Since Labour introduced VAT on private school fees in January 2025, more than 100 of them have closed, making Britain’s best state schools more in demand than ever before.
The 20 per cent cost hike means many parents have turned their backs on independent schooling, with children switching to state education.
This has piled pressure on long-established institutions. Among the private schools to have closed are the century-old Moorlands School in Leeds – which directly blamed Labour’s tax raid – and Queen Margaret’s School for Girls, near York. More recently, Thetford Grammar School, one of the oldest schools in Britain, rang the school bell for the final time this summer, saying it was no longer financially viable.
While the Department for Education (DfE) doesn’t officially report finalised, detailed data on the 2026 GCSE results until February 2027, the majority of secondary schools already feature the results on their websites.
In 2026, the average percentage of GCSE pupils in England who achieved a Grade 5 (the equivalent of a high C) or above in both English and Maths was 46.3 per cent, up from 45.4 per cent in 2025.
State-funded schools that have soared way above that include Michaela Community School in Wembley – run by Katharine Birbalsingh, dubbed ‘Britain’s strictest headmistress’ – which saw 99.2 per cent of pupils score a Grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Queen Elizabeth’s School, a boys’ grammar in Barnet, reported that 100 per cent of pupils scored a Grade 5 or above in these subjects – while more than two-thirds of all GCSEs – 69 per cent – were awarded a Grade 9 (A* equivalent).
So, which schools in England, Scotland and Wales offer a stellar education? Here, we’ve consulted experts and The Good Schools Guide; analysed Ofsted and the latest official DfE data on GCSE results for 2025; and looked at 2026 results reported by schools, to bring you our pick of Britain’s best state schools. We’ve considered extracurricular activities and class sizes, too.
Secretary of State for Education Lucy Powell speaks with students collecting their GCSE results at Harper Green School in Farnworth, Bolton, this summer
GCSE grade key
High A* = 9
Lower A* or high A = 8
Lower A = 7
High B = 6
Lower B or high C = 5
Lower C = 4
D or high E = 3
Lower E or high F = 2
Lower F or G = 1
U = U
GREATER LONDON
Brampton Manor, Newham
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
This east London mixed-sex academy with a sixth form had more offers for children going to Oxbridge than Eton did in 2025, with Principal Dayo Olukoshi given an OBE in 2015 for services to education.
Almost 3,000 pupils attend the school, which has a traditional academic approach to learning and a no-nonsense stance on behaviour.
In 2025, 65.4 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at 5 or above, a dip of 7.2 per cent on the year before but still significantly higher than the 45.9 per cent national average.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 65.4 per cent
More info: bramptonmanor.org
Brampton Manor, Newham
Michaela Community School, Wembley
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Founded by ‘Britain’s strictest headteacher’, Katharine Birbalsingh, Michaela Community School has notched stellar results since the mixed-sex school with a sixth form launched 12 years ago. It’s strict but, against a backdrop of social deprivation, results are extraordinary. In 2026, over 50 per cent of all GCSE grades were 9s, with 99 per cent 4 to 9.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 95.7 per cent.
More info: michaela.education
Michaela Community School, Wembley
The Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston-upon-Thames
A regular in the national rankings top ten, there’s stiff competition for places at this selective secondary and sixth form for girls in Kingston-upon-Thames. Last year, 99.7 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at 5 or above. Parents say they love the school’s social conscience and its strong arts focus.
In an inspection in January 2026, Ofsted judged The Tiffin Girls’ School ‘exceptional’ in achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, leadership and governance, personal development and wellbeing, and post-16 provision.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 99.4 per cent.
More info: tiffingirls.org
The Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston-upon-Thames
Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
Also known as The Tiffin Boys’ School, Tiffin School also offers a prized selective education for 11 to 18-year-olds.
In 2026, the school recorded its best ever GCSE results, with 72 per cent of all exams taken graded at 7 or above, and with 45 per cent awarded grade 9s.
There are a wide range of extracurricular activities on offer and school trips are akin to those offered in the independent sector, including a Classics trip to North Africa and a choir visit to China, Australia and New Zealand.
Percentage of pupils gaining 4 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.3 per cent.
More info: tiffinschool.co.uk
Tiffin School, Kingston-upon-Thames
Wilson’s School, Wallington
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
This selective boys’ grammar with a sixth form in Wallington, south London comes with a private school feel; the website greets parents of prospective pupils with the Latin motto ‘non sibi sed omnibus’ – ‘not for oneself but for all’. Class sizes are small – around 16 pupils; there were 193 students in Year 11 in 2026. Wilson’s regularly beats Eton for GCSE results, with 96.2 per cent achieving a grade 9-7 this year.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 99 per cent
More info: wilsons.school
Wilson’s School, Wallington
Lady Margaret School, Parsons Green
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
This Church of England Academy for girls in Fulham, established in 1917 and named after Henry VII’s mother, has a highly oversubscribed sixth form, with stiff competition for places each year. In 2026, 79 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at 5 or above.
Head Elisabeth Stevenson says: ‘We welcome girls of all academic abilities, and we are committed to ensuring that our school community is one in which every girl can excel.’
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 81.5 per cent.
More info: ladymargaret.lbhf.sch.uk
Lady Margaret School, Parsons Green
Menorah High School for Girls, Barnet
OFSTED RATING: Good (2019). An ungraded inspection in January 2025 deemed the school had ‘improved significantly’ from its 2019 inspection.
Opened in 2001, Menorah High in Dollis Hill offers a Jewish and secular education to girls aged 11 to 18. Thirty-eight per cent of all grades last year were 8-9.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 84.7 per cent.
More info: menorahhigh.com
Menorah High School for Girls, Barnet
HOW BRITAIN’S EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED, FROM NEW OFSTED REPORTS TO PROGESS 8
Plenty has changed when it comes to how school performance is considered and reported in the last few years.
Following the tragic death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023, who died by suicide after her school was downgraded from ‘outstanding’ to ‘inadequate’, the government’s independent body introduced new monitoring framework in November 2025.
The colour-coded system, it says, avoids over-simplification and alleviates pressure on staff during inspections.
The Good School Guide urges parents to read the full Ofsted report for the fullest picture of school performance, saying the colour-coded system can be ‘confusing’.
Further policy changes introduced in September this year mean a school will be judged on much more than raw exam data.
Contextual challenging circumstances, including a high number of pupils eligible for free school meals (FSM), pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or pupils who do not speak English as a first language will be taken into account when future league tables are compiled.
Progress 8? That’s on pause. Since 2016, the Progress 8 score has shown pupils’ progress between primary school SATs (Key Stage Two at ages 7-11) and GCSE attainment (Key Stage Four at age 14-16).
