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:
17. Royal School Armagh
The Royal School is a selective Anglican grammar school in Armagh. Last year 75.5% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 61.5% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
18. The Wallace High School
The Wallace is a selective grammar school in Lisburn, County Antrim. Last year 77.6% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 54.1% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
19. Methodist College Belfast
Known locally as Methody, this is a selective grammar school in Belfast, Although it was founded by the Methodist church, it is currently interdenominational. Last year 74.3% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 58.2% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google
20. Enniskillen Royal Grammar School
Previously known as Portora Royal School, this selective grammar school in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, rounds out the top 20 list. Last year 76.5% of A Levels sat by its students achieved A* to B grades, while 53.4% of GCSEs sat passed with A* or A equivalents (scores of 7, 8 or 9 in England’s numerical system). | Google