the sunday times

When it comesto selecting aschool for yourchild, the ParentPower leaguetables are theplace to start

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDETO BRITAIN’S BEST SCHOOLS WW

The top 100 independent,the top 100 statesecondary, 100of the toppreparatory schools andthe top primariesPAGES II AND III

Wh e n I s t a r t e dteaching in 1969there was never anydoubt: the teacherknew best. Parents

came to their annual parents’meeting to be told how well or howbadly their children were doing.Questions were not encouraged andtherewas little or no discussion.Nobodyknewhowone schoolwas

performing in relation to anotherbecause no examination statisticswere evermadepublic. The idea thata national newspapermight publisha supplement which ranked schoolsin terms of their success would havebeen greeted with incredulity.Twenty or so years later

everything changed. Parliamentapproved the Education Reform Actand schools were required by law topublish their national curriculumtest, GCSE and A-level results. Afour-year cycle of school inspectionsbegan and all reports had to belodged in the public library nearestto the school inspected. Parents hadaccess to the information theyneeded if they were to exercise anintelligent choice about the schooltheywanted their child to attend.League tables began to bepublish-

ed, and, in 1991, The Sunday Timesprinted the first Parent PowerSchools Guide. Schools had suddenlybecome accountable to the parentsand communities they served.The teacher unions hated it.

Ofsted, they squealed, was the 20th-century equivalent of the SpanishInquisition. “I’ve never met anincompetent teacher in my life,”screamed one union activist at aLondon conference I attended aschief inspector in themid-1990s.As for league tables, theywere not

worth the paper they were printedon. If children failed to achievedecent exam grades it wasn’t theteachers’ fault. A school’s leaguetable position was determined, theunions argued, by the socio-economic nature of the communityit served. Full stop. The policy ofnaming and shaming schoolsthrough league tables andinspections served only to demor-alise and humiliate hard-workingprofessionals and should beabandoned immediately.I thought at the time that the

resistance would ebb away. Theteaching profession would becomemore accustomed to the pressure ofpublic accountability and the logicof the argument for accountabilitywouldwin the day. I was wrong.In 2010, the virus has spread.

Opposition to league tables andschool accountability is no longerconfined to the teacher unions. TheWelsh assembly decided to ditch thetables for Welsh schools back in2001. If English MPs had been givena free vote, they would probablyhave been abolished in England too.

A quarter of English primary schoolsare refusing to participate innational curriculum tests or, if theydo take part, to disclose the results.Twoyears ago, in a fit of political cor-rectness, Aberdeen city council ini-tially asked the head of CultsAcademy to reject our SecondarySchool of the Year award because itmight highlight the sharp disparityof educational provision in the city.

Most surprising of all, a signifi-cant number of top independentschools are refusing to reveal any-thing about their examinationsuccess and this paper has to use theFreedom of Information Act toextract results from independentprep schools. The consensus amongpoliticians, educationalists and,perhaps even parents, seems to bethat league tables present an inaccu-

rate picture of a school’s strengthsand weaknesses and result in aconcentration on academic resultswhich damages education.I would prefer the word “incom-

plete” to “inaccurate”, but there issome truth in the first accusation.League tables focus solely onacademic results and say nothingabout other important aspects ofschool life: the quality, for example,

of its pastoral care or its extracurric-ular activities. But this point is soobvious it should not needmaking.It is, of course, true that schools

in leafy suburbs which recruitmiddle-class children tend to beplaced higher in the tables thanschools in deprived inner-city areaswhose pupils, for a whole complexof reasons, can be less motivated orless academically able.

The key word here is “tend”.When we compare one middle-classschool with another there can be asignificant difference in theexamination results. The same istrue of inner-city schools — and,crucially, some inner-city schoolsmanage to achieve results that areoutstanding by any standard.Kobi Nazrul School in the London

borough of Tower Hamlets, where

the pupils often arrive speaking noEnglish and come from extremelydisadvantaged homes, achieved, forexample, a 100% success rate inEnglish and maths in the nationalcurriculum tests for 11-year-oldswhen Iwas chief inspector.It can be done and those who

argue that league tables are “flawed”because they reflect the nature of aschool’s intake rather than thequality of its teaching havesuccumbed to a bleak determinismwhich locks too many children intoa culture of low expectation.There is criticism that league

tables undermine the breadth of theeducation a child receives becausethey encourage an obsession with“teaching to the test”. If thishappens, who is to blame, otherthan the teachers who have let ithappen? The schools that havetopped our tables which I havehad the honour to visit haveimpressed by the richness of theircurriculum and their extra-curricular activities.Nothing could be further from the

truth than the exam factorycaricature which critics of leaguetables throw at the schools whichsucceed academically. There is abso-lutely no reason why excellentacademic results should preclude aconcern for the whole child.A recent study by the University

of Bristol has shown that theexamination results of pupils inWelsh schools have deteriorated by1.92 GCSE grades per pupil since theWelsh assembly abolished leaguetables. Why? Because, theresearchers concluded, the reformhas “significantly and systemati-cally reduced school effectiveness”,particularly, they add, the effective-ness of less successful schools.Does this conclusion surprise

anyone? If the threat of beingnamed and shamed is withdrawn,then there is nopressure to improve.The response of Leighton Andrews,the Welsh education minister, wasto say: “In Wales, over the decadeof devolution, we have imple-mented most of the changes theprofession wanted to see. So wedon’t have league tables.” Indeed,we don’t. What we do have isschools which are failing theirpupils because ministers have lis-tened to arguments designed to pro-tect schools and teachers frompublic scrutiny.I am left pondering our loss of

faith in the drive to empowerparents and to make schoolsaccountable. Why shouldn’tsuccessful teachers and schoolsreceive the praise they deserve?Howare weaknesses ever going to beremedied if the evidence is nevermade public? I simply do not under-stand why the head teachers ofsome excellent schools, state andindependent, have declared theywant nothing to do with leaguetables and educational supplementssuch as Parent Power.Over the years, countless Sunday

