This is a list of

extant Extant is the opposite of the word extinct. It may refer to: * Extant hereditary titles * Extant literature, surviving literature, such as ''Beowulf'', the oldest extant manuscript written in English * Extant taxon, a taxon which is not extinct, ...

schools, excluding universities and higher education establishments, that have been in continuous operation since founded. The dates refer to the foundation or the earliest documented contemporaneous reference to the school.

Sixth century

The King's School, Canterbury The King's School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for 13 to 18 year old pupils) in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group. It is Britain's ...

, England (597)

Seventh century

The King's School, Rochester The King's School, Rochester, is an English independent school in Rochester, Kent. It is a cathedral school and, being part of the foundation of Rochester Cathedral, the Dean of Rochester serves as chair of the school's governing body. The scho ...

, England (604) *

St Peter's School, York St Peter's School is a co-educational independent boarding and day school (also referred to as a public school), in the English City of York, with extensive grounds on the banks of the River Ouse. Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, ...

, England (627) * Thetford Grammar School, Thetford, England (631), first conclusive evidence (1114) * Royal Grammar School, Worcester, England (685), first conclusive evidence (1291) *

Beverley Grammar School Beverley Grammar School a boys’ day school secondary academy school in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. A school may have been founded here about 700 AD and on that basis the school is claimed to be the country's oldest grammar sc ...

, England (700), oldest state school in England *, St. Gallen, Switzerland (ending 7th century, exact date not clear), founded by Saint Othmar

Eighth century

Sherborne School (God and My Right) , established = 705 by Aldhelm, re-founded by King Edward VI 1550 , closed = , type = Public school Independent, boarding school , religion = Church of England , president = , chair_label = Chairman of the governor ...

, England (705) * ,

Eichstätt Eichstätt () is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the district of Eichstätt. It is located on the Altmühl river and has a population of around 13,000. Eichstätt is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese ...

, Germany (c. 740), founded by

Willibald Willibald (; c. 700 – c.787) was an 8th-century bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria. Information about his life is largely drawn from the Hodoeporicon (itinerary) of Willibald, a text written in the 8th century by Huneberc, an Anglo-Saxon nun fr ...

* Fulda monastery school, Fulda, Germany (748), founded by Sturmi * Gymnasium Paulinum, Germany (797) *

Gymnasium Theodorianum The Gymnasium Theodorianum is a grammar school situated in the historic centre of Paderborn, Germany. Succeeding in the tradition of the cathedral school founded in 799, it is among the ten oldest schools in the world. It continues in the ideals ...

, Germany (799)

Ninth century

* Gymnasium Carolinum,

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

, Germany (804), founded by Charles the Great (

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first E ...

) *Domgymnasium Hildesheim,

Hildesheim Hildesheim (; nds, Hilmessen, Hilmssen; la, Hildesia) is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of the ...

, Germany (c. 815), founded by

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqu ...

* ,

Xanten Xanten (, Low Rhenish: ''Santen'') is a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the district of Wesel. Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park, one of the largest archaeological open air museums in the wo ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

(exact founding date not clear)

Tenth century

Wells Cathedral School Wells Cathedral School is a co-educational independent school located in Wells, Somerset, England. The school is one of the five specialist musical schools for school-age children in the United Kingdom, along with Chetham's School of Music, th ...

, England (c.909) *

Warwick School Warwick School is a selective, independent day and boarding school in Warwick, England in the public school tradition. Known until about 1900 as King's School, Warwick, it is believed to have been founded by Æthelflæd of Mercia in 914 AD ...

, England (914) * St Albans School, England (948) * The Minster School, Southwell, England (c. 956) *

The King's School, Ely King's Ely (renamed from "The King's School" in March 2012),The School's Terms and Conditions and the Companies House registration would suggest that the School's legal name remains "The King's School, Ely" is a co-educational public school ...

, England (970) * Pannonhalma Benedictine College, Hungary (996), founded by Grand Prince Géza of Hungary

Eleventh century

* Roskilde Katedralskole, Denmark (c. 1020) * Suzhou High School, China (1035) *

Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík (MR; official name in English: Reykjavik Junior College) is a junior college in Iceland. It is located in Reykjavík. The school traces its origin to 1056, when a school was established in Skálholt, and it remains o ...

