Independent School News: March 2026, Week 2

Considering independent education? Find the best school for your child here. Otherwise, read on for the latest independent school news (March 2026).

Eaton House Belgravia pupils have received offers to top schools at 7+ and 8+

Top Offers For Eaton House Belgravia Pupils

Eaton House Belgravia has announced another successful year for its upcoming 7+ and 8+ leavers, with 25 boys offered places at a range of the UK’s top schools. These include Westminster Under, St Paul’s Boys’ and King’s College Wimbledon as well as Dulwich College, Ludgrove and Eaton House The Manor. For Eaton House Schools principal Alison Fleming, the boys’ success is ‘inextricably linked’ to the confidence they build at school and the ‘happy environment’ in which they learn each day.

Discover Eaton House Schools: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/eaton-house-schools

Surbiton High Ranks Number One For Tennis

Surbiton High School has officially been crowned the top school in the UK for girls’ tennis by the Lawn Tennis Association. Based on various championship results, the 2025 end-of-year rankings placed Surbiton High as the highest-scoring girls’ school, with a total of 140 points reflecting the school’s pupils winning both the U13 and U18 national championships last year.

Downside School was the filming location for the hit ITV drama Gone

Downside School Features In ITV Hit Show

Recognise the setting of the new ITV thriller Gone? Currently airing on ITV and ITVX, the show was filmed at Downside School in Somerset and features buildings such as the main hall, classrooms, rugby pitches and science labs. A number of students even took part as extras during the 2025 Easter holidays, gaining behind-the-scenes experience in television production.

Discover Downside: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/downside

Bolton School Hosts Dream-Filled Event

Bolton School recently welcomed over 50 pupils from local primary schools for an event introducing young people to inspiring global figures. Titled Little People, Big Dreams, the event was based on a series of children’s books by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and was hosted by the illustrator of the series’ Roald Dahl book, Francis Martin. As well as learning about Roald Dahl’s life and career, the pupils enjoyed coming dressed as their favourite Little People, Big Dreams characters.

Brighton College students recently emerged champions in swimming

Brighton College Triumphs In Sport

Brighton College recently celebrated a weekend full of sporting success, with students winning medals in swimming, rugby and fencing. The boys’ swimming team came out on top of the 4x100m freestyle relay at the Bath & Nelson Cup, while the girls’ teams claimed silver in the 4x50m freestyle and medley relays. In rugby, the U16 7s team were crowned All England Champions at the National Finals, and in fencing, the team gained gold and bronze medals in the British School Team Fencing Championships.

Discover Brighton College: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/brighton-college

Charity Walk For Sarum Hall Staff

Staff at Sarum Hall School are preparing to walk a half marathon across London to raise money for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice. Setting off on 14 March, they will begin at Big Ben and make their way to Sarum Hall in Hampstead, covering a total of 13.1 miles on the way. London-based Noah’s Ark, which is the school’s chosen charity of the year, supports children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

Discover Sarum Hall: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/sarum-hall-school

Royal High Bath

Royal High Bath recently celebrated science week, filled with hands-on activities for pupils. Highlights included an engineering design challenge, a mock crime scene investigation, a house science quiz and a talk from researchers at Team Bath Heart, who are developing the world’s first fully functional mechanical heart for transplant patients. Year 13 chemists even visited the University of Bath, where they created and analysed their own samples of aspirin in the labs.

Discover Royal High Bath GDST: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/royal-high-school-bath

New Partnerships & New Programmes

Beaudesert Park School: Rugby School Group is expanding, this time with the addition of Beaudesert Park School in Gloucestershire. The prep school will join the group from 1 July and while it will maintain its individual identity, it will benefit from a seven-figure investment in the school site, facilities and pupil opportunities.

Discover Beaudesert Park: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/beaudesert-park

St Peter’s School: St Peter’s School York has launched a new sixth form ‘super-curriculum’, providing additional courses in a variety of lesser-taught subjects. Enterprise, AI and sports leadership are some of the topics on offer, allowing students to gain experience in new fields and prepare for life after school.

Discover St Peter’s York: countryandtownhouse.com/schools/st-peters-york