Best State Secondary Schools in the UK – Rankings & Tuition Fees
Looking for the top secondary schools in the UK? Our league table will make the research easy for you. We have compiled our league table of the top state secondary schools in the UK based on published data on GCSE grades and Attainment 8 scores. We have also compiled a league table of top schools in London and Bristol. Here’s our full guide on the top state schools in the UK.
Table of Contents
Top State Secondary Schools in England 2021 - League Table
Here is a comparison of the top 100 secondary schools in England based on their Attainment 8 scores. For more information about this league table, please see our section on Methodology.
| Rank | School | Type of School | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Henrietta Barnett School | Academy | 85.2 |
| 2 | The Tiffin Girls' School | Academy | 85.1 |
| 3 | Kendrick School | Academy | 84.7 |
| 4 | Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet | Academy | 84.6 |
| 5 | Reading School | Academy | 83.9 |
| 6 | St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School | Maintained school | 83 |
| 7 | Wilson's School | Academy | 82.9 |
| 8 | King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys | Academy | 82.8 |
| 9 | Brighton College | Independent school | 82.6 |
| 10 | Colchester County High School for Girls | Academy | 82.2 |
| 11 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | Academy | 82 |
| 12 | Colyton Grammar School | Academy | 81.7 |
| 13 | Pate's Grammar School | Academy | 81.4 |
| 14 | Sutton Grammar School | Academy | 81.2 |
| 15 | Nonsuch High School for Girls | Academy | 80.7 |
| 16 | Newstead Wood School | Academy | 80.2 |
| 17 | Chelmsford County High School for Girls | Academy | 80.1 |
| 18 | King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls | Academy | 79.9 |
| 19 | The Latymer School | Maintained school | 79.9 |
| 20 | Colchester Royal Grammar School | Academy | 79.7 |
| 21 | Wallington High School for Girls | Academy | 79.4 |
| 22 | Woodford County High School | Maintained school | 78.8 |
| 23 | Dr Challoner's High School | Academy | 78.7 |
| 24 | King Edward VI School | Academy | 78.7 |
| 25 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Academy | 78.6 |
| 26 | Stratford Girls' Grammar School | Academy | 78.5 |
| 27 | The Blue Coat School | Academy | 78.4 |
| 28 | Newport Girls' High School Academy | Academy | 78.3 |
| 29 | Altrincham Grammar School for Boys | Academy | 78 |
| 30 | Tiffin School | Academy | 77.7 |
| 31 | St Michael's Catholic Grammar School | Maintained school | 77.6 |
| 32 | Wallington County Grammar School | Academy | 77.4 |
| 33 | Westcliff High School for Boys Academy | Academy | 77.3 |
| 34 | Al-Burhan Grammar School | Independent school | 76.9 |
| 35 | King Edward VI Five Ways School | Academy | 76.9 |
| 36 | Bishop Vesey's Grammar School | Academy | 76.4 |
| 37 | Queen Mary's Grammar School | Academy | 76.4 |
| 38 | South Wilts Grammar School | Academy | 76.3 |
| 39 | Tonbridge Grammar School | Academy | 76.3 |
| 40 | Wycombe High School | Academy | 76.3 |
| 41 | The Judd School | Maintained school | 76 |
| 42 | Westcliff High School for Girls | Academy | 76 |
| 43 | Denmark Road High School | Academy | 75.9 |
| 44 | Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Academy | 75.8 |
| 45 | Stroud High School | Academy | 75.7 |
| 46 | Ilford County High School | Maintained school | 75.5 |
| 47 | Bishop Wordsworth's Church of England Grammar School | Academy | 75.4 |
| 48 | Dartford Grammar School for Girls | Academy | 75.3 |
| 49 | The Harrodian School | Independent school | 75.3 |
| 50 | Beaconsfield High School | Academy | 75.2 |
| 51 | Dr Challoner's Grammar School | Academy | 75.2 |
| 52 | Lancaster Girls' Grammar School | Academy | 75.2 |
