Details for the UK’s top 100 grammar schools

1. Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet

The 450-year-old London based school for boys promises to support all its pupils in achieving their very considerable potential in academic and extracurricular pursuits. It’s crucial to visit their website, download the entrance test request form, and return it to the school before submitting the common application form to your local authority. With 100% of pupils achieving 5+ 9-4s and a Progress 8 score of 1.08, this is without a doubt an excellent choice of secondary school. 
2. The Henrietta Barnett School
This grammar school for girls makes no secret of its exclusivity, highlighting the high volume of applications it receives each year, 3,000 in 2019! The school’s website states that pupils should expect the first round to include Verbal, Non-Verbal Reasoning and English tests, while the second round is a mathematics test. In terms of Progress 8, the school’s dropped from 9th to 24th place in the last 12 months but continues to sustain a solid position in the nation’s top 50 league table.
3. Wilson’s School, Wallington
Wilson’s school has climbed from 12th to 4th place this year, securing its position as one of the nation’s best grammar schools. What’s most notable about this Sutton-based School is that it’s also ranked as one of the UK’s top 100 sporting schools. Therefore, if your son is into sport, this school would be a solid choice. However, bear in mind that if you choose to apply for this school, your son will need to take the two-part Selective Eligibility Test (SET) as his 11+ entrance exam.

 4. The Tiffin Girls’ School

Founded in 1880 and located in Greater London, Tiffin Girls’ School has become known for its students’ consistency in achieving outstanding exam results. The school also boasts several extracurricular activities, particularly in sport and arts. In addition, the school’s website explains that in character building, it promises to nurture both a love for learning and a sense of community. 

5. St Olave’s Grammar School

St Olave’s and St Saviour’s is a well-known boys’ grammar school in Orpington with a heritage that can be traced back to 1562. The school only admits boys at Year 7 but is coeducational for Sixth Form. The school has an extensive Religious Studies module in its curriculum, including various religions and philosophical ideologies. The school is historically known for its outstanding academic results. However, recently, the school has increased emphasis on students’ mental health, which Ofsted and students themselves have noticed. If you consider St Olave’s, you can read more about the school’s admission procedure here.

6. Pate’s Grammar School

Pate’s Grammar School is a coeducational grammar school with academy status in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. The school has been named ‘State Secondary School of the Year’ twice by The Sunday Times: once in 2012 and again in 2020. The schools’ results are excellent: they are the highest achieving school in the South West for grades nine at GCSE and ranked in the top 10 of many national league tables. Furthermore, last year each Pate’s student achieved (on average) 0.79 of a grade higher than their target in every GCSE they took, placing them in the top 5% of all schools nationally.

7. Altrincham Grammar School for Girls

This fully selective non-fee paying school is one of the country’s most respected institutions for secondary education. The all-girls grammar school is located in Cheshire and has tons of helpful information for parents hoping to send their daughter here. Watch the induction video for parents, a virtual tour, equipment lists, and more – all serving to provide you with a fantastic insight into what you can expect from this school. Parents of Year 6 students can learn more here.

8. King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford

Self-styled as “Kegs”, this all-boys grammar school is located in the heart of Essex’s county town and holds academy status, meaning it enjoys greater flexibility in the academic curriculum, school holidays and extracurricular activities. Entry for this school is via the 11+, administered by the Consortium for Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). 

9. Colchester Royal Grammar School

Colchester Royal Grammar School (CRGS) is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, that is supported by the state. It was established in 1128, and two royal charters were later issued to it by Henry VIII in 1539 and Elizabeth I in 1584.
There are around 950 students at the school, who range in age from 11 to 18, and the major buildings and athletic facilities are in Colchester’s Lexden neighbourhood. It was once a boys’ school, but since 1998, it has allowed girls to enrol in the sixth form. It has a focus on science and languages. Nationwide A-level league tables consistently place the school first.

10. Kendrick School

Admissions procedures for prospective students aiming to join in September 2024 as a Year 7 student. Therefore, it’s fair to assume that this school will release new information around May or June 2023. According to the Progress 8 benchmark, this school moved from 5th to 1st place, with outstanding results that make it highly selective. It’s now, without a doubt, one of the UK’s best performing grammar schools and a strong choice for sending your child on a positive trajectory in their secondary education.

11. Reading School

Aiming to become a world-leading institution of academic excellence, shaping the lives of young men, this school promises to champion your son to the next level in their trajectory toward success. As well as receiving an Outstanding rating from Ofsted, the school has won many awards such as the UK social mobility awards 2020 and the teen tech awards. The school also offers covid-secure boarding, at around £11,900 per year.

12. King Edward VI School, Stratford

The Grammar School of King Edward VI at Stratford-upon-Avon, also known as King Edward VI School or abbreviated K.E.S., is a grammar school and academy that has historically been exclusively for boys in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. However, the institution has started to accept female students into the Sixth Form as of September 2013. William Shakespeare probably certainly attended this school, which is why it is frequently referred to as “Shakespeare’s School.” 

All pupils must pass a selected exam, principally the 11-plus, which is given to Year 6 students in Warwickshire (ages 10 and 11), in order to be admitted to KES, which is an entirely selective, single-sex school. Male students are required in order to be accepted into the school. Female pupils have lately been admitted to the sixth form.

13. Chelmsford County High School for Girls

In Chelmsford, Essex, England, there is a selective grammar school for girls ages 11 to 18 called Chelmsford County High School for Girls, or “CCHS.” An academic selection test is required for enrollment in the school. With consistently excellent marks for both GCSE and A-level grades, CCHS is one of the most academically successful and consistently high-achieving secondary schools in the United Kingdom. Additionally, CCHS was chosen as Essex’s top secondary institution.
In addition to these accomplishments, the school strives to instil “creating the leaders of tomorrow” in the notion that the capable girls will be leaders in any sector of employment or academic study they choose in the future, or even in the personal hobbies they pursue.

14. Colyton Grammar School

With a 2020 Ofsted rating of “Outstanding”, this school is recognised for its pupils’ high attainment in all GCSE subjects. In addition, Colyton boasts that “Pupils love learning at this school. They are intellectually curious and are keen to discover new things, from Year 7 through to Year 13”. Ofsted noted that the quality of education at the school is “exceptional”, and pupil progress means that for 2022 the Devon school has climbed to number 13 in our top 50 best grammar school list.