Times readers have written to me tosay how useful Parent Power hasbeen to them. It would be a tragedyif the clockwere to be turned back tothe bad old days when the parentwas ignored. Schools need thepressure of public scrutiny andparents need information about theschools their children attend ormight go to if they are to play theirproper part in their education. Thenation spends billions of poundsevery year on education. We have aright to know how that money isspent and towhat effect.

ChrisWoodhead is a former chiefinspector of schools and chairman of the

private schools group Cognita

CHRISWOODHEAD

Your guide to the best schools inBritain starts here, but if youwantmore information go tothesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower. Youwill find onlinethe full results of The SundayTimes’ 2010-11 survey ofBritain’s top 2,000 schools.Our fully searchable online

database spans state andindependent sectors, primary andsecondary education across all ofthe country. There are newrankings for schools offering theInternational BaccalaureateandPre-U examinations to reflectthe diversification of provision insixth forms.

These are the definitive schoollistings, ranking schools on theirachievements in getting thehighest possible grades for theirstudents— the grades that arevital to landing a university place.Enter your postcode to find the

best schools nearwhere you live.You can also search for schoolsby name, town and local authorityarea. In addition to displayingexamination results going backas far as 2003, there are linksfrom the Parent Powerwebsite toall the latest inspection reports,schoolwebsites and essentialcontact information to help youfind the best school for your child.

Independent secondaryWycombeAbbey School,HighWycombe

State secondaryReading School

State primaryBathwick StMary C of EPrimary School, Bath

Independent prepOxfordHigh Junior School GDST

International BaccalaureateThe Stephen Perse Sixth FormCollege, Cambridge

Scottish independentsecondaryGeorgeHeriot’s School,Edinburgh

Scottish state secondaryStNinian’s High School, Giffnock

Northern Ireland secondaryColeraineHigh School

Leaguetables giveparentspower theydeserve

FINDING THE BEST WWThe best 2,000schools onlinethesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower

THE SUNDAY TIMES SCHOOLS OF THE YEAR 2010

The right chemistry: ReadingSchool boys enjoy learning and

competing in the classroom

Find the best schools at thesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower

SCHOOLSGUIDEJULIANANDREWS

1 8 WycombeAbbey School, HighWycombe 99.3 99.32= 5 Magdalen College School, Oxford 99.7 97.32= 4 St Paul’s School, London 99.3 98.04 6 St Paul’s Girls School, London 98.2 99.15 3 TheNorth London Collegiate School, Edgware 98.3 96.66 10 City of London School for Girls 97.5 97.87 2 Westminster School, London 97.9 96.58 16 Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, Elstree 97.7 96.59 7 Perse Girls/Stephen Perse Sixth Form, Cambridge 96.3 96.410 1 WithingtonGirls' School, Manchester 96.3 96.411 15 GuildfordHigh School for Girls 98.5 91.512 12 EtonCollege, Windsor 96.2 95.713 13 King's College School,Wimbledon 96.6 92.514 39 Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST, London 98.2 88.715 23 JamesAllen’s Girls’ School, London 95.3 93.516= 17 TheHaberdashers' Aske’s Boys’ School, Elstree 97.3 89.416= 11 The Lady Eleanor Holles School, Hampton 92.9 98.118 24 The School of St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon 96.3 90.819 26 Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood 95.9 91.620 28 Manchester Grammar School 97.0 89.021 14 Sevenoaks School 97.4 87.922 9 Royal Grammar School, Guildford 94.1 94.123 18 OxfordHigh School GDST 95.9 90.224 20 SouthHampsteadHigh School GDST, London 94.2 92.925 31= TheGodolphin and Latymer School, London 95.1 90.726 21 The CheltenhamLadies’ College 94.6 91.227 35= Tonbridge School 96.1 87.928 35= PutneyHigh School GDST, London 94.4 91.329 42= City of London School 93.1 90.430 44 St Catherine’s School, Bramley, Guildford 95.6 85.231 22 King Edward VIHigh School for Girls, Birmingham 92.8 90.532= 40 King Edward’s School, Birmingham 95.1 83.832= 34 The Perse School, Cambridge 93.4 87.234 29 StMary’s School Ascot 92.7 88.435 31= HarrowSchool 94.1 85.636= 52 Headington School, Oxford 92.7 87.536= 37= Alleyn’s School, London 92.7 87.538 25 Manchester High School for Girls 92.7 86.939 50= St AlbansHigh School for Girls 93.0 85.840 46= TormeadSchool, Guildford 91.0 88.941 42= BrightonCollege 94.3 81.342 61= WimbledonHigh School GDST 90.3 88.943 94 TheMaynard School, Exeter 91.8 85.044 78= King’s High School for Girls, Warwick 93.5 81.145 64 Highgate School, London 91.0 86.046 27 DowneHouse, Thatcham 90.3 86.947 65 ConcordCollege, Shrewsbury 92.8 81.048 30 St Swithun’s School,Winchester 89.1 88.049= 66 Badminton School, Bristol 88.6 88.649= 48 Channing School, London 88.3 89.2

