Two grammar schools in Barnet have topped the national GCSE performance tables, with new data showing they are the highest-achieving secondary schools in England.
Queen Elizabeth’s School and the Henrietta Barnett School both saw 100 per cent of pupils achieve a grade 5 or above in English and maths, according to figures published by the Department for Education today.
The two schools also recorded the joint highest average GCSE scores in the country, with pupils achieving an average of 8.71 each — equivalent to an A or A* under the old grading system, and the best result recorded anywhere in England this year.
The results place Barnet at the very top of the national rankings. It is a striking result for the borough, which now has not one but two schools sharing the number-one spot.
London schools dominate the top ten
London schools feature heavily at the top of the tables. Wilson’s School in Sutton, which topped the charts last year, is now in third place with an average GCSE score of 8.68.
The Tiffin Girls’ School in Kingston upon Thames recorded 8.60, followed by St Olave’s and St Saviour’s Grammar School in Bromley, The Perse School in Cambridgeshire at 8.44, Tiffin School in Kingston at 8.31, and King Edward VI Grammar School in Chelmsford at 8.30.
Outside the capital, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in Trafford had the highest average score in the North of England at 7.91, followed by Heckmondwike Grammar School in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, at 7.89.
Thirteen schools hit 100 per cent
Thirteen schools across England scored a 100 per cent rating, meaning every single pupil achieved at least a grade 5 in English and maths.
As well as the two Barnet schools, the list includes St Olave’s and St Saviour’s in Bromley, the Tiffin Girls’ School and Tiffin School in Kingston, Wilson’s School, Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton Grammar School and Wallington High School for Girls in Sutton, Heritage Academy in Birmingham, Dr Challoner’s High School in Buckinghamshire, South Wilts Grammar School in Wiltshire, and Rugby High School in Warwickshire.
What the tables mean for parents
The performance tables are published annually by the Department for Education and allow parents to compare schools across England. Parents can look up the performance of every school using an interactive tool, searching by school name or local authority.
The timing is significant. The results come just two weeks before the deadline for secondary school applications for next year, which closes on Saturday, October 31.
For families in Barnet and across north London, the tables will only add to the pressure on places at the borough’s top schools. Queen Elizabeth’s School and the Henrietta Barnett School are both highly selective, and competition for places is fierce every year. Both schools regularly receive many more applications than they have places to offer.
Grammar schools select pupils by academic ability, usually through an 11-plus entrance exam. Supporters say they offer outstanding results for bright children regardless of background, while critics argue they entrench advantage.
It is worth noting what the numbers actually mean. A grade 5 at GCSE is classed as a “strong pass” by the Department for Education, while an average score of 8.71 means the typical pupil at these schools is achieving between an A and an A* across all their subjects — a level of consistency few schools in the country can match.
Whatever the wider debate, today’s figures confirm that on raw GCSE outcomes, Barnet’s two grammars are currently the best in England.
London Streets has been covering primary school demand in Barking and Dagenham and school closures in Camden this week.