15. Altrincham Grammar School for Boys

AGSB’s excellent GCSE and A-level results consistently place it as one of the best grammar schools in the UK with outstanding teaching quality. The 11 plus for this school’s examination provider is CEM, and you can find several preparation materials via the school’s website. 

16. Colchester County High School for Girls

In 1909 the school was established as a grammar school for girls in North Essex. Today, it is a Grammar Academy and part of the Alpha Trust, a multi-academy trust of schools including The Gilberd School, Manningtree High, and Home Farm Primary School. The trust’s goal is to expand its schools’ academic resources and opportunities, helping students achieve academic excellence. In 2019, 74% of pupils achieved grades 8-9 at GCSE, and almost 60% achieved A* – A grades at A-LEVEL, with Year 12 students receiving offers from the nation’s top universities. Data from the government website highlights that the school’s pre-pandemic Progress 8 score is 1.01. This means pupils achieve a whole grade higher at GCSE than predicted based on their primary school attainment and ranks highly amongst all schools in its local authority. The school was one of the first specialist science schools in the UK for specialist subjects. It also specialises in modern foreign languages. 

17. The Latymer School, Edmonton

In 2019, The Sunday Times named The Latymer School the top coeducational state school in London and the UK’s fifth-best coeducational state secondary school. At the GCSE level, all students attained strong passes in English and maths in 2019. The school’s Progress 8 score was 0.68, meaning that pupils achieve, on average, over two-thirds of a grade higher per subject in their GCSE examinations than other pupils with the same prior attainment. In 2020, 92% of GCSE grades were between 9 and 7. 

18. Tonbridge Grammar School

Tonbridge Grammar School is a grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent. The school was previously exclusively a girls’ school, but has had a coeducational sixth form since 2002. It now has around 1050 students aged 11 to 18. Since 2012 the school has exclusively been an International Baccalaureate (IB) school – this means pupils follow the IB curriculum and sit IB exams. The school does not offer A-levels, but pupils do sit GCSE exams. Tonbridge Grammar School has been named the best IB state school in the UK on several occasions. As part of the International Baccalaureate curriculum, all students must study at least one language, one science subject, maths and a social science subject all the way to Sixth Form. The school specialises in languages, maths and computing.

19. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

Founded in 1883, King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys is a well-known grammar school serving Birmingham and its surroundings. Other than the top academic results, Camp Hill Boys also offers a range of extracurricular activities for its students, such as sports, art, and music. Camp Hill for Boys also aims to keep the school a happy and healthy place for boys to attend. To gain admission, your son will need to sit the CEM exam. You can read more about 11+ admissions here.

20. Stratford Girls’ Grammar School 

In Stratford-upon-Avon, England, there is a fully selective girls’ grammar school known as Stratford Girls’ Grammar School (formerly Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls).
The school received the designation of Specialist Language College in 2002 and later received the designation of Specialist Science College. It has routinely been named one of the top twenty state schools in England. The school has been given academy school status since 2011. Entry is through examination at the age of 11, while it is most popular to enter in the sixth form.

21. King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls 

A selective grammar school, King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls is one of the institutions within the Birmingham-based King Edward VI Academy Trust. They have had 3 locations since 1876: Priory Estate, Camp Hill House, and Meriden Street (Kings Heath). 1099 students are enrolled for 2021–2022. (main school & 6th form). 
Success on the 11+ exam and proximity to the school are both taken into account when determining admission to Camp Hill. Students that reside outside the area are permitted to attend Camp Hill, but only if they receive a very high 11+ score and the catchment student quota is not full. The prior admissions policy from 2020 was replaced by this one. Prior to this change, proximity had no weight and the 20% Pupil Premium Pupils limit. Exams are also required for entry into year 8 through year 11.

22. Tiffin School 

Tiffin School is a top-rated school, and entry is competitive: roughly 1800 applicants, meaning approximately 1 in 10 boys will be offered a place. It is therefore essential to start preparing early. As the school only sets English and Maths questions, there is no need to revise Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning skills; however, students’ knowledge of core English and Maths will need to be highly secure. Students will also need to be familiar with the format of the Stage 1 tests, which is multiple choice and marked by a computer, so students must answer correctly. You can see a guide to how to answer multiple-choice questions here.

23. Newstead Wood School 

Newstead Wood School is a girls’ grammar school with academy status in Orpington, Greater London. This page has everything you need to know about Newstead Wood School and can help you get started with the admissions process. You can also find helpful information about the 11 plus exam, such as exam practice resources, information about exam boards and key dates in the calendar.  
24. Dartford Grammar School

Dartford Grammar School is a school for boys located in Kent, just outside London. One of the oldest schools in the country, it is unusual in that it only offers the International Baccalaureate programme and does not follow the National Curriculum. This means the students at Dartford do not sit A-level exams; instead, they sit exams set by the International Baccalaureate Organisation in addition to their GCSEs.

25. Wallington High School for Girls

Proud of its British values, with a broad curriculum and high attainment at GCSE, Wallington is an all-girls school, with entry at Year 7 also determined by the Selective Eligibility Test (SET). The school opened its 2023 entry applications and it’s worth checking Sutton’s grammar schools consortium for more information.

26. Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls (formerly Sutton Coldfield High School and Sutton Coldfield Girls School) is an 11–18 girls secondary grammar school and sixth form with academy status in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is a specialist Science College and a Leadership Partner School which it received in September 2004 and 2009 respectively, as well as a Beacon School. It became an academy in 2011. The students attend Sutton Girls from all across Birmingham, with many of them travelling great distances to participate. Over 1100 pupils attend the school, with 240 enrolling in our Sixth Form.

27. Langley Grammar School

Located in Langley, Berkshire, England, Langley Grammar School is a coed grammar school with academy status. Approximately 1,013 students attend it presently, 261 of them are in the sixth form. It is located near to Kedermister Park, just north of the A4. North-south bicycle route 61 runs beside the west side of the school.
Incoming pupils at Langley Grammar School are chosen based on their shown aptitude, either for the Sixth Form through performance at GCSE and interview or at age 11 through the NFER 11+ test. The school’s current headmaster is Mr. John Constable. The majority of students—roughly 70%—come from outside the LAA, primarily from Hillingdon.

