Choosing the right primary or secondary school for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent can make. It’s not just about academics—it’s about finding a place where they’ll feel safe, supported and inspired to grow. For many parents, the process can feel overwhelming, with countless options to research, open days to attend and admissions deadlines to meet. There’s also the pressure of balancing practical factors, like location and budget, with personal preferences, such as teaching styles or extracurricular activities. It’s a big step, and while it can be stressful at times, it’s also an opportunity to set your child on the path to a bright and happy future.
Making decisions about schools isn’t easy, which is why we at Online Marketing Surgery, alongside Ratcliffe Cleaning, have put together our School Report. It highlights the top primary schools in England based on the percentage of pupils achieving higher standards – those scoring 110 or more in reading and maths and assessed as ‘working at greater depth’ in writing. For secondary schools, we’ve focused on their average Progress 8 scores. This measures how much progress pupils make from the end of key stage 2 to the end of key stage 4. It’s a simple way to compare performance and help parents make informed choices for their child.
Top 20 Primary Schools in England
| Primary Schools | Local authority | Number of pupils at end of key stage 2 | % of students achieving at a higher standard |
| Lowbrook | Maidenhead | 30 | 57% |
| Amport Church of England Primary School | Andover | 11 | 55% |
| Great Ouseburn Community Primary School | York | 11 | 55% |
| Singleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School | Poulton-le-Flyde | 13 | 54% |
| South Farnham School | Farnham | 135 | 50% |
| Christ Church Primary School, Hampstead | Hampstead | 24 | 50% |
| St Mary’s Primary School, Dilwyn | Hereford | 8 | 50% |
| Roughlee Church of England Primary School | Nelson | 6 | 50% |
| Fox Primary School | Kensington | 58 | 48% |
| St James’ Roman Catholic Primary School | Orpington | 31 | 48% |
| Hampstead Parochial Church of England Primary School | Hampstead | 29 | 48% |
| Hampden Gurney CofE Primary School | Westminster | 27 | 48% |
| Archbishop Cranmer Church of England Academy | Nottingham | 35 | 46% |
| Ark Conway Primary Academy | Hammersmith and Fulham | 29 | 45% |
| Westbourne Primary School | Sutton | 90 | 44% |
| Meysey Hampton Church of England Primary School | Cirencester | 9 | 44% |
| Abacus Belsize Primary School | Camden | 9 | 44% |
| Sabden Primary School | Sabden | 9 | 44% |
| Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School | Northampton | 9 | 44% |
| St Vincent’s Catholic Primary School | Altrincham | 91 | 43% |
Top 20 Secondary Schools/Colleges in England
| School Name | Location | Pupils | Attainment 8 |
| Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet | Barnet | 188 | 86.6 |
| The Henrietta Barnett School | London | 104 | 86.4 |
| St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School | Orpington | 126 | 85.8 |
| Wilson’s School | Wallington | 190 | 85.6 |
| The Tiffin Girls’ School | Kingston upon Thames | 180 | 84.8 |
| Kendrick School | Reading | 97 | 84.4 |
| Pate’s Grammar School | Cheltenham | 149 | 83.7 |
| King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | Chelmsford | 150 | 83.6 |
| Colchester Royal Grammar School | Colchester | 124 | 83.4 |
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys | Birmingham | 119 | 83.3 |
| Sutton Grammar School | Sutton | 135 | 82.6 |
| King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls | Birmingham | 148 | 82.3 |
| King Edward VI School | Stratford-upon-Avon | 90 | 81.7 |
| Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Altrincham | 200 | 81.6 |
| Nonsuch High School for Girls | Sutton | 209 | 81.3 |
| Reading School | Reading | 150 | 81.1 |
| The Perse School | Cambridge | 186 | 81.1 |
| The Latymer School | London | 191 | 81 |
| Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls | Sutton Coldfield | 179 | 80.9 |
| Colchester County High School for Girls | Colchester | 159 | 80.8 |
Finding the right school is a big decision, but it’s only part of the picture. A clean and well-maintained environment plays a key role in creating a safe and healthy space for students to learn and thrive. That’s where Ratcliffe Cleaning comes in. With years of experience in commercial cleaning for schools, they help keep classrooms spotless and welcoming. So, while you focus on choosing the best school for your child, they’ll make sure it stays clean and ready for success.
Methodology
To rank both primary and secondary schools, we used GOV.UK data.
Firstly, we looked at all primary schools in England to find the percentage of their students achieving a higher standard for the 2023/2024 school year. For those schools with the same percentages, these were ranked based on the amount of pupils that completed key stage 2.
Then, we looked at all secondary schools/colleges in Oxfordshire to find their attainment 8 score for the 2023/2024 school year. Schools get this score based on how well pupils have performed in up to 8 qualifications.