List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom
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This list of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom contains extant schools in the United Kingdom established prior to 1700 and a few former schools established prior to the reformation. The dates refer to the foundation or the earliest documented contemporary reference to the school.
Contents
England
Some pre reformation former (non-extant) schools
- Lincoln School (1090) - now Lincoln Christ's Hospital School
- Derby School (1160, Royal charter 1554) – closed in 1989
- Ludlow Grammar School (1200, Palmer's Guild) - now Ludlow College
- Hull Grammar School (c.1330, endowed in 1479) – closed in 2005
- Cirencester Grammar School (1461) – closed in 1966
- Crewkerne Grammar School (1499) – closed in 1904
- Taunton Grammar School (1522) – closed in 1870
- Brewood Grammar School (c1450 - 1547) (Refounded 1575) - closed in 1975
Extant schools
Sixth century
- The King's School, Canterbury (abbey founded 597, Royal charter 1541)
Seventh century
- King's School, Rochester (604, Royal charter 1541)
- The Minster School, York (song school founded 627, refounded 1903)
- St Peter's School, York (627, Royal charter 1550s)
- Thetford Grammar School (631, mentioned 1114, refounded 1566)
- Hereford Cathedral School (676, mentioned 1384)
- Royal Grammar School Worcester (685, first conclusive evidence 1291, Royal charter 1561)
- Carlisle Grammar School (priory school founded 685)
Eighth century
- Beverley Grammar School (c.700)
Tenth century
- The Pilgrims' School (c.900)
- Warwick School (10th century, refounded 1545)
- Wells Cathedral School (909)
- St Albans School (c.948, refounded 1549)
- Southwell Minster School (minster founded 956, first mention 1313, refounded 1547)
- The King's School, Ely (970)
Eleventh century
- Bedford School (1086, refounded 1552)
- Salisbury Cathedral School (1091)
- Norwich School (1096, refounded 1547)
Twelfth century
- Abingdon School (possibly as old as 1100, endowed 1256, refounded 1563)
- St Paul's Cathedral School (founded 1123)
- Reading School (abbey founded 1125, refounded 1486, Royal charter 1541)
- The King's School, Pontefract (1139, refounded 1548)
- Bristol Cathedral School (abbey founded 1140, refounded 1542)
- Derby School (1160, refounded 1554)
Thirteenth century
- Colchester Royal Grammar School (1206, Royal charter 1585)
- Lancaster Royal Grammar School (mention of master 1235, endowed 1472)
- King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth (earliest reference 1276, refounded 1551)
Fourteenth century
- Stamford School (1309, re-endowed 1532)
- Northallerton School (1323)
- Hanley Castle High School (chantry school 1326, charter 1544)
- The King's School, Grantham (1329, refounded 1528)
- Bourne Grammar School (earliest record of existence 1330, endowed 1636)
- The King's School, Ottery St Mary (1335, refounded 1545)
- Bablake School (1344)
- Doncaster Grammar School / Hall Cross School (first record of existence 1350)
- Westminster School (first record of existence 1371, Royal charter 1541 and 1560)
- Prince Henry's High School (c. 1376, refounded 1605)
- New College School (1379)
- Wisbech Grammar School (1379, Royal charter 1549)
- Winchester College (1382)
- Katharine Lady Berkeley's School (1384)
- Penistone Grammar School (1392)
- Ipswich School (1399, Royal Charter 1566)
Fifteenth century
- Oswestry School (1407)
- Durham School (1414, refounded 1541)
- Chorister School (1416)
- Royal Latin School (first mention 1423, Royal charter 1548)
- Sponne School (chantry founded 1430)
- Sevenoaks School (1432)
- Chipping Campden School (c1440)
- Eton College (1440)
- City of London School (1442)
- St Dunstan's College (earlier than 1446)
- Hartismere School (founded 1451)
- St. Bartholomew's School, Newbury (1466)
- Bromsgrove School (record of a chantry school 1476, re-founded 1553)
- Magdalen College School, Oxford (1480)
- Thomas Rotherham College (1483)
- Stockport Grammar School (1487)
- Pott Shrigley (1492)
- Ermysted's Grammar School (record of a chantry school 1492, re-founded 1548)
- King Edward VI School, Lichfield (1495)
- Loughborough Grammar School (1495)
- The Prebendal School (1497)
- Queen Elizabeth's School, Wimborne Minster (1497)
- Giggleswick School (1499, Royal charter 1553)
Sixteenth century
- The King's School in Macclesfield (1502)
- Bridgnorth Endowed School (1503)
- St Paul's School (London) (1509)
- Royal Grammar School, Guildford (1509)
- Wolverhampton Grammar School (1512)
- Lewes Old Grammar School Lewes, East Sussex (1512)
- Giggleswick School, North Yorkshire (1512)
- Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Cuckfield, West Sussex (1512)
- Nottingham High School (1513)
- Pocklington School (1514)