| 53 | The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe | Academy | 75.2 |
| 54 | Aylesbury High School | Academy | 75 |
| 55 | King Edward VI Handsworth School | Academy | 75 |
| 56 | Sir Thomas Rich's School | Academy | 75 |
| 57 | Clitheroe Royal Grammar School | Academy | 74.9 |
| 58 | Royal Latin School | Academy | 74.9 |
| 59 | Lawrence Sheriff School | Academy | 74.7 |
| 60 | Dartford Grammar School | Academy | 74.3 |
| 61 | Sir William Borlase's Grammar School | Academy | 74.3 |
| 62 | Wolverhampton Girls' High School | Academy | 74.3 |
| 63 | The Maynard School | Independent school | 74.2 |
| 64 | Nottingham Girls' High School | Independent school | 74.2 |
| 65 | Devonport High School for Girls | Academy | 74.1 |
| 66 | St. Francis' College | Independent school | 74.1 |
| 67 | Herschel Grammar School | Academy | 74 |
| 68 | Aylesbury Grammar School | Academy | 73.9 |
| 69 | Tunbridge Wells Girls' Grammar School | Maintained school | 73.8 |
| 70 | Chesham Grammar School | Academy | 73.6 |
| 71 | Islamia School for Girls' | Independent school | 73.6 |
| 72 | Langley Grammar School | Academy | 73.5 |
| 73 | Alcester Grammar School | Academy | 73.3 |
| 74 | Loreto Grammar School | Academy | 73.3 |
| 75 | Manchester High School for Girls | Independent school | 73.2 |
| 76 | Townley Grammar School | Academy | 73.2 |
| 77 | Highworth Grammar School | Academy | 73.1 |
| 78 | Southend High School for Boys | Academy | 73.1 |
| 79 | Torquay Girls Grammar School | Academy | 73 |
| 80 | Caistor Grammar School | Academy | 72.9 |
| 81 | The Crossley Heath School | Academy | 72.9 |
| 82 | Heckmondwike Grammar School | Academy | 72.9 |
| 83 | St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School | Maintained school | 72.7 |
| 84 | Rugby High School | Academy | 72.6 |
| 85 | Southend High School for Girls | Academy | 72.6 |
| 86 | Ripon Grammar School | Maintained school | 72.5 |
| 87 | Weald of Kent Grammar School | Academy | 72.5 |
| 88 | Invicta Grammar School | Academy | 72.2 |
| 89 | Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School | Academy | 72.1 |
| 90 | The Skinners' School | Academy | 72.1 |
| 91 | The Swaminarayan School | Independent school | 72.1 |
| 92 | Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School | Academy | 72 |
| 93 | Dame Alice Owen's School | Academy | 72 |
| 94 | Poole Grammar School | Academy | 72 |
| 95 | Sale Grammar School | Academy | 72 |
| 96 | Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School | Academy | 72 |
| 97 | Bournemouth School | Academy | 71.9 |
| 98 | St Nicholas' School | Independent school | 71.9 |
| 99 | Upton Court Grammar School | Academy | 71.9 |
| 100 | Haberdashers' Adams | Academy | 71.8 |
| England - Average of all schools | 44.7 |
Top UK State Secondary Schools - Methodology
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of major examinations in 2020-2021 were cancelled and assessments were made using teachers’ grades. As a result, the UK government declared that it will not publish any performance data of schools in 2020.
We have based our league table on published Attainment 8 scores. The Attainment 8 is a score given to a school based on its pupils’ performance in 8 subjects – this includes English, Maths, three English Baccalaureate subjects, and three other eligible subjects.
Our league table includes different types of schools in the UK as specified below:
- Academy – Government funded, run by an academy trust
- Independent school – privately funded schools
- Maintained school – Government funded, run by a local authority
UK Secondary School Application Process
There are three major steps in the application process to UK secondary schools. Contact Britannia StudyLink for assistance in the application process today – our services are free.