, Iceland (1056) * Viborg Katedralskole, Denmark (c.1060) * Katedralskolan, Lund, Sweden (1085), originally part of Denmark, despite the many Danish-Swedish wars continuously operating since it was founded. * Salisbury Cathedral School, England (1091) *

Norwich School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a selective English independent day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as a ...

, England (1096) *

Abingdon School Abingdon School is a day and boarding independent school for boys in Abingdon-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. The twentieth oldest independent British school, it celebrated its 750th anniversary in 2006. The school was described as "highly ...

, England (1100, endowed 1256, refounded 1563)

Twelfth century

* St Paul's Cathedral School, England (1123) * High School of Glasgow, Scotland (pre-1124) * Reading School, England (1125) * Royal High School,

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, Scotland (1128) * Stirling High School, Scotland (1129) * Stiftsgymnasium Melk, Austria (pre-1140) * Bristol Cathedral School, England (1140) * Ribe Katedralskole, Denmark (1145) * Trondheim katedralskole, Norway (c. 1152) *

Bergen katedralskole Bergen Cathedral School ( Norwegian: ''Bergen Katedralskole'', Latin: ''Schola Cathedralis Bergensis'', formerly known as Bergens lærdeskole and Bergen latinskole and colloquially known as Katten) is an upper secondary school in Bergen, Norway. Lo ...

, Norway (1153) *

Oslo katedralskole Schola Osloensis, known in Norwegian as Oslo Katedralskole (''Oslo Cathedral School'') and more commonly as "Katta",Derby School Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational a ...

, England (1160) * , France (1161) *

Westminster School (God Gives the Increase) , established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560 , type = Public school Independent day and boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Hea ...

, England (1179) * Małachowianka, Poland (1180) *

Lanark Grammar School Lanark Grammar School is a secondary school in Lanark, Scotland. It was founded in 1183, and celebrated its octocentenary in 1983, including a visit by The Princess Anne. The school draws its pupils from the town of Lanark and many villages in t ...

, Scotland (1183) *

Aarhus Katedralskole Aarhus Katedralskole is a cathedral school, an institution of secondary education, a Danish Gymnasium and a listed building in Aarhus, Denmark. The school is situated in the neighborhood Midtbyen, in the Latin Quarter, bounded by the streets Me ...

, Denmark (1195) * Paulo Pontine, later

Bedford School :''Bedford School is not to be confused with Bedford Girls' School, Bedford High School, Bedford Modern School, Old Bedford School in Bedford, Texas or Bedford Academy in Bedford, Nova Scotia.'' Bedford School is a public school (English ind ...

, Bedford, England (Date Uncertain, refounded by Edward VI 1552, ''see below'')

Thirteenth century

* Colchester Royal Grammar School, England (pre-1206) *

Metropolitanskolen Metropolitanskolen ("The Metropolitan School") was a school in Copenhagen, Denmark founded in 1209 by the Bishop , and for centuries one of the most prestigious schools in the country. History The school was founded in 1209 next to the Church of ...

, Denmark (1209) * Riga State Gymnasium No.1, Latvia (1211) * Thomasschule zu Leipzig, Germany (1212) * Ayr Academy, Scotland (1233) *

Lancaster Royal Grammar School Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS) is a selective grammar school (day and boarding) for boys aged 11–18 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. Old students belong to The Old Lancastrians. The school's sixth form opened to girls in 2019. LRGS i ...

, England (1235) * High School of Dundee, Scotland (1239) * ,

Ji'an Ji'an () is a prefecture-level city situated in the central region of Jiangxi province of the People's Republic of China while bordering Hunan province to the west. It has an area of and as of the 2020 census, had a population of 4,469,176, of ...

, China (1241) *

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (sc ...

, England (1243, Royal Charter in 1572) *

Katedralskolan, Uppsala Katedralskolan ( Swedish; ''Cathedral School'' in English; colloquially Katte; formerly Uppsala Högre Allmänna Läroverket, or ''Higher-level Public Education'') is a public gymnasium in Uppsala, Sweden. The school was, according to tradition, ...

, Sweden (exact year of foundation not known, by tradition 1246) * , Germany (1250) * ,

Dordrecht Dordrecht (), historically known in English as Dordt (still colloquially used in Dutch, ) or Dort, is a city and municipality in the Western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the province's fifth-largest city after ...

