How to interpret 2023 Sunday Times school league tables

The following top primary school league tables for 2022/23 entry provide a good indication of which UK primary schools are performing.

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Top primary school league tables 2023

Looking for the best primary schools for your child? Wondering whether any top primary schools are nearby?

First thing you need to know is your local catchment area? And then establish which schools are within that catchment area.

Which are the UK’s top primary schools?

The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph websites allow you to add filters to their published league tables. You can pull out those schools for which you are in the catchment area. Then compare your chosen school group on those criteria which are most important to you.

How do I interpret 2022 primary school league tables?

The London independent school league table rankings are based on the latest exam results.

 

Check Ofsted Reports for top primary schools 2022

What are Ofsted reports?

  • Well firstly these are something that you must check for each indepdnet school of interest.
  • Each Ofsted report is an analysis of that school’s teachers’ professional competence
  • Plus, how well performance standards have been met across the independent school. There are three possible outcomes: under-achieving; achieving; or outstanding.

 

How to apply for top primary school places 2022

Depending on your local authority you can submit between three and six school preferences.

Places are allocated by the school’s governing body, an academy trust or the local authority.

Each school will have its own admissions criteria, but within a national framework so that on school offer day parents will receive only one.

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

What do primary school league tables mean?

The primary school league table rankings are based on national key standards, called the SATs. Non-exam based criteria are also used to determine the rankings.

 

Primary School League Tables 2022

1 St Antony’s RC Primary School, Forest Gate, London
2 St Stephen’s School, East Ham, London
3 Mayflower Primary School, London
4 St Anne’s RC Primary School, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield
5= Courtland School, London
5= Fox Primary School, London
7 Lowbrook Academy, Maidenhead
8 Bevington Primary School, London
9 Hampden Gurney C of E Primary School, London
10 Thomas Jones Primary School, London
11 South Farnham School, Farnham
12 Colville Primary School, London
13= Oratory RC Primary School, London
13= St Barnabas and St Paul’s C of E VA Primary School, Blackburn
15= Nicol Mere School, Wigan
15= St John Fisher School, Thamesmead, Erith
17= Evelyn Street Community Primary School, Warrington
17= St Joseph’s RC Primary School, Willesden, London
19= Portswood Primary School, Southampton
19= Scotts Primary School, Hornchurch

 

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

 

Top state primary school league tables

11Mayflower Primary SchoolLondon
22St Antony’s RC Primary School, Forest GateLondon11411711434562Boys Girls
3262=The Russell SchoolRickmansworth11511534530Boys Girls
424Hampden Gurney C of E Primary SchoolLondon11411411534327Boys Girls
54St Stephen’s School, East HamLondon11211711334259Boys Girls
649Bevington Primary SchoolLondon11311711234244Boys Girls
7St Thomas A Becket RC Primary School, LondonLondon11411611234229Boys Girls
815Fox Primary SchoolLondon11411511234142Boys Girls
9=12Courtland SchoolLondon11211611334130Boys Girls
9=8St Anne’s RC Primary School, StreetlySutton Coldfield11311611234130Boys Girls
119South Farnham SchoolFarnham111116113340136Boys Girls
12=110=Holy Trinity C of E Primary School, CookhamMaidenhead11311511234030Boys Girls
12=40Lowbrook AcademyMaidenhead11111511434030Boys Girls
14St Joseph’s RC Primary School, RotherhitheLondon11111611334025Boys Girls
15Nascot Wood Junior SchoolWatford11211411333960Boys Girls
16146Newcomen Primary SchoolRedcar11211611133946Boys Girls
17=Redhill Primary SchoolDerby11411311233932Boys Girls
17=

38=

Yarlside Academy

Barrow-in-Furness11111611233932Boys Girls
19=54=St John Fisher School, ThamesmeadErith11211611133930Boys Girls
19=312=St Thomas More’s RC Primary School, ColchesterColchester11411411133930Boys Girls
2137St Anselm’s RC Primary School, LondonLondon11111511333929Boys Girls
2293Christchurch Primary SchoolIlford111114113338146Boys Girls
23257The Raleigh SchoolLeatherhead11111511233864Boys Girls
24292=Benedict Biscop C of E AcademySunderland11211611033831Boys Girls
25=104Dundonald Primary SchoolLondon11111411333828Boys Girls
25=126Staindrop C of E Primary SchoolDarlington11311311233828Boys Girls
2723Portswood Primary SchoolSouthampton11211411133760Boys Girls
2867Brunswick Park Primary and Nursery SchoolLondon11111511133757Boys Girls
29105William Tyndale Primary SchoolLondon11111411233754Boys Girls
3011Colville Primary SchoolLondon11111511133745Boys Girls
31=Queensgate Primary SchoolStockport11011611133731Boys Girls
31=74St Joseph’s RC Primary School, ChristchurchChristchurch11011611133731Boys Girls
31=St Mary Abbots C of E Primary SchoolLondon11111511133731Boys Girls
34=

Hinguar Community Primary School

Southend-on-Sea11011411333730Boys Girls
34=Our Lady Star of the Sea RC Primary SchoolLytham St Annes11311311133730Boys Girls
36=110=Krishna Avanti Primary SchoolEdgware11111311333729Boys Girls
36=42=Thomas Jones Primary SchoolLondon11111511133729Boys Girls
38173St Cuthbert’s RC Primary and Nursery School, LiverpoolLiverpool11211311233728Boys Girls
39St Clement Danes C of E Primary SchoolLondon11011611133726Boys Girls
40The Orchard SchoolLondon11211311233725Boys Girls
41St Faith’s C of E Primary School, WinchesterWinchester11111511133723Boys Girls
4261New City Primary SchoolLondon11211311133688Boys Girls
43=489=Eaton Park AcademyStoke-on-Trent11011511133660Boys Girls
43=262=Griffe Field Primary SchoolDerby11011511133660Boys Girls
43=St Mary’s RC Primary School, ElthamLondon11011411233660Boys Girls
46=98=Bowdon Church SchoolAltrincham11011411233659Boys Girls
46=63=St Michael and St Martin RC Primary School, HounslowHounslow11011511133659Boys Girls
48Addison Primary SchoolLondon11211411033653Boys Girls
49150=Park Road Sale Primary SchoolSale10911611133634Boys Girls
50Sandiway Primary School

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

How are primary school league tables compiled?

It’s not so easy choosing the right primary school for your child, whether state or private. Although not the only way to judge a school, primary school league tables can give you a good indication of a school’s performance.

There are a few primary school league tables that might provide insight into this. Not to mention our own blog (Private School League Tables).

As mentioned in our Private School League Tables article, parents have been brooding over these league tables for almost 30 years. First introduced by Prime Minister John Major in 1991 as part of the Citizen’s Charter.

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

 

Telegraph state primary schools league table

A good place to start looking for a good primary school is the Telegraph’s Primary School League. Not only do they provide an interactive tool where you can search for the nearest outstanding schools. They also list the top 100 schools based on the percentage of learners that achieved the expected standards in reading, writing and maths. Then by the percentage of learners achieving a high score in reading and maths while working at greater depth in writing. They also include the Ofsted ratings.

According to the Telegraph’s Primary School League table, these are the top 5 state primary schools in the UK.

  1. Boltons CofE School, Wigton, Cumbria – Good Ofsted
  2. Wincle CofE Primary School, Macclesfield – Good Ofsted
  3. St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Stafford – Good Ofsted
  4. Lanercost CofE Primary School, Brampton – Outstanding Ofsted
  5. The Cathedral School of St Saviour and St Mary Overy, London – Outstanding Ofsted

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

 

Prep Schools – Independent Primary Schools

However, if you are looking at Prep schools, the Best Schools league tables and the Tatlers School Guide might also be something that would interest you.

Firstly we look at the Best Schools league tables. They provide 3 different league tables for prep schools. The schools included in these tables are only the ones that share their leaver information.

  • Top Boarding Preps
  • The top London Preps
  • Top All-Through Schools

Top Boarding Preps 2019

This table is based on how many leavers move onto top UK Secondary Schools. All of these boarding preps have more than 50 boarders.

  1. Ashdown House Preparatory School in Forest Row, East Sussex (co-ed)
  2. Caldicott School, Slough, Buckinghamshire (boys)
  3. Cothill House School, Cohthill, Oxfordshire (boys)
  4. Cottesmore School, West Sussex  (co-ed) TES Boarding School of the Year 2019
  5. Eagle House School, Sandhurst, Berkshire (co-ed)
  6. Edge Grove School, Aldenham, Watford, Berkshire (co-ed)
  7. Elstree, Hertsmere, Hertfordshire  (boys)
  8. Godstowe Prep School, High Wycombe  (girls)
  9. Ludgrove School, Wokingham, Berkshire  (boys)
  10. Papplewick School, Ascot (boys)
  11. Summer Fields School, Summertown, Oxford (boys)

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

The top London Preps 2019

This table is based on how many leavers go to top Secondary Schools. Only schools that share specific information on their leavers’ destinations are included in this list.

  1. Sussex House – Boys to 13
  2. Falkner House – Girls to 11
  3. Bute House – Girls to 11
  4. Arnold House – Boys to 13
  5. Kensington Girls – Girls to 11
  6. Garden House – Co-ed to 11
  7. Hall School – Boys to 13
  8. Broomfield House – Co-ed to 11
  9. Glendower – Girls to 11
  10. St Martin’s – Boys to 13

Top All-through Schools 2019

This show the top all-through schools. These are therefore all prep schools attached to top senior schools. The rankings below are based on the GCSE results of the attached secondary school from 2017.

  1. Westminster Under School – Boys (7 – 13 year-olds)
  2. North London Collegiate School – Girls (4-18 year-olds)
  3. King’s College School – Boys (7 -16) – Co-ed (16-18 year-olds)
  4. City of London School for Girls – Girls (7 – 18 year-olds)
  5. St Paul’s Juniors (St Paul’s School) – Boys (7 – 13 year-olds)
  6. Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls – Girls (4 – 18-year-olds)
  7. South Hampstead High School – Girls – (4 – 18 year-olds)
  8. Alleyn’s Junior School – Co-ed (4 – 18 year-olds)
  9. Wimbledon High School – Girls (4 – 18 year-olds)
  10. The Lady Eleanor Holles School – Girls (7-18 year-olds)

Tatlers London School Guide 2019

Secondly, we have a look at the Tatlers Top Prep School in London 2019. This is a very handy guide as they have a short description of each school. In this 15th edition of this popular guide, the following prep schools were at the top of the list.

  1. Bassett House, Notting Hill
  2. Broomwood Hall
  3. Bute House
  4. Dulwich Prep London
  5. Eaton House the Manor Schools
  6. Eaton Square School
  7. L’Ecole de Battersea
  8. Falkner House
  9. Fulham Prep School
  10. Garden House School
  11. Glendower Prep School
  12. The Hall School
  13. Hornsby House
  14. Kensington Prep School
  15. Knightsbridge School
  16. Newton Prep School
  17. Norland Place School
  18. Northcote Lodge
  19. Notting Hill Prep School
  20. Orchard House School

Primary school league tables – Best primary schools in UK – top primary schools in uk

Where can I find primary school league tables?

The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph websites allow you to add filters to their published league tables. You can pull out those schools for which you are in the catchment area. Then compare your chosen school group on those criteria which are most important to you.

You need to conduct your own analysis to determine which school best suits your child’s specific needs.

Ofsted Reports

Check the latest Ofsted report too. Each Ofsted report is an analysis of that school’s teachers’ professional competence  Plus, whether Ofsted’s performance standards have been met across the school. There are three possible outcomes: under-achieving; achieving; or outstanding.

To search you put in the name of any school. You then can access its history of Ofsted inspections and their associated scores, percentage of Progress 8 success, etc. 

How do I find the best primary school?

More refined searches are recommended. So, for primary schools, we advise checking the percentage of students meeting the expected standards. The national standard is 65%, so if the school you are checking exceeded that in its latest inspection?

If so, shortlist it as one option.

Doing this for all the primary schools in your catchment area.

You now have a shortlist of schools which can review at your leisure.

Provided this is a relatively short’ list, then visit each school for yourself.

Make your decision as much based on your own intuition and gut feel – as on the data described above.

Primarily, ask yourself whether the school atmosphere and ethos are a good fit for your child.

 

Primary school league tables 2022 – 2022 best primary schools in UK – top primary schools 2022

Best UK state primary schools 2022, London prep schools League table 2022 and Northern Ireland state secondary schools League table 2022.