A complete, research-grade guide to the top UK grammar schools across England and Northern Ireland — ranked by GCSE and A-Level results, organised by region, and updated for 2026 entry. Browse 580 selective state schools across 38 regions, with admissions, 11+ test dates and academic outcomes.
The UK’s grammar schools are academically selective state schools — free to attend, but admitting pupils on the basis of an entrance exam (the 11+ in England, or SEAG in Northern Ireland). Of approximately 4,000 state secondary schools in the UK, just 580 are selective grammar schools, concentrated in 38 regions across England and Northern Ireland.
The best UK grammar schools are ranked annually by The Times Parent Power league tables, using GCSE 9-7 grades and A-Level A*-B results as the primary measures. By those measures, the top grammar schools in the UK consistently achieve 90%+ GCSE 9-7 rates and 85%+ A-Level A*-B rates — outperforming the national average by 40 percentage points or more.
This page lets you explore the best grammar schools in the UK three ways: see the Top 10 grammar schools in UK 2026, browse by region, or view the complete database of all grammar schools in UK 2026 of every selective school in our records.
The ten highest-ranked grammar schools in the UK by combined GCSE 9-7 and A-Level A*-B results. Click any school name for full admissions details.
| Rank | School | Region | GCSE 9-7 | A-Level A*-B |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet | London | 95.5% | 97.6% |
| #2 | Wilson’s School | London | 97.4% | 95.4% |
| #3 | St Olave’s Grammar School | London | 89.7% | 95.1% |
| #4 | Colchester Royal Grammar School | Essex | 88.4% | 95.5% |
| #5 | The Tiffin Girls’ School | London | 95.7% | 89.9% |
| #6 | Pate’s Grammar School | Gloucestershire | 90% | 92.6% |
| #7 | King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford | Essex | 87.5% | 91.1% |
| #8 | The Henrietta Barnett School | London | 97.2% | 86% |
| #9 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls | Greater Manchester & Trafford | 86.1% | 91.3% |
| #10 | Reading School | Berkshire | 88.9% | 88.8% |
UK grammar schools cluster in specific regions — with concentrations in Kent, London, Buckinghamshire, Birmingham, Northern Ireland and Manchester. Select a region below to see every grammar school there, with admissions criteria, exam boards and the highest-ranked schools highlighted.
Selective independent schools across the UK — Westminster, St Paul's, Eton, Winchester and hundreds more.
64 grammars across NI — admitting via the SEAG Transfer Test, taken in November of P7.
The most competitive grammar school region in the UK — home to England's highest-performing state schools.
England's largest fully-selective system — 38 grammar schools across the county.
The historic King Edward VI Foundation — 8 grammars descended from a single 1552 royal grant.
Sussex grammars and Surrey selective independents — diverse selective provision across the south coast.
England's largest fully-selective LA system — 13 grammars across the entire county.
Home to Pate's Grammar — one of England's top state schools.
The Trafford Grammar Schools Consortium — 7 schools delivering northern England's strongest GCSE results.
Northern England's small but historic grammar cluster — Ripon, Skipton and beyond.
The CSSE consortium — 10 state grammars across Essex using a unique entrance test.
Hertfordshire selective independents and partially-selective state schools.
12 grammar schools across rural Lincolnshire and Lincoln city — a strong selective tradition.
Lancashire's mix of selective independents and partially selective state schools.
Reading School and Kendrick — England's top boys'/girls' grammar pair outside London.
Strong selective independent tradition — The Perse, King's Ely, Stephen Perse.
Torbay is fully-selective — plus 3 outstanding grammars in wider Devon.
The Wirral peninsula — 4 selective state schools serving Merseyside's grammar tradition.
Dorset's grammar tradition — Bournemouth and Poole selective schools.
Selective independents across Hampshire — Winchester, Portsmouth Grammar, Churcher's College.
Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham selective tradition.
Ipswich School and Felsted — Suffolk's selective independents.
One of England's 11 fully-selective LAs — 4 grammars serving south-east London.
Leicester and Loughborough selective schools.
Warwickshire's grammars — from Shakespeare's Stratford to historic Rugby and Alcester.
Bristol Grammar, Clifton, and QEH — Bristol's selective independent tradition.
Oxford's selective independents — Magdalen College School, Oxford High, Headington.
Shrewsbury School and a small selective tradition.
A fully-selective LA — 3 grammar schools in the heart of the Thames Valley.
Wiltshire's two Salisbury grammars — Bishop Wordsworth's and South Wilts.
Bedford Schools — England's largest single town for selective independents.
King Edward's Bath, Millfield, and the Somerset selective independents.
King's Macclesfield and the Cheshire grammar tradition.
Norwich School and Gresham's — Norfolk's selective independents.
Oundle School, Wellingborough, and Northampton High.
Truro School and a small selective tradition.
Nottingham High School and Trent College.
Welsh independent selective schools — limited state grammar provision.