The best primary and secondary schools ranked by region

A secondary state school in London has topped the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide for 2026

The Sunday Times guide also ranks the top performing state, comprehensive, independent and primary schools in each region of England. (Getty/iStock)

Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet, London, has been crowned the UK's top-performing secondary state school in the prestigious annual Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026.

Climbing a place to secure the top spot, the grammar school's success is based on exceptional exam performance from summer 2025.

The guide, which assesses schools on the percentage of top GCSE and A-level grades achieved, also recognised Dame Alice Owen's School in Potters Bar as the leading comprehensive, and St Paul's School in London as the premier private institution.

The Sunday Times guide also ranks the top performing state, comprehensive, independent and primary schools in each region of England, and the top schools in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

North East

- St Leonard's RC School in Durham, top state secondary and comprehensive

- St Charles' RC Primary School in Newcastle, top primary

- Royal Grammar School in Newcastle, top secondary independent

North

- Ripon Grammar School in Ripon, top state secondary

- Tapton School in Sheffield, top comprehensive

- Carlton Junior and Infant School in Dewsbury, top primary

- Queen Ethelburga's College in York, top secondary independent

Four schools in London have made the Sunday Times’ annual list (PA Archive)

North West

- Altrincham Grammar School for Girls in Altrincham, top state secondary

- Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School and Sixth Form College in Blackburn, top comprehensive

- Nicol Mere School in Wigan, top primary

- Withington Girls' School in Manchester, top secondary independent

East Midlands

- The King's School in Grantham, top state secondary

- St Mary's RC High School in Chesterfield, top comprehensive

- Redhill Primary School in Derby, top primary

- Nottingham High School in Nottingham, top secondary independent

West Midlands

- King Edward VI School, Stratford in Stratford-upon-Avon, top state secondary

- St Paul's School for Girls, Edgbaston in Birmingham, top comprehensive

- Lift Lea Forest in Birmingham, top primary

- King Edward VI High School for Girls, Birmingham in Birmingham, top secondary independent

East Anglia

- Colchester Royal Grammar School in Colchester, top state secondary

- Impington Village College in Impington, top comprehensive

- St Thomas More's RC Primary School in Colchester, top primary

- The Perse School in Cambridge, top independent secondary

The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide for 2026 ranks secondary and primary schools (PA Archive)

South West

- Pate's Grammar School in Cheltenham, top state secondary

- Ralph Allen School in Bath, top comprehensive

- Mawnan CofE Primary School in Falmouth, top primary

- Cheltenham Ladies' College in Cheltenham, top secondary independent

South East

- Reading School in Reading, top state secondary

- Dame Alice Owen's School in Potters Bar, top comprehensive

- Lowbrook Academy in Maidenhead, top primary

- Brighton College in Brighton, top secondary independent

London

- Queen Elizabeth's School in Barnet, top state secondary

- West London Free School, top comprehensive

- Thomas Jones Primary School in Kensington and Chelsea, top primary

- St Paul's School in London, top secondary independent

Northern Ireland

- Strathearn School in Belfast, top state secondary

Wales

- Cowbridge School in Cowbridge, top state secondary

- Cardiff Sixth Form College in Cardiff, top secondary independent

Scotland

- Jordanhill School in Glasgow, top state secondary for Highers

- St Mary's Music School in Edinburgh, top independent school for Highers

- St Leonards School in St Andrews, top secondary independent school for A-level and GCSEs