Non-selective intake with 45% A*–A grades and a 100% A-level pass rate in 2025.
Girls' boarding and day school in Buckinghamshire, aged 3–19
Why this school
Non-selective intake with 45% A*–A grades and a 100% A-level pass rate in 2025.
Boarding available from Year 3, with full, weekly, and flexi options through to Year 13.
EPQ and HPQ offered alongside A levels, supporting independent research and university preparation.
Thornton College is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3 to 19, set in Thornton, Buckinghamshire. Established in 1917, it has grown to around 480 pupils, taking girls from nursery through to sixth form on one continuous site. Full boarding fees for senior girls start at £42,300 (2025/26) per year, with day, flexi, weekly, and full boarding arrangements available from Year 3 upwards. The school is non-selective — one of a small number of independent schools in the UK to operate without academic entry thresholds while maintaining consistently strong results.
Thornton College follows a GCSE and A-level curriculum, supplemented by vocational qualifications and two extended project routes: the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) and the HPQ (Higher Project Qualification). Both allow pupils to pursue independent research alongside core subjects, which is useful preparation for university applications and interviews. In 2025, 45% of A-level grades were A* or A, with a 100% pass rate across all entries. Pupils are admitted across a broad ability range, which makes those figures a meaningful measure of what the teaching achieves.
The sixth form runs A levels alongside the EPQ, with structured guidance on UCAS applications and university choices. The range of boarding options, including weekly boarding, means sixth formers from overseas can stay on campus throughout the working week and return home during exeats.
A-Level results
45% A*-A or equivalent, 100% pass rate (2025)
Boarding begins as early as Year 3, giving younger pupils the option of full, weekly, or flexi boarding from age 7. Senior boarders (Years 7–13) can choose between day, flexi, weekly, or full boarding. The full boarding fee for seniors is £16,295 per term (2026/27). The campus operates 24-hour security. Pastoral support runs alongside the boarding structure, with pupils grouped by year and house. International families typically opt for full or weekly boarding to keep a settled weekly routine.
The co-curricular programme covers sport, performing arts, and a range of clubs and activities scheduled around the school day. Facilities include tennis courts, a swimming pool, and dedicated dance studios. The 3–19 age range on one site means younger and older pupils share some activity spaces, which shapes the daily rhythm across year groups. Specific named clubs and competition records are not detailed in current published data, but the facilities point to a programme spanning sport, creative arts, and performance.
The school occupies a single campus in Thornton, a village in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (MK17 0HJ), accommodating all year groups from nursery to sixth form. Facilities include sports courts, a pool, and arts spaces. The rural setting is contained, with straightforward road access to the M1 and A5 corridors.
Thornton College sits close to the M1 motorway near Milton Keynes. London Luton Airport is approximately 30–35 minutes by road. Birmingham Airport is around 50–60 minutes, and London Heathrow around 60–75 minutes, making the school practical for families travelling from the Middle East, Europe, and further afield.
Annual tuition
£48,885 per year · full boarding · Senior · Years 7-13
Other tier breakdowns shown below.
| Stage | Year groups | Type | Audience | Fee / year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Prep | Reception, Year 1 | Day | — | £15,975 |
| Pre-Prep | Year 2 | Day | — | £17,460 |
| Junior | Year 3 | Day | — | £17,460 |
| Junior | Year 3 | Weekly boarding | — | £28,470 |
| Junior | Year 3 | Full boarding | — | £36,735 |
| Junior | Years 4-6 | Day | — | £19,995 |
| Junior | Years 4-6 | Flexi boarding | — | £27,450 |
| Junior | Years 4-6 | Weekly boarding | — | £31,005 |
| Junior | Years 4-6 | Full boarding | — | £39,420 |
| Senior | Years 7-13 | Day | — | £25,485 |
| Senior | Years 7-13 | Flexi boarding | — | £33,120 |
| Senior | Years 7-13 | Weekly boarding | — | £39,375 |
| Senior | Years 7-13 | Full boarding | — | £48,885 |
London Luton Airport (~30–35 min); Birmingham Airport (~50–60 min); London Heathrow (~60–75 min)
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Full boarding for senior girls (Years 7–13) costs £16,295 per term (2026/27), totalling £48,885 per year. Day fees for the same year groups are £8,495 per term. Flexi and weekly boarding options are available at intermediate price points. The authoritative annual figure for 2025/26 is £42,300 for full boarding.
No. Thornton College does not use academic entrance thresholds and admits girls across the full ability range from age 3 to 19. In 2025 the school achieved 45% A*–A grades and a 100% pass rate at A level.
The school offers GCSEs and A levels as its main academic pathways. Alongside these, pupils can take vocational qualifications and two extended project awards: the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) and HPQ (Higher Project Qualification). The IB Diploma is not offered.
Boarding is available from Year 3, which typically means from age 7 or 8. Full, weekly, and flexi boarding options are all available from that stage, continuing through to Year 13.
The school is in Thornton, a village near Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire (MK17 0HJ). London Luton Airport is approximately 30–35 minutes by road, Birmingham Airport around 50–60 minutes, and London Heathrow approximately 60–75 minutes, making the location practical for international families.
The school has approximately 480 pupils across its full age range of 3 to 19. All year groups from nursery through to sixth form are based on a single campus in Buckinghamshire.
Sixth form pupils in Years 12 and 13 can choose from day, flexi, weekly, or full boarding. Weekly boarding allows pupils to remain on campus Monday to Friday and travel home at weekends, which suits many international families. Full boarding at senior level costs £16,295 per term (2026/27).
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