‘School of the Year’ – it certainly has a nice ring to it': Belfast schools dominate as The Sunday Times reveals Northern Ireland’s top secondary schools

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

The 33rd Sunday Times School Guide, the list is revealed by Parent Power and determines the highest-achieving schools in Northern Ireland by recent GCSE and A-Level results.

The comprehensive guide was released online today (Friday) with Belfast’s Rathmore Grammar scooping State Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland and Strathearn School crowned State Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence in Northern Ireland.

The next top spot went to St Dominic’s Grammar School for Girls, with last year’s winner Friends’ School Lisburn next and then Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock.

Lumen Christi College in Londonderry was sixth with Sullivan Upper School (Holywood) seventh, Banbridge Academy eighth and St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena ninth.

Tenth spot went to Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School in Belfast – which was second place last year.

The guide is widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s top schools.

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.

Welcoming the news, Arthur Donnelly, principal of Rathmore Grammar School, said: “’School of the Year’ – it certainly has a nice ring to it.

“It is something which I hope reflects upon what lies at the heart and soul of Rathmore. At the core of our success is our people—a community where pupils, parents, governors, and staff work together with a shared ethos and commitment.

“We have always been proud of our students. They are talented, hardworking, and principled—young people who understand that education and school life is more than just grades. They know that compassion, inclusion and character matter just as much. Whether through student council, mental health ambassadors or student leadership teams, they show courage and empathy in equal measure. They are of course ambitious too and are keen to make their impact upon the world.

“Behind them stands a team of exceptional staff — passionate professionals who go above and beyond both inside and outside the classroom to create opportunities in sport, music, drama, science, languages, public speaking and so much more.

“For us, the award celebrates academic success and acknowledges a community that believes education can change lives.”

Principal of Strathearn School principal Nicola Connery was also delighted: “Having consistently ranked in the top cohort of grammar schools in this prestigious report, we are thrilled to rank in first place this year – particularly given the exceptionally high quality of grammar schools listed across Northern Ireland.

“This is testament to the outstanding hard work, talent and determination of our pupils, the support and encouragement of their families at home, and the inspirational dedication of our superb team of teaching and non-teaching staff.”

Whilst the rankings focus on examination results, Mrs Connery said that Strathearn’s success ‘transcends all aspects of school life’: “Our ethos as a school centres on providing a caring and nurturing environment in which every pupil is celebrated for their own individual talents and is encouraged to realise their full potential across a wide range of both curricular and extra-curricular areas.”

Paying tribute to the staff at the School, Rosemary Bailie, chair of the Board of Governors, added: “Led by Mrs Connery and our Vice-Principals, Mr Anderson and Mrs Sinnerton, the staff of Strathearn School work exceptionally hard throughout the school year to encourage and empower our pupils to excel in all that they do, and this reflects in these latest rankings.”

Top state secondary schools in Northern Ireland

1 Strathearn School, Belfast – State Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland for Academic Excellence, Belfast (national rank 31)

2 Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast – State Secondary School of the Year in Northern Ireland, Belfast (national rank 35)

3 St Dominic’s Grammar School for Girls, Belfast (national rank 36)

4 Friends’ School Lisburn (national rank 46)

5 Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock (national rank 48)

6 Lumen Christi College, Londonderry (national rank 53)

7 Sullivan Upper School, Holywood (national rank 61)

8 Banbridge Academy (national rank 64)

9 St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena (national rank 65)

10 Aquinas Diocesan Grammar School, Belfast (national rank 69)