51 57 Latymer Upper School, London 90.9 83.752 33 Hampton School, London 89.7 85.453 49 St Helen’s School, Northwood 92.7 78.854 50= University College School, London 91.8 80.655 61= Dulwich College, London 90.0 84.256 81 TheKing’s School, Canterbury 92.3 78.357 41 Radley College, Abingdon 90.1 82.458 59 Oundle School, Peterborough 89.0 84.159 73 AbingdonSchool 91.5 79.060 53 LoughboroughHigh School 93.1 75.061 72 Bancroft’s School,Woodford Green 86.8 86.762 80 KingstonGrammar School 88.5 82.363 37= St Albans School 88.5 81.664 54 City of London Freemen's School, Ashtead 88.7 81.165 63 Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne 88.7 80.966 100 King Edward VI School, Southampton 91.4 75.367 67 Benenden School, Cranbrook 87.9 82.368 152=IpswichHigh School GDST 88.7 80.069 90 SirWilliamPerkins’s School, Chertsey 88.6 78.170 112= TheAbbey School, Reading 89.3 76.771 106 NottinghamGirls’ High School GDST 90.1 74.972 107 CaterhamSchool 92.3 70.473 198 QueenMargaret’s School, York 92.5 69.774 71 StMary’s School Calne 91.1 72.175 68= Trinity School, Croydon 90.0 73.176 45 TheGrange School, Hartford 82.9 86.677 76 ElthamCollege, London 88.8 73.978 58 Central Newcastle High School GDST 87.5 76.379 103=Warwick School 88.4 74.480 68= Queen’s Gate School, London 86.5 77.581 119=BurgessHill School for Girls 86.8 76.582 60 Rugby School 84.9 80.083= 83 Wellington College, Crowthorne 93.2 63.083= 131= Francis Holland School, Regent's Park 88.4 72.785 105 BromleyHigh School GDST 88.1 73.186 178 QueenElizabeth’s Hospital, Bristol 90.1 68.987 82 MarlboroughCollege 86.0 77.088 46= TheQueen’s School, Chester 83.8 81.189 147 Dauntsey’s School, Devizes 88.2 71.690= 84= Queenswood, Hatfield 86.2 74.990= 84= Reigate Grammar School 87.3 72.992 78= Whitgift School, Croydon 88.5 70.293= 160 Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby, Liverpool 85.6 75.193= 95 St Peter’s School, York 84.9 76.695 194 TwycrossHouse School, Atherstone 83.5 79.196 187 Haberdashers’Monmouth School for Girls 85.6 74.897 144=Stockport Grammar School 87.1 70.898 121= Bristol Grammar School 88.0 69.099 124 DerbyHigh School 85.1 74.4100 74 Canford School,Wimborne 85.5 73.4

1 1 City of London School for Girls PrepDepartment 888 G2 2 TheHaberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ Prep, Elstree 880 B3 - South HampsteadHigh School Junior, London 868 G4 4 JamesAllen’s Preparatory School, London 865 G5 5 NottingHill & Ealing High School Junior GDST, London 859 G6 8 Oxford High School Junior Department GDST 857 G7 9 Royal Grammar School Newcastle, Junior School 854 M8 6 PutneyHigh School Junior Dept GDST, London 841 G9 11 GuildfordHigh Junior School 832 G10 7 Kensington Prep School GDST, London 831 G11 12 WimbledonHigh School Junior Department GDST 826 G12 10 BromleyHigh Junior School GDST 822 G13 15 Holy Cross Prep School, Kingston-upon-Thames 804 G14 - The Queen’s Lower School, Chester 793 G15 14 NottinghamGirls’ High Junior School GDST 785 G16 13 City of London Freemen’s School Junior, Ashtead 784 M17 19 LanesboroughSchool, Guildford 775 B18 26 Exeter Junior School 771 M19 20 NottinghamHigh Junior School 771 B20 21 Alleyn's Junior School, London 771 M21 24 TheAbbey Junior School, Reading 750 G22 34 CarletonHouse Preparatory School, Liverpool 745 M23 33 CroydonHigh School Junior Department GDST 744 G24 27 Halstead Preparatory School for Girls,Woking 744 G25 25 Derwent Lodge Preparatory School, Tonbridge 739 G26 32 DurstonHouse Junior School, London 735 B27 30 Widford LodgePreparatory School, Chelmsford 735 M28 17 PalmersGreenHigh School Junior Dept, London 731 G29 - St George’s College Junior School,Weybridge 727 M30 22 St Anne’s Preparatory School, Chelmsford 727 M31 23 Forest School Preparatory School, London 720 M32 28= HeathertonHouse School, Amersham 718 G33 46= Berkhamsted Preparatory School 711 M34 60 The Froebelian School, Leeds 706 M35 31 Badminton Junior School, Bristol 703 G36 56 The Portsmouth Grammar Junior School 702 M37 51 Lochinver House School, Potters Bar 700 B38 50 Prospect House School, London 700 M39 37 SuttonHigh School Junior School GDST 697 G40 48= St Hilda’s School, Harpenden 697 G41 83= Westville House School, Ilkley 697 M42 73 Stroud School, Romsey 695 M43 38= TheGleddings Preparatory School, Halifax 692 M44 38= KingHenry VIII Preparatory School, Coventry 690 M45 105 Highfield Priory School, Preston 689 M46 69= Gidea Park College, Romford 689 M47 43= Ursuline Preparatory School,Warley, Brentwood 686 M48 61 StMichael’s School, Leigh-on-Sea 684 M49 107 Elmhurst School, South Croydon 678 B50 58 Norfolk House School, Birmingham 674 M

