The latest national school rankings have confirmed the educational dominance of London and the South East, with institutions from the capital securing half of the top spots for comprehensive schools.
Capital Schools Claim Top Honours
Queen Elizabeth's School, a grammar school in Barnet, North London, has been crowned the best state secondary school in the country. The prestigious title comes from The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide for 2026, which assesses schools based on their examination results from the summer of 2025.
In the comprehensive school category, Dame Alice Owen's School in Potters Bar achieved the number one position for both the South East and the entire United Kingdom. Hot on its heels was the West London Free School in Hammersmith, which was rated the second-best comprehensive nationally and also awarded the title of Comprehensive School of the Year for 2026.
The success of London's educational institutions was further underscored as the Jewish Free School (JFS) in Harrow secured third place among comprehensives. Remarkably, schools from the capital filled ten of the top twenty comprehensive school places.
Regional Excellence and Primary School Success
The rankings also celebrated outstanding performers across the UK's regions and within primary education. Thomas Jones Primary School in London made a spectacular leap from joint 43rd place last year to be named the top primary school in the country.
For GCSE performance, Wilson's School, a grammar in Wallington, South London, was identified as the best state school. In the private sector, St Paul's School in London took the national top spot.
Regional highlights included The King's School in Grantham, named the top state secondary in the East Midlands, and St Leonard's RC School in Durham, which was celebrated as the top comprehensive and overall state school in the North East, also earning the region's School of the Year for academic excellence.
Navigating a Challenging Educational Landscape
Helen Davies, editor of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, acknowledged the significant pressures facing schools. She cited ongoing budget constraints, rising student mental health concerns, special educational needs provision, and general future uncertainties as key testing factors for the educational landscape.
However, Davies was keen to highlight the positive. 'There is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life,' she stated.
The guide's methodology focuses squarely on academic outcomes, calculating the percentage of top grades achieved at GCSE and A-level against total entries for each school. This data-driven approach provides parents with a clear, performance-based snapshot of school excellence across the nation.
