3 top boarding schools empowering young women to become future leaders

Independence, resilience, open-mindedness — these traits are essential to succeeding in the real world, and there’s no better place to foster them than attending a boarding school. To live away from your parents at such a young age is no short of a tough challenge, but it’s through that experience that students develop higher levels of self-confidence and leadership skills.

For a long time, there’s been discourse around whether single-sex schools pose better development for students as opposed to co-ed. While to each their own when it comes to preference in academic environments, a study from the University of Queensland showed that girls leaving single-sex schools were generally more confident than those leaving co-ed schools, and there are a variety of reasons for this.

Primarily, the reduced gender stereotypes. Girls aren’t pressured to wear makeup, or be quiet, or adhere to the idea that “boys are better at maths.” It’s a place where they’re able to discover who they really want to be, surrounded by a supportive community that empowers them for who they are. That said, if you’re looking for a boarding school to send your daughter to, these are three of the best in the sector for holistic, experiential development.

Branksome Hall is located in the dynamic city of Toronto, Canada, providing loads of opportunities for students to explore their talents. Source: Branksome Hall

Branksome Hall

Branksome Hall is one of two all-girls independent schools in Canada (and the only one in Toronto) to offer the globally recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) program exclusively — but its identity is far more distinctive than that.

After all, it’s rare to find a school that focuses on empowering young girls to become leaders through hands-on experiences, global connections, and cutting-edge facilities, let alone one that’s surrounded by a city as large and dynamic as Toronto. It’s even rarer to find one that is committed to students’ agency in their educational journey, offering flexible pathways in Grades 11 and 12 that empower students to tailor their learning to their individual strengths and future aspirations.

Shaping creative thinkers and problem-solvers is a Branksome Hall specialty. As one of the world’s safest and most diverse cities, Toronto offers numerous benefits for students living on Branksome Hall’s campus, making for a multifaceted, international experience. While receiving a top-tier education, students are encouraged to join athletics, co-curricular activities, leadership opportunities, and community service as much as they are to think critically in class.

Global opportunities broaden their understanding even more. Whether it’s visiting the sister school, Branksome Hall Asia, in Jeju, South Korea in Grade 9, and discovering a new culture, or participating in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking championships, where the school’s won two years in a row — Branksome students often get to see what’s beyond the horizon. To support them further, the school is set to open its new Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre (iCAST) this year, home to a state-of-the-art environment and the Noodle incubator program, which helps them develop entrepreneurial skills.

From Branksome Hall, graduates emerge to find success at the top universities in North America and beyond before they start shaking up the world. In 2025, they received a 100% acceptance rate to universities around the world, including Cornell, Imperial College London, University of Sydney, and more. With over 700 offers of admission and US$6 million in scholarships secured, more than half of the graduates are going on to pursue STEM and business programs — a testament to Branksome Hall’s quality education.

Home to 50 boarding students from 13 different countries in the IB program, Branksome Hall welcomes your child to its campus today. Apply to Branksome Hall now.

Wycombe Abbey runs over 40 clubs and societies to nurture well-rounded young women. Source: Wycombe Abbey/Facebook

Wycombe Abbey

Wycombe Abbey — located in Buckinghamshire, England — is a forward-thinking school that aims to nurture forward-thinking women. The all-girls boarding school for students aged 11 to 18 has been recognised in the Sunday Times Parent Power League Table as one of the “nation’s elite educational institutions” based on consistently outstanding GCSE and A Level results, and it’s easy to see why.

The school has a 125-year legacy of empowering young girls to be curious, bold, and innovative both inside and outside the classroom, with personalised support and an array of co-curricular opportunities to choose from. Here, they’re encouraged to develop their personal passions with the help of specialists for teachers who serve to inspire every individual.

Whether a student wants to become an aerospace engineer, actor, or anthropologist, Wycombe Abbey offers many activities and resources for them to turn their dreams into reality. School trips are frequently hosted to countries like Morocco, Italy, Switzerland, and more for students to apply their classroom learnings to real-world settings. Weekends are vibrant with social activities hosted in collaboration with other boys and co-ed schools, and over 40 societies and clubs, ranging from the Business Club to the African society.

It’s through Wycombe Abbey’s support that students are able to develop into well-rounded individuals, successfully managing the transition to university and independent living. In 2024 alone, they received acceptances into some of the top universities around the world, like New York University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Standard, Brown, the London School of Economics, and more. From Chemistry to Philosophy of Religion to Medicine — Wycombe Abbey is the place for girls to reach their full potential.

Learn more about Wycombe Abbey.

The Madeira School is located right by Washington, DC, one of the world’s most influential capital cities. Source: The Madeira School

The Madeira School

The Madeira School is devoted to its mission to “launch women who change the world” — and it’s one they’ve succeeded in since its founding in 1906 by being truly different and better. Graduates go on to some of the most highly selective universities before joining generations of Madeira women trailblazing in the sciences, business, arts, politics, and more.

Central to Madeira’s success is a powerful Co-Curriculum Internship programme. Ranked #1 boarding school in the Washington, DC area by Niche, Madeira is the only school in the US where 100% of students graduate with three life-changing internships. The school believes that students must first experience the world before they can change it for the better. Students begin by serving the greater community. The next year, they intern in a Congressional office on Capitol Hill. The programme culminates with each student pursuing a passion in an industry of their choosing. Madeira graduates impress recruiters and are ready to create meaningful change. The real-world skills gained from the internships complement Madeira’s ambitious academic programme. Starting in ninth grade all the way to the 12th, Madeira’s research-based, girl-centred curriculum builds critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

The setting? An enormous and scenic park-like campus overlooking the breathtaking Potomac River. Located just 10 miles from the nation’s capital, studying at Madeira means being surrounded by outdoor beauty and world-class urban living. It makes for the perfect living laboratory, with many adventures to boost student wellbeing, from hiking in the woods and ziplining in the trees to riding horses in great equestrian facilities and swimming in a competition-size indoor pool — all of which are available on campus itself. Minutes away is Washington, D.C., one of the world’s most influential capital cities filled with museums, monuments, politics, and leadership of the history-making kind — a fitting forecast of the future for Madeira girls.

Apply to The Madeira School today.