A score above zero indicates better progress, on average, than pupils across England who got similar results at the end of Key Stage Two.
Scoring below zero means students made less progress.
The system though is currently on hold though because the last two years’ cohorts didn’t sit SATs because of the Covid pandemic. Normal results are set to be published again in 2026/2027.
The Henrietta Barnett School, Hampstead Garden Suburb
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
Founded in 1911 and serving girls aged 11 to 18, this grammar is housed in a Grade II-listed building and boasts state-of-the-art buildings including an art, design and technology centre and a revamped science wing.
In 2026, 69 per cent of all GCSE entries were marked at grade 9, with 97 per cent at 7-9. As for extracurricular activities, there are more than 50 clubs and societies.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: hbschool.org.uk
The Henrietta Barnett School, Hampstead Garden Suburb
JFS, Harrow
JFS, aka Jewish Free School, is a co-ed inclusive Orthodox Jewish school with a sixth form housed in modern buildings. Many students excel in sports and there’s strong focus on safeguarding and mental health, with pupil-led societies including LGBTQ+, philosophy and politics groups. 2026 saw one of the strongest set of GCSE results in recent years, with 55 per cent of pupils getting 7+ and 83 per cent achieving 5+ in English or Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 79 per cent.
More info: jfs.brent.sch.uk
JFS (Jewish Free School), Harrow
Grey Court School, Richmond
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
In leafy south-west London, Grey Court is a mixed, mid-size school for 11 to 18-year-olds that prides itself on serving up much more than academic education. Ofsted reported at its last inspection that ‘all pupils flourish’ here, with international trips, sports galore and a commitment to the arts all evident. In 2026, 95 per cent of students achieved at least five GCSEs at grades 9-4, with 48 per cent at 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 78.9 per cent
More info: greycourt.richmond.sch.uk
Grey Court School, Richmond
Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2021)
When the inspectorate last visited this co-ed school in 2021, it said Mossbourne ‘changes pupils’ lives for the better’. One of the first academies to open in the UK in 2004, it thrives in an area struggling with educational underachievement, and this year achieved its highest ever Attainment 8 score of 6.69.
In 2026, it also saw a significant leap in the number of pupils achieving 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE, rising from 70.4 per cent to 81 per cent.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 70.4 per cent.
More info: mca.mossbourne.org
Mossbourne Community Academy, Hackney
St Olave’s Grammar, Orpington
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
In the borough of Bromley, St Olave’s dates back to 1571 and is a highly selective boys’ CofE school (but welcomes all faiths) with a mixed sixth form. The results are top of the tree: headlines in 2026 include nearly 91.5 per cent achieving grade 7 or above – with 11 students scoring grade 9 in every subject.
The Good Schools Guide describes it as an ‘excellent fit’ for the ‘bright, motivated boy who is prepared to knuckle down’. Four places are given annually to choral scholars.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: saintolaves.net
St Olave’s Grammar, Orpington
The London Oratory School, West Brompton
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
Founded in 1863, this Catholic boys’ school with a mixed sixth form in West Brompton is described as ‘traditional, but quirky’ by headmaster Daniel Wright. The school has excellent sports facilities, with a particular focus on rugby. Sir Tony Blair and Sir Nick Clegg’s children both attended.
This year’s results saw 38 per cent of pupils getting grade 9-7, with 10 per cent achieving all grade 9s.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2023: 77.6 per cent.
More info: london-oratory.org
The London Oratory School, West Brompton
Hasmonean High School for Girls, Hendon
OFSTED RATING: Good (2023)
At its last inspection three years ago, the sixth form at this north London Jewish school for girls, part of the Hasmonean Multi-academy Trust, was deemed ‘outstanding’, with the main school rated ‘good’.
Results continue to be impressive, with 73.3 per cent of students attaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2026, although that figure has dropped by 10 per cent since 2025. Fifty-seven per cent walked away with grades 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 83.5 per cent.
More info: hasmoneangirls.org.uk
Hasmonean High School for Girls, Hendon
St Thomas the Apostle College, Nunhead
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Abbreviated to STAC, this Southwark boys’ school with a sixth form opened in 1965 and, though Catholic, now ‘reflects the multi-faith community’. In a 2024 short inspection, Ofsted said the school was ‘inspiring, exciting, and highly successful’.
In 2026, 73.9 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSEs, up slightly on 2025.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 72 per cent.
More info: stac.uk.com
St Thomas the Apostle College, Nunhead
The Latymer School, Edmonton
Results in 2026 backed up The Latymer School’s longstanding history of high achievement; 96 per cent of its GCSEs were grades 9-7 this summer and 31 students achieved straight 9s.
Founded in 1624, this selective grammar for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 strives for a rounded educational experience and offers excellent trips, including a much-loved excursion to Snowdonia every year. Ex-Latymerians include the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 99 per cent.
More info: latymer.co.uk
The Latymer School, Edmonton
Graveney School, Tooting
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
A sizeable (2,000 pupils), mixed, non-religious school over two campuses, Graveney increasingly attracts private school parents seeking a socially diverse environment.
There’s a large focus on music, and more than 30 subjects available at A-level.
In 2026, results were down a little on the previous year’s official stats, with 77.1 per cent of pupils achieving a grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 81 per cent.
More info: graveney.org
Graveney School, Tooting
Camden School for Girls, Camden
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
Founded in 1871, this London school with a co-ed sixth form is described by The Good Schools Guide as having ‘a rich diet of academic stimulation, focus on individual development and celebration of the arts’, saying the school ‘produces admirably well-rounded individuals ready and keen to take on the world’.
Alumni include Geri Horner and author Julia Donaldson. In 2026, 56 per cent of girls achieved grades 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 78.6 per cent.
More info: camdengirls.camden.sch.uk
Camden School for Girls, Camden
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Kensington
Oversubscribed and then some, this Roman Catholic school for boys with a mixed sixth form was founded in 1914.
Headmaster Aaron Cosgrove says the Catholic ethos is ‘at the heart of the school’, describing the school’s ‘principal role’ as being to help students ‘participate in the apostolic mission of the Church and support the pupils in understanding and exemplifying their faith through our commitment to Catholic Social Teaching’.
In 2026, 52 per cent of boys attending Year 11 got grades 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 80.2 per cent.
More info: cvms.co.uk
The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Kensington
Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
A selective boys’ school with a sixth form, this Hertfordshire grammar dates back to 1573 and says its mission is to ‘produce young men who are confident, able and responsible’. TV personality Robert Rinder was once on roll.
In 2026, the school recorded its best-ever GCSE results; more than two-thirds of all GCSEs – 69 per cent – were awarded grade 9.
