Tatler has unveiled its annual pick of the best prep and public schools in the UK.
The British society bible’s Schools Guide 2026 is packed with world-class educational institutions for children aged four to 18 – and unsurprisingly, many come with eye-watering fees.
Schools that teach butchery, foraging and sustainable farming and boast bowling alleys, shooting ranges, 36 holes of golf and 25-metre swimming pools all make the annual guide – as does one that insists on technology-free days.
Meanwhile, the £32,000-a-year prep school attended by Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte has been praised for leaving parents ‘immediately smitten’.
Lambrook Prep School, set in 52 acres of beautiful Berkshire grounds, offers ‘incredible’ facilities, including an array of sport pitches, and plenty of fun co-curriculars, from bee-keeping and jazz to podcast-making and mini MasterChef.
Elsewhere, UWC Atlantic College in Wales, often referred to as ‘Hippie Hogwarts’ and increasingly popular among European royals, topped the list when it came to fees, charging an eye-watering £59,000 per year.
Eton College, in Windsor, attended by both Prince William and Prince Harry, also made the list. Only one out of every five applications is successful each year, making it highly coveted among parents.
There are dozens of fee-paying primary and secondary schools in Tatler’s guide, available in the October edition of the magazine, but here FEMAIL shares a selection of the most impressive…
Bedales, attended by the Earl of Snowdon and Kirstie Allsopp (pictured left, with her Location Location Location co-star Phil Spencer), is well known for its holistic approach – students call teachers by their first names – as well as its excellence in the arts
Eton College
Term fees: £63,298.80 a year
Perhaps the most famous boys’ school in the world, Eton College is both Prince William and Prince Harry’s alma mater.
So, with the Berkshire boarding school being fit for a future King, it’s no wonder that the establishment received a spot on Tatler’s ultimate guide.
The institute, founded by King Henry VI in 1440, maintains a 20 per cent acceptance rate (1 out of every five applications is successful), making it highly coveted among parents.
It also offers prestigious scholarships including 12 Orwell Awards given to candidates for whom an Eton education would be transformational.
In 2024, Eton Connect coordinated over 5,000 state school pupils visiting its museums and collections, and the school also sponsors the London Academy of Excellence, a sixth form in Newham.
According to Eton Headmaster, Simon Henderson, the school’s biggest strength is the diversity of opportunities available to pupils.
Perhaps the most famous boys’ school in the world, Eton College (pictured) is both Prince William and Prince Harry’s alma mater
Prince William, then aged 13, is seen on his first day at Eton on September 7, 1995
‘Boys at Eton spend at least 50 per cent of their time, if not more than that, doing things that are non-academic. And that’s absolutely deliberate and by design,’ he told the publication.
Bedales School
Term fees: day £15,899; boarding £20,037
Bedales, attended by the Earl of Snowdon and Kirstie Allsopp, is well known for its holistic approach – students call teachers by their first names – as well as its excellence in the arts.
It also offers a back to nature approach with its A Levels, providing an alternative Living with the Land course which teaches butchery, foraging and sustainable farming.
Pupils even have technology-free days to escape the pressures of modern living, and enjoy regular talks from people working in sustainability.
The school, located in Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire, places ‘happiness, individuality and partnership’ at the centre of everything it does.
Founded in 1893, it promotes all-round education and holistic growth, offering varied creative opportunities in disciplines like product design, ceramics, fashion, and theatre.
Bedales (pictured), located in Steep, near Petersfield in Hampshire, places ‘happiness, individuality and partnership’ at the centre of everything it does
One of the campus’s most popular features includes the award-winning Olivier Theatre that was built in 1996 and can seat up to 340 people.
Music education is a big part of life at Bedales, with the school hosting two major events every calendar year (the Whole School Concert and the Rock Show), while sport is also high on the school’s agenda.
Each year, the school community comes together for Badley Day, where they support a chosen cause via a range of challenges designed to foster teamwork and test endurance.
St George’s Ascot
Fees: £31,000 per year
The exclusive St George’s School in Ascot, which was originally a boys’ school, has an impressive alumni including Sir Winston Churchill and Princess Beatrice.
The reason it counts everyone from politicians and royals to business leaders among its alumni is St George’s hands-on approach to education that’s designed so every single student receives personalised attention.
‘The staff really listen to the children and teach them that they have a voice that will be heard,’ one parent from St George’s Ascot told Tatler.
The exclusive St George’s School in Ascot, which was originally a boys’ school, has an impressive alumni including Sir Winston Churchill and Princess Beatrice (pictured in May 2025)
The reason it counts everyone from politicians and royals to business leaders among its alumni is St George’s (pictured) hands-on approach to education that’s designed so every single student receives personalised attention
Despite being a school based in a town, the institution has a rural feel, according to the publication, with communal allotments for pupils to harvest fruit and vegetables to use for their cookery school lessons.
Lambrook Prep School
Fees: Up to £10,669 per term
Set in 52 acres of idyllic Berkshire countryside, Lambrook School gives its pupils ‘feathers to fly’ and a ‘delicious sense of freedom’.
