Boris Johnson studied at Eton, Winston Churchill went to Harrow and Prince Charles attended Gordonstoun – the UK’s most outrageously posh private schools

Education is a fundamental aspect of one’s life, how a child prepares to become a productive member of society. Millions of children around the world receive some form of public education that’s provided as a government service, investing tax money directly into a country’s young minds so they develop into functional adults. But if you’re among the elite few, destined for a life of prestige and power, a private (or paid-for) education is your likely method of schooling.

For centuries, boarding schools and elite private colleges have educated the UK’s most prestigious children. Spanning dukes, duchesses and titans of European industry, elite British schools have laid the foundation for future authors, actors and prime ministers.

These outrageous institutions exist only, of course, for families who can foot the bill for such an education. With annual tuition extending into tens of thousands of pounds, the cost of attendance at these “old boys’” and exclusive girls’ clubs is not for the faint of heart – or the empty wallet.

But students admitted into UK boarding schools don’t just receive a jacket and tie. Their top-shelf education often features stringent requirements that go beyond learning geography, maths or foreign languages.

Here are five over-the-top curriculums from some of England’s most elite schools:

Eton College

Perhaps the most elite boarding school in all of the United Kingdom, Eton College counts David Cameron, Karl Marx, George Orwell and current Prime Minister Boris Johnson among its storied alumni. But even an annual tuition of over £42,000 (US$53,970) – not counting numerous extras – doesn’t guarantee its pupils will develop the skills necessary to be a kind and pleasant member of society.