Three Sheffield secondary schools ranked among best in North of England

The best-performing secondary schools in the North of England have been revealed today – and three are in Sheffield.
Pupils collect their GCSE results at Silverdale School in 2018Pupils collect their GCSE results at Silverdale School in 2018
Pupils collect their GCSE results at Silverdale School in 2018

According to the ‘Parent Power: The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2020’ list, Silverdale School and Tapton School are among the top 10 state secondary schools in the region, while Sheffield High School for Girls was ranked within the best independent secondary schools.

Improved performance by pupils at Silverdale School, in Bents Green, saw it climb 43 places to 197 in the national independent school standings in the last year, ranking sixth in the top 10 state secondary schools in the region.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Head of Silverdale School, Sarah Sims, said: “We are delighted to receive this recognition for our students and staff. Despite the challenging financial situation that schools face nationally, we have worked extremely hard to preserve a broad and balanced curriculum – so that our students can explore and develop their talents within a fully rounded education.

Students receiving their A-Level results at Silverdale School in 2018Students receiving their A-Level results at Silverdale School in 2018
Students receiving their A-Level results at Silverdale School in 2018
Read More
Trade union brands Sheffield College ‘shameful’ for allegedly threatening to sac...

“Whether they are academic, creative, athletic, or entrepreneurial, our students can thrive in an environment that is caring and supportive.

“Our strength comes from our diversity and we believe that Silverdale students leave our school prepared for the modern world, as inquisitive and emotionally intelligent young citizens. Every month I hear from former students who have gone on to do great things, to really contribute to their community and the wider world – and that is the best accolade we could hope for.”

Elsewhere Tapton School, in Crosspool, was placed ninth in the top 10 state secondary schools in the North, with around 65 per cent of pupils achieving the top A-Levels grades of A* to B.

A-Level results day 2019 at Tapton SchoolA-Level results day 2019 at Tapton School
A-Level results day 2019 at Tapton School
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Headteacher Kat Rhodes said: “We are incredibly proud of this achievement and the difference we make to the lives of all the young people in our care. Central to this are the high expectations that are embedded in the culture of the school. We have a tradition of success which is down to the hard work of all our staff and the support we receive from our community.”

Sheffield High School for Girls, in Broomhill, is named the sixth-best independent secondary school with nearly 70 per cent of pupils gaining A-Levels grades of A* to B, and around 75 per cent attaining A*/A/9/8/7 grades at GCSE.

In the region rankings, it falls behind two York schools – Queen Ethelburga’s College and St Peter’s School - which ranked first and second respectively.

The guide, which will be published in contains the 2,000 of the highest-achieving state and independent schools in the UK, ranked by their latest exam results.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It allows parents to compare the performance of a school with others in the same town, local authority or nationally. The North of England ratings cover Yorkshire, with separate rankings for the North East and North West.

The rankings in the secondary school league tables are determined by the percentage of examination entries gaining A* to B grades at A-level and the percentage of entries returning A* and A grades and those graded 9, 8 and 7 at GCSE and iGCSE.

Official Government tables for secondary school performance will be published in the coming weeks. The full Parent Power results will be published this Sunday, November 24, at: thesundaytimes.co.uk/parentpower