28. Dr Challoner’s Grammar School

Located in Buckinghamshire, pupils at this school have historically scored competitively against other grammar schools across the country. Ranked highly for GCSE and Progress 8, the girls’ grammar school is one of the best in the UK. If you’re thinking about sending your daughter to this school in 2023, you can learn more about their admissions here.

29. Sutton Grammar School

Sutton Grammar School is a selective all-boys grammar school that welcomes girls from Sixth Form. This highly selective grammar school admits 135 to their Year 7 each year after completing the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) and the school’s test. In this school, boys achieve outstanding academic success and are also equipped with relevant university skills and later careers. You can read more about Sutton Grammar’s Year 7 admission here.

30. Nonsuch High School for Girls

The sister school to Wallington, Nonsuch High School, is also located in Sutton. The school also uses the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) to determine entry in addition to its own entrance exam as part of a two-stage test. Successful candidates may choose to either attend Nonsuch or Wallington. Nonsuch High School is considered to be in the nation’s top 2% of schools for overall progress, with an impressive Progress 8 score of 1.04. Well above the UK average, this means that pupils achieve a whole grade higher at GCSE than predicted based on their primary school attainment. In 2018/19, 99% of pupils achieved grade 5 or higher at GCSE. For the academic year 2019/2020, 63.4% of pupils achieved grade A* – A in their A-LEVELS. In the same year, 22 Year 13 students went on to study a medicine-related degree, and a further 12 to study engineering at top UK universities. 

31. The Blue Coat School, Liverpool

The Blue Coat School is a coeducational grammar school with academy status in Wavertree, Liverpool, England. It is an average-sized secondary school known for its excellent academic results; in 2016, it was ranked as the best state school in the country based on GCSE results, and in 2015 it was named The Times’ State School of The Year.

32. Dr Challoner’s High School

Dr Challoner’s High School is an all-girls selective grammar school in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Awarded the 2014 Exceptional Schools Award, the school is reputed as one of English’s leading secondary schools, almost always in the top 50 within national league tables. Boasting solid academic results year after year, nearly all A-LEVEL pupils progress to higher education, with pupils receiving offers from Oxbridge and Russel Group universities. On this page, you can find all of the information required for making an admissions application, in addition to resources and guidance for 11 plus exam preparation and key dates in the 2021/2022 calendar.  

33. Friends’ School Lisburn 

Friends’ School, Lisburn, a Quaker voluntary grammar school established in 1774, is located in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Only students who have taken the Common Entrance Assessment (CEA) offered by the Association for Quality Education (AQE) and who have received a mark in the form of a standardised score1 or who have been assigned to a band of scores following the determination of an application for Special Circumstances or Special Provisions will initially be taken into consideration at the Transfer stage. The School or the AQE website both have information on the CEA (www.aqe.org.uk).
It should be highlighted that admission must be given to children who were living in Northern Ireland at the time of their requested entrance before children who were not.

34. Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School

On the Ravenhill Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland, there is a coed Catholic grammar school called Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School. It teaches a variety of topics. Although CCEA is its preferred education board, the school also utilises AQA and Edexcel for several topics. They instruct in a variety of fields. Although CCEA is its preferred education board, the school also utilises AQA and Edexcel for several topics.
Out of 159 secondary schools in Northern Ireland, the school was placed 11th in 2019 with 88.4% of its A-level candidates receiving three A*-C grades.

35. Beaconsfield High School

A grammar school for females, Beaconsfield High School (often referred to as Becky High) is located in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Girls between the ages of 12 and 18 are admitted to the school (A-levels). Pupils from Buckinghamshire primary schools must take the 11+ test in order to be admitted to Beaconsfield High School. They must receive an average score of 121/141 on all of their exams, while students with scores around 117 will be given ‘appeal’ consideration. Approximately 1,100 students attend the school, with 180 or so in each year group. The school contains around 60 classrooms, and in 2010, a new “sixth form section” was created, adding about 12 more classrooms, a computer lab, and a new canteen with more seats.

36. Sale Grammar School

South of Manchester, England’s Sale is home to Sale Grammar School, a grammar school. In 2011, the school changed its name to Academy Trust Grammar School. The school has its own entrance exam for applicants. Grammar and high schools are part of the completely selective secondary education system in Trafford, Los Angeles. The school received an “outstanding” rating in the most recent Ofsted assessment.
Admission policies for boys and girls who will be 11 by September 1, 2023 (date of birth between 1st September 2011 and 31st August 2012). The Governing Body is this school’s admission authority, and 190 admissions are planned for 2023. Beginning on May 9, 2022, all information pertaining to Year 7 admission for the fall of 2023 will be posted on the school website, and you will be able to submit an online application for your child to take the entrance exam at that time.

37. Westcliff High School for Boys

Westcliff High School for Boys Academy was initially founded in the 1920s. In 2018 it was ranked number 5 for the top schools in Essex in The Sunday Times School Guide, and in 2002 the school was awarded ‘Beacon Status’ for the breadth of its achievements and quality of pupils’ work. In terms of student make-up, approximately 23% of pupils speak English as a second language, 7% are on free school meals, and 2% have some support for special educational needs.

38. St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt

St. Mary’s Grammar School is a grammar school located in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The School is a coeducational school established in 1927, is for students aged 11-18, and now edcates around 1099 pupils. Deirdre Gillespie has been appointed as the principal since 2011.St Mary’s Grammar School is ranked second in Magherafelt based on its performance data and Ofsted rating.  The School has consistently been placed among the top grammar schools in Northern Ireland in the Belfast Telegraph’s League Table. 

In 2022 GCSEs, 31.4% grades A*A*, 18.3% grades A*A, 19.6% grades AA. 

39. Strathearn School 

Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland’s Strathearn School is a grammar school for girls ages 11 to 18, which is optional. According to The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Report, Strathearn, which was founded in 1929, is the best girls’ grammar school in Northern Ireland this year. Encourage – Empower – Excel, the school’s motto, serves as the foundation for all activities.

40. King Edward VI Five Ways School

In Bartley Green, Birmingham, England, there is a coed state grammar school called King Edward VI Five Ways (KEFW) for students ages 11 to 18. It is a voluntary aided school and one of the seven institutions under the Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI. Admission is through a very competitive test. When it relocated from Five Ways in 1958, its name remained the same. It frequently appears in lists of Birmingham’s top universities.
The two admission key stages for King Edward VI Five Ways School are typically Year 7 for Main School and Year 12 for Sixth Form. However, if spaces open up in Years 7, 8, 9, or 10, there could be chances for in-year admissions.