51 28= Surbiton High Junior Girls’ School 674 G52 94 Dulwich College Junior School, London 673 B53 68 TwickenhamPreparatory School 667 M54 42 SeatonHouse School, Sutton 667 G55 43= Central Newcastle High School (Juniors) GDST 664 G56 - CameronHouse School, London 664 M57 88= Brentwood Preparatory School 663 M58 90= Vita Et Pax Preparatory School, London 661 M59 64= Streathamand ClaphamHigh School Junior Dept GDST 660 G60 81 CrownHouse Preparatory School, HighWycombe 658 M61 108 St Hilary's School, Godalming 657 G62 88= TheManor Preparatory School, Abingdon 656 G63 139=St Pius X Preparatory School, Preston 656 M64 53= SunderlandHigh School Junior School 655 M65 64= GardenHouse School, London 654 M66 96 Newbridge Preparatory School,Wolverhampton 653 G67 38= Hilden Grange Preparatory School, Tonbridge 648 M68 109=St Peter and St Paul Independent School, Chesterfield 646 M69 83= Portsmouth High School Junior Dept GDST 645 G70 46= The Royal High Junior School GDST, Bath 644 G71 52 Copthill Independent Day School, Stamford 644 M72 74= LyonsdownSchool, NewBarnet 644 G73 86 Bablake Junior School, Coventry 641 M74 67 StMary's School, Hampstead 641 G75 36 RoseHill School, TunbridgeWells 635 M76 59 White House Preparatory School,Wokingham 635 G77 79 Moorlands School, Luton 633 M78 76 Eton End School, Datchet 633 G79 143 St Teresa’s RC School, Princes Risborough 632 M80 82 Birkdale School, Sheffield 631 M81 71 Stockport Grammar Junior School 630 M82 92 Highfield School, Maidenhead 630 G83 115=BoothamJunior School, York 630 M84 109=Belmont, Mill Hill Preparatory School, London 629 M85 104 NorwichHigh School for Girls Junior Dept GDST 626 G86 98= Sheffield High School Junior Dept GDST 625 G87 48= Heathfield Junior School GDST, Pinner 622 G88 144=The RedMaids' Junior School, Bristol 621 G89 112 Stormont School, Potters Bar 620 G90 174=ChethamsSchool of Music, Manchester 618 M91 165 WimbledonUrsuline Preparatory School 615 G92 133 Beechwood Park School, St Albans 614 M93 - Laxton Junior School, Oundle 614 M94 122=The PeterboroughSchool Preparatory Dept 612 M95 113=IpswichHigh School Junior School GDST 609 G96 171 Forest School, Altrincham 609 M97 135=St Helen’s College, Hillingdon 608 M98 90= Waverley School, Wokingham 606 M99 189 AlphaPreparatory School, Harrow 605 M100 168 StMary’s School, Colchester 603 G

1 1 TheHenriettaBarnett School, London 97.9 92.72 4 QueenElizabeth’s School, Barnet 95.7 89.23 2 TheLatymerSchool, London 92.4 91.14 12 StOlave’sGrammarSchool, Orpington 95.8 83.55 11 ReadingSchool 94.5 84.46 15 AltrinchamGrammarSchool forGirls 92.5 85.27= 7 TiffinGirls School, Kingston-upon-Thames 90.0 89.87= 3 KendrickSchool, Reading 89.2 91.49 8 ColchesterRoyalGrammarSchool 91.5 86.610 6 ColytonGrammarSchool 91.8 84.911 9 Pate’sGrammarSchool, Cheltenham 91.4 85.512 19 TiffinSchool, Kingston-upon-Thames 90.2 85.513 5 Wilson’s School,Wallington 91.4 81.214 21 NewsteadWoodSchool forGirls, Orpington 88.3 83.815 16 KingEdwardVIGrammarSchool, Chelmsford 90.0 78.916 14 NonsuchHighSchool forGirls, Sutton 87.0 84.717 23 DrChalloner’sHighSchool, Amersham 88.1 81.118 24 KingEdwardVIHandsworthSchool, Birmingham 89.2 78.119 22 ChelmsfordCountyHighSchool forGirls 84.7 87.120 25 KingEdwardVICampHill School forGirls, Birmingham 88.1 79.021 20 StMichael’sRCGrammarSchool, Finchley 83.4 88.422 17 LumenChristi College, Londonderry 89.0 75.323 13 ColchesterCountyHighSchool forGirls 84.5 83.924 10 KingEdwardVICampHill School for Boys, Birmingham 81.2 89.125 27 TheJuddSchool, Tonbridge 86.3 78.226 28 SuttonGrammarSchool for Boys 86.3 76.327 46 WallingtonHighSchool forGirls 81.1 83.328 18 WoodfordCountyHighSchool,WoodfordGreen 82.7 78.529 43 WatfordGrammarSchool forGirls 86.5 68.130 - WolverhamptonGirls’ HighSchool 80.1 80.431 39 KingEdwardVIFiveWaysSchool, Birmingham 87.0 66.032 30 TheBlueCoat School, Liverpool 81.0 77.533 55 TonbridgeGrammarSchool 79.2 80.434 31 WallingtonCountyGrammarSchool 81.9 74.635 56 WycombeHighSchool 81.2 75.736 37 TunbridgeWellsGirls’ GrammarSchool 83.4 70.937 35 DrChalloner’s GrammarSchool, Amersham 78.1 81.138 29 Stratford-upon-AvonGrammarSchool forGirls 81.8 73.739= 53 IlfordCountyHigh School 86.3 64.039= 84 RugbyHighSchool 82.6 71.241 38 DameAliceOwen’s School, PottersBar 83.9 67.842 41 BeaconsfieldHighSchool 77.9 79.343 86 NewportGirls’ HighSchool 78.1 78.544 63 BishopWordsworthSchool, Salisbury 80.1 74.045 32 StMary’sGrammarSchool,Magherafelt 85.4 63.046 67 AltrinchamGrammarSchool forBoys 79.9 73.647 26 LancasterGirls’ GrammarSchool 76.5 78.748 44= SuttonColdfieldGrammarSchool forGirls 77.5 76.549 60 AylesburyGrammarSchool 79.5 71.650 56 AylesburyHighSchool 79.1 69.451 65 Westcliff HighSchool forBoys 76.8 72.7

