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The Good Schools Guide

Helping you make confident choices for your child’s education

Navigating the world of education can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. We visit the best schools, interrogate the heads, speak to pupils and parents and challenge the marketing hype. The result? Impartial, straight-talking and thoroughly researched school reviews, for which we are famous.

We can help you choose the right school for your child. 

What makes The Good Schools Guide unique?

Each school in The Guide is selected on merit alone. Schools cannot pay to be included and have no influence over what we write. We always tell the truth. 


Help and Advice by The Good Schools Guide

Help and Advice

Articles written by our experts to help you with important education decisions.

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Featured articles

Pupils at Brighton College looking at plants

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
School fees: what are you paying for?
What makes one private school expensive and another comparatively affordable? Which attributes and characteristic determine the size of your school fees?
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Sixth form pupils at Wellington College

STATE SCHOOLS
Faith schools in the UK
They're popular for their strong communities, trad principles and positive academic results but what actually is a faith school and are they all they're cracked up to be?
Read more

The St Marylebone CE School

STATE SCHOOLS
Primary school appeals
Parents have the legal right to appeal to any of the schools which they listed in their original application. It's a stressful time with few appeals meeting with success.
Read more

St Albans Cathedral

CHOOSING A SCHOOL
The best schools in west Hertfordshire
Whether a move to Herts is on the cards for your family or you're already living there, our new guide to the best schools in the western half of the county is essential reading.
Read more

Pupils of Shiplake College in a coxless quad

THE GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDE BLOG
9 top schools for rowing
The UK has long been one of the world's leading rowing nations with TeamGB often topping medal tables. We look at the schools training up the country's best young talent.
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School street sign in the City of London

CHOOSING A SCHOOL
Mix and match state and private schools
Do you know how to play the system so that you get the best of both worlds? Educating your child in both state and private sectors is entirely possible and makes perfect sense.
Read more

The Autism Show

London North and South Guides - 8th Edition - £25.00+p&p

No school can buy their way into our good books. Which is why, now in their 8th editions, The Good Schools Guide London North and South are invaluable for parents navigating the fiercely competitive London education system.

Packed to the brim with everything you need to know about the London education scene, the books include the latest advice on school fees, entry requirements and 2022 exam results, academic rigour and, of course, more than 400 impartial, straight-talking and thoroughly researched school reviews for which we are famous.

‘I love the anecdotes and the independence – I feel as though I’m getting the “real deal”.’ – Parent

“One of the best aids to parents…informative, witty”- Financial Times

Buy Now

Boarding Schools from The Good Schools Guide

Boarding Schools from The Good Schools Guide: £40+p&p

All the latest details and trademark candid reviews of the UK’s top boarding schools. Now available. 

☑ More than 360 schools for children aged between 7-18
☑ Preps, independent secondaries and state boarding schools
☑ Academic and money matters
☑ Head teacher profiles
☑ Pastoral care, well-being and atmosphere
☑ Extra-curricular activities, games, the arts
☑ Entrance and exit information

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The 22nd edition of The Good Schools Guide

The Good Schools Guide 22nd Edition with a month's subscription - £60.00+p&p

“It is highly opinionated: the only guide that offers parents a genuine flavour of what a school is like.” The Daily Telegraph

Over 1,200 in-depth reviews of leading private and state schools, for children aged 3-18, in the UK. These cover everything you want, and need, to know about a school and you won't find this level of independent, honest detail anywhere else. Reviews are written by parents, for parents, to help you find the best school for your child. Need exam performance data? Hey that's what the subscription is for, find data for every school in the UK online.

Special offer: free one month subscription to our website (usual price £17.99) when you purchase the book. Subscription will activate on purchase .

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