41. Wycombe High School

Girls between the ages of 11 and 18 may enrol in Wycombe High School, a girls’ grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. In 2011, the school converted to an academy, and by 2020, it had 1,308 students.
For the three and a half weeks between Monday, September 19, and Wednesday, October 12, when students finish their Secondary Transfer test and the results are announced, you can schedule a small group trip to view the school “in action” at 9.00 am or 2.50 pm on those days.

42. St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School, Finchley 

St Michael’s Catholic Grammar School is a voluntary aided Roman Catholic grammar school for girls and boys in the sixth form, located in Finchley, Barnet, London. Its current headteacher is Mr Michael Stimpson. The school was founded in 1908 by Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus. Nowadays it has around 750 pupils and 100 staff.
In 2022 GCSEs, 40.0% grades 9, 67.6% grades 9-8, 85.4% grades 9-7. In 2022 A Levels, 27.5% grades A*, 59.6% grades A*-A, 81.8% grades A*-B.

43. The Skinner’s School

The Skinners’ School, sometimes known simply as Skinners’, is a British Grammar School for boys with academy status that is situated in the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. It was once known as The Skinners’ Company’s Middle School for Boys. A need for education in the area led to the establishment of the school in 1887 by the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the 108 livery companies of the City of London. 
In acknowledgment of the exceptional instruction in science and mathematics, Skinners’, an all-boys grammar school today, has received specialist status in those subjects. A total of 1119 students are enrolled at this time, with 325 of them in the sixth form.  Frederick Knott, who gave Knott House its name, served as the school’s first principal. 

44. Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School

Located in the West Midlands, this is one of the oldest schools in the country! Offering the “Vesey experience”, students can expect exclusive access to a wide range of high-quality extracurricular activities and outstanding academic excellence. 

45. Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock

The Catholic diocesan grammar school Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, also referred to as Knock or OLSPCK, is located in Knock, a town east of Belfast, Northern Ireland. The school, which has a growing student body, declared in late 2019 that it expected a future enrollment of 1,330.

The college trustees, led by Bishop Cahal Daly, suggested in 1984 that the college merge with the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Holywood, County Down, to become co-educational beginning in September 1985 while remaining on the Knock site. This newly established institution adopted the name Our Lady and St. Patrick’s College, Knock, with the motto Gratias Agamus and enrolled close to 900 students.

46. Newport Girls’ High School

In Newport, Shropshire, England, Newport Girls’ High School is an all-girls grammar school with academy status. A group of female governesses founded the school in 1919 as a single-sex day school for local girls. The institution only accepts 120 pupils a year and is exclusively for girls. Previously, starting in 2003, the school accepted 56 pupils a year. This number increased to 84 in 2013 and to 90 in 2019. Additionally, the school now qualifies as a math and computing expert. In 2020, the Sunday Times recognised it as the “West Midlands State Secondary School of the Year.”

47. Sir Thomas Rich’s School

The school moved to its present site from the centre of Gloucester in 1964. Recent additions to the facilities include an Economics, Entrepreneurship, Careers and Outreach Centre opened in 2020. In addition, the school has a dedicated Language Centre and Music Suite. 
Sir Thomas Rich’s School has a range of sports clubs and teams, and unusually for modern schools allows pupils to take part in a structured games programme during the afternoons. The school has a sports hall, a gym, a swimming pool, and a bowls club is attached to the school. Sir Thomas Rich’s School boasts two choirs, an orchestra, and several groups and ensembles on the music front. There is an active drama scene. 

48. Sullivan Upper School

Around 1,100 students attend Holywood, Northern Ireland’s mixed non-denominational voluntary grammar school, Sullivan Upper School. Lamh Foisdineach An Uachtar, which translates to “with the soft hand foremost,” is the school’s motto.
They put a significant focus on academics and highly respect academic performance. The majority of students who take GCSE examinations are expected to stay in school for a further 2 years to take GCE AS and Advanced Level courses before moving on to universities at home or abroad, including Oxford and Cambridge. Pupils entering the school at age 11 begin a 5-year course of study leading to GCSE examinations, in which they will be expected to enter for at least 9 subjects.

49. Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School

 In Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, there is a selective state grammar school for students between the ages of 11 and 18 called Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, sometimes known as Borlase or SWBGS. The school welcomes students from neighbouring towns and is located on West Street, close to the town centre. It has roughly 1000 students total, including about 380 in the sixth form.

50. Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School

The all-female, selective Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School (TWGGS) was founded in 1905 in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England. The primary entry requirement is the “eleven plus” test, paired with residency in the catchment region (1.6 miles as of 2015) There are a few spots designated as governess seats for pupils who live beyond the catchment region. These are often exclusively awarded to pupils who scored highly on the 11+. Mrs. Linda Wybar is the head mistress at the moment. 

51. Aylesbury High School

When the once coed Aylesbury Grammar School (formed in 1598) divided into two single-sex grammar schools, Aylesbury High School (AHS) was established in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Both institutions are still located on nearby properties. Due to the school’s admittance policy, which is based on the eleven-plus, students come from as far away as Oxford and Milton Keynes. Giles Scoble is the headmaster at the moment.
Locals refer to the school informally as “Aylesbury Girls’,” and students refer to it as “the High” or “AHS.” Because it is a selective state-funded grammar school, admission criteria are determined by the eleven-plus, sometimes known as transfer exams. However, some pupils may be enrolled after making an appeal to Buckinghamshire County Council. The school will admit students in Year 8 upon achievement in the twelve-plus and thereafter upon acceptable proof that prospective students are academically qualified, in the somewhat exceptional case of free spots. Additionally, a sizable number of students are accepted into the Sixth Form from both local public and private schools, albeit strong GCSE scores are necessary and competition for these spots is fierce.

52. Woodford County High School

As seen with many schools in this list, the pandemic has undoubtedly highlighted which schools could adapt to remote learning and disruption while continuing to propel their students to success. And that’s what we see with this school. Admittedly, the school hasn’t published its grade 8/9 GCSE scores for 2021, but overall scores were high. Additionally, the school has a strong focus on community, encouraging curiosity, an open mind, and independent thinking, helping students develop ‘real-life’ skills that help them become successful adults.  