And under Ofsted’s new framework, the school received the highest possible outcome, ‘Exceptional’, across all seven graded areas.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: qebarnet.co.uk
Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
SOUTH EAST
Westcliff High School for Boys, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
This boys’ grammar with a mixed sixth form does a good impression of an independent school, with its Union Jack flagpole and adoration of rugby. Everyone achieves academically, too.
The school improved slightly on its already impressive English and Maths results, with 98.9 per cent getting a 5 or above in 2026, up by more than a point on last year. 70.1 per cent achieved Grade 7 or above in both English and Maths this summer.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2023: 97.7 per cent.
More info: whsb.essex.sch.uk
Westcliff High School for Boys, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Westcliff High School for Girls, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Over 100 years old, this girls’ high school with a co-ed sixth form saw 96.2 per cent of pupils achieve Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths in 2026.
The school’s Attainment 8 score was 73.8, which places the school among the very highest-performing state schools in England, ranking in the top 3 per cent nationally.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 97.3 per cent.
More info: whsg.info
Westcliff High School for Girls, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex
Southend High School for Boys, Southend, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Two years ago, Ofsted rated this coastal selective boys’ school with a mixed-sex sixth form ‘outstanding’. There’s around 1,300 pupils on roll, with 400 in years 12 and 13 (aged 16 to 18). Ex-pupils include swimmer Mark Foster and the late Lionel Elvin, once Unesco’s Director of Education.
In 2026, 64.2 per cent achieved Grade 7 or above in English and Maths, with 98.3 per cent getting a five or above.
Percentage of pupils gaining four or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 97.2 per cent.
More info: shsb.org.uk
Southend High School for Boys, Southend, Essex
Southend High School for Girls, Southend, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
A former student, Countdown’s Rachel Riley, has penned a glowing review on the website, saying the school taught her ‘to strive for the best in everything I do’. The most recent Ofsted report agreed, saying: ‘Pupils eagerly take part in stimulating and engaging lessons that light a fire for learning.’
This year, 97.7 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining four or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.9 per cent.
More info: shsg.org
Southend High School for Girls, Southend, Essex
Colchester Royal Grammar School, Colchester, Essex
Founded in 1206, this boys’ academy grammar with a mixed-sex sixth form (30 of whom board on site) is selective and highly competitive for places.
Safeguarding issues closed it in 2021, but since re-opening, it’s worked hard to put that in the past – in 2023, Ofsted reported ‘a positive cultural change’. Its most recent inspection, in June 2026, agreed, saying it was operating at a ‘strong standard’. 98 per cent of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Maths in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining six or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 94 per cent.
More info: crgs.co.uk
Colchester Royal Grammar School, Colchester, Essex
Tonbridge Grammar School, Tonbridge, Kent
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2019)
Headteacher Rebecca Crean describes her school as ‘high achieving’ but with student wellbeing an equal priority. Tonbridge Grammar is a selective girls’ school with academy status and a co-ed sixth form offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma. In 2026, 97.2 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths, with the average GCSE grade at 7.5 throughout the Year 11 cohort.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.3 per cent.
More info: tgs.kent.sch.uk
Tonbridge Grammar School, Tonbridge, Kent
Dartford Grammar School, Dartford, Kent
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Selective boys’ school Dartford Grammar was founded in 1576 and has been judged ‘outstanding’ in every Ofsted inspection it’s ever had. In 2026, pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE were at 99.5 per cent.
There’s around 1600 pupils and the school has a mixed-sex sixth form. Alumni include Mick Jagger, who has his name above the school’s arts centre.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 98.9 per cent.
More info: dartfordgrammarschool.org.uk
Dartford Grammar School, Dartford, Kent
The Judd School, Tonbridge, Kent
OFSTED RATING: A recent ungraded inspection in 2025 found the school ‘outstanding’ in every single sub-category.
Head Boys and Girls described what it is to be a ‘Juddian’ on the website of this selective Tonbridge school, deeming it a ‘truly inspirational place’.
There’s plenty of enticing clubs to join, including a medical society and a ‘potions’ group. 73.8 per cent of pupils in 2026 achieved grade 7 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.4 per cent.
More info: judd.online
The Judd School, Tonbridge, Kent
Reading School, Reading, Berkshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Parents say this selective day and boarding boys’ school goes above and beyond the GCSE curriculum, and the results back that up, with 96.8 per cent of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths this summer. 83.4 per cent scored a seven or above in the same subjects.
The entrance exam is individual to the school and famous alumni include the late inventor Sir Clive Sinclair.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 100 per cent.
More info: reading-school.co.uk
Reading School, Reading, Berkshire
Roundwood Park School, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Pupils at this mixed comprehensive for 11 to 18-year-olds are ‘happy, and feel safe’, Ofsted said during the November 2024 inspection, adding students meet teachers’ exceptionally high expectations for their work, personal development and behaviour.
Results were higher in 2026, than 2025, with 72.5 per cent of pupils getting a five or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 67 per cent.
More info: roundwoodpark.co.uk
Roundwood Park School, Harpenden, Hertfordshire
Kendrick School, Reading, Berkshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
A place at this all-girls selective Reading school is seen as a gateway to a high-flying career, says The Good Schools Guide, who describes the establishment as ‘a go-getting and inspiring education for very bright girls’.
Students and staff adhere to the school pledge of ‘friendship, kindness and respect’ and Kendrick has eco-school status. 99.2 per cent of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Maths, with 89.9 per cent getting a Grade 7 or above.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: kendrick.reading.sch.uk
Kendrick School, Reading, Berkshire
Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton, Surrey
There’s a glut of excellent schools in Sutton but Nonsuch High remains the cream of the crop for many parents of girls aged 11 to 18.
Opened in 1938, the school has around 1,500 pupils and enrichment is diverse, with everything from an Islamic club to ukulele classes and a tap dance group. There’s a big focus on safeguarding and mental health, too.
One hundred per cent of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Maths this summer, with nearly 40 per cent of all grades at Grade 9.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.7 per cent.
More info: nonsuchschool.org
Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton, Surrey
St Andrew’s RC School, Leatherhead, Surrey
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2025)
Breaking for the summer with Ofsted’s highest rating under its belt, St Andrew’s in Leatherhead is sure to have had another strong GCSE results season.
In 2026, 83.7 per cent of students at this mixed Surrey school with a sixth form gained grades of five or above in English and Maths GCSEs – with an Attainment eight score of 65.4.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 80.4 per cent.
More info: st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk
St Andrew’s RC School, Leatherhead, Surrey
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2019)
Known simply as ‘Challoner’s’ locally, this Amersham selective grammar for boys aged 11 to 18 is widely considered the county’s best school for young men. Celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2024, the school saw 98.9 per cent of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Maths this summer, a slight increase on last year.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 96.2 per cent.
