European private schools have long been synonymous with academic excellence, offering a combination of tradition and innovation.
The top private schools across Europe are known for their rigorous academics, strong cultural foundations and an increasingly global outlook. Many follow curriculums that are globally recognised such as the IB, A-Levels or the French Baccalauréat, ensuring students receive a well-rounded and globally relevant education.
Beyond academics, these schools emphasise leadership, creativity and personal development through extensive extracurricular programmes. Whether rooted in centuries-old heritage or embracing modern educational approaches, each institution on the 2025 Spear’s School Index stands out for its ability to prepare students for the demands of higher education and the professional world.
This competitive ranking includes schools across 11 countries, from Monaco to Belgium and Greece. The list doesn’t include Switzerland, whose world-leading schools are granted a ranking of their own.
Click the links below to jump to a section of this article:
- Methodology
- Top private schools in Europe: some names to know
- The complete list of top private schools in Europe (excluding Switzerland)
- Find out more
[See also: Introducing the Spear’s Schools Index 2025]
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Methodology
Spear’s has worked closely with the expert team at Thuso to refine the methodology underpinning the index, and to convene an expert panel of leading international educationalists to contribute their knowledge and insight to the research and selection process.
The Spear’s Research Unit collected data and information directly from candidate schools, using a combination of online forms and interviews. This was supplemented with additional research and by intelligence and insight from Thuso and the panel of expert educationalists.
The Spear’s Schools Index has also been underpinned by the following key principles:
- While examination results and academic attainment are key considerations, they are not the only thing that matters. Leading schools are not necessarily the most academic. ‘Hot houses’, therefore, are not to be viewed with approbation.
A wide range of social, cultural, and pastoral factors have been weighed in finalising the index. In some cases, some schools with strong academics have been omitted where they fall short in relation to these wider considerations. Notably, the team have been cognisant also of ‘cultural’ and ‘value based’ factors which are of growing concern in relation to many families. This is especially relevant in a climate in which some schools may be viewed as adopting an ‘indoctrinatory’ approach that might risk stifling free debate and the associated critical thinking.
- Families are increasingly mobile, with new global cities emerging as key hubs. This is particularly the case for cities such as Dubai, as well as established regional hubs in Europe, Africa, Latin America, South-East Asia, and the Pacific. Likewise, a growing number of families, often citing concerns over cultural considerations, are opting for more ‘traditional’ institutions, in Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East, in preference to institutions in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland.
- Reputation and standing are not insignificant. The reputation and standing of a school shape and influence its character, the parents and pupils it attracts, and its position both regionally, and internationally. In particular, some of the schools best established in the Index continue to draw many generations of international families, demonstrating the extent to which they have retained the trust of alumni.
Further information about the composition of the panel is available here.
Top private schools in Europe: some names to know
Campion School
- Focus: Moulding world citizens of good character
- Country: Greece
- Day fees: $9,100–$15,600
Only 16km from the centre of Athens, The Campion School‘s state-of-the art facilities include a football pitch, a running track, tennis and basketball courts, IT labs and libraries for both junior and senior school pupils.
The school was founded in 1970 by Elizabeth and Thomas Shortell, American philhellenes, who sought to create a school based in Athens which would enable youth to have access to quality education that would adequately prepare them for top-class universities in Europe and North America.
Read Campion School’s full profile on Spears500.com
The British School of Brussels
- Focus: Broadening minds and horizons
- Country: Belgium
- Day fees: $20,200–$45,900
Established in 1969, BSB is an international school with 1,350 students from 70 nationalities aged 1 to 18. For older pupils, the school offers A-Levels, the IB and vocational courses in business, sports and hospitality.
The primary curriculum is a skills-based, inquiry-driven approach adapted from the UK national curriculum. According to its website, it is the only school in Belgium that offers students the choice of IB or A-Levels. The school aims to ‘develop confident, caring and courageous people who engage actively, ethically and purposefully with the world’.
Read The British School of Brussel’s full profile at Spears500.com
St George’s British International School, Rome
- Focus: Tolerance, respect and understanding
- Country: Italy
- Day fees: $12,600–$25,000
Founded in 1958, St George’s British International School is the oldest British international school in Italy, and with close to 100 nationalities represented within the student body, the school is also one of the most international in the world.
St George’s is a non-selective school and serves British, international and expatriate communities, giving priority to families who have relocated from overseas. It mixes the UK national curriculum with the IB diploma and exam results are on par with leading international schools across Europe.
Read St George’s British International School’s full profile at Spears500.com
The International School of Monaco
- Focus: An international education with distinction
- Country: Monaco
- Day fees: $9,300–$34,300
Monaco, more than almost any other country, has an international population. The International School of Monaco reflects that diversity, with a bilingual French/English primary years curriculum and students representing over 60 nationalities.
The school is guided by five key ‘isms’: internationalism, intellectualism, dynamism, altruism and multilingualism. A key part of the education here is preparing future global citizens who have the independence and confidence they need to succeed in the world.
Read The International School of Monaco’s full profile at Spears500.com
The complete list of top private schools in Europe (excluding Switzerland)
Find out more
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