, The Netherlands (1253) (oldest school in The Netherlands) *

, England (1256) * Aberdeen Grammar School, Scotland (1257) * , The Netherlands (exact year of foundation unknown, but first mentioned in 1274) *

Cathedral School in Turku A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominations ...

, Finland (1276) * King Edward VI Grammar School, Louth, England (1276) * Ruthin School, Denbighshire, Wales (1284) * King Edward VI Grammar School, Stratford-upon-Avon (1295 refounded 1553) *

Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden is a gymnasium in the Netherlands. Located in Leiden, it is one of the oldest schools in the Netherlands. Its history dates back to the Middle Ages. The Stedelijk Gymnasium Leiden is the biggest gymnasium-only school ...

, The Netherlands (first mentioned 1323, but year of foundation is estimated mid 13th Century)

Fourteenth century

Stamford School Stamford School is an independent school for boys in Stamford, Lincolnshire in the English public school tradition. Founded in 1532, it has been a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference since 1920. With the girls-only S ...

, England (c.1309 but re-endowed 1532) *

Northallerton School Northallerton School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, England. The school is located over two sites on Brompton Road and Grammar School Lane. History The school was founded in 1322 ...

, England (1323) * Hanley Castle High School, England (1326) *

Gymnasium Erasmianum The Gymnasium Erasmianum is a school in Rotterdam (also known under its Dutch name "Erasmiaans Gymnasium"). History Founded in 1328, it is the second oldest school in the Netherlands with recorded date of establishment (after the Johan de Witt ...

, The Netherlands (1328) * , Celle, Germany (1328) * , Warendorf, Germany (1329) * The King's School, Grantham, Lincolnshire, England (1329) refounded (1528) *

Bourne Grammar School Bourne Grammar School (BGS) is a co-educational grammar school with academy status on South Road ( A15), in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. The school was founded in 1330. It previously held Arts College Status, and was awarded Academy status i ...

Lincolnshire, England (1330) *

Hull Grammar School Hull Grammar School was a secondary school in Hull, England, founded around 1330 and endowed in 1479 by the prelate John Alcock. In 1988, as part of a restructure by the Local Education Authority, the site was renamed William Gee School. Meanwh ...

, England (1330) * King's School Ottery St. Mary, England (1335) * Barlaeus Gymnasium,

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

, Netherlands (1342) * Bablake School, England (1344) * Instituto San Isidro, Spain (1346) *

St George's School, Windsor Castle St George's School, Windsor Castle is a co-educational independent preparatory school in Windsor, near London, England. Founded to provide choirboys for the Choir of St George's Chapel, it now educates over 400 boys and girls. History The scho ...

, England (1348) *

Charles University ) , image_name = Carolinum_Logo.svg , image_size = 200px , established = , type = Public, Ancient , budget = 8.9 billion CZK , rector = Milena Králíčková , faculty = 4,057 , administrative_staff = 4,026 , students = 51,438 , under ...

, Czech Republic (1348) * Doncaster Grammar School / Hall Cross School, England (1350) * Beauchamp College, England (1359) *

Jagiellonian University The Jagiellonian University ( Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...

, Poland (1364) * Sint Maartensschool (name later changed into Praedinius Gymnasium), The Netherlands (1375) * Prince Henry's High School, England (c1376) * ,

Amersfoort Amersfoort () is a city and municipality in the province of Utrecht, Netherlands, about 20 km from the city of Utrecht and 40 km south east of Amsterdam. As of 1 December 2021, the municipality had a population of 158,531, making it the second- ...

, The Netherlands (1376) *

New College School New College School (officially St Mary's College School) is an independent preparatory school for boys aged 4 to 13 in Oxford. It was founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham to provide for the education of 16 choristers for the chapel of New ...

, England (1379) * Wisbech Grammar School,Wisbech, England (1379) * Knox Academy, Scotland (1379) * Samuel von Brukenthal National College, Sibiu, Romania (1380) - originally part of Hungary *

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

, Winchester, England (1382) * Hereford Cathedral School,Hereford, England (1384) *

Katharine Lady Berkeley's School Katharine Lady Berkeley's School is an academy school near Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England, for ages 11 to 18. History The school was founded by Katherine, Lady Berkeley for the use of six scholars in 1384 which makes it one of th ...

, Wotton-under-Edge, England (1384) *

Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem The Stedelijk Gymnasium Haarlem or the Latin School of Haarlem is a secondary school in Haarlem, Netherlands. The school was founded in 1389 and is therefore one of the oldest schools in the world. The school offers ''voorbereidend wetenschappeli ...

