The Royal Latin School

A child who joins The Royal Latin School in Buckingham steps into one of the oldest schools in the country, though it rarely feels like a museum piece. The earliest record of it dates to 1423, when it taught only a handful of boys, and the school marked its 600th anniversary in 2023. It became an academy in 2011 and now takes around 1,260 pupils aged 11 to 18, boys and girls alike. On their first day, each new pupil joins one of six houses named after figures from the school's long story, which is a gentle way of making a big place feel smaller.

For a school with such deep roots, the Royal Latin has a busy, active feel. It holds Science College status and has good facilities, including a science discovery centre and a sports campus. Sport carries real history here; the under-15 rugby side won the Daily Mail Vase at Twickenham in 2013, and the girls' teams have a strong record too. The annual Founder's Day service is still held at the parish church in Buckingham, a quiet nod to where it all began, and parents tend to find the children confident and grounded rather than pressured.

Older pupils take on real responsibility too, acting as role models across the school through leadership and volunteering, and the everyday feel of the place is calm and purposeful. The Royal Latin suits a child who will make the most of a wide range of opportunities and enjoy belonging to a school proud of its past. It is led by headteacher Mr Ian Chislett, appointed in 2024. For a family who wants their child both stretched and settled, it is an easy place to picture them thriving.