- Manchester Grammar School (1515)
- Gillingham School (1516)
- Bolton School (1516)
- Cranbrook School, Kent (1518)
- King's School, Bruton (1519)
- Coleshill School (1520)
- Kendal Grammar School (1525)
- Royal Grammar School, Newcastle (1525)
- Sedbergh School (1525)
- Boteler Grammar School (1526)
- Bishop Vesey's Grammar School (1527)
- Bingley Grammar School (1529)
- Magnus C of E School (1531)
- Bristol Grammar School (1532)
- Stamford School (1532)
- The College of Richard Collyer (1532)
- Coopers' Company and Coborn School (1536)
- The Crypt School, Gloucester (1539)
- Berkhamsted School (1541)
- The King's School, Chester (1541)
- The King's School, Gloucester (1541) (Dates from the 11th century)
- The King's School, Peterborough (1541)
- The King's School, Worcester (1541)
- Northampton Grammar School (1541) – later renamed to Northampton School for Boys
- Dauntsey's School (1542)
- Royal Grammar School, Newcastle (1545)
- King Henry VIII School, Coventry (1545)
- Archbishop Holgate's School, York (1546)
- Colyton Grammar School (1546)
- Bradford Grammar School (1548)
- Magdalen College School, Brackley (1548)
- Maidstone Grammar School (1549)
- Kirkham Grammar School (1549)
- King Edward VI School (Bury St Edmunds) (1550)
- Sherborne School (1550, possibly early 8th century)
- King Edward VI Grammar School (Chelmsford) (1551)
- King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth (1551) (possibly 1276)
- Bedford School (1552, earliest record 1086)
- Christ's Hospital (1552)
- King Edward's School, Bath (1552)
- King Edward's School, Birmingham (1552)
- King Edward VI Grammar School, Stourbridge (1552) (formerly chantry school 1430) (became Sixth Form College 1992)
- King Edward VI School, Morpeth (1552) (formerly chantry school, established in the 14th century, abolished in 1547)
- Leeds Grammar School (1552)
- Shrewsbury School (1552)
- Hutton Grammar School (1552)
- King Edward's School, Witley (1553)
- King Edward VI School, Southampton (1553)
- King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon (1553)
- Tonbridge School (1553)
- Clitheroe Royal Grammar School (1554)
- Queen Mary's Grammar School, Walsall (1554)
- Boston Grammar School (1555)
- Gresham's School (1555)
- Ripon Grammar School (refounded 1555, although thought to date from the 7th century)
- Hampton School (1556)
- Oundle School (1556)
- Repton School (1557)
- Sir John Deane's College, Northwich, Cheshire (formerly Sir John Deane's Grammar School) (1557)
- Brentwood School (1558)
- Enfield Grammar School (1558)
- Alleyne's High School, Stone, Staffordshire (1558)
- The Thomas Alleyne School, Stevenage, Hertfordshire (1558)
- Thomas Alleyne's High School, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. (1558)
- Solihull School (1560)
- Kingston Grammar School (1561)
- Merchant Taylors' School (1561)
- St Saviour's Grammar School (1562) (merged with St Olave's Grammar School in 1896)
- Sir Roger Manwood's School (1563)
- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith (1564)
- Felsted School (1564)
- Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe (1564)
- Highgate School (1565)
- King Charles I School (1566)
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford (1566)
- Rivington and Blackrod Grammar School, Rivington (1566) (now Rivington High School)
- Bedford Modern School (1566)
- Ashby School (1567)
- Rugby School (1567)
- Colfe's School (1568) refounded (1652)
- St Edmund's College (1568) (England's Oldest Catholic School)
- Free School, Dorchester, Dorset (1569)
- Bury Grammar School (1570)
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Horncastle (1571)
- St Olave's Grammar School (1571)
- St Mary Redcliffe School (1571) (merged with Temple Colston School for girls (1709) and is now St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School)
- Burford School (1571)
- Harrow School (1572)
- Netherthorpe School (1572)
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet (1573)
- Appleby Grammar School (charter granted by Elizabeth I in 1574)
- Pate's Grammar School (1574)
- Dartford Grammar School (1576)
- Sutton Valence School (1576)
- Woodbridge School (1577)
- The Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School (1579) (endowed 1564)
- St. Bees School (1583)
- Oakham School (1584)
- Uppingham School (1584)
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Ashbourne (1585)
- Ashton Grammar School, Seneley Green (1588)
- Joyce Frankland Academy, England (1588) (formerly Newport Free Grammar School)
- Spalding Grammar School (1588)
- Queen Elizabeth's High School (1589)
- Conyers' School (1590)
- Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (1590)
- Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale (1591)
- Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield (1591)
- Lymm High School (1592)
- Stonyhurst College (1593) (oldest Roman Catholic school)
- Emanuel School (1594)
- Wellingborough School (1595)
- Whitgift School (1596)
- Trinity School of John Whitgift (1596)
- Aldenham School (1597)
- Heath Grammar School (1597) (merged with former The Crossley and Porter School (1881) and is now The Crossley Heath School)
- King Alfred's School, Wantage (1597), formed and refounded 1851
- Aylesbury Grammar School (1598)
- Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham (1599)
- Kimbolton School (1531, earliest references, 1600 accepted)
Seventeenth century
- King James's School, Almondbury (1604)
- Blundell's School (1604)
- Carre's Grammar School (1604)
- Downside School (1606)
- Marlwood School (1606)
- Paston College (1606)
- Richard Clarke First School (1606)
- Ilkley Grammar School (1607)
- Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley (1607)
- Charterhouse School (1611)
- Batley Grammar School (1612)
- Dame Alice Owen's School (1613)
- Heversham School (1613)
- Leigh Grammar School (1614)
- Steyning Grammar School (1614)
- The Perse School (1615)
- Wilson's School (1615)
- Richard Hale School (1616)
- William Parker School (1619)
- Alleyn's School (1619)
- Dulwich College (1619) (founded as "the College of God's Gift")
- Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby (1620)
- Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School (1623)
- Dr Challoner's Grammar School (1624)
- The Latymer School (1624)
- Latymer Upper School (1624)
- Sir William Borlase's Grammar School (1624)
- Chigwell School (1629)
- Caistor Grammar School (1630)
- The Norton Knatchbull School (1630)
- Exeter School (1633)
- Red Maids' School (1634) (all girls)
- Calday Grange Grammar School (1636)
- Lady Manners School (1636)
- The King's School (1642), Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
- Cheam School (1645)
- The Palmers School (1645), Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
- Reading Blue Coat School (1646)
- The Emery Hill School (1647), Westminster City School Formed and refounded in 1877
- Thomas Adams School (1650)
- Earls High School (1652)
- Chetham's Hospital (1653)
- The Blue School, Wells (1654)
- Adams' Grammar School (1656)
- Hele's School (1658), moved site in 1937
- The Maynard School (1658), all girls
- Henry Box School (1660)
- Bere Alston Primary School (1665)
- Sir Thomas Rich's School (1666)
- Old Swinford Hospital (1667)
- The Read School, Drax (1667)
- Brigg Grammar School (1669), Sir John Nelthorpe School since 1976.
- The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone (1674)
- Reigate Grammar School (1675)
- John Roan School (1677)
- Sandbach School (1677)
- Davenant Foundation School (1680)
- Archbishop Tenison's School (1685)
- Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (1690)
- Robert May's School (1694)
- The Royal Hospital School (1694)
- Grey Coat Hospital (1698)
- Perins School (1698)
- St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls (1699)
- Sidcot School (1699)
Wales
Former (non-extant) schools
- Cor Tewdws (College of Theodosius), Llantwit Major (Opened ca 395, buildings burned in 446, rebuilt in 508, finally closed down in reign of Henry VIII)
Extant schools
Thirteenth century
- Ruthin School (c.1284, refounded 1574)
Sixteenth century
- Christ College, Brecon (1541)
- King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny (1542)
- Friars School, Bangor (1557)
- John Beddoes School (1565)
Seventeenth century
- Ysgol David Hughes Ynys Mon (1603)
- Monmouth School (1614)
- Botwnnog School (1618)
- The Bishop Gore School, Swansea (1682)
Scotland
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Twelfth century
- Dunfermline High School, (Early 1120s)
- High School of Glasgow (pre-1124)
- Royal High School, Edinburgh (1128)
- Stirling High School (High School of Stirling) 1129
- Lanark Grammar School (1183)
Thirteenth century
- Ayr Academy (1233)
- High School of Dundee (1239)
Fourteenth century
- Knox Academy (Haddington Grammar School) (1379)
Fifteenth century
- Aberdeen Grammar School (1418) (possibly 1257)
- Brechin High School (1429)
Sixteenth century
- Paisley Grammar School (1576)
- Montrose Academy (Precise date unknown) (Earliest evidence of schooling in Montrose from 1329)
Seventeenth century
- George Heriot's School (1628)
- Hutchesons' Grammar School (1641)
- Dunoon Grammar School (1641)
- Campbeltown Grammar School (1686)
- The Mary Erskine School (1694)
Northern Ireland
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Seventeenth century
- The Royal School, Armagh (1608)
- Royal School Dungannon (1614)
- Foyle College (1617)
- Portora Royal School (1618)
Channel Islands
- Elizabeth College, Guernsey (1563)