, the Netherlands (1389) *

Halepaghen Grammar School The Halepaghen Grammar School (german: Gymnasium Halepaghen-Schule), or HPS, is a '' gymnasium'' ("grammar school") in Buxtehude (Lower Saxony, Germany). The school was mentioned for the first time in 1390 as an (original) grammar school. The sc ...

, Germany (1390) * Penistone Grammar School, Penistone, England (1392) *

Gymnasium Haganum The Gymnasium Haganum is one of the oldest public schools in the Netherlands, located in the city of The Hague. First mentioned in 1327, the school is currently housed in a monumental Renaissance Revival architecture building, built in 1907. It ...

, The Netherlands (1394) * Cathedral School of Vilnius, Lithuania (founded before 1397) *

Ipswich School Ipswich School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils aged 3 to 18 in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. North of the town centre, Ipswich School has four parts on three adjacent sites. The Pre-Prep and Nursery ...

, Suffolk, England (1399) (first record of existence) * Chorister School, Durham, England (c.1400)

Fifteenth century

* , Sweden (1406) *

Oswestry School Oswestry School is an ancient public school (English independent day and boarding school), located in Oswestry, Shropshire, England. It was founded in 1407 as a 'free' school, being independent of the church. This gives it the distinction of b ...

, England (1407) * Durham School, England (1414) (possibly 635) * Aberdeen Grammar School, Scotland (1418) (possibly 1257) * Royal Latin School, England (1423) *

Brechin High School Brechin High School is a non-denominational secondary school in Brechin, Angus, Scotland Admissions It has approximately 660 students, and real listically 4 staff. The school has a relationship with the town's cathedral stretching back to the ea ...

, Scotland (1429) *

Sponne School Sponne School in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England, is the oldest secondary school in Northamptonshire, and one of the oldest in the country. Part of the school was originally Towcester Grammar School, until Grammar schools were abolished i ...

, England (1430) * St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir School, Dublin, Ireland (1432) * Sevenoaks School, England (1432) *

Eton College Eton College () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI of England, Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. i ...

, England (1440) *

Chipping Campden School Chipping Campden School is a non-selective secondary school and sixth form with academy status located in Chipping Campden, in the English county of Gloucestershire. Founded in c.1440 the school celebrated its 575th birthday in 2015. The schoo ...

, England (c1440) *

King's College School, Cambridge King's College School is a coeducational independent preparatory school for children aged 4 to 13 in Cambridge, England, situated on West Road off Grange Road, west of the city centre. It was founded to educate the choristers in the King's ...

, England (1441) *

City of London School , established = , closed = , type = Public school Boys' independent day school , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head = Alan Bird , chair_label = Chair of Governors , chair = Ian Seaton , founder = John Carpenter , special ...

, England (1442) * Adams' Grammar School, England (1442) * Bridlington School, England (1447) *

Dreikönigsgymnasium The Dreikönigsgymnasium ("Tricoronatum", meaning "Three Kings School", sometimes called in English the College of the Three Crowns) is a regular public Gymnasium located in Cologne, Germany. Founded in 1450 by the city of Cologne, it is the ol ...

, Cologne, Germany (1450) * Phanar Greek Orthodox College, Istanbul, Turkey (1454) * St. Bartholomew's School, England (1466) * Dunfermline High School, Scotland (1468) * Bromsgrove School (record of a chantry school 1476, re-founded 1553) * Magdalen College School, Oxford, England (1480) *

Galatasaray High School Galatasaray High School ( tr, Galatasaray Lisesi, french: Lycée de Galatasaray), established in what was then Constantinople and is now Istanbul, in 1481, is the oldest high school in Turkey. It is also the second-oldest Turkish educational in ...

, Istanbul, Turkey (1481) *

Skegness Grammar School ''(A sound conscience is a wall of brass)'' , established = (1933 at current site) , closed = , type = Grammar schoolAcademy , religion = , president = , head_label = , head = Jude Hunton , r_he ...

, England (1483) *

Stockport Grammar School Stockport Grammar School is a co-educational independent day school in Stockport, England. Founded in 1487 by former Lord Mayor of London Sir Edmund Shaa, it is the second oldest in the North of England, after Lancaster Royal Grammar School, ...

