Grammar schools are at the top of the class
GREATER Manchester grammar schools have dominated The Sunday Times annual schools guide.
The latest edition of ‘Parent Power’ identifies the 2,000 highestachieving schools in the UK, ranked by their recent examination results.
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls topped the list of best schools in the north west.
However, its neighbour, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys has scooped The Sunday Times Northwest State Secondary School of the Year title. The school saw its GCSE results increase by 6.7 percentage points to 78.2 A*/A grades.
Four in five A-level grades came in at either A*, A or B grades helping the school to jump six places in the national league table and move up in this year’s regional table. Alastair McCall, editor of Parent Power, said: “Trafford is lucky to have some of the finest grammar schools in England. Competition to win a place at Altrincham Grammar School for Boys is tough, but the rewards are immense. It is consistently one of the highest-achieving state grammar schools, but the school is about so much more than just academic success. The boys are encouraged to be themselves and to achieve and contribute to all areas of school life. It thoroughly deserves its success.”
Sale Grammar School came eighth in the list of top state schools in the region, followed by St Ambrose College of Altrincham in ninth and Urmston Grammar in tenth. Manchester High School for Girls has been named The Sunday Times Northwest Independent Secondary School of the Year. Around 92.8 per cent of exams at A-level achieved grades A* to B, up 4.9 percentage points on last year. This makes it the highest A-level performer in the region.
Headmistress Claire Hewitt said she was thrilled and added: “This school has always had a pioneering approach and I would like to give thanks to the parents for believing in our vision of education that puts the individual needs and ambitions of girls at the forefront of everything we do. I truly believe the breadth of opportunities offered by MHSG empowers our girls to become confident, independent-minded and forward-thinking young women with exciting futures ahead of them.”
Withington Girls,’ The Manchester Grammar, Cheadle Hulme School, Bolton School Girls’ Division, Stockport Grammar and Bolton School Boys’ Division made the top ten north west independents.