Berkshire private schools: A parent's guide

Berkshire is one of the strongest private school counties in England. Wellington College, Eton, Bradfield, Reading Blue Coat, Pangbourne, Queen Anne's, Heathfield and Downe House are all within a half-hour radius of each other, and between them they cover almost every combination of single-sex, co-ed, day and boarding.

This guide is for parents trying to make sense of the shortlist. It covers each of the major schools, what entrance tests they use, where the fees land, and a small but persistent detail about Eton's address that catches people out.

Eton College is in Windsor, Berkshire. It often appears in Buckinghamshire lists because, historically, it was in Buckinghamshire. The town of Eton was transferred from Buckinghamshire to Berkshire on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, so the Bucks link reflects the school's historic county, not a clerical quirk. For modern county purposes, Eton sits in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which is Berkshire.

If you're shortlisting schools, this matters mainly because some directories still file Eton under Buckinghamshire and you can miss it on a Berkshire-only search.

Co-educational day and boarding school in Crowthorne. Ages 13-18. One of the largest and most internationally well-known private schools in the UK, with a strong academic record and a heavy emphasis on outdoor and co-curricular life.

Fees for 2025/26 (inc VAT) are around £15,250 per term for day pupils and £20,750 per term for boarders. Means-tested bursaries run from 10% to 100% of fees for families who qualify. Main entry is at 13+ through the ISEB Common Pre-Test in Year 6 or 7, followed by school-specific assessment days.

Full boarding boys' school in Windsor. Ages 13-18. Around 1,300 pupils. Eton's academic record sits at or near the top of the national tables and its university destinations include large numbers of Oxbridge and overseas (especially US Ivy League) places each year.

Fees from January 2025 are around £21,100 per term inc VAT (one fee, since all pupils board), which works out at roughly £63,300 a year. Means-tested bursaries cover up to 100% of fees, with awards scaled to household circumstances (verify the current published range on Eton's bursaries page). Entry is through the ISEB Common Pre-Test sat in Year 6, followed by the Eton List Test and an interview. Registration is required several years in advance (often before the boy turns 10 and a half) which catches a lot of families off guard.

Co-ed day and boarding school in the village of Bradfield, near Reading. Ages 13-18. Around 800 pupils. Best known for its Greek theatre and the triennial student production of a Greek play performed in classical Greek, but academically it sits comfortably in the upper tier of UK private schools.

Fees for 2025/26 (inc VAT) are around £14,984 per term day and £18,730 per term boarding. Means-tested bursaries up to 100%. Entry at 13+ via the ISEB Common Pre-Test and a school assessment day.

Co-ed day school in Sonning, near Reading. Ages 11-18. Founded in 1646. One of the more affordable private day schools in Berkshire, which makes it a popular choice for families who want a non-boarding option without the highest fees.

Fees on the school's current schedule are £8,279 per term inc VAT for 2025/26, rising to £8,700 per term inc VAT for 2026/27 (around £26,000-£26,100 a year). Means-tested bursaries up to 100% for eligible families. Entry at 11+ via Atom Assessments, plus a short interview.

Co-ed day and boarding school in Pangbourne, on the Thames between Reading and Oxford. Ages 11-18. Around 400 pupils. Smaller than the bigger Berkshire boarders, with a strong tradition in sailing and outdoor pursuits (the school grew out of a nautical training college in the early 20th century).

Fees range from around £7,300 to £9,490 per term for day pupils and £9,140 to £14,785 per term for boarders, depending on year group. The school uses CAT4 as the entrance test for 11+, alongside a school visit and interview. Means-tested support is limited at 11+ entry and more available higher up the school.

Day and boarding girls' school in Caversham, north of Reading. Ages 11-18. Around 400 pupils. Strong academic record with a focus on independent learning and pastoral structure.

From September 2025 the school froze fees for most year groups and introduced a new flexi-boarding rate at around £13,800 per term. Termly fees across day and full boarding currently sit between roughly £9,120 and £19,182 depending on year group, with full boarding fees rising at upper year groups. Armed Forces and other discounts are available. Parents should check the school's fees page directly. Entry at 11+ via the school's own assessment in English, maths and reasoning plus an interview.

Day and boarding girls' school in Ascot. Ages 11-18. Around 220 pupils, which makes it one of the smallest private senior schools in Berkshire. Boarding is the dominant model, with a tight community feel.

Fees for 2025/26 (inc VAT) are from around £11,051 per term day (Forms I-II) and up to £18,258 per term full boarding (Forms III-UVI), with weekly boarding at £16,952-£17,346 per term. The school has announced a reduced day fee from September 2026. Means-tested bursaries up to 100%. Entry at 11+ and 13+ via the school's own assessment and interview.

Day and boarding girls' school near Thatcham. Ages 11-18. Around 600 pupils. One of the larger and more academically selective girls' boarding schools in the country.

Fees for 2025/26 (inc VAT) are around £11,196 per term day and £20,304 per term boarding. Means-tested bursaries up to 100%. Entry at 11+ via the school's own English and maths assessment plus an interview, and at 13+ via the ISEB Common Pre-Test.

The pattern in Berkshire follows the wider 11+ and 13+ landscape. Senior boarding schools (Wellington, Eton, Bradfield, Downe House for 13+) use the ISEB Common Pre-Test, sat in Year 6 or Year 7 at the child's current school, followed by school-specific assessment days. Day-focused schools and 11+ entry points vary: Reading Blue Coat uses Atom Assessments; Queen Anne's, Heathfield (11+) and Downe House (11+) tend to use the school's own English and maths papers plus an interview. Pangbourne uses CAT4.

The key practical question is when registration closes. Eton's deadline is significantly earlier than the others, and most senior schools want registration in Year 5 or Year 6 for 11+ entry, or Year 6 at the latest for 13+ entry via ISEB Pre-Test.

Most of the senior Berkshire schools offer means-tested bursaries up to 100% of fees for families who qualify. The threshold for full bursaries varies by school but typically applies to household incomes under around £35,000-£50,000, with partial support tapered up to around £100,000-£120,000.

Bursaries are competitive and usually require a financial assessment plus the standard entrance process. They're worth applying for early: many schools have a small bursary budget per year group and award them on a first-eligible basis once their academic criteria are met.