Malvern College

Website: www.malverncollege.org.uk

Address: Malvern WORCHESTERSHIRE

"The (small) town in question is only a three-minute walk away and all around is the glorious backdrop of the Malvern hills, from which Sir Edward Elgar drew inspir-ation. The views across the Severn Plain are nothing short of spectacular. The alma mater of C. S. Lewis, Jeremy Paxman and Monty Don has been co-ed for some 20 years, with pupils including European royalty and local farming families. Cricket is god, but when the Ledder, the annual cross-country run, was cancelled for the first time since the First World War due to fears for orchids in the wet ground, there was an outcry. Parents describe Malvern as grounded and traditional, keen on the values of friendship and loyalty – it aims to turn out nice, well-rounded people. The headmaster, Antony Clark, who is perceived to have done good things, is in his last year; his successor will be Keith Metcalfe, currently deputy head at Harrow."

• 650 pupils aged 13–18, co-ed, mainly boarding (linked to prep school, Downs Malvern)
• £8,228–£13,153