, England (1487) * Ermysted's Grammar School, England (1492) (first record of existence) *

King Edward VI School, Lichfield King Edward VI School, Lichfield, is a co-educational secondary school and sixth form located near the heart of the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. It is a community school maintained by Staffordshire Education Authority and admits ...

, England (1495) * Loughborough Grammar School, England (1495) * The Prebendal School, England (1497) *

Queen Elizabeth's School, Wimborne Minster Queen Elizabeth's School (also known as QE) is a co-educational secondary school in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. Introduction QE is an upper school, taking students between the ages of 13 and 18. In November 2014 there were 1,482 pupils, ...

, England (1497) * Alcester Grammar School, England (1498)

Sixteenth century

Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (QEGS) is a co-educational free school in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. Founded in 1509 as a boys' school, it is now a co-educational independent free school with over 1200 students from ages 4 to 18. Pupils ...

, England (1509) * Royal Grammar School, Guildford, England (1509) *

St Paul's School, London (''By Faith and By Learning'') , established = , closed = , type = Independent school Public school , religion = Church of England , president = , h ...

, England (1509) *

Giggleswick School Giggleswick School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in Giggleswick, near Settle, North Yorkshire, England. Early school In 1499, Giggleswick School was founded on half an acre of land leased by the Prior an ...

, England (1512) * Lewes Old Grammar School, England (1512) *

Wolverhampton Grammar School Wolverhampton Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Wolverhampton, England. History Initially a grammar school for boys, WGS was founded in 1512 by Sir Stephen Jenyns, a master of the ancient guild of Merchant Taylors, who ...

, England (1512) * Nottingham High School, England (1513) * Pocklington Grammar School, England (1514) *

Manchester Grammar School The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent school (UK), independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a Grammar school#free tuition, free grammar school next to Manchester C ...

, England (1515) * Gillingham School, Dorset, England (1516) *

Bolton School Bolton School is an independent day school in Bolton, Greater Manchester. It comprises a co-educational nursery, co-educational infant school (ages 3–7), single sex junior schools (ages 7–11) and single sex senior schools including sixth fo ...

, England (1516) (exact year of foundation unknown, but first mentioned in 1516) * Cranbrook School, Kent, England (1518) * King's School, Bruton, England (1519) *

Sedbergh School Sedbergh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in the town of Sedbergh in Cumbria, in North West England. It comprises a junior school for children aged 4 to 13 and the main school for 13 to 18 year olds. ...

, England (1525) * Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England (1525) * Bishop Vesey's Grammar School, England (1527) * , Germany (1527) * Bingley Grammar School, West Yorkshire, England (1529) *

Magnus Grammar School Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wi ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

(1531) *

Bristol Grammar School Bristol Grammar School (BGS) is a 4–18 mixed, independent day school in Bristol, England. It was founded in 1532 by Royal Charter for the teaching of 'good manners and literature', endowed by wealthy Bristol merchants Robert and Nicholas Thorn ...

, England (1532) * Nicolas Gibson Free School now the

Coopers' Company and Coborn School The Coopers' Company and Coborn School is a secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Upminster area of the London Borough of Havering, England. Admissions The school is (since 2005) a non-selective school described by Ofs ...

, England (1536) * Elizabethan Grammar School now Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College, England (1536) * , Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1537) * Kilkenny College. Ireland (1538) * The Crypt School, Gloucester, England (1539) *

Christ College, Brecon Christ College, Brecon, is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the cathedral and market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It currently caters for pupils aged 7–18 years. History Christ College was founded by Roya ...

, Wales (1541) *

The King's School, Peterborough Founded by King Henry VIII, The King's (The Cathedral) School is a state-funded Church of England school located in Peterborough, England. Although for centuries a boys-only grammar school, "Kings" is now mixed and has a Junior Department in M ...

, England (1541) *

The King's School, Worcester The King's School, Worcester is an English independent day school refounded by Henry VIII in 1541. It occupies a site adjacent to Worcester Cathedral on the banks of the River Severn in the centre of the city of Worcester. It offers mixed-sex ma ...

, England (1541) *

The King's School, Gloucester The King's School is a co-educational independent day school in Gloucester, in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It traces its heritage to a monastic school founded in the 11th century in the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral. It became ...

