In England's landscape of state secondary education, selective grammar schools have long been viewed as the top performers in league tables. However, recent data reveals a group of comprehensive schools that are making significant strides in academic achievement, rivaling their selective counterparts in GCSE results. According to new preliminary performance data released by the Department for Education for the 2024/25 academic year, the usual progress-based metrics have been temporarily replaced by Attainment 8 scores due to ongoing pandemic-related disruptions. Attainment 8 measures pupil achievement across up to eight GCSE subjects, offering a clear snapshot of raw academic performance.
This methodological change has arguably amplified the dominance of selective schools, which naturally tend to attract higher-achieving pupils at entry. Yet, amidst this landscape, a noteworthy number of non-selective, or partially selective, comprehensive schools have emerged with outstanding Attainment 8 results. These schools boast some of the highest scores nationally, alongside strong Ofsted inspection ratings, suggesting they provide exceptional education environments even without fully selective admissions.
Leading this group is Michaela Community School in Wembley, London, which achieved the highest Attainment 8 score among comprehensives at 76.6—well above both the local average of 51.3 and the national average of 45.9. Michaela has earned an ‘Outstanding’ rating from Ofsted, which praised its unwavering high expectations for pupil behaviour and rigorous academic standards. Founded in 2014, the school is known for its strict discipline, comprehensive curriculum, and committed leadership under headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh. The school maintains a non-selective admissions policy, drawing a diverse pupil intake yet excelling academically.
Another standout is Dame Alice Owen's School in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. While officially a non-selective secondary academy, it operates a partially selective admissions system, allocating some places based on academic and musical abilities when oversubscribed. The school recorded an Attainment 8 score of 72.7, significantly above the local average of 50.5. Its latest Ofsted inspection, conducted in December 2023, rated the school ‘Outstanding’ across all categories—citing excellence in teaching quality, pupil behaviour, leadership, and sixth form provision. The school’s strong academic record is further illustrated by a 60% A*-A rate at A-levels and high GCSE results, with 40% of Year 11 entries graded 9 and 93% obtaining five or more grades between 9 and 4.
In Blackburn, Lancashire, the Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, an Islamic girls’ secondary academy, ranks similarly high with a 72.1 Attainment 8 score. It too holds an ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted rating and significantly outperforms the local average of 45.3. Meanwhile, West London Free School in Hammersmith recorded an impressive Attainment 8 score of 69.1, outperforming both its local average of 55.4 and the national figure. Although it is categorized as non-selective, it reserves some places for musically gifted pupils if oversubscribed and is graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
It is important to note that while all these schools are classified as comprehensive with broadly non-selective admissions, some have forms of partial selection or faith-based criteria that can influence their pupil intake. Nonetheless, their achievements underscore that excellent academic outcomes are not solely the preserve of fully selective grammar schools. Schools like Michaela and Dame Alice Owen’s demonstrate that with strong leadership, rigorous standards, and supportive environments, pupils from diverse backgrounds can attain outstanding academic success.
These findings provide valuable insight into the evolving quality landscape of England’s state secondary education, highlighting that high performance is increasingly accessible across different types of schools. As the education sector continues to recover from pandemic-related disruptions, it will be intriguing to see how these schools sustain and build on their successes in future years.
📌 Reference Map:
- Paragraph 1 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [2] Yorkshire Post
- Paragraph 2 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [2] Yorkshire Post
- Paragraph 3 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [3] Ofsted, [6] AllSchools UK
- Paragraph 4 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [4] Ofsted, [5] Schrole, [7] Wikipedia
- Paragraph 5 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [2] Yorkshire Post
- Paragraph 6 – [1] Yorkshire Post, [2] Yorkshire Post
Source: Noah Wire Services