Groundsense

Every councilRanked

Distance to the nearest independent secondary school, km, every council ranked

Measured in a straight line from where people live and averaged, to independent schools teaching secondary ages, senior and all through schools among them. Independent special schools are not counted. Figures for October 2026, published for 325 councils in England and Scotland. Lowest first: the order says where a council sits, not whether that is good.

Lowest: City of London, 0.3. The council in the middle: Lancaster, 4.6. Highest: Isles of Scilly, 69.5.

Distance to the nearest independent secondary school, km, every council it is published for, lowest first
PlaceCouncilFigure
1City of LondonLondon0.3
2 jointKensington and ChelseaLondon0.6
2 jointWestminsterLondon0.6
4CamdenLondon0.8
5 jointHammersmith and FulhamLondon1.0
5 jointWandsworthLondon1.0
7LewishamLondon1.1
8 jointMertonLondon1.2
8 jointCambridgeEast of England1.2
8 jointBarnetLondon1.2
8 jointHaringeyLondon1.2
8 jointIslingtonLondon1.2
8 jointRichmond upon ThamesLondon1.2
14 jointHackneyLondon1.3
14 jointSouthwarkLondon1.3
14 jointEpsom and EwellSouth East1.3
14 jointTower HamletsLondon1.3
14 jointCheltenhamSouth West1.3
14 jointGreenwichLondon1.3
20 jointNorwichEast of England1.4
20 jointSloughSouth East1.4
20 jointManchesterNorth West1.4
20 jointLambethLondon1.4
24 jointKingston upon ThamesLondon1.5
24 jointWorcesterWest Midlands1.5
26 jointLutonEast of England1.6
26 jointBrentLondon1.6
26 jointWatfordEast of England1.6
26 jointWaltham ForestLondon1.6
26 jointLeicesterEast Midlands1.6
26 jointCroydonLondon1.6
32 jointOxfordSouth East1.7
32 jointBrighton and HoveSouth East1.7
32 jointHounslowLondon1.7
32 jointNewhamLondon1.7
36 jointAdurSouth East1.8
36 jointReadingSouth East1.8
36 jointEalingLondon1.8
36 jointEnfieldLondon1.8
36 jointPortsmouthSouth East1.8
36 jointSpelthorneSouth East1.8
36 jointThree RiversEast of England1.8
43 jointElmbridgeSouth East1.9
43 jointHarrowLondon1.9
43 jointRunnymedeSouth East1.9
43 jointStockportNorth West1.9
43 jointBurnleyNorth West1.9
43 jointIpswichEast of England1.9
43 jointRedbridgeLondon1.9
43 jointExeterSouth West1.9
43 jointBristolSouth West1.9
43 jointWokinghamSouth East1.9
53 jointSuttonLondon2.0
53 jointSandwellWest Midlands2.0
55 jointNewcastle upon TyneNorth East2.1
55 jointWolverhamptonWest Midlands2.1
55 jointTamesideNorth West2.1
55 jointWorthingSouth East2.1
55 jointCoventryWest Midlands2.1
55 jointOldhamNorth West2.1
61 jointBlackburn with DarwenNorth West2.2
61 jointFyldeNorth West2.2
61 jointSt AlbansEast of England2.2
61 jointBirminghamWest Midlands2.2
61 jointHertsmereEast of England2.2
61 jointWindsor and MaidenheadSouth East2.2
61 jointCity of EdinburghScotland2.2
61 jointHyndburnNorth West2.2
69 jointRochdaleNorth West2.3
69 jointSouthamptonSouth East2.3
69 jointSalfordNorth West2.3
72 jointBexleyLondon2.4
72 jointBuryNorth West2.4
72 jointGloucesterSouth West2.4
75 jointPrestonNorth West2.5
75 jointRushmoorSouth East2.5
75 jointGuildfordSouth East2.5
75 jointBoltonNorth West2.5
75 jointCrawleySouth East2.5
80 jointBracknell ForestSouth East2.6
80 jointWarwickWest Midlands2.6
80 jointDacorumEast of England2.6
80 jointStockton-on-TeesNorth East2.6
80 jointYorkYorkshire and the Humber2.6
80 jointOadby and WigstonEast Midlands2.6
80 jointNottinghamEast Midlands2.6
87 jointDudleyWest Midlands2.7
87 jointHillingdonLondon2.7
87 jointWaverleySouth East2.7
87 jointHaveringLondon2.7
87 jointBromleyLondon2.7
92 jointBrentwoodEast of England2.8
92 jointLincolnEast Midlands2.8
92 jointClackmannanshireScotland2.8
92 jointWyre ForestWest Midlands2.8
92 jointRugbyWest Midlands2.8
92 jointStoke-on-TrentWest Midlands2.8
92 jointHavantSouth East2.8
99 jointTunbridge WellsSouth East2.9
99 jointBedfordEast of England2.9
99 jointPeterboroughEast of England2.9
99 jointAberdeen CityScotland2.9
99 jointBlackpoolNorth West2.9
99 jointMaidstoneSouth East2.9
99 jointMiddlesbroughNorth East2.9
106 jointEastbourneSouth East3.0
106 jointPlymouthSouth West3.0
106 jointLiverpoolNorth West3.0
106 jointWalsallWest Midlands3.0
110 jointGlasgow CityScotland3.1
110 jointGatesheadNorth East3.1
110 jointBlabyEast Midlands3.1
