Image: Stonyhurst College
Earlier this term, we launched our new series of features shining the spotlight on specific pockets of the UK. We’re bringing parents the inside track on our favourite independent schools in a number of geographical regions, and highlighting the brilliant array of schools on offer – from fast-paced, urban seniors to preposterously pretty country preps. We kicked off with the
Midlands, and for our second instalment we’re honing in on the north of England, taking in everywhere from Cheshire to Northumberland.
Whether you’re new to the area, thinking about relocating or a lifelong resident, it’s easy to see how the north has it all. If rural bliss is your bag, you’re spoilt for choice with scenery (half of the UK’s national parks are located either partly or entirely within the region). But if you’re reluctant to stray too far from urban life, you’ll find some of the country’s biggest and most exciting cities too. Throw in nostalgia-steeped seaside resorts, historic market towns dripping in cultural heritage and plenty of castles and there’s a lot to add to the appeal.
Read on to hear more about some of the top schools in the area and why their location is such a key part of their USP. For a more detailed overview, check out our dedicated
North of England private schools guide.
NORTHUMBERLAND PRIVATE SCHOOL
Mowden Hall School, Stocksfield
Tucked away in the bucolic Northumberland countryside, yet just 14 miles from buzzy Newcastle, Mowden Hall offers families the best of both worlds. Pupils have access to the city’s wealth of culturally rich treasures practically on the doorstep – museums, theatres, art galleries, sporting venues, science and business hubs and more – but inside the Northumberland private school's gates, there are more than 50 acres of green space to let off steam in, ringed by woodland and fields of friendly sheep who are known to poke their heads through the fence for a quick cuddle.
We love the family-friendly atmosphere at this prep school, and the way it allows children the space to thrive while brilliantly preparing them for senior schools all over the country. Academic lessons are punctuated by frequent field trips and outdoor adventures (Northumberland is, of course, renowned for its castles, breathtaking coastline and vast national parks) – and at breaktime, pupils are given free rein to scamper up trees, build dens in the woods, stomp in puddles and get muddy, whatever the weather.
HOW TO GET THERE: The school is within easy reach of Newcastle and Hexham – but with all of its tree-lined avenues and parkland, it feels a million miles away. A Newcastle shuttle bus scoops pupils up from the suburbs of Jesmond and Gosforth first thing in the morning, and buses from Scotch Corner and Alnwick ease the weekly school run for boarders. Pupils hail from as far north as the Scottish Borders and as far south as Yorkshire – and Newcastle airport is just 12 miles away. The school’s proximity to the A69 makes access a breeze.
MANCHESTER PRIVATE SCHOOL
Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester
As one of just a handful of specialist music schools in the UK (and proudly the largest), Chetham’s is utterly unique – and the golden ticket for any aspiring professional musician.And it’s a pretty inspiring place to learn, too. Located in the heart of Manchester’s Medieval Quarter, it borders the city’s majestic cathedral – and a clutch of the school’s buildings date back to the 15th century (Chetham’s library is thought to be ). It’s part of one of the most complete medieval sites to survive in the north of England, and formed both the foundations and lifeblood of the Manchester of today. ‘To be part of Chetham’s School of Music means being part of Manchester’s rich history,’ says the school – and we can’t argue with that.
Today, the school plays an important role in the city’s hugely vibrant cultural community. Chetham’s educates the choristers of Manchester Cathedral, and the state-of-the-art Stoller Hall draws performers and musicians from all over the world. It’s the perfect springboard for anyone with musical talent – and students are regularly invited to perform at prestigious venues locally, nationally and around the world.
HOW TO GET THERE: Chetham’s central Manchester location means getting to and from the school couldn’t be easier. Manchester Victoria station is directly opposite, with trains running all across the north of England. The central bus station is a 10-minute walk away, and a number of bus routes stop just a few moments from the school gates. Manchester airport is 10 miles from the school.
LANCASHIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Stonyhurst College and Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall, Clitheroe
If we were to hand out an award for the most spectacular school setting, Stonyhurst would win hands down. Nestled in the Ribble Valley and ringed by some of Lancashire’s most beautiful hills and valleys, this stonker of a school is surrounded by scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth. This is deepest, rural north-west England, defined by incredibly pretty rolling pastures, open moorland and working farmland. According to the book Elizabeth, penned by royal biographer Sarah Bradford, Queen Elizabeth II herself would have retired to the region if she could. If that’s not a ringing endorsement, then we don’t know what is.