More info: challoners.com
Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Beaconsfield High School, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2019). Voted Outstanding in 2019, an ungraded inspection in 2024 confirmed the school had maintained those standards.
Nicknamed ‘Becky High’, this non-religious selective girls’ school for students aged 11 to 18 dares its students ‘to be remarkable’. There’s a strong parent community behind the school, too.
Some 97.2 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths in 2026, with an Attainment eight score of 74.5 notched up.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 99.4 per cent.
More info: beaconsfieldhigh.bucks.sch.uk
Beaconsfield High School, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
EAST OF ENGLAND
Saffron Walden County High School, Saffron Walden, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
This co-ed high for 11 to 18-year-olds has a longstanding reputation for above-average academic success. Ofsted’s visit two years ago suggested pupils thrive here. The school also boasts a ‘world-class’ concert venue in the shape of Saffron Hall.
While it’s eclipsed by selective and grammar schools in terms of overall results, as a mixed comprehensive, it still fares well above national average, with 64.7 per cent of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths this year.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 66.3 per cent.
More info: swchs.net
Saffron Walden County High School, Saffron Walden, Essex
Impington Village College, Cambridge
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2025)
Offering the International Baccalaureate (instead of A-levels) after GCSEs, this 1,500-roll school on Cambridge’s outskirts is consistently in the top 5 per cent nationally for student progress – and was deemed ‘Outstanding’ when last inspected last February.
Students choose three enrichment choices from a creative pool that includes trampolining, sign language and baking among other activities. GSCE results were up in 2026, with 71.7 per cent of pupils achieving Grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 66.1 per cent.
More info: ivc.tela.org.uk
Impington Village College, Cambridge
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
A boys’ school with a history dating back to the 16th century, admission into Year 7 comes via the 11+ – with competition for places strong. Most students stay on at the sixth form.
The school’s latest results show a leap in results this year, with 99.3 per cent of pupils scoring a grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 81.2 per cent.
More info: kegs.org.uk
King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Chelmsford, Essex
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Opened in 1907, this girls’ high has around 1,100 students, including 260 in sixth form.
Catchment has shrunk, says The Good Schools Guide, with the year 7 intake now required to live within 12.5 miles of the school – in a bid to stop parents so keen on the school commuting major distances every day to get there.
Results highlights this year? 98.9 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths, with an Attainment eight score of 81.4.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 99.4 per cent.
More info: cchs.co.uk
Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Chelmsford, Essex
Comberton Village College, Cambridge
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
With around 2,000 students, and a sixth form that was added in 2011, Comberton Village College is a non-selective, non-religious, mixed-sex academy.
Plenty of Cambridge academics have chosen to educate their offspring here and its last two Ofsteds, in 2013 and 2024, were both rated ‘Outstanding’.
This summer, 59 per cent achieved Grade 5+ in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 58.6 per cent
More info: combertonvc.org
Comberton Village College, Cambridge
The King’s (The Cathedral) School, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
‘To gain a place at this excellent school is to win the jackpot,’ gushed The Good Schools Guide after its latest visit. Striving to make students all-rounders with music, sport and culture high on the agenda, this mixed-sex selective CofE, which dates back to 1541, offers education for those aged eight to 18.
This summer, 69.8 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 75.5 per cent.
More info: kings.peterborough.sch.uk
The King’s (The Cathedral) School, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire
SOUTH WEST
Colyton Grammar School, Colyton, Devon
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
A mixed-sex, selective school with just over 1,070 pupils attending, Colyton Grammar has been a fixture in this East Devon village since 1546.
An Ofsted in 2023 praised staff for a curriculum ‘that is rigorous and relevant’. The school is consistently high-achieving in its exam results, with this year no exception: 99.3 per cent of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and Maths. Seventy-nine per cent of all GCSE grades were at 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.7 per cent.
More info: colytongrammar.com
Colyton Grammar School, Colyton, Devon
Pate’s Grammar School, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Dating back to 1574, this grammar with academy status has been co-ed since 1986. Its site is described as a ‘campus with acres of sports fields and state of the art facilities to inspire young minds’.
An impressive 99.3 per cent of all GCSE results this year were graded five or more for English and Maths or more, and head Dr James Richardson and his staff have an ‘outstanding’ from Ofsted still in their pockets from two years ago.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 99 per cent.
More info: patesgs.org
Pate’s Grammar School, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury, Wiltshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
This selective Church of England boys’ grammar opened in 1890 and counts Nobel Prize-winning author Sir William Golding and actor Ralph Fiennes among its alumni.
The school educates around 1,200 pupils. Since 2020, girls have been welcomed into the sixth form, with the current ratio standing at roughly 70 per cent boys to 30 per cent girls.
In 2026, the percentage of pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE stood at 98.1 per cent.
Percentage of pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 96.8 per cent.
More info: bishopwordsworths.org.uk
Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Gloucester
Sport and academia combine at this non-religious, rugby-loving Gloucestershire school for boys, which has a mixed sixth form.
Admitting around 150 boys via an entrance exam, Rich’s, as locals call it, saw 52 per cent of all grades 9-8 in 2026, with 99 per cent of students gaining five or more GCSE passes at grade four.
Head Matthew Lynch, who’s taught here since 2006, was at the helm in 2025 when Ofsted reported a ‘strong standard’ inspection.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.7 per cent.
More info: strschool.co.uk
Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Gloucester
Denmark Road High School, Gloucester
A 1,000-pupil girls’ state school with sixth form, head Claire Giblin puts Denmark Road’s formidable successes down to focusing on the ‘wholeness of education’ and not just the grade outcomes. Even so, the results are impressive, with the percentage of pupils gaining grade 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2026 at 97.4 per cent.
Year 7s have studied Little Women, Treasure Island and The Tempest amongst other texts this year.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2023: 98 per cent.
More info: denmarkroad.org
Denmark Road High School, Gloucester
Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, Torquay, Devon
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Girls come from far and wide to attend this high-performing, non-religious selective school for 11 to 18-year-olds in the Devon seaside town of Torquay. When visiting in 2023, Ofsted said: ‘Pupils are encouraged to become “history makers”.’
An impressive 95 per cent of all GCSEs were graded at five or more in English and Maths in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 90.3 per cent.
More info: tggsacademy.org
Torquay Girls’ Grammar School, Torquay, Devon
St John’s Marlborough, Marlborough, Wiltshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2025)
One of the largest secondary schools in Wiltshire, St John’s has become an alternative for posh parents not wanting to pay VAT on fees at nearby independent Marlborough College.
This non-selective mixed co-ed for 11 to 18-year-olds has much to boast about, including a broad and balanced curriculum and two hours’ enrichment – educational experiences that go beyond standard lessons – a week.
