Year Six pupils across the country have received offers for secondary school places starting in September 2024, and parents across Merseyside and Cheshire are eager to discover how their children's new school ranks against local and national competitors.
The best performing secondary schools in Cheshire - as well as the whole of the UK - for 2024 have been rated, listed, and ranked in the Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide and Schools League Table - based on key categories such as exam results and Ofsted ratings.
The institutions are ranked by academic performance, based on GCSE results, plus A-level results at those schools and colleges that also offer the qualification.
The number of 9, 8, 7, A* and A grades gained at GCSE is calculated as a percentage of the total number of GCSE entries overall. This includes IGCSEs sat in independent schools. A-levels are double weighted.
Many families will be sending their kids off to ‘big school’ this September - following the completion of National Offer Day and the appeals process with the relevant Local Education Authority - so we have drawn together the list of the best in the region - featuring both state and independent secondary schools.
Nine secondary schools in Cheshire were featured in the Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide for 2024, with their national rankings ranging from 98 to 395. Take a look at the list below and see if your child's new school made the cut.
1. The King’s School, Chester, Cheshire
📈 National rank 95. The King’s School is a mixed private day school for pupils aged four to 18. 70.8% of students attained GCSE A*/A/9/8/7. ⭐ Latest Ofsted rating: Outstanding (2014). 📝 "Students’ achievement is excellent. They make outstanding progress. The standards they reach in their GCSE examinations, including in English and in mathematics, are considerably higher than average." Photo: The King’s School
2. The King’s School in Macclesfield, Prestbury, Cheshire
📈 National rank 131. The King’s School in Macclesfield is an independent mixed school for pupils aged between three and 18. 64.1% of students attained GCSE A*/A/9/8/7. ⭐ Latest Ofsted rating: Unavailable. Photo: The King's School in Macclesfield
3. The Grange School, Northwich, Cheshire
📈 National rank 134. The Grange School is a mixed independent secondary school, for students aged four to 18. 61.1% of students attained GCSE A*/A/9/8/7. ⭐ Latest Ofsted rating: Good (2022). 📝 "During lessons, pupils focus closely on their learning. They are supported appropriately by staff to behave well and to be successful learners." Photo: The Grange School
4. The Queen’s School, Chester, Cheshire
📈 National rank 153. The Queen’s School is an independent school for girls aged between four and 18.. 61% of students attained GCSE A*/A/9/8/7. ⭐ Latest Ofsted rating: Unavailable. Photo: Google Street View