53. Wallington County Grammar School

Wallington Grammar is an all-boys grammar school with a mixed Sixth Form located in Wallington, Outer London. Wallington Grammar’s latest Ofsted report rated the school as Outstanding with high academic success. The school’s motto ‘Through Difficulties to the Heights’ reflects how Wallington educates resilient and compassionate young adults. Following this, Ofsted also states that boys show strong performance and respectful behaviour. Uniquely, this school does not hold second stage interviews. As a result, your son will only need to sit the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) to secure a place.

54. Lumen Christi College

Lumen Christi College is a co-educational Catholic grammar school in Bishop Street, Derry, Northern Ireland. The school was established in September 1997 and is situated where the former St. Columb’s College had stood. There are 50 teachers and just over 840 students at the school.
At Key Stages 3 and 4, the college offers the entire Northern Ireland Curriculum. All pupils typically take a minimum of nine GCSEs at Key Stage 4, and at least three A-Levels in the Sixth Form. The college is a part of the Foyle Learning Community, which connects twelve post-primary institutions in the region and gives post-16 students access to a variety of disciplines outside of those offered on the campus.

55. Lawrence Sheriff School

Rugby, Warwickshire, England’s Lawrence Sheriff School is a grammar school for boys. Lawrence Sheriff, the Elizabethan man who founded Rugby School, is the name of the school. The school’s name is frequently abbreviated to “LSS” or “Sheriff.” Historically, the school has operated in collaboration with Rugby High School for Girls, a local grammar school.
Based on information from the Department for Education, the school won first place in national performance tables in 2008, 2010 and 2011 respectively (schools were ranked by their total points score in examinations). Out of 3,200 secondary schools, it placed seventh in 2013 and fourth overall in 2012.
75% of boys received the English Baccalaureate in 2013. When compared to nearby prestigious schools, 87% of students from King Edward VI, 73% from Bablake, 66% from Rugby High School, and 64% from Rugby School received the certificate. 

56. Chesham Grammar School

On White Hill in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, there is a coed grammar school called Chesham Grammar School. There are over 1,300 students between the ages of eleven and eighteen, with more than 400 in the sixth form. The Department of Education granted the school designation as a Humanities College in 2007. The school became an Academy in August 2011.
The Buckinghamshire County Council, which runs a selective secondary education system throughout the county, facilitates admission to the school. For admission to the institution, students must get an 11-plus score of 121 or above.

57. Highworth Grammar School

Highworth Grammar School was originally founded in 1904. It gained Music Specialist Status in 2005 and is still known for the strength of its music provision. Its results are well above the national average; in 2019, 100% of students passed GCSE English and Maths, and 65% of all GCSE grades were levels 7-9 (old style A or A*). 70% of A-level results were A*-B and 83% of students went on to study at university. In terms of student make up, approximately 22% of pupils speak English as a second language, 9% are on free school meals and 3% have some support for special educational needs. 

58. The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe

The school was initially founded in 1551 and has been at its current location since 1915. The school has many notable alumni, including the comedian Jimmy Carr, the rugby player Matt Dawson and politician Christopher Grayling. The school has an excellent academic reputation, and The Good School’s Guide says, “teachers’ passion for their subjects is evident as you walk around the school”. The school’s results are excellent: in 2019, three-quarters of A-level results were awarded A*-B, with almost half awarded A*s and As. Boarders’ results are often awe-inspiring: 86% of the grades for boarders were A*-B, and 60% were A*s and As. You can see a full breakdown of GCSE results here.

59. Bishop Wordsworth’s School

For boys aged 11 to 18, Bishop Wordsworth’s School is a Church of England boys’ grammar school in Salisbury, Wiltshire. The school consistently ranks among the finest in England, and in 2010 it had the greatest scores for the English Baccalaureate. It is an Additional Member of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference and was given academy status in March 2011. It is located next to the Cathedral School on the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral.
Up until June 2020, South Wilts Grammar School for Girls provided sixth form instruction. Beginning in the fall of 2020, the school began accepting girls directly into its sixth form, with 45 students entering Year 12. 

60. Aylesbury Grammar School

There are over 1300 pupils enrolled in Aylesbury Grammar School, a grammar school in the English county of Buckinghamshire. Aylesbury Grammar School, founded in 1598 by Sir Henry Lee, a supporter of Queen Elizabeth I, marked its 100th anniversary in 2007 at its current location on Walton Road. The acronym AGS is frequently used by its students, employees, and other locals to refer to it.

Its entrance standards are set by the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test, formerly known as the “11-plus,” as a selective state institution. If there are any open spots after all qualifying in-catchment candidates have taken their positions, the school also accepts pupils from beyond the catchment area or from out-of-county regions like Thame and Milton Keynes. From the age of 11, in Year 7, until the age of 18, in Year 13, males are educated at this institution. The school’s greatest admissions are in Years 7 and 12, respectively. The majority of pupils who pass their GCSEs continue on to the school’s Sixth Form to finish their A-levels. 

61. Bournemouth School for Girls

A grammar academy school called Bournemouth School for Girls is situated in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Girls between the ages of 11 and 18 are taught in the grammar school and sixth-form college for women.
Around 1,100 pupils attend the school, with 300 enrolled in the sixth form. Boys from Bournemouth School, with whom the girls share a playing field, were allowed to enrol in sixth form programmes up until 2012, including psychology, theatre studies, and physical education.
A Senior Team led by the Head Girl represents the school. The senior team is made up of six house and vice captains. A sports prefect, a performing arts prefect, and a charity prefect are appointed roles within each house.

62. St Dominic’s School

St Dominic’s School is a prestigious and highly regarded special school in Surrey set in 56 acres of land with plenty of space for extra-curricular activities. The school caters for up to 150 pupils aged 7-19 and sixth formers with a range of academic abilities and complex needs. The school is owned and run by Orchard Hill Academy Trust. The School has achieved Advanced Autism Accreditation, the prestigious Arts Council ‘Artsmark’ Silver Award and holds the National Healthy Schools status.