, England (1541) *

The King's School, Chester The King's School, Chester, is a British co-educational independent day school for children aged 4 to 18. It is one of the seven 'King's Schools' established (or re-endowed and renamed) by King Henry VIII in 1541 after the Dissolution of t ...

, England (1541) *

Berkhamsted School Berkhamsted School is an independent day school in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. The present school was formed in 1997 by the amalgamation of the original Berkhamsted School, founded in 1541 by John Incent, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral ...

, Hertfordshire, England (1541) *

Northampton School for Boys Northampton School for Boys (NSB) is a secondary school in Northampton, England. It was founded as Northampton Town and County Grammar School in 1541 by Thomas Chipsey, Mayor of Northampton. Education in England#Stages of compulsory education, Yea ...

, Northampton, England (1541) * King Henry VIII School, Abergavenny, Wales (1542) * Dauntsey's School, Wiltshire, England (1542) * , Dortmund, Germany (1543) * ,

Nijmegen Nijmegen (;; Spanish and it, Nimega. Nijmeegs: ''Nimwèège'' ) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and tenth largest of the Netherlands as a whole, located on the Waal river close to the German border. It is about 6 ...

, Netherlands (1544) * , Düsseldorf, Germany (1545) *

Christ Church Cathedral School Christ Church Cathedral School is an independent preparatory school for boys in Oxford, England. It is one of three choral foundation schools in the city and educates choristers of Christ Church Cathedral, and the Chapels of Worcester College ...

, Oxford, England (1546) *

Colyton Grammar School Colyton Grammar School (commonly abbreviated to 'CGS') is a co-educational grammar school (and Academy) located in the village of Colyford in East Devon, England that caters for pupils aged 11 to 18. The school has been classified by Ofsted as ...

, Colyford, Devon, England (1546) *

Bradford Grammar School Bradford Grammar School (BGS) is a co-educational independent day school located in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. Entrance is by examination, except for the sixth form, where admission is based on GCSE results. The school gi ...

, Bradford, Yorkshire, England (1548) * Kirkham Grammar School, England (1549) *

Maidstone Grammar School Maidstone Grammar School (MGS) is a grammar school in Maidstone, England. The school was founded in 1549 after Protector Somerset sold Corpus Christi Hall on behalf of King Edward VI to the people of Maidstone for £200. The Royal Charter f ...

, Maidstone, England (1549) *

King Edward VI School, Bury St Edmunds King Edward VI School is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. The school in its present form was created in 1972 by the merging of King Edward VI Grammar School, with the Silver Jubilee Girls Scho ...

, England (1550) *

King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford King Edward VI Grammar School, or KEGS, is a British grammar school with academy status located in the city of Chelmsford, Essex, England. It takes pupils between the ages of 11 and 18, ie. school years 7 to 13. For years 7 to 11 the school is b ...

, Essex, England (1551) * Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, England (1551) *

Leeds Grammar School Leeds Grammar School was an independent school founded 1552 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Originally a male-only school, in August 2005 it merged with Leeds Girls' High School to form The Grammar School at Leeds. The two schools physicall ...

, Leeds, England (1552) * King Edward's School, Birmingham, England (1552) * King Edward's School, Bath England (1552) *

Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13 –18) in Shrewsbury. Founded in 1552 by Edward VI by Royal Charter, it was originally a boarding school for boys; girls have been admitted into ...

, England (1552) *

Christ's Hospital Christ's Hospital is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 11–18) with a royal charter located to the south of Horsham in West Sussex. The school was founded in 1552 and received its first royal charter in 1553. ...

, England (1552) *

Hutton Grammar School Hutton Grammar School is a voluntary aided Church of England day school for boys, with a co-educational Sixth Form. It is located south west of Preston, Lancashire, in Hutton, England. It provides education for boys from the age of 11 to 16, a ...

, England (1552; endowed 1522) *

Akademisches Gymnasium (Vienna) The Akademisches Gymnasium is a state gymnasium school located in Vienna, Austria. Founded by the Jesuits in March 1553, it is the oldest secondary school in Vienna and is now nondenominational and non-feepaying. The school offers a humanistic ed ...

, Austria (1553) *

Tonbridge School (God Giveth the Increase) , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = , president = , head_label ...

, England (1553) *

King Edward VI School, Southampton King Edward VI School (also known as King Edward's, or KES) is a selective co-educational independent school founded in Southampton, United Kingdom, in 1553. The school was founded at the request of William Capon, who bequeathed money in his ...

