselves in the intellectual life running through the city’s veins. There are also excellent transport links to London, with a weekly school coach service and regular trains into the capital.
How to get there: Via M40, Oxford into central London typically takes between one and two hours depending on traffic. Trains from Oxford to Paddington take 50 minutes.
Summer Fields, Oxford
This wonderfully traditional prep has a story-book setting with its iron gates leading into a 70-acre secret garden-style campus. It’s tucked away down a lane just off the busy high street of Summertown in north Oxford, and as soon as you step inside you’re enveloped by a vast panorama of playing fields, woodlands, tennis courts and a golf course. There are also two pools, indoor and out, eight cricket pitches, a rifle range and a large woodland area where pre-prep has forest school.
Having Oxford on the doorstep means museum and theatre trips are plentiful, and the location is also super-convenient for parents.
How to get there: Via M40, Oxford into central London typically takes between one and two hours depending on traffic. Trains from Oxford to Paddington take 50 minutes.