This summer, 56.3 per cent achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 57.1 per cent.
More info: stjohns.excalibur.org.uk
St John’s Marlborough, Marlborough, Wiltshire
Bournemouth School for Girls, Bournemouth, Dorset
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
A ‘thriving’ girls’ grammar serving Bournemouth and its environs, this school is part of the South West Academic Trust which includes other high-performing schools in the region.
Pastoral care focuses on the six-house system, which aims to ‘foster camaraderie, mentorship, and friendly competition’. This summer, 94.9 per cent of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 96 per cent.
More info: wearebsg.uk
Bournemouth School for Girls, Bournemouth, Dorset
Stroud High School, Stroud, Gloucestershire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
A girls’ school with a small proportion of boys in the sixth form, Stroud High feels progressive, with a slick website and eye-catching uniform – a burgundy jacket with candy-pink striped shirt. A sprinkling of students each year end up at Oxbridge.
The last inspection raved: ‘The school is determined that pupils experience “the exceptional every day”, and they do.’
Results in 2026? Ninety-nine per cent of all GCSE grades were at grade 9-5 according to the school’s website.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 97.5 per cent.
More info: stroudhigh.gloucs.sch.uk
Stroud High School, Stroud, Gloucestershire
NORTH EAST
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, Durham
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2015). An ungraded inspection in February 2025 described the school as ‘a warm, harmonious environment where pupils feel safe, happy, and highly valued’.
This mixed-sex comprehensive in County Durham is heavily oversubscribed, thanks to consistently high results at GCSE and A level, which grant students places on the most competitive courses at top universities, including Oxbridge.
This summer, 67 per cent of students achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and Maths, with one third of students getting a nine in Modern Foreign Languages.
Percentage of pupils gaining Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 62.1 per cent.
More info: durhamjohnston.org.uk
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, Durham
Whitley Bay High School, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Whitley Bay High has retained its ‘outstanding’ status since 2013. This mixed-sex secondary for 11 to 18-year-olds far exceeds national predictions but head Steve Wilson prioritises pastoral care too, with the aim that students leave as ‘confident, sensitive and reflective adults’.
GCSE results in English and Maths over grade 5 were down a little in 2026, to 56.1 per cent.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 62.8 per cent.
More info: whitleybayhighschool.org
Whitley Bay High School, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear
Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham, Northumberland
OFSTED RATING: Good (2024)
‘Respect. Engage. Inspire’ is the mantra for students and staff at this low-key Northumberland educational success story, which dates back to 1599.
The school is co-ed with a sixth form and was deemed ‘good’ by Ofsted in June 2024 and that year achieved 61.9 per cent Grade 5+ passes in English and Maths. In 2026, results were at 53 per cent in the core subjects.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 52.8 per cent.
More info: qehs.net
Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham, Northumberland
Ponteland High School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
OFSTED RATING: Good (2023)
Enjoying being part of a £43million regeneration of Northumberland, Ponteland High now boasts state-of-the-art facilities. The most recent set of results saw 63 per cent of students get a five or above in English and Maths, up 8 per cent on last year.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 55.5 per cent.
More info: ponthigh.org.uk
Ponteland High School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
Carmel College, Darlington, County Durham
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
The ethos at 1,372-pupil Catholic comprehensive Carmel College is to help students ‘achieve outstanding outcomes, whatever their starting points’.
Many students get their first university choices – including Oxbridge and Russell Group universities. A lively website and strong social media presence is helpful for parents, too.
This year, 38 per cent of students got 9-7 in English and 85 per cent a grade 4 or more in both English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 60.1 per cent.
More info: carmel.bhcet.org.uk
Carmel College, Darlington, County Durham
St Mary’s Catholic School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Part of the Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, mixed St Mary’s was described in its 2023 Ofsted inspection as ‘an ambitious and nurturing school where pupils thrive’.
There’s a sixth form and opportunities for global trips – including to Peru and Zambia – plus creative enrichment clubs. In 2026, 61 per cent of all GCSE English and Maths results were graded at five or above.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 68.9 per cent.
More info: stmarysnewcastle.co.uk
St Mary’s Catholic School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
NORTH WEST
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
Now part of the Bright Futures Educational Trust, Altrincham Grammar School for Girls dates back to 1910.
There’s nearly 1,400 girls on roll including around 360 in the sixth form, which has a strong focus on STEM subjects. Results are impressive, with 98 per cent of Maths and English GCSE results graded at five or above in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: aggs.bright-futures.co.uk
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
Visually, this selective boys’ grammar school has a Hogwarts feel, says The Good Schools Guide, its 112-year history shown off in wood panelling and traditional décor.
Pupils excel in key academic subjects (80 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at 9-7 in 2026) but there’s strong focus on sport, the arts, engineering and scientific innovation. Music history was once made here: Ian Brown and John Squire of The Stone Roses are ex-pupils.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98.5 per cent.
More info: agsb.co.uk
Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn, Lancashire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
Academic achievement is high at this inclusive Islamic faith school in Blackburn. Exemplary behaviour is the cornerstone of success but there’s plenty of fun too; Ofsted’s most recent visit praised a ‘vast’ array of lunchtime clubs and activities.
This summer, 89 per cent achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 92.7 per cent.
More info: tighs.com
Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn, Lancashire
Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School, Lancaster, Lancashire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
Rated ‘good’ overall at its last Ofsted, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and the sixth form provision were all deemed ‘outstanding’ at this selective school with 1,000 pupils. Founded at the turn of the last century, the school song, Follow the Light, has been sung since 1925.
Ninety-six per cent of students got a five or more in English and Maths this summer.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 92.2 per cent.
More info: lggs.org.uk
Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School, Lancaster, Lancashire
Cheadle Hulme High School, Cheadle, Greater Manchester
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2015). A more recent ungraded inspection in 2025 found the school outstanding in every single sub-category.
This popular co-ed North West high school sets its stall out early on its website, telling parents it’s ‘unashamedly academic’ and ‘hugely oversubscribed’. Although it’s been nearly a decade since its last visit from Ofsted, the results are more than enough to keep parents happy.
Seventy-six per cent of all students achieved a ‘strong pass’, grade 5 or above, in both English and Maths in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 75 per cent.
More info: chhs.org.uk
Cheadle Hulme High School, Cheadle, Greater Manchester
The Liverpool Blue Coat School, Wavertree, Merseyside
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
A selective academy located in Wavertree, The Blue Coat School can trace its origins back to 1708 and has a private school air about it, with a historic building and a professional-looking website.
Results are excellent; 78.8 per cent of students achieved 8-9 grades this year, with 98.3 per cent getting a five or more in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 97.7 per cent.
