- Location
- Windsor
- Recorded age range
- 12–19
- Education
- A-Level · British
About Eton College
England's most storied boys' boarding school: a community of 1,300 boarders pursuing intellectual rigor and creative excellence on a 400-acre campus.
School background from the saved source · 2026-05-31
Eton College was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI of England as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor" — a chantry school endowed with the founding of 70 King's Scholars ("Tugs") to provide education for poor boys, alongside a chapel and a community of priests to pray for the soul of the king. The school was deliberately founded as a twin foundation with King's College, Cambridge (founded 1441) — Eton boys progressing automatically to King's. The 586-year history makes Eton the most consequential single English educational institution of any kind, by virtually any measure of the production of national leadership.
Eton sits today on a 75-acre campus in the town of Eton, Berkshire, immediately across the River Thames from Windsor Castle — the seat of the British monarch. The Head Master is Simon Henderson. The school remains boys-only, boarding only, ages 13-18, with around 1,346 pupils — making Eton the largest fully boarding school in England. The school is a member of the HMC and the Boarding Schools Association and was named in the Clarendon Commission of 1864 as the first of the "Nine Great Schools" of England.
Eton has produced 20 British Prime Ministers — by far the largest count of any single school in history. The Etonian Prime Ministers include Sir Robert Walpole (the first British Prime Minister, 1721-42), William Pitt the Elder, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (the victor of Waterloo and Prime Minister 1828-30), William Ewart Gladstone (four-time PM and the dominant figure of mid-Victorian Liberalism), Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, A. J. Balfour, H. H. Asquith, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, David Cameron and Boris Johnson — together representing a substantial fraction of the total set of British Prime Ministers since the position was created.
The Etonian alumni list extends throughout English cultural and political life. The Royal Family is itself substantially Etonian: William, Prince of Wales (future King William V) and his brother Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, were both Eton boys. In literature: the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Ozymandias), the novelist George Orwell (1984, Animal Farm — a King's Scholar), Aldous Huxley (Brave New World), Henry Fielding (Tom Jones — perhaps the founding English novelist), and the creator of James Bond Ian Fleming were all Etonians. In economics, John Maynard Keynes — the most influential economist of the twentieth century and architect of the post-war Bretton Woods system — was a King's Scholar.
The school is famous for two distinctive sports played nowhere else: the Eton Wall Game (since 1766; annual St Andrew's Day match — fewer than ten goals scored in the past century) and the Eton Field Game (a hybrid of football and rugby). The school operates a substantial bursary programme via the King's Scholar foundation, with around 25% of pupils receiving some form of fee remission.
School life and areas of focus
- Oxbridge & Ivy pipeline
- Iconic tradition
- Strong creative arts
- Dedicated tutorial system
- Founded 1440 by King Henry VI of England — 586-year history
- Twin foundation of King's College, Cambridge (also founded by Henry VI, 1441)
- Boys-only ages 13-18 boarding only
- ≈1,346 pupils — all boarders — making Eton the largest fully boarding school in England
- Set on a 75-acre campus at Windsor, Berkshire, immediately across the Thames from Windsor Castle
- One of the original 'Nine Great Schools' of England (Clarendon Commission 1864)
- Has produced 20 British Prime Ministers — by far the most of any single school in history
- Substantial bursary programme via the King's Scholar foundation
- 1,346-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- A-Level A*-B*: 63% achieve AAB+
- Strong in Music, Drama, Sport
- Strong Oxbridge progression
Education and school life
Explore the curriculum and subjects below. Our team can help you find out about subject choices, year groups and programme availability.
- Programme type
- Boarding school
- Curriculum
- A-Level, British
- Teaching language
- English
- Campus setting
- rural
Subject areas
- Classics
- STEM
- Arts
- Sport
- Leadership
- Politics (20 British Prime Ministers — by far the highest of any school in history)
- Modern languages
- Sciences
- Music (Eton Choirbook 1500-04)
- Sport (Eton Wall Game, Eton Field Game, Eton Boating)
- Music
- Drama
Listed memberships and accreditations
- HMC
- ISI Excellent
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- BSA (Boarding Schools Association)
- Clarendon School (one of the original 'Nine Great Schools' of England)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
Study and progression pathways
- Leadership
- Business
- STEM
- Arts
- Oxbridge (~40% of leavers)
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial)
- US Ivy League universities (Harvard, Princeton, Yale)
- Sandhurst / Royal Navy / Foreign Office
- Oxbridge
Academic profile in the catalogue
No review date is recorded for these catalogue figures.