Among them are the Prince and Princess of Wales’s three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis.
The young royals will enjoy a nurturing education at the wholesome, co-educational independent day and boarding school for three to 13-year-olds.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, accompanied by their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales, arrive for a settling in afternoon at Lambrook School, near Ascot in Berkshire in 2022
Set in 52 acres of idyllic Berkshire countryside, Lambrook School (pictured) gives its pupils ‘feathers to fly’ and a ‘delicious sense of freedom’
Lambrook boasts of ‘first-class teaching and superb facilities’ which include a 25-metre swimming pool, a nine-hole golf course, an astroturf, hard courts, a squash court, cricket and other sports pitches.
George, Charlotte and Louis also participate in activities such as bee-keeping and scuba diving, whilst the school also hosts Harry Potter evenings and mini MasterChef.
Lambrook was founded in 1860 and two of Queen Victoria’s grandsons, Prince Christian Victor and Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein, attended, with Victoria travelling from Windsor Castle to watch them in plays and at cricket matches.
Other famous alumni include the actor Alex Pettyfer, the sons of wartime Prime Minister Herbert Asquith and entrepreneur Giles Clarke, who founded Majestic Wine.
But the school’s Head, Jonathan Perry, is equally well-known, described by parents as an ‘absolute legend’ who leads by example.
Lambrook has a Diamond Jubilee performing arts studio, dance studio and sports hall, and a new £6 million Queen’s Building for ICT and academic learning.
Fettes
Fees: Up to £18,000 per term
Fettes College (pictured) was founded in 1870 after Sir William Fettes bequeathed £166,000 for the education of poor children and orphans
Sir Tony Blair is among those who attended the school in Scotland (pictured with Cherie in 2022)
Fettes College was founded in 1870 after Sir William Fettes bequeathed £166,000 for the education of poor children and orphans.
Best known as Tony Blair’s alma mater, the school is located on an ‘absolutely stunning’ campus in Edinburgh, one parent of three current pupils gushed to Tatler.
Speaking to the publication, they said: ‘From the moment we visited Fettes we knew it was the right fit. The campus is absolutely stunning and its reputation, combined with its location made our decision an easy one.’
As well as Mr Blair, who attended in the 1970s, other alumni include David Ogilvy, one of the biggest names in advertising, and General John de Chastelain, who oversaw IRA arms decommissioning.
Other perks of being a Fettesian is world-class food described by students as the ‘best in Scotland,’ weekend activities including trips to the Highlands and golfing, as well as sports facilities for everything from hockey to rugby.
Rugby
Fees: Up to £19,640 per year
At Rugby School, there is a priority on sharing facilities with the wider community (more than 100 primary school students visit Rugby every week).
At Rugby School (pictured), there is a priority on sharing facilities with the wider community (more than 100 primary school students visit Rugby every week)
There’s also a strong importance on sports and arts, and trips include multi-sports tours to South Africa, ski racing jaunts in Canada and expeditions to Peru.
Rugby School is just one of the impressive prep and public schools included in the Tatler Schools Guide 2026.
Each year, Tatler’s Education Editor Tori Cadogan and her expert team of researchers visit schools across the UK, talking to parents, pupils and leading educationalists.
They also collate over two thousand five hundred questionnaires to ensure they have the most up-to-date and accurate knowledge to bring their readers’ the ultimate insider reviews.
Tori Cadogan said: ‘It’s very important to us that schools are not just chosen for their league table-busting results or their world class facilities (although these are closely looked at).
‘To earn an entry in the Tatler Schools Guide they must offer the whole package – holistic pastoral care, a focus on character education as much as pure academics, and the ability to accommodate and nurture all pupils so that they leave as well-educated, but most importantly, happy children.’
Ardvreck
Fees: Up to £12,645 per term
Skiing is a big sport at Ardvreck (pictured), largely down to its close proximity to Glencoe
Notable alumni of Ardvreck includes sport shooter Jonathan Hammond, who competed in the Olympics and won gold in the Commonwealth Games.
Skiing is a big sport at this school, largely down to its close proximity to Glencoe.
It’s also strong when it comes to academics, with 19 out of 20 leavers in 2020 offered scholarships, which included a Thring award for drama and piping.
The small Highlands prep also boasts a zipline over its woodlands and an indoor pool for its students.
UWC Atlantic College
Fees: Up to £59,000 per year
Colloquially known as Hippie Hogwarts, this school in the Vale of Glamorgan is proving increasingly popular among young European royals.
The future Queen of Spain, Princess Leonor, and Princess Alexia of the Netherlands (who followed in her father King Willem Alexander’s footsteps) were among its students in recent years, with the college’s 356 pupils coming from 90 different countries.
Colloquially known as Hippie Hogwarts, UWC Atlantic College (pictured) in the Vale of Glamorgan is proving increasingly popular among young European royals
Princess Sofia of Spain (pictured with her parents, Queen Letizia and King Felipe) graduates after completing her International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales
Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, also enrolled at the school in 2018 but had her time at the castle cut short due to Covid-19 and was forced to continue her studies online at home.