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Top 10 State Secondary Schools in England
10. Colchester County High School for Girls
Located in Essex, the Colchester County High School for Girls is a grammar school that has academy status. The highly selective school has earned its number 10 spot on our list as it has consistently produced top results in the GCSEs.
9. Brighton College
The famed Brighton College ranked as the 9th-best in England and it is the best-performing independent school on our league table. The co-educational school managed to achieve 96% A*/A at the GCSEs in 2020. Our guide on Brighton College goes into more detail about the exclusive independent school.
8. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys
The King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys is a grammar school located in Birmingham. Established in 1883, it has been widely regarded as one of the top schools in the country with high acceptance rates at Oxbridge and other prestigious universities.
7. Wilson's School
Wilson’s School was named as The Times’ London State Secondary School of the Decade in 2020. The school has a total of 1250 pupils and admits 180 pupils every year through a rigorous, two-stage entrance examination.
6. St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School
Founded in 1571, St Olave’s Grammar School is a boys’ grammar school located in Greater London. St Olave’s was once named as the State Secondary School of the Year on Sunday Times in 2008, one of the most prestigious awards for schools in the country.
5. Reading School
The Reading School is one of the oldest schools in the country and it was refounded by King Henry VII in 1486. Reading School gained its reputation as one of the best schools in the country as its graduates have a high admission rate into Oxbridge, according to a Sutton Trust study. Reading School has been awarded State School of the Year twice by The Sunday Times.
4. Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet
The Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, has been consistently ranked among the top schools in the UK. Queen Elizabeth’s School topped the A Level league tables for five years in a row and it is consistently ranked among the top 5 schools in the UK.
3. Kendrick School
The Kendrick School is a girls’ grammar school located in Reading. A number of reports have found that Kendrick School graduates have a high acceptance rate at Oxbridge, with around 15% of students being accepted at Oxbridge. The school is highly selective, receiving around ten applications per place every year.
2. The Tiffin Girls' School
The Tiffin Girls’ School admits approximately 1200 students, including 300 or so students in the Sixth Form. In 2020, the school achieved 96.3% Grades 9-7 at the GCSEs. The school has won numerous accolades in the past decade for outstanding academic achievements.
1. The Henrietta Barnett School
Dubbed as one of the “magnificent seven”, the school was founded by Dame Henrietta Barnett in 1911 to improve girls’ education. It has since been recognised year after year as one of the best schools in the country, with high acceptance rates at Oxbridge and top achievements at GCSEs and A-Levels.
Best State Secondary Schools in London
This league table is a shortlist of the top 100 schools in the UK located in the London area.
| Rank | School | Type of School | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Henrietta Barnett School | Academy | 85.2 |
| 19 | The Latymer School | Maintained school | 79.9 |
| 31 | St Michael's Catholic Grammar School | Maintained school | 77.6 |
| 49 | The Harrodian School | Independent school | 75.3 |
| 71 | Islamia School for Girls' | Independent school | 73.6 |
| 91 | The Swaminarayan School | Independent school | 72.1 |
Best State Secondary Schools in Bristol
Here is a quick list of secondary schools in Bristol, ranked according to its Attainment 8 scores. The rankings are based on its performance in England-wide league tables.
| Rank | School | Type of School | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150-200 | Colston's School | Independent school | 64.1 |
| 250-300 | Redland Green School | Academy | 60.8 |
| 400-450 | St Bede's Catholic School | Academy | 57.5 |
| 400-450 | OneSchool Global UK Bristol Campus | Independent school | 57 |
| 450-500 | Colston's Girls' School | Academy | 56.7 |
| 450-500 | Bristol Cathedral Choir School | Academy | 56.4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The number one state secondary school in England is the Henrietta Barnett School located in London.
The top state school in London is the Henrietta Barnett School, followed by the Latymer School and St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School in second and third place respectively.
The top three state schools in Bristol are Colston’s School, Redland Green School, and St Bede’s Catholic School.
First, you will have to submit application forms and other relevant documents. Depending on the school of choice, you may have to take entrance exams. The school will make its decision based on its admissions criteria.
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