, England (1553) *

Queen Mary's Grammar School Queen Mary's Grammar School (QMGS) is a boys' grammar school with academy status located on Sutton Road, Walsall, England, about a mile from the town centre and one of the oldest schools in the country. The sixth form is coeducational. Admiss ...

, England (1554) *

Boston Grammar School The Boston Grammar School is a selective grammar school and sixth form college for boys aged 11 to 18 and girls attending the sixth form aged 16–18 located in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. A recent 2021 Ofsted report assessed the school ov ...

, England (1555) * Ripon Grammar School, England (1555) * Laxton Grammar School, England (1556) * Hampton School, England (1556) * , Prague, Czech Republic (1556) * Brentwood School, England (1557) * Friars School, Bangor, Wales (1557) * Tadcaster Grammar School, England (1557) * ,

Gävle Gävle () is a city in Sweden, the seat of Gävle Municipality and the capital of Gävleborg County. It had 77,586 inhabitants in 2020, which makes it the 13th most populated city in Sweden. It is the oldest city in the historical Norrland (Swed ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

(1557) (In 1669 absorbing , founded in 1640.Rietz, Johan Emil (1848) ''Skånska Skolväsendets historia.'' Lund, p. 149.) * Enfield Grammar School, England (1558) (absorbing and replacing the Enfield chantry-school 1398–1558). *

Thomas Alleyne's High School Thomas Alleyne's High School (TAHS) is a coeducational upper school and sixth form located in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England. It is one of three schools founded in 1558 from the will of Thomas Alleyne. It has four different coloured houses: ...

Uttoxeter Uttoxeter ( , ) is a market town in the East Staffordshire district in the county of Staffordshire, England. It is near to the Derbyshire county border. It is situated from Burton upon Trent, from Stafford, from Stoke-on-Trent, from ...

, England (1558) *

Repton School Repton School is a 13–18 co-educational, independent, day and boarding school in the English public school tradition, in Repton, Derbyshire, England. Sir John Port of Etwall, on his death in 1557, left funds to create a grammar school whi ...

, England (1559) *

Solihull School Solihull School is a coeducational independent day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. History In 1560 th ...

, England (1560) * Leith Academy, Scotland (1560) *

Westminster Abbey Choir School Westminster Abbey Choir School is a boarding preparatory school for boys in Westminster, London and the only remaining choir school in the United Kingdom which exclusively educates choristers (i.e. only choirboys attend the school). It is loca ...

, England (1560) * Kingston Grammar School, England (1561) * Colegio Nuestra Señora de Montesión, Spain (1561) * St Olave's Grammar School, England (1561) *

Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood Small things grow in harmony , established = , closed = , coordinates = , pushpin_map = , type = Independent day school , religion = Church ...

, England (1561) * Queen Elizabeth's Academy, England (1561) *

Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck The Akademisches Gymnasium Innsbruck is a public gymnasium grammar school in Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria. Founded in 1562 by the Jesuits in the course of the counter-reformation, it is the oldest school in Western Austria and one of the oldest ...

, Austria (1562) * Elizabeth College, Guernsey (1563) *

Sir Roger Manwood's School Sir Roger Manwood's School is a selective grammar school located in the medieval town of Sandwich, Kent, England. Founded in 1563, it is one of the oldest schools in Britain and the third oldest state grammar school in Kent. Originally an al ...

, England (1563) *

Felsted School (Keep your Faith) , established = , closed = , type = Public school Independent day and boarding , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Headmaster , head = Chris Townsend , r_head ...

, England (1564) * Herlufsholm Boarding School, Denmark (1565) *

Highgate School Highgate School, formally Sir Roger Cholmeley's School at Highgate, is an English co-educational, fee-charging, independent day school, founded in 1565 in Highgate, London, England. It educates over 1,400 pupils in three sections – Highgat ...

, England (1565) *

Ashby School Ashby School, formerly known as Ashby Grammar School, is a co-educational day secondary school and sixth form in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England. The school is situated in the centre of Ashby on two sites. History Ashby Grammar Sch ...

, England (1567) *

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...

, England (1567) * The Royal School of Dunkeld, Scotland (1567) (Royal Charter granted in the name of King James VI of Scotland) *

Richmond School Richmond School & Sixth Form College, often referred to simply as Richmond School, is a Mixed-sex education, coeducational secondary school located in North Yorkshire, England. It was created by the merger of three schools, the oldest of which ...

