The Best Cricket Schools in England and Wales
Seven UK independent boarding schools where cricket is taken seriously — compared on location, travel, entry points and the questions that actually separate them.
Every league table of “best cricket schools” ranks first XI results. That is the wrong measure for a parent. What decides whether your child improves is coaching quality in their own age group, winter net time, how many fixtures the second and third XIs play, and whether an overseas pupil is picked on merit. The schools below are ones we work with directly and can speak about honestly.
Seven schools at a glance
| School | Where | Nearest airports | Entry points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Millfield School | Street, Somerset | Bristol / Heathrow | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
| Clifton College | Bristol | Bristol / Heathrow | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
| Oundle School | Northamptonshire | Heathrow / Stansted | Year 9, Sixth Form |
| Dean Close | Cheltenham, Gloucestershire | Birmingham / Heathrow | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
| King's Taunton | Taunton, Somerset | Bristol / Exeter | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
| Downside School | Somerset | Bristol / Heathrow | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
| Christ College Brecon | Brecon, Wales | Cardiff / Bristol | Year 7, Year 9, Sixth Form |
What stands out about each school
Millfield School
Street, Somerset
A large co-educational boarding school with an unusually broad sports programme and a long record of producing professional sportspeople.
Read the school profileClifton College
Bristol
A historic city-edge school whose Close is one of the most famous school cricket grounds in the world.
Read the school profileOundle School
Northamptonshire
A large market-town boarding school in the East Midlands with strong academics alongside its sport.
Read the school profileDean Close
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
A co-educational school in a county town with a busy fixture list and easy access to county cricket at Cheltenham.
Read the school profileKing's Taunton
Taunton, Somerset
A mid-sized boarding school in a strong West Country cricket area, close to Somerset county cricket.
Read the school profileDownside School
Somerset
A smaller Benedictine boarding school in the Mendips, where an able player gets senior cricket earlier.
Read the school profileChrist College Brecon
Brecon, Wales
A small Welsh boarding school in the Brecon Beacons with a close-knit house system and personal attention.
Read the school profileSix questions that reveal a school’s real cricket strength
- How many qualified coaches work with the age group your child would join?
- Is there an indoor centre, and how much winter net time does each pupil actually get?
- How many fixtures do the second and third XIs play — not just the first XI?
- What are the links to local club and county age-group cricket?
- Where have cricketing leavers gone in the last three years?
- Are overseas pupils genuinely selected on merit for representative teams?
Questions families ask
Which English schools are best for cricket?
There is no single answer — the right school depends on your child's age, academic profile and playing level. Schools such as Millfield, Clifton College, Oundle, Dean Close, King's Taunton, Downside and Christ College Brecon all combine boarding with a serious cricket programme, and each suits a different kind of player. A strong first XI matters far less than whether your own child will get coaching, net time and matches.
Do UK schools offer cricket scholarships?
Many independent schools award cricket or all-round sport scholarships, usually as a percentage reduction in fees rather than the full amount. Awards are assessed on match footage, coach references and a playing record, alongside the school's academic assessment.
What does a cricket boarding school cost?
Full boarding is commonly quoted between roughly £30,000 and £50,000 a year, before registration fees, deposits, guardianship, flights, uniform, kit and trips. Most international families budget £38,000 to £68,000 for the first year.
When should we apply?
Plan 12 to 18 months ahead of the intended entry point. Registration deadlines, entrance testing, scholarship rounds, visa timing and guardianship all take time, although later applications are sometimes still possible.
Can an overseas player join mid-year?
Occasionally, where a school has a place in the right year group. The common entry points remain Year 7 (11+), Year 9 (13+) and Sixth Form (16+), and applying at one of those gives the widest choice of schools and the best chance of an award.
Get a shortlist built around your child
Tell us your child’s age, current school and playing level and we will come back with realistic schools, indicative costs and an honest view of scholarship chances.