Which independent girls' school is the classiest in the UK?

Another one that has been missed out is More House in London. I had several friends go there, and again daughters of wealthy international parents. It wasn’t very academic but more into music and arts. Not in the same league as Cheltenham, etc but would say is akin to FH NW1.

How on earth would you know unless you’ve been to them all?

To the poster who asked where Kate Middleton went to school, she was at Downe Hose for a year, and apparently hated it. Then she transferred to Marlborough which is Co-Ed. She was reportedly very happy there. Princess Eugenia also went to Marlborough after St George’s. Not sure if this makes Marlborough “classy” or not.

I know someone who went to Cheltenham Ladies College, she is incredibly classy and well spoken.

Her father was an officer in the army and the fees to board were peanuts in comparison to what you would usually expect to pay without a military contribution.

So glad I live in a country where this old boys school stuff doesn't exist. Yes some schools are private and schools have differing reputations but putting a national list like this together would be impossible.

Me also. The majority of people here couldn't care less about this sort of nonsense.

That's too bad @KoalafiedAwesome. Coming from outside London with a daughter who wanted to go to an all girls for sixth form, we were ignorant if any social standing of these schools and just wanted one that fit location wise (on the District line) and seemed to fit academically and appealed when visited.
She's now at FHSS, and is either totally oblivious to any 'class' differentiation or it exists no more than at other all girls central London schools. Sure if it's February it's Gstaad for some, and many girls live locally indicating a high net worth, but she doesn't see any more bitchiness (in fact less as there really aren't any cliques) than at her non selective middle of the road independent.

Well calling any girl a slag is a poor reflection on whoever is doing the name calling rather than the girl(s) involved IMO.

Not sure if it’s classy but two girls I know went to Streatham and Clapham Girls School.

Stepdads godson went to charterhouse yes girls go there but isn’t it 6th form only.

I’ve got friends who went to St. Paul’s, benenden, Roedean and cousins who went to Cheltenham ladies college. Not sure ejat you mean by classiest but fairly good educations.

These school are all so very different.
Mayfield is a good all round school, quite gentle and certainly not a hot house.
A lot of the schools higher up ‘the list’ are very pressurised, incredibly pushy, and a lot of girls need help when they leave/or when they are, with psychological and eating disorders.
If you are not super smart you will be left struggling on an academic, mental health and social level.
It’s actually very sad.

A lot of parents spend ££££ on extra tutoring to enable them to keep up with the other girls, but usually to no avail.

The motto is chose a school that suits your own daughter. One size does not fit all.

Just a FYI James Allen Girls is known locally by kids from other private schools as slags (JAGS).

@Avocadobacardi Agreed, it regularly tops lists as the most diverse school within London out of fee paying schools.

I do think it has class though, just not the type of class the OP is referring to. It's exceptional.

I mean least posh not last posh

City of London girls school is one of the last posh private schools around. It’s academically excellent but has amongst the lowest fees in London and it has a high number of bursaries. The children come from all over London but the majority from completely ordinary middle class families who are far from connected or extremely wealthy, it’s also very multicultural but not in an oligarch or rich Chinese way, just representative of the make up of London.

If the criterion is royalty alumnae, then at the moment the leaders are probably St George's, Ascot and St George's Windsor. Princess Beatrice and Ladies Rose and Davina Windsor were at St George's, Ascot, Princess Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor were at St George's, Windsor but Louise went on to St Mary's, Ascot. Princess Anne was at Benenden.

“Godolphin & Latymer - isn’t this a boys school?”

No, you are thinking of Latymer Upper which is also in Hammersmith and co-ed.

G&L is one of the top girls’ academic schools in the U.K. with similar results to SPGS.

“Smart” surely, rather than “classy” is how anyone sending their kids to these schools would describe them!

I remember I had my interview for Oxford University and whilst waiting I hung out with three other girls. Two of these girls had been to fee paying schools and when they found out I went to a comprehensive they hung out exclusively with each other and ignored me. They didn't get into Oxford, and they certainly weren't classy. What do you define as classy, OP? Being a bitchy snob, but not not particularly bright so trading off the caché of the educational institution that their parents can afford to send them to? I also remember another girl I went to primary school with who was sent to a fee paying secondary school and she was thick as shit and a bully. You can't buy class, OP.

I’m sure they exist somewhere (and somebody is probably making a TV show about it for Channel 5), but would guess that the customers are non U.K.

Are "Finishing Schools" still a thing? A year Switzerland learning cookery and etiquette?

My DDs (Scottish) all girls boarding and day school is not on the list. 2 princesses there at the same time as them but nobody would describe it as 'classy' for goodness sake!