Grammar schools have dominated in a new, competitive secondary school league table - but one high-achieving comprehensive school has ranked amongst the top performers too.
The Telegraph released its new top secondary schools ranking earlier this month, lining up with the beginning of the 2025/26 school year. Its guide compares state-funded secondary schools across 10 different criteria; including GCSE-derived Progress 8 and Attainment 8 scores, English Baccalaureate attainment, how the school’s results compare to its local authority area averages, class size, truancy, and more.
Each school is then given a score out of 40 possible points. Those with the same amount of points are then sorted by the proportion of their pupils who scored a grade of 5 or above in a selection of five key GCSE subjects - with the national average being 18%.
Parents of this year’s primary school leavers are currently busy attending open days, and getting their child’s secondary school applications for next year ready before the October deadline. Many will no doubt have their child’s future success in mind as they select their preferred schools, which is why we’ve taken a look at which of England’s state schools were ranked as being at the very pinnacle of performance.
Here were the country’s top 15, according to the new Telegraph league table:
13. Sale Grammar School
Based in Sale, Greater Manchester, this too is a selective secondary school. The Telegraph again gave it an overall score of 39 out 40. In the 2023/24 school year, 72% of its pupils achieved a grade of 5 or more in at least 5 different GCSEs. | Google
14. Spalding High School
This is a local authority-maintained selective secondary school for girls, in Spalding, Lincolnshire. The Telegraph gave it too an overall score of 39 out 40. In the 2023/24 school year, 68.2% of its pupils achieved a grade of 5 or more in at least 5 different GCSEs. | Google
15. Aylesbury High School
Rounding out the top 15 is Aylesbury High School, a selective girls’ secondary school in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The Telegraph gave it an overall score of 39 out 40. In the 2023/24 school year, 63.9% of its pupils achieved a grade of 5 or more in at least 5 different GCSEs. | Google