KING Edward VI School in Stratford is top of the class.
It has been named The Sunday Times West Midlands Regional State Secondary School of the Year in the paper’s annual Parent Power survey which identifies the 2,000 highest-achieving UK schools, both independent and state, ranked by recent examination results.
Headmaster Bennet Carr said the recognition of students’ dedication and achievements was ‘most welcome’.
He added: “Their pursuit of excellence goes far beyond academic endeavour, committing themselves to a vast array of extra-curricular, enrichment and community activities that enriches their lives and that of the wider community.
“Exceptional teaching and pastoral care is, of course, at the heart of this success, and so this award validates the outstanding commitment of our staff. Academic success is not inevitable. It depends upon first-rate teaching and high expectations, and it is also rooted in the belief that successful schooling is not just about passing exams at the highest level. That our students leave here with the best possible grades is, of course, important. However, what really counts is that they enjoy school, and are educated in a way which prepares them for life. These are, to my mind, vital components of the education we aim to provide at KES.”
Strong A-Level and GCSE results this year have placed the school among the UK top 20 for the first time with just under 87 per cent of A-levels securing A*, A or B grades, and 31st for GCSE results. The school has risen steadily in the rankings since 2010 when it was ranked 89th.
The school counts William Shakespeare as one of its former pupils who today still learn in the very classroom where he once sat.
Parent Power editor Alastair McCall said: “Schools with the history of King Edward VI School – Shakespeare’s School as it is known to many – are few and far between. Schools that don’t dwell on that history, but use it instead to inspire the present generation of children, are rarer still.
“This school is constantly pushing itself in the classroom, on the sports fields, on stage and in concert to greater and greater success. It regards itself as the inferior of no-one and capable of being the very best. An all-time high in its UK Parent Power ranking this year speaks volumes and is a tribute to the efforts of pupils and teachers alike.”
King’s High School in Warwick has been named The Sunday Times West Midlands Independent Secondary School of the Year for 2019.
Parent Power, The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2019, is published in The Sunday Times and online on Sunday (November 25).