52 33 SouthWiltsGrammarSchool forGirls, Salisbury 71.2 83.653 64 LancasterRoyal GrammarSchool 76.9 71.554= 61= RoyalGrammarSchool, HighWycombe 80.0 63.754= - ColeraineHighSchool 84.5 54.756 92 StroudHighSchool 72.1 79.057 48 Ermysted’sGrammarSchool, Skipton 79.3 64.658= 34 Hockerill Anglo EuropeanCollege, Bishop's Stortford 85.8 51.458= 71 TorquayGirls’ GrammarSchool 77.7 67.660 59 Royal Latin School, Buckingham 77.1 68.061 58 CaistorGrammarSchool 79.4 62.162 50 SirWilliamBorlase’sGrammarSchool,Marlow 76.8 66.363 109 TheRoyal School, Dungannon 83.5 52.564 90 LangleyGrammarSchool 78.0 63.365 - FriendsSchool, Lisburn 79.4 60.066 66 WatfordGrammarSchool forBoys 82.0 54.467 97 SkiptonGirl’s HighSchool 80.1 57.968 72 MethodistCollegeBelfast 75.7 66.669 76= KingEdwardVIAstonSchool, Birmingham 76.5 64.270 70 HighSchool for Girls, Gloucester 73.1 70.371 44= TheCardinal VaughanMemorial School, London 79.5 57.272 54 BishopVesey’sGrammarSchool, SuttonColdfield 77.4 61.473= 119 QueenMary’sGrammarSchool,Walsall 72.1 71.973= 93 BanbridgeAcademy 81.3 53.675 36 Adams’GrammarSchool, Newport 70.8 73.576 49 TheRochesterGrammarSchool 76.3 61.877 - PortoraRoyal School, Enniskillen 83.2 46.778 51 TorquayBoys’ GrammarSchool 70.4 72.279 87 SouthendHighSchool ForBoys 78.5 55.680 80 Sir ThomasRich’s School, Gloucester 75.3 61.381 85 BallyclareHighSchool 83.1 45.482 91 ChurstonFerrersGrammarSchool, Brixham 73.4 64.283 104 JohnHampdenGrammarSchool, HighWycombe 78.9 52.284 96 TownleyGrammarSchool forGirls, Bexleyheath 70.3 69.085= 112 CollegiateGrammarSchool, Enniskillen 79.1 51.085= 81 InvictaGrammarSchool,Maidstone 73.5 62.287 79 Wirral GrammarSchool for Girls, Bebington 66.6 75.688 69 BirkenheadHighSchool GDST 74.2 60.289 73 KingEdwardVISchool, Stratford-upon-Avon 71.5 65.490 78 KingDavidHighSchool,Manchester 76.3 55.591 42 TheSkinners’ School, TunbridgeWells 70.3 67.392= 68 ParkstoneGrammarSchool, Poole 71.6 64.692= 89 StrathearnSchool, Belfast 74.1 59.792= - AquinasDiocesanGrammarSchool, Belfast 76.2 55.495 120=LawrenceSheriff School, Rugby 76.0 55.396 100 QueenMary’sHighSchool,Walsall 72.8 59.297 74 SouthendHighSchool for Girls 72.8 59.098 75 SullivanUpperSchool, Holywood 75.2 54.199 47 Westcliff HighSchool forGirls 71.5 60.9100=52 JFSSchool, Harrow 76.0 51.0100=40 LadyMargaret School, London 71.1 60.8

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(2007-9)