Meanwhile, Princess Raiyah of Jordan, the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor, also attended the institution before going on to study Japanese at The University of Edinburgh.
The college was founded by German educationalist Kurt Hahn in 1962 and has been dubbed Hippie Hogwarts for it’s progressive approach to education.
Students at the school are housed in eight purpose-built boarding houses which accommodate roughly 48 students each.
St Donat’s Castle is the main building of the College and houses the Tudor Great Hall, the Gothic Dining Hall, the Bradenstoke Hall used for assemblies and performances and an extensive 25,000-book filled library.
While some teaching does take part in the castle many classes are held in modern academic blocks which were built in the 1960s and 1980s.
Unlike most students, those at UWC only have lessons for half the day. The first class begins at 8am and teaching wraps up by lunchtime.
The school covers all the usual core subjects such as Economics, English Literature, Mathematics, History, and the Sciences but also boasts a wide range of optional courses including Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film studies, Music and Global Politics.
Crown Princess Leonor of Spain starts the school year at UWC Atlantic College on August 30, 2021 in Llantwit Major, Gales
Alongside their studies, students at Hippie Hogwarts must also undertake a minimum of two hours of community service, two hours of physical activity and a further two hours of creative activity each week.
Its website says it seeks to ‘inspire changemakers’ and looks for students who ‘can navigate the complexity of life and (reach) beyond easy answers.’
The school is one of 18 which make up the The United World College Movement, which according to it’s website ‘is a global education movement that makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.’
Cottesmore Prep School
Fees: Up to £12,999 per term
Children at Cottesmore are given the benefit of being educated at a small and family-oriented school.
Despite the small class sizes, pupils still have access to incredible facilities including a bowling alley, shooting range and 36 holes of golf.
Situated in picturesque Buchan Hill, Cottesmore has just 155 boarding pupils, with an additional 43 day pupils in pre-prep.
Children at Cottesmore (pictured) are given the benefit of being educated at a small and family-oriented school
But it is really animals who rule the roost at the impressive countryside school, Tatler previously noted.
‘Dogs are in almost every classroom and a corn snake, bearded dragon, Atlas moths and the obligatory guinea pigs take centre stage at Animal Care club.’
One parent described the school as ‘magical’ and noted there is a ‘remarkable alchemy of tradition, support, freedom, energy and challenge’.
Cottesmore also offers a coding club and the student-led Kindness Council which runs a ‘lone diner’ policy to ensure no child eats their dinner on their own.
Cottesmore straddles tradition and innovation, making it a school that allows its children to ‘flourish’ while also developing ‘a sense of individuality’, according to one parent.
Children at the school in West Sussex are encouraged to write letters with a fountain pen but can also participate in the world’s first online esports championship for prep school-aged children.
There is a tree-climbing club for nature enthusiasts, but AI is also being integrated in a responsible and phased manner (with the headteacher even using an AI assistant to support him in his duties).
But ask the children, and they’ll likely tell you their favourite thing about life at Cottesmore is ‘The Feast’ that is served on the last day of Christmas term.
Brighton College Prep Kensington
Brighton College Prep (pictured) might be the new kid on the block, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less exclusive than its rivals – with the South Kensington school offering one place for every seven applications
Fees: £30,000-a-year
Brighton College Prep might be the new kid on the block, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less exclusive than its rivals – with the South Kensington school offering one place for every seven applications.
Opened in September 2023, the institute sits in one of the ‘best locations’ of the capital – with Hyde Park in its backyard – and recruits ‘phenomenal’ specialist teachers, one visitor told the magazine.
Some of its big draws include a ‘ginormous’ sports centre and an Imperial College Pool as well as a snazzy Makers Space – complete with laser cutters, 3-D printers and cutting edge robotics equipment.
In 2024, it was announced that the school, based in the high-end borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, was set to give students as young as 10 a basic Nokia phone which can only receive texts and calls.
The ban on smartphones comes after the school carried out a review of the influence of technology on pupils’ learning.
A similar rule was set to be introduced at Thomas’s in Battersea, south London, which was attended by Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Brighton College Prep said it also planned to limit time spent in front of computer and TV screens. For their children, TV will only be used in exceptional circumstances while the school will have a regular calendar of zero technology days.
Head teacher Lois Gaffney said: ‘A smartphone ban will come into force for the community from September 2024. This means that children may not bring smartphones on-site, including handing them into the front office.’
But it’s not just the students who are having to reconsider their smartphone use.
Head teacher Lois Gaffney has urged parents to ‘not use them in the classrooms whilst visiting, during performances, or in communal spaces when children are present’.
Teachers will also not be allowed to use a smartphone in the presence of children as ‘children quickly see unfairness in situations; we must model our expectations as adults.’
Pupils in year six and seven will be allowed to choose with colour of Nokia 105 they receive. Once the parent adds a SIM card, it can text and make phone calls without internet access or a camera.
The Tatler Schools Guide is available in the October issue of Tatler, now available via digital download and on newsstands