63. Southend High School For Boys

Southend High School for Boys, often known by its initials SHSB, is a selective secondary Grammar school that is located south-west of the intersection of the A127 and A1159 in Prittlewell, England, north-west of Southend-on-Sea. It has classes for children between the ages of 11 and 18, and admittance is determined by how well applicants score on the selective 11+ exams administered by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE). On February 1, 2011, it became an academy and is now in charge of itself. In recent years, there have been more students.

64. Upton Court Grammar School

The school was originally formed in 1912 and was originally split into Slough Grammar School for Boys and Slough High School for Girls until they merged in the 1980s. According to Ofsted Upton Court is known as a multicultural school (almost 50% of its students speak English as a second language) that is committed to its international school status and is proud of its understanding of other cultures and languages. Last year 100% of students achieved a level 5 or above for GCSE Maths and English, and 63% of all GCSE grades awarded were levels 7-9 (old style A or A*). 79% of A-level students accepted a university place, 30% of which were with courses at Russell Group universities. In 2017 it was named the Best Mixed Grammar School in England. 

65. Westcliff High School for Girls

In Southend-on-Sea, Essex, and the surrounding districts, there is a prestigious grammar school and academy for girls called Westcliff High School for Girls, often known by its initials WHSG. It has classes for children between the ages of 11 and 18, and admittance is determined by how well applicants score on the selective 11+ exams administered by the Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex (CSSE).
It serves people who are 11 to 18 years old. It is just across from St. Thomas More High School for Boys and shares a canteen with Westcliff High School for Boys. There were 286 sixth-form pupils among the 1,046 registered students, according to the 2010 Ofsted assessment.

66. The Judd School

The Judd School is a boys-only, voluntary-aided grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent, with a sizable sixth-form female students. More than 1400 students, ranging in age from 11 to 18, attend college or University. State-funded institution with a strong academic reputation and traditional values is The Judd School.

67. Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School

The Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School would be a good place for your daughter to attend school. All female applicants must take the Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School Entrance Examinations, which will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022.
Girls are given places based on their performance on the entrance exams. On the GL Assessment website, you can get preparation resources. Please take note that Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School does not evaluate nonverbal reasoning.

68. Stroud High School

If you’re considering sending your daughter to this prestigious school, note that its 11+ exam is administered by the Gloucestershire County Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for Year 7 entry. The school’s website highlights that there is no pass mark for its entrance exam. Instead, it looks at all candidates’ overall scores to ensure only a select few admissions. In addition, the school uses the Durham University (CEM) test.
Children who fulfil the testing requirements and are applying for admission to Year 8 at the beginning of the next academic year will be asked to take tests during the Annual Testing Round. It will be held toward the end of January of the year for which admission is being sought in September and is organised by the school. If there are openings, a test is also offered for admittance into Years 9–10–11. The second Monday in January of that year will be the cutoff date for test registration. There will be a requirement for residency proof.

69. Loreto Grammar School, Altrincham

In Altrincham, a neighbourhood in the city of Trafford, there is a Catholic grammar school with academy status that mostly educates girls. For admission, students must take an entrance exam and meet a number of additional requirements. The Sisters of Loreto created the Altrincham school in 1909, and it is a member of the global Loreto community. Additionally, it now has the standing of an academy (30 August 2012).
There are 1050 pupils and 100 employees at the institution. In addition, Loreto is a part of the larger, global community that Mary Ward created, which includes 70,000 students and more than 120 schools.

70. Wolverhampton Girls’ High School

The grammar school for girls in Wolverhampton, England’s West Midlands, is called Wolverhampton Girls’ High School. For its achievement at GCSE and A level, the school has consistently been listed among the top 10 state schools in the nation for achieving good results over a long period of time. The majority of students get nine or more GCSEs at these grades, with almost 80% of GCSE marks being A or A*.
According to the performance league table for all maintained schools in the West Midlands, the school’s 2006 A-level results put it in fifth position. In 2009, all of the girls who took the GCSE exams earned five or more A*-C grades.

71. Ilford County High School

Ilford County High School is an all-boys selective school located in Ilford, just outside East London. Ilford admits 180 boys into their Year 7 every year after taking the 11 plus exam. Ilford welcomes boys from all religious backgrounds making the school very diverse and one that focuses a lot on students’ character development. Boys targeting this school will need to take the Redbridge 11+ exam which you can read more about here.

72. Ripon Grammar School

Over 450 years old, this North Yorkshire grammar school is ranked as one of the leading secondary schools in England and offers boarding options. As a state school, all education is free and choosing to send your child to Ripon Grammar as a boarding school will cost a third of the average independent boarding school. However, while the school admits just under 120 pupils per year, only 14 places are reserved for boarders.

73. Torquay Girls’ Grammar School

In Torquay, Devon, Torquay Girls’ Grammar School is a selective grammar school for girls ages 11 to 18. In September 2004, it became one of the first institutions to be designated as a Humanities Specialist School. It was also among the first to offer the AQA Baccalaureate. The school was given academy status officially on February 1, 2011. It is a part of the South West Academic Trust, an association of Exeter University and seven successful grammar schools. The school consistently ranks among the top twenty state schools for girls in the country according to the test results.

74. Rugby High School

Rugby High School is a prestigious grammar school located in Rugby, Warwickshire, England’s Bilton neighbourhood. “She Sets Heights In Her Heart” is the school’s slogan. Boys 16 to 18 and females 11 to 18 are accepted. All pupils must have received a high score on the Eleven Plus test in order to enrol in this institution.

75. Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall

Queen Mary’s Grammar School (QMGS), a boys’ grammar school with academy status in Walsall, England, about a mile from the town centre, is one of the country’s oldest schools. The sixth form is a coed institution.

When a pupil is between the ages of 10 and 11, they take the entrance exam. Every September since September 2020, 180 kids have started going to the school; in September 2012, there were 96. The school’s enrollment expanded from 718 students in 2011 to 1,090 students in 2020 as a consequence of this consistent development.

76. Stretford Grammar School

Stretford Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school with academy status in Stretford, in the Trafford borough of Greater Manchester. It is a smaller-than-average school with a large proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds. This page has everything you need to know about Stretford Grammar School and can help you get started with the admissions process. You can also find helpful information about the 11 plus exam, such as exam practice resources, information about exam boards and key dates in the calendar.   