1 1 SouthFarnhamCommunity Junior School 9002 2 ManorPrimarySchool,Wolverhampton 9003 3 NorthCheshire JewishPrimarySchool, Cheadle 9004 19 BathwickStMaryCof EPrimarySchool, Bath 9005 21= StElizabeth’sRCSchool, Richmond-upon-Thames 9006 337 StPatrick’sRCPrimarySchool, Corby 9007 5= TheDeansPrimarySchool,Manchester 9008 5= GroombridgeSt Thomas’ Cof EPrimary, TunbridgeWells 9009 101 Berkswell Cof EVAPrimarySchool, Coventry 90010= 21= Our Ladyof theRosaryRCPrimarySchool, Bristol 90010= - Hill TopCof EPrimarySchool, Bradford 90012 5= Our Ladyof VictoriesRCPrimarySchool, Putney 90013= 10= HampdenGurneyC of EPrimarySchool, London 90013= 35 LittleLeighPrimarySchool, Northwich 90015 10= HambletonPrimarySchool, Poulton-le-Fylde 90016 14 EastingtonPrimarySchool, Stonehouse 90017 16 KingDavid Junior School,Manchester 89918 49 ClenchwartonCommunity PrimarySchool, King's Lynn 89719= 47= BentleyCof EPrimarySchool, Farnham 89719= 339 TheSacredHeart RCPrimarySchool,Manchester 89719= 111= TetherdownPrimarySchool,MuswellHill, London 89722 20 St James’ RCPrimarySchool, Orpington 89723 93= HolyTrinity andSaint SilasCof ESchool, London 89624 121 AshtonHayesPrimarySchool, Chester 89625 216= RiversidePrimarySchool, Rotherhithe, London 89526 126= StChad’sCof EPrimarySchool, Oldham 89527 8= LaneshawbridgePrimarySchool, Colne 89528= 44 LythamHall ParkPrimarySchool, LythamStAnnes 89428= - RedRosePrimarySchool, Chester-le-Street 89430 - ParkRoadPrimarySchool, Sale 89431 30 EnglishMartyrs’ RCPrimary, Nottingham 89432= 78 CastleviewPrimarySchool, Slough 89332= 440= CunninghamHill Junior School, StAlbans 89334= 26 StAgnes’RCPrimarySchool, Ryton 89334= 108= StAnne’sRCPrimarySchool, Streetly, SuttonColdfield 89334= - HolyCrossRCPrimarySchool, Nottingham 89337 178= StClare’sRCPrimarySchool, Acklam 89338 69= StMonica’s RCPrimarySchool, London 89239 134 ShiplakeC of ESchool, Henley-on-Thames 89240 43 ReephamCofEPrimarySchool, Lincoln 89241 77 St Joseph’sRCJunior School, Reddish, Stockport 89142 8= TwissGreenCommunityPrimarySchool,Warrington 89143 31= FoxmoorPrimarySchool, Stroud 89144 45= LittleChalfont PrimarySchool, Amersham 89145= 111= EaglesfieldPaddleCof EVASchool, Cockermouth 89145= 118 GreenmountPrimarySchool, Bury 89147= 36 StAnselm’sRCPrimarySchool, TootingBec, London 89147= 4 RamsbottomStubbinsPrimarySchool, Bury 89149 - HelsbyHillside PrimarySchool, Frodsham 89150= 72 OxtonSt Saviour’sC of EAidedPrimarySchool, Prenton 891

50= 362 StAlban’sC of E (Aided) PrimarySchool, Rotherham 89150= 50= WoodleaPrimarySchool, Houghton-le-Spring 89153 52 StOsmund'sRCPrimarySchool, London 89154 75 ShincliffeC of E (Controlled) PrimarySchool, Durham 89155 56 Woodville PrimarySchool, SouthWoodhamFerrers 89056 138 AshdenePrimarySchool,Wilmslow 89057 24 StEdmundCampionRCPrimarySchool, Nottingham 89058 28 WilliamRansomPrimarySchool, Hitchin 89059= 155 BlackrodPrimarySchool, Bolton 89059= 79= St Joseph’sRCJunior Infant andNurserySchool, Oldham 89061= - HallMeadowPrimarySchool, Kettering 89061= 142= OakridgePrimarySchool, Stafford 89063= 18 GalleyHill PrimarySchool, Guisborough 89063= 345 Pewithall PrimarySchool, Runcorn 89063= - Scotts PrimarySchool, Hornchurch 89063= 198= StAndrew’sCof E VASchool, Totteridge 89067= 81= BrindisheLeePrimarySchool, London 89067= 59 OakCottagePrimarySchool, Solihull 89067= - St BonifaceRCPrimarySchool, Salford 89070 - BerkswichCof E (VC)PrimarySchool, Stafford 89071 61 StMichael’sRCVAPrimarySchool, Esh Laude 89072 - SilkstoneCommonJunior andInfant School, Barnsley 89073 115= BonnerPrimarySchool, London 88974 88 BroughtonJewishCassel FoxPrimarySchool, Salford 88975 62 SSPhilip andJames’ Cof E VAPrimarySchool, Oxford 88976 411= WestbrookLanePrimarySchool, Leeds 88977 289= St JohnVianneyRCPrimarySchool, Newcastle uponTyne 88978 123 CrowleesC of EVCSchool,Mirfield 88879 40 StPeter’sRCPrimarySchool, Stalybridge 88880 161 StMary’sC of EPrimarySchool, Sale 88881 73= TemplewoodPrimarySchool,WelwynGardenCity 88882 205 St Joseph’sRCPrimarySchool, Bingley 88883 13 StAnne’sCof EPrimarySchool, Bakewell 88884 350 CookhamDeanCof EPrimarySchool,Maidenhead 88885 97 HurstheadJunior School, Cheadle 88786 55 StBede’sRCJunior School,Widnes 88787 68 WallaceFields Junior School, Epsom 88788 37 ChilcotePrimarySchool, Birmingham 88789 260= BelmontPrimarySchool, Chiswick 88790 296 StPeter’sCof E VAAidedSchool, SouthWeald 88791= 64 StElphin’s (Fairfield)C of EVAAided School 88791= 17 Tickhill EstfeldPrimarySchool, Doncaster 88793= 142= StCuthbert’sRCPrimarySchool, EnglefieldGreen 88793= 92 StPatrick’sRCPrimaryandNursery School,Mansfield 88795 313= HatfieldHeathCommunitySchool, Bishop's Stortford 88796 - St John’sRCPrimarySchool, Poulton-le-Fylde 88797= 33 CherryBurtonCof E VCSchool, Beverley 88797= 45= StPeter’sCof E PrimarySchool, Nottingham 88799 147 PownallGreenPrimarySchool, Stockport 886100 95 OurLady andStWerburgh'sRCSchool, Newcastle uponTyne 886

