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Original poster

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

136 replies

capstix · 05/03/2022 18:27

This is just a hypothetical question. Both my kids are now at university. But purely out of interest, I would love to know which girls' school or schools people think are the poshest, classiest, most revered, most elite in the country. Please also let me know why you think so.

This is just a 'for instance' and I hope it doesn't cause any offence!

Ones I can think of in the top echelons would be (in what I think is a possible order):

Cheltenham Ladies'
St Mary's Ascot
Downe House
St Paul's Girls
Wycombe Abbey
Benenden
Heathfield
Tudor Hall
Sherborne Girls
Roedean
Francis Holland SW1
St Mary's Calne
Francis Holland NW1
St George's Ascot
St Swithun's
City of London Girls
James Allen's Girls' School (Jags)
Queen Margaret's
Woldingham School
Godolphin
Godolphin & Latymer
The Lady Eleanor Holles School
Malvern St James

OP posts:
Billlius · 06/03/2022 00:19

St Balonz School.

CircleofWillis · 06/03/2022 00:17

I can't believe that you left out Miss Minchin's boarding school for girls!

hellohithere · 06/03/2022 00:14

@capstix

This is just a hypothetical question. Both my kids are now at university. But purely out of interest, I would love to know which girls' school or schools people think are the poshest, classiest, most revered, most elite in the country. Please also let me know why you think so.

This is just a 'for instance' and I hope it doesn't cause any offence!

Ones I can think of in the top echelons would be (in what I think is a possible order):

Cheltenham Ladies'
St Mary's Ascot
Downe House
St Paul's Girls
Wycombe Abbey
Benenden
Heathfield
Tudor Hall
Sherborne Girls
Roedean
Francis Holland SW1
St Mary's Calne
Francis Holland NW1
St George's Ascot
St Swithun's
City of London Girls
James Allen's Girls' School (Jags)
Queen Margaret's
Woldingham School
Godolphin
Godolphin & Latymer
The Lady Eleanor Holles School
Malvern St James

Who honestly has the time to type this out.... who cares!!!
Bhud · 06/03/2022 00:13

You inadvertently started an amusing thread, roll with it, OP.

AgathaMystery · 06/03/2022 00:06

Trebizon for sure.

Bhud · 06/03/2022 00:03

Are you trying to insult people by speculating that they watch Donald Trump?

This is bizarre.

And schooling people in the British lexicon to boot.

Original poster
capstix · 05/03/2022 23:09

I suspect @JTK392, @GetOffTheTableMabel, @MissyB1, @merrymouse, @Onthetrain75, @cherryonthecakes and @Moobootoyoutoo have been watching too much American television. I agree that when Donald Trump says "Classiest" it does sound somewhat gauche.

Nonetheless, "classiest" is a perfectly normal word in a British context - it means having the most class.

I did make it clear that it was hypothetical, @vipersnest1, so I suggest if anyone has any "getting over themselves to do" there's an element of pot and kettle going on.

The rest of you, thank you very much for your comments.

OP posts:
Moobootoyoutoo · 05/03/2022 21:07

I think perhaps by classiest the OP means which has the most classes? 😳🤣

floatsomeandjetsum · 05/03/2022 21:07

Charterhouse and Malvern College both take girls,

CiderWithLizzie · 05/03/2022 21:04

Oh and Badminton

CiderWithLizzie · 05/03/2022 21:04

I thought Roedean was meant to be posh.

vipersnest1 · 05/03/2022 20:54

To bring this back down to earth a little, if you are actually serious:
a) start a new thread asking a sensible more appropriate question, or
b) get over yourself and realise that schools' performance is not based on their reputation alone

Woollystockings · 05/03/2022 20:50

Those are a random selection of very different schools.

MissyB1 · 05/03/2022 20:37

I always wanted to go to the Chalet School. I am definitely not “classy” though.

EthelTheAardvark · 05/03/2022 20:00

@Toomanyradishes

Well the chalet school had an actual princess, but they did also let anyone in and had scholarships so....
So did Benenden (have an actual princess)
Bellalastrasse · 05/03/2022 19:22

No Convents. Hmmm...

cherryonthecakes · 05/03/2022 19:07

Nobody at that school uses classy plus I don't think you can compare boarding and day schools as they serve different sort of families. With boarding there's more of a family tradition thing. Very common for many generations to go to say Eton.

I went to one of the boarding schools on that list and the girls almost always had brothers at Eton or Harrow and one of the schools was always the backup school if they failed.

Toomanyradishes · 05/03/2022 19:06

Well the chalet school had an actual princess, but they did also let anyone in and had scholarships so....

Veryclassy · 05/03/2022 19:05

I went to CLC and I am exceptionally classy, elite and revered wherever I go. As are all my friends from there. I am very disappointed you have left my daughter’s classy school off that list- I shall look down upon her from now on…

Kilimanjaro97 · 05/03/2022 19:03

Whyteleafe or Mallory Towers.

SleepyRoo · 05/03/2022 19:03

Oh and Queen's Gate in Kensington. My friend went there in the 80s and had to share a dorm with Susannah Constantine (of Trinny-and-fame. She also dated Prince Andrew, natch). Susannah was a QG prefect, sadistic, and wore white jodhpurs at the weekend Grin

TeenPlusCat · 05/03/2022 19:01

You've forgotten St Leonards.

We always used to pray for 'Wycombe Abbey, St Leonards, Godstowe & Benenden'.

MrsMoastyToasty · 05/03/2022 18:57

Red Maids' School. The original girls school.

blacksax · 05/03/2022 18:51

I'd say Cheltenham Ladies, based purely on the fact that a social-climbing teacher friend of mine spent almost her entire teaching career angling to get a job there. Grin

DPotter · 05/03/2022 18:51

You forgot to list Queen Anne's - very scary VIth formers in Chanel style suits and 4 inch stilettoes. Apparently old girls have the right to marry at Westminster Abbey (or possibly St Paul's ?!)