, England (1568) *

Bury Grammar School (The key that opens sacred doors) , established = , type = Independent day schoolGrammar school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Headmaster , head ...

, England (1570) *

St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School (informally referred to as 'St Mary Redcliffe', 'Redcliffe' or 'SMRT') is a Church of England voluntary aided school situated in the district of Redcliffe, Bristol, England. The school was formed by a merger ...

, England (1571) *

Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet is a boys' grammar school in Barnet, northern Greater London, which was founded in 1573 by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and others, in the name of Queen Elizabeth I. It is consistently ranked as one of ...

, England (1573) *

Dartford Grammar School Dartford Grammar School is a selective secondary (ages 11–19) foundation school for boys in Dartford, Kent, England, which admits girls to its sixth form (ages 16–18). All of the students joining the school are considered to be from the top ...

, England (1576) *

Sutton Valence School Sutton Valence School (SVS) is an independent school near Maidstone in southeast England. It has 560 pupils. It is a co-educational day and boarding school. There are three senior boarding houses: Westminster, St Margaret's and Sutton. History ...

, England (1576) *

Paisley Grammar School Paisley Grammar School is a secondary school in Paisley, the largest town in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The school was founded in 1576 by royal charter of King James VI and is situated on Glasgow Road. The school is recognised as one of Scotland ...

, Scotland (1577) * Vilnius University, Lithuania (1579) *

Kirkcudbright Academy Kirkcudbright Academy is a state funded, six-year secondary school in Kirkcudbright, Scotland with about 400 pupils and 87 staff including teaching, support and administration. Notable alumni * Jennie Adamson was a Labour Party politician in ...

(earliest record of existence 1582) * St. Bees School, England (1583) * , Como, Italy (1583) * Oakham School, England (1584) *

Uppingham School Uppingham School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils 13-18) in Uppingham, Rutland, England, founded in 1584 by Robert Johnson, the Archdeacon of Leicester, who also established Oakham School. The headma ...

, England (1584) * Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Ashbourne, England (1585) *

Queen Elizabeth's Hospital Queen Elizabeth's Hospital (also known as QEH) is an independent day school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1586. QEH is named after its original patron, Queen Elizabeth I. Known traditionally as "The City School", Queen Elizabeth's Hos ...

, England (1586) *

Spalding Grammar School Spalding Grammar School (SGS), fully known as The Queen Elizabeth Royal Free Grammar School Spalding, is a boys' grammar school in Spalding, Lincolnshire, England. History The school was founded in 1588 by royal charter, applied for by a R ...

, England (1588) *

Joyce Frankland Academy Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport, formerly Newport Free Grammar School, is a school in Newport, Essex, England. It was founded in 1588. The school is a mixed sex education, mixed secondary school with a sixth form. It previously existed in diff ...

, England (1588) (formerly Newport Free Grammar School) * Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield, England (1591) * Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, England (1591) *

Stonyhurst College Stonyhurst College is a co-educational Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition, on the Stonyhurst Estate, Lancashire, England. It occupies a Grade I listed building. The school has been fully co-educational sinc ...

, England (1593) *

Emanuel School Emanuel School is an independent, co-educational day school in Battersea, south-west London. The school was founded in 1594 by Anne Sackville, Lady Dacre and Queen Elizabeth I and occupies a 12-acre (4.9 ha) site close to Clapham Junction ra ...

, England (1594) * , Germany (1595) *

Whitgift School ("He who perseveres, conquers") , established = , closed = , type = Independent school , religious_affiliation = Church of England , president = , head_label = Head Master , head = Christopher Ramsey , c ...

, England (1596) * Aldenham School, England (1597) * Aylesbury Grammar School, England (1598) *

Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham Queen Elizabeth High School (QEHS) is a coeducational high school and sixth form located in Hexham, Northumberland, England. History The school was founded in 1599. Thomas Stackhouse, afterwards an Anglican clergyman and theologian, was headmas ...

, England (1599)

References

;Bibliography * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oldest schools *Schools Lists of education-related superlatives

Sixth century

Seventh century

Eighth century

Ninth century

Tenth century

Eleventh century

Twelfth century

Thirteenth century

Fourteenth century

Fifteenth century

Sixteenth century

See also

References