- Typical class size
- 15 · catalogue record
- Student / teacher ratio
- 1:8 · catalogue record
The source does not specify a measurement year for these figures. Ask our team about current class sizes and staffing.
Campus, boarding and student community
Catalogue profile
- Founded
- 1440
- Recorded student population
- 1340
- Campus setting
- rural
- Boarding
- Listed in the catalogue
- Co-education
- Not recorded as co-educational; confirm intake
School-wide directory record
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- School stages
- Senior, Sixth Form
- Directory age range
- 12-19
- Student intake
- Boys
- Attendance
- Day and boarding
- Religious ethos
- Church of England
- Headteacher in source record
- Mr S C Henderson
- Inspectorate
- ISI
- Total pupils
- 1346
- Boys · number / share
- 1346 · 100%
- Pupils receiving SEN support · number / share
- 360 · 26.75%
- Pupils with an EHC plan · number / share
- 0 · 0%
Directory and catalogue figures are shown separately because their age groups or record dates may differ.
Recorded examination results
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- Qualification
- A-level
- Results year
- 2025
- Average grade
- A
- Progress score
- 0.09 (Above Average)
- AAB or higher
- 63.40%
Results are for the year shown, separately from the estimated catalogue indicators.
Tuition and costs
Recorded GBP school fees
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
| Attendance | Recorded range |
|---|---|
| Boarding fees | £21,099.60 |
These historical directory amounts are not a confirmed school quotation. The billing period, VAT, academic year and included costs need confirmation from the school.
Catalogue USD figures
Catalogue fee range · USD
Catalogue figures are shown in US dollars (USD). The fee period and academic year are not specified in this record. UK institutions generally publish their own fees in pounds sterling (GBP); check the current fee schedule rather than treating this range as a GBP price.
Ask the UniCampus team about the fee period, entry year, boarding and additional costs.
Ask about current feesPlanning your application
Entry requirements depend on the school, age group and programme. Talk to the UniCampus team about school reports, language requirements, assessments and your application timeline.
- Catalogue application window
- October 30, 2026
- Listed intake
- September 2027
These catalogue notes do not confirm an available place or a current deadline. MEC guidance can help you organise a shortlist and prepare questions for the school.
Support recorded in the catalogue
- Scholarships or bursaries
- Listed; eligibility and availability need confirmation
- Visa application support
- Listed; confirm what assistance is provided
Source notes and alternative records
Dated background research is retained below; source descriptions may differ and have not been newly verified by UniCampus.
School background research · 2026-05-31
School background notes
Source record dated 2026-05-31 · Source text retained in English
Read this source's description in the school overview.