110 jointTandridgeSouth East3.1
114 jointReigate and BansteadSouth East3.2
114 jointBromsgroveWest Midlands3.2
114 jointBarking and DagenhamLondon3.2
114 jointDerbyEast Midlands3.2
114 jointBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSouth West3.2
114 jointKirkleesYorkshire and the Humber3.2
120 jointSolihullWest Midlands3.3
120 jointHartSouth East3.3
120 jointSurrey HeathSouth East3.3
120 jointCharnwoodEast Midlands3.3
120 jointGosportSouth East3.3
120 jointWokingSouth East3.3
120 jointEpping ForestEast of England3.3
120 jointEast RenfrewshireScotland3.3
128 jointDundee CityScotland3.4
128 jointMole ValleySouth East3.4
128 jointMid SussexSouth East3.4
128 jointNorth East LincolnshireYorkshire and the Humber3.4
132 jointCalderdaleYorkshire and the Humber3.6
132 jointMilton KeynesSouth East3.6
132 jointRutlandEast Midlands3.6
132 jointFarehamSouth East3.6
132 jointWyreNorth West3.6
132 jointBroxbourneEast of England3.6
138 jointColchesterEast of England3.7
138 jointEast HertfordshireEast of England3.7
138 jointKingston upon HullYorkshire and the Humber3.7
138 jointPendleNorth West3.7
138 jointBath and North East SomersetSouth West3.7
138 jointHarlowEast of England3.7
144 jointCherwellSouth East3.8
144 jointStaffordWest Midlands3.8
146 jointWinchesterSouth East3.9
146 jointMedwaySouth East3.9
146 jointLeedsYorkshire and the Humber3.9
146 jointHastingsSouth East3.9
146 jointTeignbridgeSouth West3.9
151 jointWirralNorth West4.0
151 jointSheffieldYorkshire and the Humber4.0
153 jointEastleighSouth East4.1
153 jointChelmsfordEast of England4.1
155 jointSunderlandNorth East4.2
155 jointWelwyn HatfieldEast of England4.2
157 jointBradfordYorkshire and the Humber4.3
157 jointTest ValleySouth East4.3
159AshfordSouth East4.4
160 jointHarboroughEast Midlands4.5
160 jointNewcastle-under-LymeWest Midlands4.5
160 jointSouthend-on-SeaEast of England4.5
163 jointLancasterNorth West4.6
163 jointCheshire West and ChesterNorth West4.6
163 jointWakefieldYorkshire and the Humber4.6
166 jointWest NorthamptonshireEast Midlands4.7
166 jointNorth HertfordshireEast of England4.7
168 jointRedcar and ClevelandNorth East4.8
168 jointTewkesburySouth West4.8
168 jointStroudSouth West4.8
171 jointGedlingEast Midlands4.9
171 jointSeftonNorth West4.9
171 jointErewashEast Midlands4.9
171 jointLichfieldWest Midlands4.9
171 jointTelford and WrekinWest Midlands4.9
171 jointNorth NorthamptonshireEast Midlands4.9
177 jointWest BerkshireSouth East5.0
177 jointMalvern HillsWest Midlands5.0
179 jointNew ForestSouth East5.1
179 jointTonbridge and MallingSouth East5.1
179 jointSouth GloucestershireSouth West5.1
179 jointVale of White HorseSouth East5.1
183 jointGraveshamSouth East5.2
183 jointRibble ValleyNorth West5.2
183 jointSouth StaffordshireWest Midlands5.2
183 jointSevenoaksSouth East5.2
187CanterburySouth East5.3
188East HampshireSouth East5.4
189TraffordNorth West5.5
190 jointKnowsleyNorth West5.6
190 jointNorth LincolnshireYorkshire and the Humber5.6
192 jointCannock ChaseWest Midlands5.7
192 jointDoverSouth East5.7
192 jointWest OxfordshireSouth East5.7
192 jointBroxtoweEast Midlands5.7
196HorshamSouth East5.8
197West LancashireNorth West6.0
198StevenageEast of England6.1
199 jointIsle of WightSouth East6.2
199 jointSouth RibbleNorth West6.2
199 jointWiltshireSouth West6.2
202 jointBuckinghamshireSouth East6.3
202 jointSwaleSouth East6.3
204 jointNorth TynesideNorth East6.4
204 jointBasildonEast of England6.4
204 jointSt. HelensNorth West6.4
207 jointRotherSouth East6.5
207 jointHaltonNorth West6.5
207 jointTorridgeSouth West6.5
207 jointWealdenSouth East6.5
211 jointCheshire EastNorth West6.6
211 jointRossendaleNorth West6.6
213 jointSouth DerbyshireEast Midlands6.7
213 jointSwindonSouth West6.7
213 jointLewesSouth East6.7
216 jointNuneaton and BedworthWest Midlands6.8
216 jointNorth WarwickshireWest Midlands6.8
218BroadlandEast of England6.9
219Central BedfordshireEast of England7.0
220BassetlawEast Midlands7.1
221South TynesideNorth East7.2
222 jointEast StaffordshireWest Midlands7.3
222 jointInverclydeScotland7.3
222 jointEast CambridgeshireEast of England7.3
225 jointEast DunbartonshireScotland7.4
225 jointMidlothianScotland7.4
