The Cricketer Schools Guide 2026 reveals UK's best schools for cricket

State and private schools are both well represented in the 11th anniversary edition of the guide, with the best all-girls and prep/junior schools also picked out by The Cricketer's judging panel for a place in the coveted 2026 Schools Guide

The UK's best schools for cricket have been revealed in The Cricketer's Schools Guide 2026.

This year's guide is the 11th edition and features the top 100 senior, top 50 prep/junior, top 20 all-girls schools and the top 25 state schools for cricket. 

The roll call of schools emerged from a large number of entrants who were judged against an extensive set of criteria, which included a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, coaching and outreach programmes.

Purchase your copy of the 2026 Schools Guide here

The Cricketer magazine editor Huw Turbervill said: “We are very proud of our coverage of schools cricket, which we have followed closely since our inception in 1921, as part of our commitment to follow cricket at all levels.

“This 11th edition recognises the fantastic cricket programmes that exist in school curricula up and down the country.

“Schools cricket is arguably more important than it has ever been when you consider the number of schools that also assist in hosting county cricket.

“The schools circuit remains hugely competitive, but there is also the wonder of taking part, the camaraderie of being in a team, in the fresh air, learning this wonderful game of ours. 2005 Ashes hero Geraint Jones, at St Lawrence College, Kent, was big on this. Several schools boast quite rightly about their whole year group taking the field on the same afternoon.

“This feels like a pivotal time for schools cricket, with a spotlight being shone through new tournaments like the state school Knight-Stokes Cup, the finals of which will take place at Lord’s. if we can build on this momentum, the future of our junior cricketers will be even rosier.”

The Cricketer researches and produces the Schools Guide annually, with the 2026 edition being supported by Durant Sports – one of the country's leading suppliers of cricket ground equipment.

Durant Sports managing director Cristian Durant said: “Congratulations to all the schools featured in this guide. As a leading supplier of cricket ground equipment to clubs, professional counties, and schools, we are proud to support The Cricketer’s ongoing excellent coverage of school cricket. This ¬showcases the incredible contributions of coaches and staff to helping young people enjoy the game we all love.”

The Cricketer would like to thank Durant Sports for their ongoing support of our schools cricket coverage. For more on Durant Sports, including booking a site visit, click here.

The 2026 Schools Guide was included with the December edition of The Cricketer Magazine, and is available to purchase separately here.

TOP 100 SENIOR SCHOOLS 

Abingdon School; AKS Lytham; Ardingly College; Bede’s School; Bedford School; Berkhamsted School; Bishop’s Stortford College; Blundell’s School; Bradfield College; Brentwood School; Brighton College; Bromsgrove School; Caterham School; Charterhouse; Cheltenham College; Christ College, Brecon; Clayesmore School; Clifton College; Cranleigh School; Denstone College; Dulwich College; Dunottar School; Durham School; Eastbourne College; Ellesmere College; Eltham College; Emanuel School; Epsom College; Eton College; Felsted School; Forest School; Framlingham College; George Watson’s College; Gresham’s School; Haberdashers’ Boys School; Haberdashers’ Monmouth School; Haileybury; Hampton School; Harrow School; Ipswich School; John Lyon School; Kimbolton School; King Edward VI School, Southampton; King Edward’s School, Birmingham; King Edward’s, Witley; King’s Bruton; King’s College School, Wimbledon; King’s College, Taunton; Kingswood School, Bath; Lancing College; Lord Wandsworth College; Magdalen College School; Malvern College; Marlborough College; Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood; Millfield School; New Hall School; Newcastle-under-Lyme School; Norwich School; Oakham School; Oundle School; Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate; Queen’s College Taunton; Radley College; Reed’s School; Reigate Grammar School; Repton School; Rossall School; Royal Grammar School, Guildford; Rugby School; Scarborough College; Seaford College; Sedbergh School; Sherborne School; Shrewsbury School; Solihull School; St Albans School; St Benedict’s School, Ealing; St Edward’s School, Oxford; St George’s College, Weybridge; St Lawrence College; St Paul’s School; St Peter’s School, York 13-18; Stamford School; Stowe School; Taunton School; The King’s School, Chester; The King’s School in Macclesfield; The King’s School, Worcester; The Manchester Grammar School; The Perse School; Tonbridge School; Trent College; Uppingham School; Wellington College; Whitgift School; Winchester College; Worksop College; Worth School; Wrekin College.

TOP 25 STATE SCHOOLS 

Brighton Aldridge Community Academy; Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School; Dr Challoner’s Grammar School; George Abbot School; Huddersfield New College; Myerscough College; Northampton School for Boys; Old Swinford Hospital; Park View Academy of Sport, Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall; Reading School; Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe; Shenfield High School; Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys; South Dartmoor Community College; St Bartholomew’s School, Newbury; The Bishop’s Stortford High School; The Canterbury Academy; The Castle School; The Judd School; The Skinners’ School; Wallington County Grammar School; Weydon School; Wilson’s School; Wymondham College

TOP 20 ALL-GIRLS SCHOOLS 

Cheltenham Ladies’ College; Denmark Road High School; Downe House School; Godolphin and Latymer School; Guildford High School; King Edward VI High School for Girls; Lady Eleanor Holles School; Loughborough High School; Malvern St James Girls’ School; Mayfield Girls School; Notting Hill & Ealing High School; Portsmouth High School; Putney High School; Roedean School; Sherborne Girls’ School; South Hampstead High School; St Helen & St Katharine School; St Swithun’s School, Winchester; The Mary Erskine School; Wimbledon High School

TOP 50 PREP/JUNIOR SCHOOLS 

AKS Lytham Prep; Aldro; Aysgarth School, Bede’s Prep; Bedford Preparatory School; Bishop’s Stortford College Prep; Blundell’s Prep; Brentwood Prep; Brighton College Nursery, Pre-Prep and Prep School; Caldicott School; Cargilfield School; Clayesmore Prep; Cothill House; Cottesmore School; Cranmore School; Cumnor House, Sussex; Davenies School; Dragon School; Dulwich Prep; Elstree School; Felsted Prep; Haberdashers’ Boys Prep School; Heathfield Junior School; Highfield and Brookham Schools; King’s College Prep School; Lockers Park; Ludgrove School; Merchant Taylors’ Prep; Millfield Prep; Milton Keynes Prep School; Nottingham Primary Academy; Orwell Park School; Packwood Haugh; Papplewick School; Prestfelde Prep School; Queen’s College Prep School, Taunton; Repton Prep; RGS The Grange; Rokeby School; Sedbergh Prep School; Shrewsbury House; Spratton Hall; St Andrew’s Eastbourne; St Peter’s, York 8-13; Taunton Prep; The New Brecon; The Pilgrims’ School; Twyford School; West House Prep; Westbourne House