- Founded · source note
- 1440
- Campus setting · source note
- urban
- Religious ethos · source note
- Church of England
- School leadership · source note
- Simon Henderson (Head Master)
- Scholarships · source note
- Mentioned in saved research; confirm current terms
Additional subject and programme notes
- Politics (20 British Prime Ministers — by far the highest of any school in history)
- Classics
- Modern languages
- Sciences
- Music (Eton Choirbook 1500-04)
- Sport (Eton Wall Game, Eton Field Game, Eton Boating)
Listed education pathways
- Oxbridge (~40% of leavers)
- Russell Group (Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial)
- US Ivy League universities (Harvard, Princeton, Yale)
- Sandhurst / Royal Navy / Foreign Office
Memberships and accreditations in the source
- HMC (Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference)
- BSA (Boarding Schools Association)
- Clarendon School (one of the original 'Nine Great Schools' of England)
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
School-life notes
- Founded 1440 by King Henry VI of England — 586-year history
- Twin foundation of King's College, Cambridge (also founded by Henry VI, 1441)
- Boys-only ages 13-18 boarding only
- ≈1,346 pupils — all boarders — making Eton the largest fully boarding school in England
- Set on a 75-acre campus at Windsor, Berkshire, immediately across the Thames from Windsor Castle
- One of the original 'Nine Great Schools' of England (Clarendon Commission 1864)
- Has produced 20 British Prime Ministers — by far the most of any single school in history
- Substantial bursary programme via the King's Scholar foundation
Notable alumni listed in the source
- 20 British Prime Ministers including Sir Robert Walpole (first PM), Pitt the Elder, Duke of Wellington (Waterloo victor; PM 1828-30), William Ewart Gladstone (PM 1868-74, 80-85, 86, 92-94 — four-time PM), Lord Salisbury, A. J. Balfour, H. H. Asquith, Anthony Eden, Harold Macmillan, Sir Alec Douglas-Home, David Cameron (PM 2010-16), Boris Johnson (PM 2019-22)
- Princes William and Harry (William, Prince of Wales — future King William V; Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex)
- Percy Bysshe Shelley (Romantic poet — Ozymandias, Prometheus Unbound)
- George Orwell (novelist — 1984, Animal Farm) — King's Scholar
- John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes (economist; founder of Keynesian economics)
- Aldous Huxley (novelist — Brave New World)
- Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond)
- Henry Fielding (eighteenth-century novelist — Tom Jones)
- Ranulph Fiennes (polar explorer)
- Bear Grylls (TV adventurer)
- Eddie Redmayne (Oscar-winning actor — The Theory of Everything as Stephen Hawking; The Danish Girl; Les Misérables)
- Tom Hiddleston (actor — Loki in Marvel Cinematic Universe; The Night Manager)
- Damian Lewis (actor — Homeland, Wolf Hall)
Additional school record · 2026-05-30
Additional saved school information
Source record dated 2026-05-30 · Source text retained in English
a) is committed to establishing a supportive and safe environment for its boys, its staff and the wider school community; this is the foundation of the trusting relationships formed between boys and adults, which is a particular feature of Eton life.
Eton is proud of its history and heritage and honours many of its traditions; but the school has always had a dynamic relationship with its past and it is in balancing the old with the new that it finds inspiration for change in the future.
b) has a competitive school culture in which boys are encouraged to pursue excellence in all its differing forms, to develop their strengths and to seek out new challenges. This often helps to drive personal and collective achievement, with the process being valued as much as the outcome.
- Scholarships · source note
- Mentioned in saved research; confirm current terms
Additional subject and programme notes
- Music
- Drama
- Sport
Listed education pathways
- Oxbridge
Memberships and accreditations in the source
- ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate)
School-life notes
- 1,346-pupil community
- Day and boarding places available
- Church of England foundation
- A-Level A*-B*: 63% achieve AAB+
- Strong in Music, Drama, Sport
- Strong Oxbridge progression
Schoolscout introduction
Eton College offers a distinguished educational experience, steeped in rich tradition while embracing modern teaching practices. Renowned for its academic...
School location
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18
- Recorded address
- Eton, Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor, Berkshire, South East, SL4 6DW
- Postcode
- SL4 6DW
Questions in the source record
Schoolscout · Source record dated 2026-05-18 · Original English answers
What type of school is Eton College?
Eton College is a boys' independent mainstream school for pupils aged 12 to 19, located near Windsor in Berkshire. The school offers education from Senior through to Sixth Form, with pathways leading to GCSEs and A Levels.
How do I apply to Eton College?
Applications typically begin 1–2 years in advance and may include registration, assessments and interviews. Families can explore the UK private school admissions timeline to understand key dates and entry points.
What are the fees at Eton College?
Fees at Eton College are approximately £21,099 per term, depending on the year group and whether pupils board. Families can learn more about UK private school fees and what is typically included.
Is Eton College a day or boarding school?
Eton College offers boarding options. Where boarding is available, this may include full, weekly or flexi arrangements.
Is Eton College a single-sex or co-educational school?
The school provides single-sex education for its pupils.
Contact our team for current dates, entry criteria and fees.
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Enquire about this schoolPhotograph sources and credits
# Photo attribution
Source: Wikipedia
- eton-college.jpg: Public domain via Wikimedia Commons