Millfield School, Somerset
A colossus of sports education, Millfield has sent athletes to every Olympic Games since 1956. That’s no less than 82 Olympians. Impressive, no? Mind-blowingly, in a Games year, they’d outscore many nations. With elite-level facilities – think an indoor cricket centre, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, equestrian facilities, a 400-meter athletics track, a modern martial arts dojo, and a polo field – it’s no surprise that many of the Olympian alumni are enticed back to coach and thus hand the flaming torch on. Discover more.
Benenden, Kent
Set in 250 acres of idyllic Kent countryside, Benenden has been shaping sporting excellence since 1923. Best known for its dominance in lacrosse – bolstered by England lacrosse stalwart Lucy Lynch on the senior leadership team – the school also boasts a proud record of producing Olympians and medal-winning pentathletes. Its sporting offer is wide-ranging and impressively resourced: think floodlit, all-weather pitches for hockey, football, lacrosse and tennis, and top-tier provision in cricket and swimming too. For daughters with serious sporting ambition, Benenden is an exceptional choice. Discover more.
Bryanston School, Dorset
A powerhouse for sport in the south-west, Bryanston sees over 80 per cent of its pupils competing regularly – a reflection of its first-rate facilities, expert coaching, and commitment to athletic development. The school’s High Performance Sports Programme offers elite training, strength and conditioning, and sports psychology, tailored to each athlete. Rugby (both 15s and Sevens), equestrian, rowing, cross-country, and tennis take centre stage, with over 30 tennis courts and a packed fixture list. Partnerships with Bath Rugby and DPP pathways provide serious opportunities for rising talent. With a staff line-up that includes former England captain Phil de Glanville and ex-All Black Nick Williams, Bryanston’s sporting pedigree runs deep. Discover more.
Putney High School GDST, London
Girls-only and fiercely high-performing in rowing, Putney High is a force in British school rowing. Led by headmistress Suzie Longstaff, who coxed Team GB at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the school offers elite-level mentoring for its top athletes, covering everything from nutrition and psychology to injury prevention. It also boasts the first girls-only boathouse on the Thames, right at the historic starting point of the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race. With rowing embedded in the school’s culture and geography, Putney offers an exceptional launchpad for aspiring oarswomen. Discover more.
Repton School, Derbyshire
Widely regarded as the most successful hockey school in the UK, Repton has claimed an astonishing 53 national titles since 2005 – across every age group, for both girls and boys, in indoor and outdoor formats. The programme is spearheaded by former England and GB captain Adam Dixon, alongside European and Commonwealth medallist Michael Hoare, ensuring top-tier expertise from the first whistle. Since 2008, the school has produced seven Olympians and a medal haul that spans London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. But excellence doesn’t stop at the pitch: Repton’s High Performance Programme supports athletes in a range of sports, offering biomechanics, strength and conditioning, and video analysis to sharpen performance across the board, from cricket to squash. Discover more.
Epsom College, Surrey
Ranked fourth-best school in the UK for sport, Epsom College delivers on that promise with serious pedigree. This co-ed boarding school boasts a coaching line-up featuring former Olympians and international players, creating a high-performance culture across its major sports. Rugby, hockey, cricket, and football all thrive here, with Olympic-grade astro turf and elite coaching driving success – including national titles for U14 teams and consistently strong performances at every level. Epsom’s sporting offer is broad, ambitious, and expertly delivered. Discover more.
Wellington College, Berkshire
With an extraordinary line-up of 30 competitive sports – from real tennis to triathlon – Wellington College offers breadth as well as excellence. Pupils select one core and one optional sport each term (with the chance to do more), allowing them to explore a wide range of disciplines throughout their school years. It’s an ideal environment for all-rounders or those still discovering their passion. Widely recognised as one of the UK’s top sporting schools, Wellington impresses not just with its performance record, but with its ethos: inclusion is valued just as highly as achievement. Because here, sport is for everyone, not just the elite. Discover more.
Gresham’s School, Norfolk
A true playground of sporting variety, Gresham’s offers everything from rowing and rifle sports to canoeing and squash, with a vibrant co-curricular programme that includes football, dance, kayaking, cross-country, shooting, dodgeball and swimming. The school’s ethos centres on accessibility, encouraging every pupil to find their sport, whatever their level. That inclusive approach hasn’t come at the expense of excellence: pupils regularly compete at regional and national levels, and alumni include Olympic hockey gold medallist Richard Leman and several world-class squash players. A school with both breadth and bite. Discover more.
Oundle School, Northamptonshire
Two hundred and seventy teams, 40 coaches, and 900 fixtures: it’s safe to say that Oundle School takes its sport seriously. Every pupil takes part in three dedicated sporting afternoons per week, supported by a phenomenal range of facilities: ten rugby pitches, four floodlit astros, 44 outdoor tennis courts, 20 netball courts, two sports centres, and a picture-perfect cricket pavilion among them. The result? Regular national-level competition and a strong track record of pupils progressing to elite professional sport. Oundle combines scale, ambition and infrastructure to outstanding effect. Discover more.
