Private schools, also referred to as independent schools in the UK, require fees in contrast to state schools, which are free to attend. They are not required to follow the national curriculum, but they do need to be registered with the government and undergo frequent inspections.

In the UK, there are 2,500 independent schools that teach about 620,000 students, according to the Independent Schools Council. This amounts to approximately 5.9% of all school-age children in the United Kingdom and roughly 6.5% of all school-age children in England.

Prominent alums of the UK’s top private schools include members of the royal family, celebrities, and giants of industry. Among the top schools are Marlborough, Westminster, and St. Paul’s; 20 of the 56 prime ministers of the United Kingdom received their education from Eton.