More info: bluecoatschoolliverpool.org.uk
The Liverpool Blue Coat School, Wavertree, Merseyside
Lymm High School, Warrington, Cheshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2024)
Referenced in a church document in 1592, Warrington’s Lymm High School is now a mixed-sex, non-selective academy with a sixth form. A spring Ofsted last year deemed it a ‘good’ school.
Seventy-one per cent of students got 9-5 grades in both English and Maths in 2026. Alumni include actor Tim Curry and geneticist Sir David Hopwood.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 68.9 per cent.
More info: lymmhigh.org.uk
Lymm High School, Warrington, Cheshire
Loreto Grammar School, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
With a strong Catholic ethos, this all-girls grammar – an independent school until 1997 – in Altrincham has 1,075 students and 100 staff, including head Jane Beever, who’s been in place since 2006.
This summer, 75 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at seven or more, with 96 per cent getting a five or over in English and Maths. Alumni include TV presenter Nina Warhurst.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 92.4 per cent.
More info: loretogrammar.co.uk
Loreto Grammar School, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
Sale Grammar School, Sale, Greater Manchester
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
The academic achievement is clear at mixed Sale Grammar but Ofsted noted the school’s strong community spirit too at its latest inspection, saying pupils describe it ‘as one big family’.
Mixed with a sixth form, an entrance test is required to gain a place. In 2026, 75 per cent of all GCSE results were graded at seven or more, with 96 per cent achieving a five or more in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 92.4 per cent.
More info: salegrammar.co.uk
Sale Grammar School, Sale, Greater Manchester
YORKSHIRE
St Mary’s College, Hull
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
A large co-ed comprehensive with a sixth form and a Roman Catholic ethos, St Mary’s College received an ‘outstanding’ rating by Ofsted in 2023, its first since becoming an academy in 2017.
Exceptional academic progress is made by all pupils, the inspecting body said, including those with special educational needs or disabilities.
This year, 62 per cent got a grade 5 or above in the core subjects of English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 62.1 per cent.
More info: smchull.org
St Mary’s College, Hull
Heckmondwike Grammar School, Heckmondwike
Current head Peter Roberts’s ‘work hard, play hard’ mantra at this mixed-sex selective school rubs off on both staff and the pupils who don the yellow-and-brown uniform, with a fast-paced learning environment present.
In 2026, 80 per cent of all GCSEs were graded at seven or more, with 37 per cent of these being grade 9s.
Late Labour MP Jo Cox, and current Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, attended.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 99.5 per cent.
More info: heckgrammar.co.uk
Heckmondwike Grammar School, Heckmondwike
Ripon Grammar School, Ripon
OFSTED RATING: Good (2023)
A rare state boarding school that dates back to 1555, there are also day places at this historic co-ed selective school in Ripon.
Boarders pay only for food and lodging, making it a third of the price you’d pay at an independent school. In 2026, 93.7 per cent of English and Maths scored a five or more.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 93.7 per cent.
More info: ripongrammar.co.uk
Ripon Grammar School, Ripon
High Storrs School, Sheffield
In a Grade-II listed main building on Sheffield’s south-western fringes, academy convertor (in 2018) High Storrs is a high-achieving mixed school with a sixth form.
Specialisms include Maths, computing and performing arts, with 74 per cent of all GCSE results in English and Maths graded at five or more in 2026.
Ex-pupils include England footballer Kyle Walker, who once kicked a ball about on the school fields.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 74.4 per cent.
More info: highstorrs.co.uk
High Storrs School, Sheffield
Ilkley Grammar School, Ilkley
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
A Wharfe Valley mixed-sex academy comprehensive deemed ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in May 2024. Inspectors were impressed by the ‘ambitious’ curriculum and how the school equipped pupils for the practicalities of life after Ilkley Grammar. Its extracurricular provision is strong, with everything from Minecraft to pop choir groups on offer.
Fifty-eight per cent got a five or more in English and Maths this year, with 35 per cent across all subjects graded seven or above, say the school.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 66.9 per cent.
More info: ilkleygrammarschool.com
Ilkley Grammar School, Ilkley
Archbishop Holgate’s School, York
A glowing 2021 Ofsted report described this mixed CofE York school as an ‘exceptional place for pupils to learn’ with curriculum plans ‘meticulous’. Facilities are top notch and include a heated swimming pool, dance and drama studio and gymnasium.
Results were a little lower for the core subject results this year, but still above national average in 2026 at 55.4 per cent for 5s or more in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 62 per cent .
More info: archbishopholgates.academy
Archbishop Holgate’s School, York
Tapton School, Sheffield
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2013). An ungraded inspection reported in January 2025 deemed the school ‘outstanding’ across every sub category.
Tapton School is large – with just over 1,750 pupils including a 450-student sixth form. The school says: ‘Inclusion and destinations drive all our decision making.’
An impressive 73 per cent of students got a five grade or higher this summer in English and Maths, a significant rise on the previous year.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 67.7 per cent.
More info: taptonschool.co.uk
Tapton School, Sheffield
St. Mary’s Menston, Ilkley
OFSTED RATING: An ungraded inspection in 2025 deemed the school ‘outstanding’ across every sub category.
This Catholic voluntary mixed ex-academy opened in 1964 with a ‘supporting every student’ slogan. Pupils come from across Leeds, Bradford and North Yorkshire to attend and 71 per cent of all GCSE English and Maths were graded a five or more in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 59.9 per cent.
More info: stmarysmenston.org
St. Mary’s Menston, Ilkley
Fulford School, York
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
Mixed and non-religious, Fulford is a large school with a sixth form – there’s currently just over 1,850 pupils on roll.
This year saw 70 per cent of all pupils getting a grade 5 or more in English and Maths, with 30 per cent getting a seven or more.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 63.4 per cent.
More info: fulford.york.sch.uk
Fulford School, York
THE MIDLANDS
St Paul’s School for Girls, Edgbaston, Warwickshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2023)
A state school for girls aged 11 to 18, St Paul’s was founded in 1908 by the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle. Each day starts with an assembly or a prayer service and Ofsted noted ‘strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils’.
Results this summer were excellent, with 82 per cent of pupils walking away with a strong pass – five or more – in English and Maths.
Ex-Labour MP Clare Short and acting national treasure Julie Walters are former students.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 69.5 per cent.
More info: stpaulgl.bham.sch.uk
St Paul’s School for Girls, Edgbaston, Warwickshire
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, Birmingham
The proof’s in the pudding at Camp Hill, with 88 per cent of all GCSEs at this selective grammar graded a seven or more in 2024. Tradition runs through the school’s core, with each student allocated a place in one of the six houses in Year 7.
Labour MP Jess Phillips and Ruth Hunt, former Stonewall chief executive, are ex pupils.