77. Southend High School for Girls 

A grammar school with academy status, Southend High School for Girls is located on Southchurch Boulevard in the eastern part of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. Students between the ages of 11 and 18 are accommodated. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection was in 2011, and it received an Outstanding rating as of 2022.
The institution specialises in languages. Every Key Stage 3 student studies either French and Spanish or French and German (replacing Latin in 2002, which is now available as an additional subject studied off-timetable).

78. Lancaster Royal Grammar School

In Lancaster, Lancashire, England, there is a selective grammar school for boys between the ages of 11 and 18 called Lancaster Royal Grammar School (LRGS). The Old Lancastrians are the former pupils. In 2019, the school’s sixth form welcomed female students. Also among the thirty oldest schools in the UK is LRGS.

79. Devonport High School for Girls 

The school was originally founded in 1908 (15 years after its sibling school, Devonport High School for Boys, was founded) and has been at its current location since 1937. In 2005 the school acquired a Specialism in Languages, along with extra funding to construct the new Learning Centre which included a modern library, new language laboratories and two new computer rooms. The school became an academy in 2011. In terms of student make up, approximately 8% of pupils speak English as a second language, 7% are on free school meals and 5% have some support for special educational needs.

80. Omagh Academy

Omagh Academy is a co-educational grammar school located in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with a history dating back to 1841. Admission is based on academic selection through the Transfer Test, and the school offers a wide range of subjects at both GCSE and A-level, as well as extracurricular activities and sports.

81. Queen Mary’s Grammar School 

Queen Mary’s Grammar School is a grammar school for boys in Walsall in the West Midlands. The school has a coeducational Sixth Form, and a total of 1100 pupils aged 11 to 18.Queen Mary’s Grammar School is an academy, meaning it has more control over its curriculum than most schools. The school specialises in languages, and was one of the first schools in the UK to offer Mandarin. It also organises a range of international trips each year. The school runs a space project entitled Project Horizon, which sends a balloon with cameras and other hardware on a journey to the stratosphere each year.

82. Herschel Grammar School 

Herschel Grammar School is a coeducational grammar school in Slough, Berkshire. The school has around 900 pupils aged 11 to 18.
Herschel Grammar School is an academy, meaning it has more control over its curriculum than most schools. The school specialises in Technology, Maths, Science and Computing. The school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities and trips, with recent destinations including Spain, France, China and Egypt. 

Founded in 1952, the school moved to its present site to the west of the town centre in 1958. Buildings have been repaired and added since. A sports centre with Astroturf pitches for football and hockey, four tennis courts, indoor basketball and badminton courts and a dance studio was opened in 2004. In addition to a range of sports teams and clubs Herschel Grammar School also runs an extensive Duke of Edinburgh scheme. 

83. Denmark Road High School

Denmark Road High School is an academy, meaning it has more control over its curriculum than most schools. Volunteering is valued highly; students volunteer at food banks and homeless shelters, and local care home residents are invited to tea parties. The school has successful teams in various sports, particularly netball, hockey and badminton. Other clubs at the school include a range of art clubs, maths clubs and music clubs. The school provides tuition for various instruments available to all interested students. The school is located in central Gloucester, next to Gloucester Cathedral. The Cathedral hosts the school’s annual Honours Evening and an annual Charity Concert and Christmas Carol Service. Denmark Road High School has been recognised as the best secondary school in Gloucestershire for two years running by the Real Schools Guide.

84. Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School 

Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school located on Hurst Road, Sidcup Road in the London Borough of Bexley, England. It is adjacent to Lamorbey Park, Rose Bruford College Drama School and Hurstmere School. The school now educates around 1344 pupils aged 11-18, pupils at the school are divided into a series of six houses.In 2022 GCSEs, 70% of the grades were awarded a 9-7, the best results the school has achieved.68 students were awarded all 10 of their GCSE grades at 9 or 8.In 2022 A Levels, 55% of the grades awarded were A*/A and the overall results show a 10% increase on last year’s results, with 80.5% of results being A*-B grade. 88 students achieved 3 or more A*/A grades and 10 students achieved 4 or more A*/A grades.

85. Bexley Grammar School

The school was originally founded in 1955 and previously had specialisms in Languages, Science and Mathematics. Many parents are attracted to the school because it offers a broader curriculum at Sixth Form as it follows the IB rather than A-level programme; you can see more comments that parents have made about the school here. In terms of student make up, approximately 19% of pupils speak English as a second language, 7% are on free school meals and 1% have some support for special educational needs.

86. Haberdashers’ Adams

In Newport, Shropshire, Haberdashers’ Adams is a grammar school that provides day and boarding instruction for boys and girls ages 11 to 18 and 16 to 18, respectively. Adams’ Grammar School was replaced with Haberdashers’ Adams as the school’s new name in January 2018. 

Adams is an elite school that accepts both boarding and day students. An rising number of international students, particularly those from Hong Kong, attend the school. In 2013, Adams received a Grade 1 Outstanding rating from Ofsted. The Department for Education most recently gave the school an average Progress 8 score of 0.02 out of 100.

87. South Wilts Grammar School

For students between the ages of 11 and 18, South Wilts Grammar School, previously South Wilts Grammar School for Girls, is a grammar school in Salisbury, south Wiltshire, England. The school, which opened in 1927, changed its name to an academy in 2011. The school’s name was changed to South Wilts Grammar School in 2020 to reflect the fact that beginning in September of that year, male pupils will be admitted to the sixth form.

South Wilts Grammar School (SWGS) is a selective grammar school with Academy status, and the Personnel Committee of the School Governors is in charge of admissions. Girls aged 11 to 16 attend this non-denominational, single-sex school, which is coeducational in the sixth form.

88. Rainey Endowed School

Informally referred to as “The Rainey,” Rainey Endowed School is a voluntary grammar school in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The institution was established in 1713 and currently enrols about 700 students. Each year the group consists of around 100 pupils. County Londonderry, County Antrim, and County Tyrone children attend the school because it is surrounded by three counties. Up until the age of 16, Northern Ireland curricula are available, and beyond that, a variety of AS and A2 courses are available. It also participates in a neighbourhood inter-school initiative where it offers A-level education to nearby schools.

89. Banbridge Academy

The institution consistently ranks among the top state universities both locally and nationally. In more than half of the A level examinations they took in 2019 they received the highest A and A* ratings. More than 75% of all tests had grades of A*, A, or B.