227 jointStaffordshire MoorlandsWest Midlands7.5
227 jointSouth OxfordshireSouth East7.5
229Hinckley and BosworthEast Midlands7.6
230 jointDartfordSouth East7.7
230 jointBraintreeEast of England7.7
232Basingstoke and DeaneSouth East7.8
233 jointWest DunbartonshireScotland7.9
233 jointWychavonWest Midlands7.9
233 jointShropshireWest Midlands7.9
233 jointRenfrewshireScotland7.9
237 jointHerefordshireWest Midlands8.0
237 jointSouth CambridgeshireEast of England8.0
239 jointSouth AyrshireScotland8.3
239 jointMid SuffolkEast of England8.3
239 jointRushcliffeEast Midlands8.3
239 jointArunSouth East8.3
239 jointMid DevonSouth West8.3
244 jointSouth LanarkshireScotland8.6
244 jointBaberghEast of England8.6
244 jointCounty DurhamNorth East8.6
247 jointEast SuffolkEast of England9.0
247 jointFenlandEast of England9.0
247 jointWest LindseyEast Midlands9.0
247 jointRochfordEast of England9.0
247 jointChichesterSouth East9.0
247 jointRotherhamYorkshire and the Humber9.0
253RedditchWest Midlands9.2
254East DevonSouth West9.3
255North SomersetSouth West9.4
256SomersetSouth West9.5
257 jointStirlingScotland9.6
257 jointTorbaySouth West9.6
257 jointNorth West LeicestershireEast Midlands9.6
260DoncasterYorkshire and the Humber9.7
261North YorkshireYorkshire and the Humber9.9
262 jointUttlesfordEast of England10.1
262 jointWarringtonNorth West10.1
264 jointNorth KestevenEast Midlands10.2
264 jointNorth LanarkshireScotland10.2
266 jointWiganNorth West10.5
266 jointThurrockEast of England10.5
268 jointCumberlandNorth West10.7
268 jointWest DevonSouth West10.7
270 jointTamworthWest Midlands10.8
270 jointWest LothianScotland10.8
272South NorfolkEast of England11.2
273Westmorland and FurnessNorth West11.3
274 jointHartlepoolNorth East11.4
274 jointSouth HamsSouth West11.4
276 jointChorleyNorth West11.5
276 jointPerth and KinrossScotland11.5
276 jointHigh PeakEast Midlands11.5
279Stratford-on-AvonWest Midlands11.8
280 jointCastle PointEast of England11.9
280 jointNorth DevonSouth West11.9
282 jointForest of DeanSouth West12.0
282 jointEast LothianScotland12.0
284East Riding of YorkshireYorkshire and the Humber12.1
285West SuffolkEast of England12.3
286CotswoldSouth West12.7
287MaldonEast of England12.9
288 jointBarnsleyYorkshire and the Humber13.1
288 jointNewark and SherwoodEast Midlands13.1
288 jointMansfieldEast Midlands13.1
291DarlingtonNorth East13.2
292 jointFolkestone and HytheSouth East13.5
292 jointFalkirkScotland13.5
292 jointDorsetSouth West13.5
295 jointHuntingdonshireEast of England13.6
295 jointAshfieldEast Midlands13.6
295 jointBostonEast Midlands13.6
298CornwallSouth West13.7
299BolsoverEast Midlands13.9
300MeltonEast Midlands14.1
301TendringEast of England14.4
302North NorfolkEast of England15.0
303BrecklandEast of England15.1
304 jointSouth HollandEast Midlands15.2
304 jointAmber ValleyEast Midlands15.2
304 jointChesterfieldEast Midlands15.2
307South KestevenEast Midlands15.4
308North East DerbyshireEast Midlands15.7
309FifeScotland16.5
310MorayScotland16.6
311Great YarmouthEast of England18.1
312NorthumberlandNorth East18.3
313Derbyshire DalesEast Midlands18.4
314ThanetSouth East18.5
315King's Lynn and West NorfolkEast of England18.7
316AngusScotland19.0
317East AyrshireScotland19.8
318North AyrshireScotland20.8
319East LindseyEast Midlands28.1
320AberdeenshireScotland30.2
321Argyll and ButeScotland31.8
322Scottish BordersScotland34.9
323Dumfries and GallowayScotland46.2
324HighlandScotland62.3
325Isles of ScillySouth West69.5

Not in this list

  • Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland's independent schools are not placed: their postcodes' locations are licensed.
  • Na h-Eileanan Siar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands. Not published for these councils.
  • Wales. Wales's list of independent schools gives no ages and does not say which are special schools.

Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, open independent schools, 2026-10-22; Scottish Government, register of independent schools, less those registered for additional support needs alone, read at every census area · October 2026 · fetched 22 October 2026 · How this is measured

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