5 Lancashire schools in The Sunday Times Parent Power list & one is the best state secondary in the UK!
The UK’s highest-achieving primary and secondary schools have been revealed in The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026 and some of them are in Lancashire!
What is The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide?
Released today, The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, now in its 33rd edition, is widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s top schools.
Recognised as the definitive ranking of the UK’s top primary and secondary state and independent schools, this guide remains an essential resource for parents seeking the very best in education for their children.
It includes a fully searchable national database of more than 2,000 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode.
As well as an assessment of 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 area, local authority or nationally.
The Parent Power guide also features:
- Is the 11-plus making your children stupid?
- What to do if your child is a genius
- The great stem debate: has a push for maths and science subjects gone too far?
- Woof! Meet the therapy dogs helping children to read
- 25 questions that every parent should ask to choose the right school for their child
- A parent’s year-by-year guide to everything you need to know about primary school
- Tips on how to apply for a scholarship to a top private school
- The big Parent Power quiz of the year
So which Lancashire schools have been listed in The Parent Power Guide?
In the 2026 Parent Power National Awards, Holy Cross RC High School in Chorley was named the State 11-16 Secondary School of the Year 2026.
Regionally, Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) in Blackburn has been named the Comprehensive School of the Year in the Northwest 2026.
As well as topping the list of comprehensive secondary schools, TIGHS was ranked as the 7th best state secondary school in the Northwest, sitting at number 72 nationally.
The school on Preston New Road is part of the Star Academies multi-academy trust which oversees six schools in Lancashire, including Highfield Leadership Academy in Blackpool and Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School in Waterfoot.
Lancaster Royal Grammar School also made the ‘Top state secondary schools in the Northwest’ list, coming in as 9th best in the Northwest and 98th best nationally.
The ‘Top comprehensive secondary schools in the Northwest’ then featured Blackburn’s Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School in 5th place with a national rank of joint 198th.
Turing to primary education, Garstang St Thomas CofE Primary School made the ‘Top primary schools in in the Northwest’, placing 7th regionally and joint 96th nationally.
What has been said about the guide?
Helen Davies, editor of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future. But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.
“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”
What are the full North West rankings?
Top state secondary schools in the Northwest
| Regional rank | National rank | School name | Location |
| 1 | 9 | Altrincham Grammar School for Girls *State Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest 2026 and State *Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest for Academic Excellence 2026 | Altrincham |
| 2 | 33 | Altrincham Grammar School for Boys | Altrincham |
| 3 | 38 | Sale Grammar School | Sale |
| 4 | 43 | The Blue Coat School, Liverpool | Liverpool |
| 5 | 51 | St Ambrose College | Altrincham |
| 6 | 60 | Loreto Grammar School | Altrincham |
| 7 | 72 | Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College | Blackburn |
| 8 | 86 | Urmston Grammar | Manchester |
| 9 | 98 | Lancaster Royal Grammar School | Lancaster |
| 10 | 106 | Cheadle Hulme High School | Stockport |
Top comprehensive secondary schools in the Northwest
| Regional rank | National rank | School name | Location |
| 1 | 72 | Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College *Comprehensive School of the Year in the Northwest 2026 | Blackburn |
| 2 | 106 | Cheadle Hulme High School | Stockport |
| 3 | 181 | Didsbury High School | Manchester |
| 4 | 185 | Hazel Grove High School | Stockport |
| 5 | 198= | Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School | Blackburn |
| 6 | 203 | The King David High School, Manchester | Manchester |
| 7 | 223 | Wellington School | Altrincham |
| 8 | 227 | Cockermouth School | Cockermouth |
| 9 | 246= | Formby High School | Liverpool |
| 10 | 297 | The Belvedere Academy | Liverpool |
Top secondary independent schools in the Northwest
| Regional rank | National rank | School Name | Location |
| 1 | 35 | Withington Girls' School *Independent Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest for Academic Excellence 2026 | Manchester |
| 2 | 38= | The Manchester Grammar School *Independent Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest | Manchester |
| 3 | 79 | The King's School, Chester | Chester |
| 4 | 91 | Manchester High School for Girls | Manchester |
| 5 | 137 | The Grange School | Northwich |
| 6 | 139 | The Queen's School, Chester | Chester |
| 7 | 147 | Windermere School | Windermere |
| 8 | 157 | The King's School in Macclesfield | Prestbury |
| 9 | 183 | Cheadle Hulme School | Cheadle Hulme |
| 10 | 193 | Stockport Grammar School | Stockport |
Top primary schools in in the Northwest
| Regional rank | National rank | School name | Location |
| 1 | 3 | Nicol Mere School *Primary School of the Year in the Northwest 2026 | Wigan |
| 2 | 19 | Yarlside Academy | Barrow-in-Furness |
| 3 | 33 | St Wilfrid's CofE Primary Academy | Wigan |
| 4 | 35 | Lacey Green Primary Academy | Wilmslow |
| 5 | 65 | Altrincham CofE Primary School | Altrincham |
| 6 | 94= | Lower Peover CofE Primary School | Knutsford |
| 7 | 96= | Garstang St Thomas CofE Primary Schoo | Preston |
| 8 | 100 | Delamere CofE Primary Academy | Tarporley |
| 9 | 106 | Brooklands Primary School | Sale |
| 10 | Ashdene Primary School | Wilmslow |
What national awards were given out?
2026 Parent Power National Awards (state secondary schools):
- State Secondary School of the Year 2026: Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
- Highly commended State Secondary School of the Year 2026: Churston Ferrers Grammar School, Brixham
- State Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
- Comprehensive School of the Year 2026: West London Free School
- Comprehensive School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: Dame Alice Owen’s School, Potters Bar
- State Secondary School of the Year for A-levels 2026: Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
- State Secondary School of the Year for GCSEs 2026: Wilson’s School, Wallington
- State 11-16 Secondary School of the Year 2026: Holy Cross RC High School, Chorley
- State Sixth Form College of the Year 2026: University of Liverpool Maths School
- State Sixth Form College of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: King’s Maths School, London
- State Faith Secondary School of the Year 2026: JFS, Harrow
- International Baccalaureate State School of the Year 2026: Torquay Boys Grammar School
- International Baccalaureate State School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: Ashcroft Technology Academy, London
2026 Parent Power National Awards (independent secondary schools):
- Independent Secondary School of the Year 2026: North London Collegiate School
- Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: St Paul’s School, London
- Independent International Baccalaureate Secondary School of the Year 2026: North London Collegiate School
- Independent Secondary Boarding School of the Year 2026 and Independent Co-educational Independent Secondary School of the Year 2026: Brighton College
- Independent School of the Year for A-levels 2026: Cardiff Sixth Form College
- Independent School of the Year for GCSEs 2026: St Paul’s Girls’ School, London
- Independent 11-16 School of the Year 2026: Abbot’s Hill School, Hemel Hempstead
- Independent 11-16 School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2026: Palmers Green High School, London
2026 Parent Power National Awards (primary schools):
- Primary School of the Year 2026: Thomas Jones Primary School, London
- Highly-commended Primary School of the Year 2026: South Farnham School
- Small Primary School of the Year 2026: St Mary’s RC Primary School, Henley in Arden
You can read The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide in full at: https://www.thetimes.com/best-schools-league-table/secondary/article/secondary-schools-revealed-2026-g9w9n8rqw