Rated ‘exceptional’ in five sub categories under the new Ofsted framework in March this year, results were also top notch, with 97.3 per cent scoring a five or above grade in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 98 per cent.
More info: kechg.org.uk
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls, Birmingham
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, Birmingham
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2024)
Camp Hill boys want to be the ‘best they can be’, Ofsted said when it visited in December – and The Good Schools Guide describes it as ‘academic powerhouse’.
There’s around 1,000 pupils on roll and high-flying GCSE results in 2026 saw 77 per cent of all GCSEs graded at seven or more. No data has been released yet for core subjects.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 96.6 per cent.
More info: camphillboys.bham.sch.uk
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, Birmingham
The King’s School, Grantham, Lincolnshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
A Lincolnshire boys’ school for 11 to 18-year-olds with strong academic focus plus significant sporting prowess. In the market town where Margaret Thatcher grew up, there’s a former King’s Scholar, as alumni are known, to top even the Iron Lady for fame – Sir Isaac Newton.
The King’s School saw 63 per cent of all GCSEs graded seven or more in 2026 – and 97 per cent bagging a five or more in English and Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 94.9 per cent.
More info: kings.lincs.sch.uk
The King’s School, Grantham, Lincolnshire
Northampton School for Boys, Northampton
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2014). An ungraded inspection reported in April 2025 deemed the school ‘outstanding’ across every sub category.
The Ofsted report may be a decade old but the results at this boys’ school with a co-ed sixth form aren’t to quibble with. It can trace its foundations to the 16th century, but the facilities for 21st-century pupils are state-of-the-art, with a multi-million-pound swimming pool and dance studio.
An impressive 74 per cent got a ‘strong pass’ – five or more – in English and Maths this summer.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 71.6 per cent.
More info: nsb.northants.sch.uk
Northampton School for Boys, Northampton
King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
This small Warwickshire boys’ grammar for 11 to 18-year-olds – with a mixed sixth form – has one seriously famous alumnus: William Shakespeare.
The school bills itself as ‘Shakespeare’s School’ but is more commonly referred to as ‘KES’. Ofsted praised an ‘aspiring and inspiring’ curriculum with subjects such as Latin and Mandarin taught.
Academic achievement is high; 86.1 per cent of all GCSEs were graded at seven or more in 2026, with 98 per cent getting an English and Maths ‘strong pass’ of five or more.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: kes.net
King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
Caistor Grammar School, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
Committed parents from nearby towns don’t mind a long school run if it equals a place at one of Lincolnshire’s best grammars. In the racing town of Market Rasen, Caistor is mixed-sex, selective, non-religious and small, with around 700 pupils, including just short of 200 sixth formers.
Some 92 per cent of students achieved a five or more in English and Maths in 2026.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 89.4 per cent.
More info: caistorgrammar.com
Caistor Grammar School, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
Rugby High School, Rugby, Warwickshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
A selective girls’ grammar with a mixed sixth form, Rugby High aims for school leavers to be ‘brave, independent global citizens’. The Good Schools Guide loved the school’s vibrancy, saying ‘it’s full of life.’
This summer, 100 per cent of girls got a five or more in English and Maths, with 81 per cent of all grades 9-7.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2024: 96.4 per cent.
More info: rugbyhighschool.co.uk
Rugby High School, Rugby, Warwickshire
Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
OFSTED RATING: Outstanding (2022)
Billed as Warwickshire’s top school for girls, this 11-to-18 school has a private school feel; from the 15th-century building with state-of-the-art facilities to the purple-and-yellow crest and mountain of extra-curricular activities.
Results are strong; 89 per cent of all GCSEs were graded at seven or more this year, with 99 per cent achieving a five or more in English or Maths.
Percentage of pupils gaining 5 or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 100 per cent.
More info: sggs.org.uk
Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire
The Ecclesbourne School, Belper, Derbyshire
OFSTED RATING: Good (2023)
A large (1,600 students on roll) co-ed secondary with a sixth form, Ecclesbourne has been praised for its inclusivity, with The Good Schools Guide saying it ‘celebrates individualism’. The school has a modern sports hall, dance studio and fitness suite.
This year, 92 per cent of students achieved a grade 4 or above in English and 93 per cent got a four or above in Mathematics. The strong pass – five or above – data isn’t available on the school’s website.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 71 per cent.
More info: ecclesbourne.derbyshire.sch.uk
The Ecclesbourne School, Belper, Derbyshire
Littleover Community School, Derby
OFSTED RATING: Good (2022)
This large mixed Derbyshire school for 11 to 18-year-olds had a great set of results in 2026; 57 per cent of all students achieved a grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE.
Students follow ‘The LCS Way’, with clear guidelines on behaviour expectations. Clubs include the Lego Technic Club, Debate and Crafting. The sixth form was rated outstanding back in 2022.
Percentage of pupils gaining five or above in English and Maths at GCSE in 2025: 58.4 per cent.
More info: littleover.derby.sch.uk
Littleover Community School, Derby
SCOTLAND (Highers are Scotland’s equivalent to A Levels)
Jordanhill School, Glasgow
Small but perfectly formed with fewer than 600 pupils on roll, mixed-sex Jordanhill School is non selective, oversubscribed and has a small catchment area.
Just ten schools last year achieved the Scottish government’s ‘gold standard’ of 70 per cent of pupils gaining five or more Highers, with Jordanhill topping the performance list at 94 per cent. The Good Schools Guide jokes that bagging a place here is ‘worth moving/killing for’.
More info: jordanhill.glasgow.sch.uk
Jordanhill School, Glasgow
Bearsden Academy, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
Regularly dubbed ‘Scotland’s best school’, 78 per cent of pupils at this academy school achieved five or more Highers in 2025.
A starry roll-call of ex pupils includes Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, singer Edwyn Collins and football manager David Moyes. The school ranked sixth overall in Scotland for Highers attainment in 2025.
More info: bearsdenacademy.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
Bearsden Academy, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
Mearns Castle High School, Glasgow
So popular is Mearns Castle, a south Glasgow mixed-sex non-denominational school with a sixth form, that house prices have soared in the catchment area.
Academic results have also soared in recent years, with 83 per cent of pupils attaining five or more Highers in 2025 – a notable increase from 59 per cent in 2023.
More info: blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/er/MearnsCastle
Mearns Castle High School, Glasgow
St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire
With around 1,950 pupils including 280 in the sixth form, co-ed Roman Catholic St Ninian’s High marks up consistently high exam results. Language teaching is a particular strength, says The Good Schools Guide.
In 2025, 80 per cent of pupils achieved five or more passes at Higher level.