According to the Ofsted assessment from 2007, “This is a fantastic institution that offers excellent value for the money. The vast majority of parents place a high priority on the school and how it affects their children.”

90. Heckmondwike Grammar School

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a mixed 11-18 grammar school and is the sixth secondary school in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, England. The school was compulsorily built at the request of the Heckmondwike School Board as a replacement for schools located throughout Heckmondwike. The Board started proceedings in January 1894 and, despite much debate, construction of the school was completed at the end of 1897. The school opened on 17 January 1898 and enrolled 907 pupils. The school now enrolled 1500 pupils, Peter Roberts is the headteacher of the school. 

91. The Rochester Grammar School

Girls between the ages of 11 and 18 attend Rochester Grammar School, also known as Rochester Grammar School for Girls (RGS), which is sometimes shortened as RGS. It is academy-approved. Following the inclusion of males in the sixth form, it is now simply referred to as “Rochester Grammar School.”

On Rochester Maidstone Road, directly across from Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School, is where you’ll find Rochester Grammar School. While the remainder of the school is single-sex, its sixth form is mixed.

In the South East of England, according to a 2010 BBC investigation, the school had the greatest GCSE and second-best A/AS-Level grades. In 2012, 99% of GCSE students earned five A*–C grades, including English and math, while 99% of A-level students (or those pursuing similar credentials) achieved at least three.

90. Townley Grammar School

In the London Borough of Bexley in England, Townley Grammar School is a grammar school with academy status for female students located on Townley Road in Bexleyheath. Bexley Technical High School for Girls was its previous name. Years 7 through 11, single-sex (girls), and a mixed-sex sixth year make up the school. Over 98% of students in the Sixth Form enrol in higher education by the age of 18, and the institution frequently makes the Sunday Times Good Schools Guide.

The school had four kids enrol in Oxbridge programmes in 2008, the most of any Bexley public school. Students do well in the GCSE, consistently achieving a pass percentage of 100%. The 11-plus is the exclusive means of admission to the institution.

91. Methodist College Belfast

Co-educational voluntary grammar school Methodist College Belfast (MCB), sometimes known as Methody in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is situated at the base of the Malone Road. One of the eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, it was founded in 1865 by the Methodist Church in Ireland. Additionally, it belongs to the Governing Bodies Association and the Independent Schools Council.

According to the 2018 The Sunday Times Parent Power Best UK Schools Guide, which assesses schools based on the outcomes of GCSE and GCE Advanced Level examinations, the college was rated among the top 100 schools in the United Kingdom and among the top 10 in Northern Ireland.

92. Weald of Kent Grammar School

Weald of Kent is an all-girls selective school in Tonbridge with a mixed-gender Sixth Form. Uniquely, the school occupies two sites: one in Tonbridge and one in Sevenoaks. With its exceptional academic achievements and Outstanding Ofsted rating, the school is a popular choice among girls’ grammar schools in the Kent area. Both campuses are easily accessible from the railway station and A21. The admission process for Weald of Kent is through the Kent GL Test, which you can read more about here. 

93. Wirral Grammar School for Girls

On the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside, England, there is a grammar school for only females called Wirral Grammar School for Girls.

It is located right next to the Wirral Grammar School for Boys on Heath Road in Bebington, on the Wirral Peninsula. The school has a lower school (for students ages 11 to 16) and a sixth form (for students ages 17 to 18), and admission is through the 11-plus test. Since 2001, Mrs. Elaine Cogan has served as the school’s principal.

Wirral Grammar School for Girls has a history of academic excellence, has been named a “high performing school” by the Specialist Schools Academies Trust, and has obtained a “Outstanding” rating from Ofsted in every category.

94. Alcester Grammar School

A co-educational 11–18 maintained selective grammar school, Alcester Grammar School (AGS) is located in Alcester, Warwickshire, England. Alcester Grammar School received academy status on April 1, 2011, making it the first school in south Warwickshire to do so.

95. John Hampden Grammar School

John Hampden Grammar School is a selective state boys’ grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It was named after John Hampden, a member of the local parliament and a British Civil War commander, and in June 2011 the school became an academy. The school now enrolled around 1150 pupils.In 2022 GCSEs, 50.3% grades 9-8, 70.8% grades 9-7. In 2022 A Levels, 20.6% grades A*, 46.6% grades A*-A, 70.6% grades A*-B.

96. Ballymena Academy

Ballymena Academy is a mixed-sex grammar school in the market town of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1828 as a small provincial school in the town and surrounding agricultural hinterland. Ballymena Academy is a friendly, caring school in which pupils are encouraged to realise their full potential and pursue excellence in all their activities. The school now enrolled around 1500 pupils and 128 staff. 

In 2022 GCSEs, 8 pupils achieved A* grades in all nine of their GCSE full courses; 44 pupils achieved a minimum of 9 A*/A grades in their GCSE full courses. In 2022 A Levels, 90% of the year group achieved at least one A grade with the number of A* grades obtained. Over 60% of the grades were at A* or A and over a third of the year group achieved a minimum of 3 A* or A grades, with a number gaining A* in all their subjects.

97. Caistor Grammar School

A selective institution with academy status, Caistor Grammar School is located in the English town of Caistor in the county of Lincolnshire. In 1630, the school was established. Since then, it has developed into one of the East Midlands’ most prestigious and successful institutions. The school has been given special status in both sports and humanities. In addition to the town of Caistor, the school draws pupils from a number of nearby communities, including Grimsby, Brigg, and Market Rasen. Alistair Hopkins is the school’s 27th headmaster, having assumed the role in January 2017. At both the GCSE and A Level exams in 2017, Caistor Grammar came in first place in the county of Lincolnshire.

98. The King’s School, Grantham

The King’s School is a boys’ grammar school in Grantham, English Lincolnshire, with around 1,000 pupils aged 11-18, sharing some of its sixth form teaching resources with the local Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School. The school dates back to 1392 and was rebuilt in 1528 with funding from Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, and teaching has continued uninterrupted since. Newton studied at the school.
In 2022 GCSEs, 23.1% grades 9, 43.4% grades A*-A, 62.7% grades A*-B. In 2022 A Levels, 30% grades A*, 58% grades A*-A, 80% grades A*-B.

Additional support for understanding grammar schools and preparing for the 11 plus exam