Then there’s the Lancashire private school itself. Its Grade I-listed, part-Elizabethan, part-Victorian pile is thought to be Europe’s largest building after the Palace of Versailles, steeped in history and heritage. With panelled corridors lined with Rembrandts and first editions of Shakespeare in the library, it seems fitting for Stonyhurst to have its very own museum, a treasure trove of artefacts guaranteed to inspire even the most apathetic of teens.
‘At Stonyhurst, children can enjoy being children and grow into outstanding young adults while benefiting from the wellbeing, safety and happiness that comes with life in the countryside,’ says the school. The prep, St Mary’s Hall, shares the same campus, with the two sections of the school separated by a wooded area – and with masses of cohesion and facility-sharing, children from as young as three years old get to enjoy all the spoils of the site.
HOW TO GET THERE: A mile-long stretch of perfectly straight sweeping drive, flanked by lakes and parkland, leads to the front door – but despite Stonyhurst being ensconced in a 1,000-acre campus, it’s within close proximity to a number of transport links. Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool airports are all within easy reach, and Preston train station – which runs services to London, Edinburgh and Glasgow – is about 15 miles away.
YORKSHIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS – WEST YORKSHIRE
Ackworth School & Coram House, Pontefract
As you’d expect from a Yorkshire private school, outdoor space – and opportunities to make the most of it – are two-a-penny at Ackworth. At breaktime and during dedicated forest-school lessons, pupils can hang out in the Great Garden, an arboretum trail that runs down to the River Went, where there’s pond dipping and access to nature walks. To emphasise the school’s commitment to preserving childhood, mud is heartily encouraged, as are camp-outs in the grounds.
The school is very aware of the area’s strong farming roots too. ‘Ackworth is a farming village – we lease our land to local farmers and have gardening clubs where our children grow and eat their own produce,’ says the school. Plans are even under way to install a polytunnel as part of the school’s sustainability drive. And with its location on the edge of the village of Ackworth, celebrating the local community is important too. Pupils take part in the annual Ackworth Scarecrow Festival, and the school’s sports pitches are hired out free of charge to local primary-school and local junior football-league teams. The school pool hosts a local swim school, which teaches about 800 children to swim each year. Later this year, an elite football academy run in partnership with nearby Harrogate Town AFC will launch, with the aim of providing gifted pupils with an accessible route to playing the sport professionally.
HOW TO GET THERE: Ackworth is just three miles outside of the historic market town of Pontefract. Three school-bus routes ship pupils in from a 25-mile or so radius. Wakefield Westgate station is about 10 miles from the school; from here, trains run directly to London in about two hours.
YORKSHIRE PRIVATE SCHOOLS – NORTH YORKSHIRE
Aysgarth School, Bedale
If you’re on the hunt for a quintessential
country prep, look no further than Aysgarth. Located at the foot of the Yorkshire Dales, this fabulously outdoorsy school is a utopia for families seeking endless fresh air for their boys – and it’s a special place for parents to visit too, right in the heart of Yorkshire’s famous rolling hills, picturesque valleys and charming villages. This is unashamedly a very rural prep, but that’s the whole point of its wonderful childhood-centred ethos.
‘The countryside fosters a strong sense of community, promoting neighbourly support and interaction, and creating a tight-knit social fabric,’ says the school. ‘It serves as a refuge from the fast-paced urban life, offering a slower tempo of living, cleaner air – and a greater sense of peace and relaxation.’ Aysgarth’s 50-acre campus is home to not just its pupils, but also to more than 20 members of staff, their children and dogs, making it a real home from home – and despite the thriving boarding community here, many families are local and pop in as often as they can (strong attendance is always guaranteed on the sidelines during sports matches). The very rural setting is a real boon when it comes to choosing senior schools too – there’s no obvious exit route, meaning that every boy ends up at the school that really is the perfect fit for him.
The grounds boast bike jumps, cross-country trails and a rifle range for clay-pigeon shooting. There are regular camp-outs in the woods, hikes, cycles and riding in the hills, and even opportunities to help out with the fruit harvest in the school’s walled garden – with much of the produce turning up on boys’ plates at mealtimes.
HOW TO GET THERE: The nearest train stations are Northallerton (20 minutes away) and Darlington (30 minutes away), but there’s plenty of transport laid on for boarders and day boys, scooping them up each morning from Ripon and Asenby. Boarders are escorted on the train down to London or up to Edinburgh at for exeat weekends and half-term, and the school’s small cohort of Spanish boarders can even be escorted back to Madrid if the demand is there.
