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Introduction by Mark Palmer, Editor

What struck me while compiling Tatler's guide to public and prep schools was how often pupils spoke about the importance of their friends. In fact, friendship came up in conversation just as often as taking exams or setting a new record in the 100 metres. And for good reason. Independent schools are far more than institutions in which to prepare students for exams. They're communities, each with its own character, spirit, priorities. As a result, it's fiendishly hard to choose the right one for any child. Boarding or day school? Co-ed or single-sex? Arty or sporty? Hopefully, our guide - generously supported by HSBC Private Bank - will make that decision easier. The former headmaster of Westminster, Dr John Rae, once teasingly wrote: 'Dear Parents, If you don't believe everything your child tells you about school, I will not believe everything your child tells me about home.' Well, we have tried to do the opposite, sifting through what we've seen and heard to produce a guide to the best 175 independent schools. It has not been easy making our selections because Britain has the finest schools in the world. Maybe Dame Muriel Spark had it right in her novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Broadie, when her famously charismatic Edinburgh teacher declared: 'I am putting old heads on young shoulders... All my pupils are the crème de la crème.' Certainly, we found a staggering number of gifted and dedicated teachers who can claim exactly that.

Schools are listed by area - or, if you don't mind how far they go, you can simply "view all" using the links below

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