Private schools in Oxfordshire

Are you considering a private secondary school in Oxfordshire? Learn key information for every selective school, including financial assistance and how to apply.

What are the best private schools in Oxfordshire?

In 2023, the following Oxfordshire private schools were ranked the best in the county for students' exam results:

1. Magdalen College School
2. St Helen and St Katharine
3. Oxford High School GDST
4. Radley College
5. St Edward's, Oxford

The top 10 private schools in England

How much do private schools cost in Oxfordshire?

The cost of living is higher in Oxfordshire than in most other areas of the UK. Fees can range from over £6,000 per term for day pupils and rise to over £16,000 per term for some boarding pupils.

School fees always include the cost of tuition. Most fees also include personal accident insurance, textbooks, materials, and extracurricular activities. Some include lunch in their fees, while others charge by day or by term.

Before applying to a school, we recommend checking to find out what the school fees cover, as well as any other payments you will have to make. You will need to pay a non-refundable registration fee on application, which usually costs between £100–£300, and a refundable deposit when you accept a school place.

Help with school fees in Oxfordshire

All of the selective private schools in Oxfordshire offer financial assistance. Bursaries are the most common type of financial assistance and they are means-tested.

To qualify for a bursary, your child will need to meet the school’s entrance criteria and you will need to show financial need. Bursaries are often offered on a sliding scale. This means that children from households with a lower combined income and fewer assets are eligible for more assistance than those with a higher income and more valuable assets.

Most of the schools in Oxfordshire offer bursaries that cover up to 100% of tuition fees. Some also offer assistance with the costs of school uniforms, lunch, transport, and extracurricular activities.

Some schools offer sibling discounts and a couple of schools offer discounts for children of parents in the Armed Forces.

Girls’ schools in Oxfordshire

Headington School

• Address: Headington School, Headington Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 7TD
• Age range and gender: girls aged 3–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 1,000+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100%
• League table national rank: 121
• 11+ entry process: entrance exam and interview

Admissions information for Headington School

Oxford High School GDST

• Address: Oxford High School GDST, Belbroughton Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6XA
• Age range and gender: girls aged 4–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 800+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries from 30%–100% and 20% sibling for third children
• League table national rank: 56
• 11+ entry process: Atom Assessments, interview and reference

Admissions information for Oxford High School

Rye St Antony School

• Address: Ry St Antony School, Pullen’s Lane, Headington, Oxford, OX3 0BY
• Age range and gender: girls aged 3–18 and boys aged 3–11
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 250+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• 11+ entry process: assessment day and interview

Admissions information for Rye St Antony

St Helen and St Katharine

Independent day education in Abingdon for girls aged 9 to 18.

• Address: St Helen and St Katharine, Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1BE
• Age range and gender: girls aged 9–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 700+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries from 20%–100%
• League table national rank: 47
• 11+ entry process: taster day, entrance exam, school reference and school report

Admissions information for St Helen and St Katharine

Tudor Hall School

• Address: Tudor Hall School, Wykham Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 9UR
• Age range and gender: girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 300+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100% and 20% Forces Discount
• 11+ entry process: assessment and interview

Admissions information for Tudor Hall School

Wychwood School

Day and boarding education in Oxford for girls aged 11 to 18.

• Address: Wychwood School, 74 Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6JR
• Age range and gender: girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 100+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• League table national rank: 276
• 11+ entry process: entrance test, school report and interview

Admissions information for Wychwood School

Boys’ schools in Oxfordshire

Magdalen College School

An independent day school in Oxford for boys aged 7–18. Girls are admitted into the sixth form.

• Address: Magdalen College School, Cowley Place, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1DZ
• Age range and gender: boys aged 7–18, girls aged 16–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 950+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries from 10%–100%
• League table national rank: 7
• 11+ entry process: entrance exam, interview and school reference

Admissions information for Magdalen College School

Radley College

• Address: Radley College, Radley, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 2HR
• Age range and gender: boys aged 13–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 750+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100% and an Armed Forces Fund
• League table national rank: 73
• 13+ entry process: ISEB Common Pre-Test, school’s own assessment and interview

Admissions information for Radley College

Co-educational schools in Oxfordshire

Bloxham School

• Address: Bloxham School, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 4PE
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 550+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries from 10% to 100% and Armed Forces bursaries
• 11+ entry process: entrance exam

Admissions information for Bloxham School

Cokethorpe School

• Address: Cokethorpe School, Ducklington Road, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 7PU
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 4–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 600+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100%
• League table national rank: 284
• 11+ entry process: interview day, formal assessment day, and school report

Admissions information for Cokethorpe School

Cranford House School

• Address: Cranford House School, Willow Court Lane, Moulsford, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 9HT
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 2–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 500+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• League table national rank: 232
• 11+ entry process: online assessments and group discussion activity

Admissions information for Cranford House School

d’Overbroeck’s

Day education in Oxford for boys and girls aged 11 to 18, with boarding available in the sixth form.

• Address: d’Overbroeck’s, Leckford Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 6HX
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes (sixth form)
• Number of students: 700+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries from 25–100%
• League table national rank: 140
• 11+ entry process: assessment day and school reference

Admissions information for d'Overbroeck's

Kingham Hill School

• Address: Kingham Hill School, Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 6TH
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 350+
• Financial assistance means-tested bursaries up to 50%
• League table national rank: 224
• 11+ entry process: assessment and interview

Admissions information for Kingham Hill School

Our Lady’s Abingdon

• Address: Our Lady’s Abingdon, Radley Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3PS
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 3–18
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 350+
• Financial assistance : means-tested bursaries and sibling discounts (5–15%)
• 11+ entry process: online assessment, interview, school report and school reference

Admissions information for Our Lady’s Abingdon

Shiplake College

• Address: Shiplake College, Shiplake, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 4BW
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 11–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 500+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries, 20% Armed Forces discount, 5% sibling discount and 10% alumni discount
• 11+ entry process: assessment day, group activity, interview and school reference

Admissions information for Shiplake College

Sibford School

• Address: Sibford School, Sibford Ferris, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX15 5QL
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 3–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 400+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries
• 11+ entry process: assessment and group activities

Admissions information for Sibford School

St Clare’s, Oxford

Day and boarding education in Oxford for boys and girls aged 14 to 18 specialising in the International Baccalaureate (IB).

• Address: St Clare’s, 139 Banbury Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 7AL
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 14–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 200+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100% and 10% sibling discount
• 14+ entry process: school report, interview and placement test

Admissions information for St Clare’s Oxford

St Edward’s School Oxford

Day and boarding education in Oxford for boys and girls aged 13 to 18.

• Address: St Edward’s School, Woodstock Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX2 7NN
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 13–18
• Boarding: yes
• Number of students: 800+
• Financial assistance: means-tested bursaries up to 100%
• League table national rank: 113
• 13+ entry process: ISEB Common Pre-Test, interview, and activity day

Admissions information for St Edward’s Oxford

The King's School Witney

Non-selective day school in Witney for boys and girls aged 3 to 16.

• Address: The King's School Witney, New Yatt Road, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX29 6TA
• Age range and gender: boys and girls aged 3–16
• Boarding: no
• Number of students: 200
• Financial assistance sliding scale for parents with more than one child at the school
• League table national rank: 23 (independent schools with no sixth form)
• 11 plus entry process: school report, references from the school and church (if applicable), and taster day

Admissions information for The King's School Witney