From Hogwarts to MaloryTowers, Dotheboys Hall toSt Trinians, boardingschools conjure colourfulliterary images. But their

enduring place in the moderneducational landscape is no work offiction, as Reading School andWycombe Abbey — the respectiveSunday T imes S t a t e andIndependent Secondary Schools ofthe Year— can testify.For the first time in the history of

the Parent Power Schools Guide,both our state and independent sec-ondary title holders are boardingschools. Reading and HighWycombe each credit theirsuccessful atmospheres with theadded benefits that their boardingcommunities bring. And with fiveapplicants per place at Reading, andfour to one at High Wycombe,parents’ appetites for a boardingschool experience for their childrenare clearly far from abating.Reading is one of just 32 state

boarding schools in Britain, andeven though there are only 70boarders split between two houses,their influence on the school cultureis immense. The 1870s grade II-listed architecture adds to Reading’sboarding atmosphere, too, withhead teacher John Weeds saying itmakes the school look like aminiature version of Harry Potter’sfamed almamater.It may not actually be churning

out wizards, but boys-only Readingisn’t your run-of-the-mill schooleither. This year, an astonishing77.5% of A-level entrieswere at A andA* grade — and 34.8% at the new A*grade. A total of 94.5% of entrieswere at A*-B grade. Results wereequally good at GCSE, with 84.4% atA* and A, and 44.7% at A* grade.

The school, described by Ofstedinspectors as “outstanding”, is onthe east side of Reading, and its 885pupils are drawn from a radius of 25miles, crossing county boundariesfromBerkshire into Oxfordshire andHampshire. Up to 15% of its intakecomes from preparatory schools,and boarders also arrive from south-west England and north London.Weeds believes the boarding

tradition underpins Reading’seffective pastoral care. “Boys like tohave someone to talk to and I don’tthink there is a student here whodoesn’t feel they have someone toturn to when the need arises.” Arecent Ofsted report agrees, high-lighting the school’s determinationto ensure the boys’ personaldevelopment is “outstanding” andthat they have a “sense ofbelonging” and “self-worth”.Boarders contribute massively to

the extracurricular programme andalso make good prefects and eldersin the school community. Annualboarding fees are £9,500 to coverfood and lodgings, but there are notuition fees for any pupils.The school is selective and

applicants sit an 11-plus exam forentry into year 7 with papers inverbal reasoning, non-verbalreasoning and mathematics as wellas English comprehension. Thereare 12 places for boarders at thislevel, along with 100 places for daypupils. Applicants for the 12 placesin year 9 also sit papers in English,maths and science. This year, thenumber of 11-plus applicantsclimbed from 500 to 550.Another 30 students are taken on

in the sixth form on the basis ofGCSE results, with successful appli-cants required to have the equiva-lent of at least six A*s at GCSE.

Reading can lay claim to beingthe 10th oldest school in the country— itwas established in 1125 as part ofReading Abbey. In 1665, it was takenover by parliament which had beenforced out of London by the GreatPlague. Reading School can boast anArchbishop of Canterbury (WilliamLaud) beheaded in 1645 during thecivil war, and four serving MPs whomanage to keep their heads, what-ever the provocation (AndrewSmith, Oliver Heald, Mark Field andDamien Green). It also has a primeminister — Henry Addington, inDowning Street from 1801-4 —among its old boys.Competition is a key element in

the school—academic, sporting andmusical. “Boys reallydo like competi-tion,”Weeds says.There are inter-house competi-

tions in rugby and football and amusic contestdescribedas the “high-light of the year”, when all fourhouses compete against each otherwith a 30- to 45-minute programmeof musical activities from solo tochoir,modern jazz andmini-orches-tral performances. “It’s not justabout the quality of musicianship,”says Weeds. “It’s also about leader-ship and organising rehearsals,compering, and getting teams ofboys tomove equipment.”Boys are free not just to compete

with one another in extracurricularactivities, but to learn.“It’s okay in a single-sex boys

school with a reputation for highachievement to regard learning ascool,” Weeds says. “They are notembarrassed to read a book, or tocalculate pi to extreme numbers ofdecimal places and they rate highlyanother kid’s ability in a language orin physics— all things whichmightnot go down too well in a lessacademic school.“The boys have a great sense of

humour and they are passionateabout things, for instance, a form oftechnology or astronomy, andwhenyou have got very bright lads theytalk at undergraduate level eventhough they are in years 12 and 13.We may have a traditional setting,but there is scope to experiment andinnovate and challenge.”