More info: st-ninians.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock, East Renfrewshire
Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh
History and modernity combine at mixed-with-a-sixth-form Boroughmuir High; it celebrated its centenary in 2004, and opened a swish new main building in 2018. It’s in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh and has just over 1,500 pupils.
Exam grades in 2025 (74 per cent achieving at least five Highers) are way beyond the Scottish average of 40 per cent. All pupils get an iPad.
More info: boroughmuirhighschool.org
Boroughmuir High School, Edinburgh
Boclair Academy, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
A small mixed-sex school, with around 1,000 pupils on roll, 77 per cent of Boclair’s latest cohort achieved five Highers or more in 2025.
The school has a modern campus with impressive sports facilities, as well as a long-running partnership with Rangers FC, with many academy players educated here.
More info: boclair.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
Boclair Academy, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
Woodfarm High School, Woodfarm, East Renfrewshire
In the Glaswegian town of Bearsden, Woodfarm High is mixed-sex, with a sixth form and has around 900 pupils on roll.
It ranked in the top three schools in Scotland for results in 2025, with an 83 per cent success rate of five Highers or more.
More info: blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/er/Woodfarm
Woodfarm High School, Woodfarm, East Renfrewshire
Williamwood High School, Clarkston, Glasgow
A large non-denominational comprehensive secondary school in Clarkston, Williamwood High’s motto is ‘Mighty oaks from little acorns grow’.
The school ranked tenth in the Scottish League table for results in 2025, with 77 per cent of pupils gaining five Highers or more.
More info: williamwoodhighschool.co.uk
Williamwood High School, Clarkston, Glasgow
Douglas Academy, Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire
With a wide catchment area and around 1,000 pupils on roll, including in its sixth form, co-ed Douglas Academy racked up strong results in 2024, with 81 per cent gaining five or more Highers in 2025.
The Good Schools Guide’s last visit noted a creative school menu too, with lunches this year including rainbow noodle stir fry and three-bean chilli.
More info: douglas.e-dunbarton.sch.uk
Douglas Academy, Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire
Linlithgow Academy, West Lothian
Scottish architect James Graham Fairley designed the original Linlithgow School in 1900 but there have been many new buildings since.
There’s a heavy focus on arts, sciences and Maths at this mixed West Lothian academy, boosted by funding. Its website and social media presence keep parents in the loop. Some 69 per cent achieved five or more Highers last year.
More info: linlithgowacademy.westlothian.org.uk
Linlithgow Academy, West Lothian
WALES (based on GCSE and A-Level results)
Ysgol Eirias, Colwyn Bay, North Wales
In Conwy, co-ed Eirias High School has around 1,300 pupils on roll, including 300 sixth formers.
An Estyn inspection – the Welsh equivalent of Ofsted – in 2023 praised the school for providing ‘a caring and inclusive community’. Sports facilities include an international-standard hockey pitch and Rugby training barn.
In 2025, GCSE results saw 23.6 per cent of pupils achieving 9-7 grades in all subjects.
More info: eirias.co.uk
Ysgol Eirias, Colwyn Bay, North Wales
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen
Described in its last Estyn inspection in 2022 as having a ‘Welsh and homely ethos’ with ‘excellent’ behaviour in lessons, this mixed Carmarthenshire school has 950 pupils including sixth formers.
More than half of those are from Welsh-language homes. Some 26.5 per cent of students achieved 7-9s in all subjects at GCSE in 2025.
More info: yggbm.org
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen
Cowbridge Comprehensive School, Vale of Glamorgan
Some 1,200 pupils plus a 300 in the sixth form study for GCSEs, A levels and the Welsh Baccalaureate, with 47.1 per cent of students receiving 9-7s in all GCSE subjects in 2025.
The Cowbridge motto is ‘Education, inspiration and opportunities for life’ and this school, ten miles from Cardiff, was deemed a ‘caring and ambitious learning community where staff and pupils work together positively’ in its Estyn report earlier this year.
More info: cowbridgecomprehensiveschool.co.uk
Cowbridge Comprehensive School, Vale of Glamorgan
Olchfa School, Swansea
Swansea’s second largest comprehensive, which is mixed-sex, marks up consistently high results across all stages, including at GCSE.
Olchfa is keen to be recognised for ‘far more than academic outcomes’ though, with the school’s website packed with enrichment activities, from music to foreign trips.
Estyn visited in 2025, and rated Olchfa ‘excellent’ in five out of five areas.
More info: olchfa.org.uk
Olchfa School, Swansea
Bishopston School, Swansea
One of the highest achieving schools in Wales, Bishopston is a mixed-sex comprehensive without a sixth form, with a roll of around 1,100.
Inspected in 2025, Estyn said the school offered a high-quality, inclusive and nurturing learning environment and that children ’embrace the school ethos that it is “cool to do well in school”‘.
The latest GCSE data on the school reports that 45.4 per cent of pupils achieved a 9-7 in 2025.
More info: bishopstonschool.com
Bishopston School, Swansea
HOW TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL
Since 2016, the Progress 8 score has shown pupils’ progress between primary school SATs (Key Stage Two at ages 7-11) and GCSE attainment (Key Stage Four at age 14-16).
A score above zero indicates better progress, on average, than pupils across England who got similar results at the end of Key Stage Two.
Scoring below zero means students made less progress.
The system though is currently paused because the last two years’ cohorts didn’t sit SATs because of the Covid pandemic. Normal results are set to be published again in 2026/2027.
Fixating on results isn’t always the right approach, says Grace Moody-Stuart, Education Consultants Director at The Good Schools Guide, which offers in-depth guides to both sectors.
Parents should, she says, put the individual needs of their child front and centre: ‘Academic outcomes should just be a starting point for parents, there are so many things that are just as important, such as pastoral care, extra-curricular/enrichment programmes and discipline processes.’
Be wary of setting your heart on hugely popular schools too, she cautions. ‘When you drill down it might not be right for your child. If you end up travelling a long way to school, for example, it can put tremendous stress on the family, which might then have a negative impact on a child’s learning.
‘It’s about being realistic and pragmatic, as well as determined and aspirational. And there are an awful lot of low-key state schools doing an incredibly good job.’
Superhead Dame Sally Coates, who’s spent more than 40 years working in London state schools, says you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions: ‘Parents have the biggest impact on a child but their school life really matters, so do your research.’
She advises: ‘Go to open evenings but visit in the day too when a school is fully operational. Put your head in the classrooms, do students look happy?
‘Talk to parents whose children go there and ask for a one-to-one chat with the head. You’ll gain insights into their values and philosophy – and you’ll get the story behind the data.’
Other things to consider? ‘Are there specialisms, such as sport, art or languages, that might suit your child? Check how many pupils take those subjects to GCSE level.
‘Finally, look at destinations too; how many go on to university?’
