With the new school year fast-approaching, parents of primary school leavers face sending their children off to secondary school.
But picking out the right one isn’t always easy, and sometimes with multiple local options available, there’s a difficult choice to be made.
Each year, the Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide league table names the top schools in Northern Ireland.
The guide ranks secondary schools based on two different performance factors; the amount of A*, A and B grades earned out of the total number of A Levels sat by students, and the amount of A* and A grade equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system) out of the total number of GCSE exams sat.
While exam performance isn’t everything when it comes to what makes a school good, it can be an important indicator that students are being supported to reach their full potential.
Here’s the schools that came out on top:
1. Lumen Christi College
Taking out the top spot according to the Times’ calculations is Lumen Christi, a mixed Catholic grammar school in Derry. It was the 17th top ranked school overall across the UK. Last year 87.8% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 79.4% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
2. Friends’ School Lisburn
Friends’ School is a Quaker-affiliated grammar school in Lisburn. Like Lumen Christi it is selective, meaning students may have to pass an exam to secure a place. Last year 87.7% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 77% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
3. Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock
This is a Catholic grammar school in Knock, East Belfast. It is also selective, meaning students may have to pass an exam to secure a place. Last year 90% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 72.1% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
4. St Mary’s Grammar School
St Mary’s is a Catholic grammar school in Magherafelt, County Londonderry. It is once again selective, meaning students may have to pass an exam to secure a place. Last year 88.5% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 73.3% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google