Liverpool school named comprehensive of the year by the Sunday Times
A number of Merseyside schools feature in the rankings
A Liverpool school has been named North West comprehensive of the year by the Sunday Times. The newspaper's Parent Power Guide 2025 has been published today, December 6, revealing the UK’s highest-achieving primary and secondary schools.
As well as its ranking tables, the guide also awards winners in a number of categories. King David School in Wavertree was named North West comprehensive school of the year, while Birkenhead School in Oxton was crowned the region's independent secondary school of the year.
Found on Childwall Road, King David School consists of a kindergarten, primary school, high school and sixth form. Established in 1954, it provides Jewish education but it is open to students of all faiths.
READ MORE: Warning issued to schoolchildren over serious and organised crimeREAD MORE: When rollout of final set of 20mph limits are to be introduced in Merseyside areaIn terms of the tables, The Liverpool Blue Coat School in Wavertree was ranked fourth in the North West's top state secondary schools for both grammar and comprehensive. King David High School was ranked second in the table for top comprehensive secondary schools in the region, with Formby High School ranking sixth.
Helen Davies, editor of Parent Power, said: “The educational landscape is challenging – teacher shortages, rising student mental health issues and special educational needs and the Vat rise – but there is also so much to celebrate from the hard work of passionate and committed teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to boost their students and give them the very best start in life. As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools it is fantastic to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century.”
The guide, which is published online, includes a fully searchable national database of over 2,000 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode. As well as an assessment of all academic results on a school-by-school basis, Parent Power enables parents to compare the performance of a given school with other schools in the same town, local authority or nationally.
Full list of award winners in the North West
- State secondary school of the year in the North West: Loreto Grammar School, Greater Manchester
- State secondary school of the year in the North West for academic excellence: Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Greater Manchester
- Comprehensive school of the year in the North West: King David School, Liverpool
- Independent secondary school of the year in the North West: Birkenhead School
- Independent secondary school of the year for academic excellence in the North West: Withington Girls’ School, Manchester
- Primary school of the year in the North West: The Delamere CofE Academy, Tarporley, Cheshire
Top state secondary schools (grammar and comprehensive) in the North West
- Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
- Loreto Grammar School, Altrincham
- Altrincham Grammar School for Boys
- The Liverpool Blue Coat School
- Sale Grammar School
- Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College, Blackburn
- Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School
- St Ambrose College, Altrincham
- Urmston Grammar, Manchester
- Lancaster Royal Grammar School
Top comprehensive secondary schools in the North west
- Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College, Blackburn
- King David High School, Liverpool
- Cheadle Hulme High School, Stockport
- Lymm High School
- Wellington School, Altrincham
- Formby High School, Liverpool
- Tytherington School, Macclesfield
- The King David High School, Manchester
- Sandbach High School and Sixth Form College
- Upton-by-Chester High School
Top secondary independent schools in the North West
- Withington Girls' School, Manchester
- The Manchester Grammar School
- Birkenhead School, Oxton
- Manchester High School for Girls
- The Grange School, Northwich
- The King's School, Chester
- The Queen's School, Chester
- The King's School in Macclesfield
- Stockport Grammar School
- Bolton School Girls' Division
Top primary schools in in the North West
- The Delamere CofE Academy, Tarporley
- Nicol Mere School, Wigan
- Lacey Green Primary Academy, Wilmslow
- Gatley Primary School, Cheadle
- Woodfield Primary School, Wigan
- Ashdene Primary School, Wilmslow
- The Olive School, Bolton
- Stretton St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Warrington
- Park Road Sale Primary School, Sale
- Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery, Warrington