Giggleswick School & Giggleswick Junior School, Settle
There aren’t many schools in the UK that can boast proximity to such a wealth of outdoor activities on their doorstep as Giggleswick, set in 215 acres of knockout and deliciously rural Yorkshire Dales countryside. Little wonder that families from both Yorkshire and far further afield are rushing to sign up and give their children unfettered access to fresh air and a picture-book rural idyll. Throw in Gigglewick’s tangible ‘let’s go for it’ spirit, and this is a very compelling option for families both nationally and internationally.
And indeed, it’s all the outdoor activities that really rule here. The school’s new head of outdoor pursuits is a world-champion kayaker; rock climbing is a very big deal (there are no fewer than 11 crags within three miles or so of the school, and nearby Giggleswick Scar is one of the best rock-climbing locations in the country). There are also exhilarating whitewater kayaking runs just a mile away, as well as endless forest trails and footpaths for pupils to explore, sucking in lungfuls of fresh air while they’re at it. ‘We believe our wonderful location inspires our pupils to throw themselves in and try new things – building confidence, supporting their wellbeing and laying the best foundations for their lives and careers ahead,’ says the school.
HOW TO GET THERE: If you’re a day pupil, very easily. There's a huge school bus network spanning out over 50 miles and stopping at towns such as Harrogate, Ilkley, Skipton, Lancaster, Kirkby Lonsdale and Clitheroe. There’s also a chaperone service for boarders arriving by train or plane. Leeds Bradford Airport is just 35 miles away. Best of all, the school always stays open on exeat weekends for children who are unable to get home.
Queen Mary’s Prep & Queen Mary's Senior School, Thirsk
Pocket-sized Queen Mary’s feels more like a family home than a school. The main house – shared by pupils from the age of three all the way up to 16 – is packed with roaring log fires and racks of wellies, and the sweeping drive gives way to woodland, lakes and stables. If you’ve got a pony-mad daughter, your luck’s in – the school’s knockout equestrian centre has a cross-country course, paddocks and a floodlit arena, plus a herd of horses that all pupils are welcome to ride around the gorgeous north Yorkshire landscape. That’s not the only co-curricular to take places outdoors – there’s also wild swimming in the River Swale (which runs adjacent to the grounds), and rock-climbing and orienteering in the surrounding countryside.
We’re impressed with the school’s efforts to look outside its very lovely bubble too. Queen Mary’s is an accredited School of Sanctuary, an accolade awarded to schools who have shown a real and genuine commitment to creating a culture of inclusion by welcoming refugees and asylum seekers. ‘It makes the school a better, richer place,’ says head Carole Cameron.
Leavers head off to pastures new after GCSEs, and are spoilt for choice with sixth forms elsewhere – Ripon Grammar, St Peter’s York and Giggleswick all sit high on the hit list.
HOW TO GET THERE: Surrounded by 40 acres of parkland, Queen Mary’s is as rural as can be. But it doesn’t mean getting here is difficult. Five school minibuses ship pupils back and forth each day, reaching areas as far as 25 miles away. Thirsk train station is just six miles from the school, with direct trains running to London in about 2.5 hours. It’s a breeze for international students too – Leeds Bradford and Teesside international airports are both just 30 miles from the school gates.
St Peter’s School York, York
York regularly tops surveys as the best place to live and work in the UK – so if that’s made your ears prick up, add St Peter’s York to your list. This brilliant
all-through school can lay claim to being the fourth oldest school in the world – and with its 1,400-year anniversary on the horizon – its stunning architecture speaks for itself. Set in Clifton, just outside York’s ancient city walls, three schools – for ages two to eight, eight to 13 and 13 to 18 – all share a magnificent 47-acre riverside campus.
There’s pretty much everything pupils could want for right on the doorstep. The campus itself has acres of green fields, playing host to eco and garden clubs, forest schools and sport. The school’s boat house right on the river means rowing is a big deal here, and strolls along the riverfront do wonders for pupil wellbeing. York Minster is a short walk away (St Peter’s is the Minster’s official choir school), while the high street and its shops, galleries and restaurants are just a five-minutes from the school gates. The Yorkshire Moors and a gorgeous stretch of coastline are both under an hour from the school – and perfectly situated for Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and weekend trips for boarders.
Importantly, the school doesn’t keep all this to themselves. Local primary schools are welcomed in to make the most of St Peter’s music and sports facilities, and thanks to the school’s brilliantly central location, it plays host to a regular series of free public lectures, with visiting speakers popping in to talk about everything from politics to travelling the world.
HOW TO GET THERE: It couldn’t be easier – the school is just a five-minute walk from York train station. Trains zip all over the country from here, including London, where the journey takes under two hours.
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While it’s impossible to list all of the top schools in the north of England here, we’ve included a few more of our favourites that are well worth adding to your list: