A TRAFFORD school has been ranked the number one state secondary school in the North West with four other Trafford schools in the top 10.

The top performing schools in the North West have been revealed in Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018.

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls was listed as number one state secondary school in the North West. The school has also moved up five places to sixth nationally– its best place in the last decade.

This year, the school saw a 2.3 per cent rise in the proportion of A* to B grades at A-level, with 92.7 per cent of all outcomes. At GCSE 86 per cent of entries were A*/A grades - a 5.6 percentage point increase on last year.

Stephanie Gill, Principal of Altrincham Grammar School for Girls said: "We are delighted to have been named the best state school in the North West. I think it is a fitting reward for our staff who have worked very hard to ensure that curriculum change has been implemented with as smooth a transition as possible to enable our students to achieve at the highest levels. It reflects the power of offering an all-round education, which focuses not just on academic achievement but on the development of leadership and resilience by providing a wide-range of extra-curricular opportunities and maintaining a clear focus on wellbeing."

The 25th edition of Parent Power identifies the 2,000 highest-achieving schools in the UK, ranked by their recent examination results.

Alastair McCall, editor of Parent Power said: “Altrincham Girls’ Grammar is one the highest-achieving girls’ schools in Britain. It turns out young women who go on to achieve in many walks in life, set on their way by an outstanding education which allows them to think for themselves and approach university and the world of work with full confidence in their abilities.”

Also in the top 10 was: Altrincham Grammar School for Boys in third place, Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham was sixth, St Ambrose College in Altrincham came in eighth and Sale Grammar School was tenth.

Timothy Gartside, Head Master of Altrincham Grammar School for Boys said: "I am delighted the school continues to get recognised for the achievement of pupils. I think it reflects the excellent teaching form staff and also the great support form parents and positive attitude to learning that the boys at the school have."

Parent Power is widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s best schools. The rankings in the secondary school league tables are determined by the percentage of examination entries gaining A* to B grades at A-level this summer and the percentage of entries returning A* and A grades at GCSE.

Cllr Michael Whetton, Executive Member for Children and Families, said: “This is brilliant news. These five schools attract pupils from across the borough, and for them to be ranked as among the highest-achieving in the country is something to be celebrated. It is testament to the amazing work being done by teaching and other school staff, pupils, parents, and governors to provide an exceptional educational experience.

In Trafford we pride ourselves on our commitment to offering the best possible educational outcomes, where pupils reach their full potential, not only academically, but personally, through the broader opportunities that are on offer. Together, these play a key role in ensuring that our pupils thrive.

Congratulations to all the schools named and particularly to Altrincham Grammar School For Girls, being awarded state secondary school of the year.”

Full results of Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2018 will be published in The Sunday Times and online this Sunday, November 26, several weeks ahead of the official Government tables for secondary school performance.