Best schools in South East (2025)
The top five of 3,470 schools in each category, with links to the full top 100. Rankings use the Success Index (England), built only from official English data.
South East has 3,470 schools educating 1,418,037 students in 2025: 1,598 local authority, 1,513 academy, 359 independent.
The median Pupils on roll across South East is 277. Number of pupils in the latest school census.
Browse every school in South East →
Best primary schools in South East
Primary, infant, junior and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 1 and 2.
Polehampton Church of England Infant and Nursery School
Reading · Academy primary · Ages 4–7
148 students
South Farnham School
Farnham · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
845 students
Puttenham CofE Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
82 students
St Mary's CofE Aided Infant School, Frensham
Farnham · Local authority primary · Ages 5–7
85 students
St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
81 students
Best secondary schools in South East
Secondary and all-through schools teaching Key Stages 3 and 4.
Reading School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,138 students
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tonbridge · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,150 students
The Judd School
Tonbridge · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–18
1,541 students
Dr Challoner's High School
Amersham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,391 students
Beaconsfield High School
Beaconsfield · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,283 students
Best state schools in South East
Academies, free schools and local-authority maintained schools.
Polehampton Church of England Infant and Nursery School
Reading · Academy primary · Ages 4–7
148 students
South Farnham School
Farnham · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
845 students
Puttenham CofE Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
82 students
St Mary's CofE Aided Infant School, Frensham
Farnham · Local authority primary · Ages 5–7
85 students
St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
81 students
Best academies & free schools in South East
State-funded schools run by academy trusts.
Polehampton Church of England Infant and Nursery School
Reading · Academy primary · Ages 4–7
148 students
South Farnham School
Farnham · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
845 students
Puttenham CofE Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
82 students
St Nicolas' Church of England Infant School
Guildford · Academy primary · Ages 5–7
81 students
The Raleigh School
Leatherhead · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
434 students
Best independent schools in South East
Fee-paying schools, scored only where they publish results in the performance tables.
Crosfields School
Reading · Independent all-through · Ages 2–16
713 students
St Helen and St Katharine
Abingdon · Independent all-through · Ages 9–18
700 students
The Marist School
Ascot · Independent all-through · Ages 2–18
401 students
Claremont Fan Court School
Esher · Independent all-through · Ages 2–18
1,193 students
Cranmore
Leatherhead · Independent all-through · Ages 2–16
445 students
Best grammar schools in South East
State schools with selective admissions.
Reading School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,138 students
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tonbridge · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,150 students
The Judd School
Tonbridge · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–18
1,541 students
Dr Challoner's High School
Amersham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,391 students
Beaconsfield High School
Beaconsfield · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,283 students
Best girls' schools in South East
Single-sex girls' schools.
Tonbridge Grammar School
Tonbridge · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,150 students
Dr Challoner's High School
Amersham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,391 students
Beaconsfield High School
Beaconsfield · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,283 students
St Helen and St Katharine
Abingdon · Independent all-through · Ages 9–18
700 students
Kendrick School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
939 students
Best boys' schools in South East
Single-sex boys' schools.
Reading School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,138 students
The Judd School
Tonbridge · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–18
1,541 students
Dartford Grammar School
Dartford · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,576 students
Dr Challoner's Grammar School
Amersham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,384 students
The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
High Wycombe · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,451 students
Best secondary schools by attainment 8 in South East
Secondary schools ranked by Attainment 8, the average GCSE points per pupil across eight subjects.
Kendrick School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
939 students
Reading School
Reading · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,138 students
Dartford Grammar School
Dartford · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,576 students
Upton Court Grammar School
Slough · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,155 students
Dr Challoner's High School
Amersham · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
1,391 students
Best primary schools by ks2 results in South East
Primary schools ranked by the percentage of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
South Farnham School
Farnham · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
845 students
Lowbrook Academy
Maidenhead · Academy primary · Ages 5–11
327 students
The Raleigh School
Leatherhead · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
434 students
Ickford School
Aylesbury · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
138 students
Great Kimble Church of England School
Aylesbury · Academy primary · Ages 4–11
100 students
Best sixth forms by a level results in South East
Schools ranked by average A level points per entry.
Brighton College
Brighton · Independent secondary · Ages 11–19
1,450 students
Guildford High School
Guildford · Independent all-through · Ages 4–19
1,027 students
Magdalen College School
Oxford · Independent all-through · Ages 7–19
938 students
Eton College
Windsor · Independent secondary · Ages 12–19
1,348 students
Wycombe Abbey
High Wycombe · Independent all-through · Ages 10–19
647 students
Best largest schools in South East
Schools with the most pupils on roll.
Walton High
Milton Keynes · Academy secondary · Ages 11–19
2,969 students
Cardinal Newman Catholic School
Hove · Local authority secondary · Ages 11–18
2,657 students
Oakgrove School
Milton Keynes · Academy all-through · Ages 3–19
2,527 students
St Michael's Catholic School
High Wycombe · Academy all-through · Ages 3–19
2,414 students
Lord Williams's School
Thame · Academy secondary · Ages 11–18
2,259 students
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best primary school in South East?
Polehampton Church of England Infant and Nursery School in Reading ranks first among primary schools in South East with a Success Index (England) of 99.8 out of 100 (Pupils on roll: 148).
How are primary schools in South East ranked?
Each school's Success Index (England) combines 9 factors: ks2: reading, writing & maths expected standard (35%), ks2: higher standard (20%), ks2: reading progress (10%), ks2: maths progress (10%), progress 8 (20%), attainment 8 (30%), grade 5+ in english & maths (15%), a level points per entry (10%), community advantage (fewer pupils on free school meals) (15%). Each factor is a percentile against schools of the same type across England. Schools with fewer than 60 students are excluded from rankings.
Are these 2025 rankings official?
No. They are computed by Success Tutoring from official English data (DfE – Get Information About Schools; DfE – Compare school and college performance). Independent schools rarely appear in the performance tables, so most receive no attainment components and no score.