'We’re delighted to receive this award and it is especially pleasing that it comes during our 250th anniversary year'

The Sunday Times has revealed its list of Northern Ireland's top secondary schools, with schools in Lisburn, Belfast, Ballymena, Magherafelt, Londonderry and Holywood topping the charts.

Each year, the Sunday Times’ Parent Power Guide league table names the highest-achieving schools in the Northern Ireland by recent exam results.

The UK-wide guide, now in its 32nd year, was released online today with Friends’ School, Lisburn crowned Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland for Academic Excellence.

The next top spots went to Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, Strathearn School, Belfast, Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock, St Dominic’s Grammar School for Girls, Belfast, St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast, St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt, Lumen Christi College, Londonderry and Sullivan Upper School, Holywood.

This year there are 26 top local secondary schools named in the Sunday Times School Guide, six more than last year.

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.

Belfast’s Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast also scooped the top Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland accolade for being the most ‘improved in the league table in the last year’.

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Welcoming the news, principal of Friends' School in Lisburn, Mr Moore said: “We’re delighted to receive this award and it is especially pleasing that it comes during our 250th anniversary year when we have been looking back and celebrating all those who have helped make Friends’ the school it is today.

"Pupils who sat exams last year have experienced a lot of disruption during their time at school and I have nothing but admiration for how they have remained optimistic and persevered not only with their school work but also with all of the other activities they are involved in.

“I also would like to pay tribute to our teachers and support staff for how they have encouraged our pupils during this time, and for all the hard work they have done to help them achieve this success.”

Dr Marie Dowling, principal of Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast, added: “We are both honoured and delighted to be awarded The Sunday Times, Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland. This award is recognition of the outstanding achievements of our pupils, the dedication of our staff and governors and the incredible partnership that exists between our school and parents.”

Northern Ireland is well known for its high quality education, boasting more academically selective grammar schools than anywhere else in the UK, because of this many of the schools mentioned are no stranger to the list.

Top 10 secondary schools in Northern Ireland:

1 Friends' School Lisburn (Quaker), Lisburn

2 Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast

3 Strathearn School, Belfast

4 Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock

5 St Dominic's Grammar School for Girls, Belfast

6 St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena

7 Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast

8 St Mary's Grammar School, Magherafelt

9 Lumen Christi College, Londonderry

10 Sullivan Upper School, Holywood