Grantham schools ranked among best in East Midlands as new guide published

A couple of Grantham schools shone brightly in this year’s Sunday Times guide

The Kings School, Brook Street

The UK’s highest-achieving primary and secondary schools have been revealed in the 32nd edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2025. Various Lincolnshire schools are among the top-ranked in the East Midlands, with two in particular winning awards.

Caistor Grammar School is named State Secondary School of the Year in the East Midlands, while Grantham’s King’s School, is the East Midlands State Secondary School of the Year for Academic Performance. Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School (KGGS) was fourth in that category.

The Parent Power guide is recognised as the definitive ranking of the UK’s top primary and secondary state and independent schools.

It 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.

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.”

Full list of East Midlands winners

• State Secondary School of the Year in the East Midlands: Caistor Grammar School, Lincolnshire
• State Secondary School of the Year in the East Midlands for Academic Excellence: The King’s School, Grantham, Lincolnshire
• Comprehensive School of the Year in the East Midlands: Northampton School for Boys, Northamptonshire
• Independent Secondary School of the Year in the East Midlands: Oundle School, Northamptonshire
• Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence in the East Midlands: Nottingham High School, Nottinghamshire
• Primary School of the Year in the East Midlands: Redhill Primary School, Derby

Top state secondary schools (grammar and comprehensive) in the East Midlands

Regional rank		Nationalrank	Last year’s rank
1	The King’s School, Grantham	92	112
2	Caistor Grammar School	104	156
3	Kesteven and Sleaford High School, Sleaford	135	158
4	Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, Grantham	139	147=
5	Bourne Grammar School	172=	164
6	Northampton School for Boys	194	179=
7	St Mary’s Catholic High School, Chesterfield	235	287
8	Littleover Community School	266	271
9	Queen Elizabeth’s High School, Gainsborough	275	224
10	The Ecclesbourne School, Belper	278	274