With its long and distinguishedhistory, great results, an ethos oflearning, boarding, cloisters,single-sex education, selective entryand free teaching, as Weeds says:“Reading offers the best of theindependent sector within a stateschool setting.”Wycombe Abbey, meanwhile,

offers the best of the independentsector. The girls’ boarding school, onthe edge of High Wycombe,returned stellar exam results thisyear.With 90.5% ofA-level entries atA* or A, 51.3% at the new A* grade,Wycombe Abbey rocketed to the topof our league table. And itwasnearlya clean sweep at GCSE, with morethan 99% of entries awarded A* or A— 84% at A*.Led by head teacher Cynthia Hall,

now in her third year of tenure,Wycombe Abbey places boarding atthe heart of the school community.These days, many boarding schoolsencourage pupils to go home atweekends, or have large numbers ofday boarders who stay at school lateinto the evening but then go hometo sleep. Not soWycombe Abbey.The school,whichwas founded in

1896 by educationalist DameFrances Dove to give girls the oppor-tunity of a Christian liberal educa-

tion, has just 30 day pupils, alldrawn from the local community,and with no plans to expand num-bers. There are strict rules about theamount of time the girls spend outof school at weekends or overnight.“The idea of being a full boarding

school and having a full communitylife is something the governors areabsolutely committed to,” Hall says.“There are lots of staff at weekendsand on site, and that is because wewant the girls present in the schoolon evenings and weekends — weexpect them to spend two-thirds ofthe year living in school.“What thismeans is that we have

responsibility for their personaldevelopment and ethical judgment.It means we have to have strongcommunity values because if thereare disagreements — as there inevi-tably are — they have to be workedthrough within the communitybecause the girls can’t just walkaway from them, particularly if theyare sleeping in the same dorms or inthe same house.”The house system is unusual at

Wycombe Abbey. At 11, girls go intoa junior house, but from the age of12, theymove into one of nine seniorhouses and sleep in mixed-agedorms until they are 16. New pupilshave an older girl acting as a housemother, and friendships are estab-lished across the age range. Somegirls take to mothering a young girlnaturally, some need guidance andsome have to be encouraged to givetheir young charges breathingspace. In the final year of schooling,the upper sixth girls move into aspecial house with their own studybedrooms and responsibility forsome catering and laundry to famil-iarise themwith university life.Naturally enough, friendships are

critically important for boarders,and the girls at Wycombe establishfriendships for life. There is anenlightened attitude to communica-tions with the free use of mobilephones (most of the girlshaveBlack-Berries or iPhones), although girlsare not allowed to use them at nightin the dorms and they are alsodiscouraged atmealtimes.“There is a balance between

community life and the need tomake phone calls,” says Hall, “andstaff understand that.” Facebook ispermitted and time is invested inadvising girls how to use it.At Wycombe Abbey, rather than

using tests to pan for the academicgolden girls, 11-plus and 13-plusapplicants are invited for a morningor an afternoon, interviewed by theheadmistress and take part in fouror five lessons. Staff look forstudents who engage fully and areinterested in the work they are pre-sented with, as well as how theyinteract socially. School reports arecritically important in the process.Musical girls are also invited to playtheir instruments. On the basis ofsuchscrutiny, girls aremade aprovi-sional offer providing they achievean average of just over 60% in thecommon entrance examination.Set within 160 acres of grounds

completewithwoods, gardens and alake, there are four applicants forevery place (although some parentsalso apply for St Paul’s Girls’ Schoolin London and make their decisiononce offers have been sent out). Thepopularity of the school isprompting Hall to consider intro-ducing a pre-test offered by DurhamUniversity to help with screening.(Lists are already closed forcandidates seeking 11-plus and13-plus entry in 2011.)Understandably, many parents

(who pay annual boarding fees of£29,250) are attracted to WycombeAbbey by the outstanding results.About 30 school-leavers are expectedto go on to Oxford and Cambridge —a success rate of about 50%. Anotherdozen or so go on to Ivy Leaguecolleges in America.The futures of Reading boys are

similarly full of promise, withalmost all going to university, manytoRussell Group institutions, and anaverage of 20 boys a year going toOxford and Cambridge.The successes that these two

beacons of secondary school educa-tion make of their pupils might bedown to hard work rather thanmagic, but any school that canspellbind teenagers into doing theirbest is certainly charmed.

THE TOP 100 PREP SCHOOLS THE TOP 100 STATE PRIMARY SCHOOLS

‘‘Appetites for aboarding schoolexperience forchildren are farfrom abating

A strong community: WycombeAbbey girls famously form

friendships for life

THE TOP 100 INDEPENDENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Gender

THE TOP 100 STATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS

2009Not Hogwarts, but just magicG

Ranking based on 2010 examination resultswith A*-B grades at A-level double weighted

Definitive guide to Britain’s top schoolsFRANCESCO GUIDICINI

Boarding schools are proving anincreasingly popular choice bothin the independent and statesectors, says Judith O’Reilly

II PARENT POWER thesundaytimes.co.uk 14.11.10 III