Spear’s Magazine has published a list of the best private schools in 2025, featuring five institutions from South Africa.
Among them is St Anne’s Diocesan College in KwaZulu-Natal, the only private all-girls school to make Spear’s Magazine’s list.
The list was compiled in partnership with Thuso and has become an annual benchmark for families around the world seeking schools that offer more than just academic success.
Now in its sixth year, the index was developed with guidance from educational experts in several regions.
While strong examination results are an important factor, Spear’s stressed that academic performance alone does not define leading schools.
The ranking takes into account social development, cultural life, pastoral care, diversity, inclusivity, and the sense of purpose and identity that schools instill in their pupils.
A school’s reputation and character play a significant role, influencing the families it attracts and the environments it creates for students to grow.
The index also reflects shifting global education patterns. Spear’s noted that families are increasingly mobile, relocating for opportunity and stability.
Cities such as Dubai, Cape Town, Nairobi, and hubs across Europe, Asia, and Latin America are drawing families who want schools that are globally connected and rooted in local identity.
To reflect this, the selection panel included both local and international voices across different continents.
This ensured that the final list did not simply mirror traditional prestige but recognised rising educational excellence in emerging markets.
The Spear’s Research Unit collected data and information directly from candidate schools, using a combination of online forms and interviews.
This was supplemented with additional research and by intelligence and insight from Thuso and the panel of expert educationalists.
According to Spear’s, the goal was to use common sense as much as metrics. No school was included simply because it was well-known.
Additionally, no deserving school was excluded simply because it was less internationally famous.
Top private South African all-girls school
In the “rest of the world” category, which features boarding and day schools from regions including India, Pakistan, Kenya, Argentina, Chile, and South Africa, five South African schools earned recognition.
These are Cordwalles Preparatory School, Hilton College, Michaelhouse, Western Province Preparatory School, and St Anne’s Diocesan College.
Among them, St Anne’s stands out as the only all-girls school to make the list. It has built a reputation not only on academic excellence but also on a distinctive approach to shaping confident, grounded young women.
The school’s academic record has remained strong for decades. For the 2024 matric class, St Anne’s achieved a 100% bachelor’s pass rate under the Independent Examinations Board system, with an average of 3.5 distinctions per student.
In its review Spear’s said that St Anne’s graduates place well at universities both in South Africa and internationally.
Founded in 1877 in Pietermaritzburg by Miss Emma Cresswell with backing from the Anglican Church, the school began with just 40 pupils in a building known as “The Manse.”
It relocated to Hilton in 1904 to benefit from a cooler climate and the opportunity to grow on a larger campus.
Over nearly 150 years, it has evolved from a small colonial-era institution into a modern school that balances tradition with contemporary education principles.
The curriculum is broad, offering core academic subjects alongside visual arts, economics, consumer studies, and life orientation.
The magazine added that the school also places strong emphasis on physical activity, with extensive grounds for hockey, netball, tennis, football, and swimming, as well as opportunities for canoeing, cross-country running, and horse riding.
The school also encourages students to build resilience and confidence through activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, and cultural tours.
Spear’s described St Anne’s as a school that has consistently combined academic strength with emotional and social development, preparing young women to step confidently into universities and leadership roles across industries and continents.
St Anne’s fees for 2025 are R314,600 per year for boarders and R169,640 for day scholars.
St Anne’s Diocesan College
