Abingdon School
Located just south of Oxford within 35 acres of countryside, Abingdon is a day and boarding school for boys aged 11-18 (years 7-13). There is a connected prep school for boys aged 4-13.
Ideal student
A bright, self-motivated pupil who enjoys being stretched and wants to throw themselves into school life. It suits children who are academically ambitious but not narrowly so, and who will make the most of the school’s breadth as much as its results.
Main sports
Rugby, football, cricket, rowing and hockey.
Stand-out facilities
Extensive sports provision including an eight-lane pool, climbing wall and rowing set-up alongside excellent music, drama and academic facilities.
Saturday school
Yes, in effect. Saturday fixtures, activities and the wider co-curricular programme are a big part of school life, especially for boarders. Boarding remains central to the school’s character.
Did you know?
Abingdon is in the middle of a major move to co-education. Girls joined the prep from 2024, and the senior school will welcome girls into Year 7 and Sixth Form from September 2026, with Year 9 following in 2028. The school says it expects to be fully co-educational by 2030
Our takeaway
A serious school without feeling joyless. Abingdon is academically strong, hugely well resourced and impressively broad, with a culture that manages to be ambitious while still feeling grounded. The house system and co-curricular life give it warmth and identity, and the shift to co-education marks a significant new chapter rather than a cosmetic change.
"Academic standards are very high but a commitment to pupils’ wider personal development is a touchstone of our approach to education."
School Information
| Year | A* – A | A* – B |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 63.3 | 84.1 | 2018 | 63.5 | 87 | 2019 | 69.4 | 90.2 | 2022 | 79.1 | 93.5 | 2023 | 70.1 | 90.5 |
| Year | 9 - 8 | 9 - 7 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 60.2 | 86.3 | 2018 | 59.2 | 83.9 | 2019 | 69.7 | 86.6 | 2022 | 71.3 | 86.9 | 2023 | 60.8 | 81.4 |
| Destination | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Oxbridge | 9% |
| Sutton 13 The 13 best UK universities based on average rankings from surveys: Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, Imperial, LSE, Nottingham, Oxford, St Andrews, UCL, Warwick, York. | 47% |
| Other UK Universities | 43% |
| US Ivy League | 1% |
| Other international Universities | 1% |
