VisitBest research guide • Checked 2026-10-01

Top 100 High Schools in England: State Secondary-School Guide

100 open, state-funded, non-selective secondary schools across England’s nine regions. Directory selection, not a results league table.

The term high school is commonly used in searches, while England’s official directory describes these institutions as secondary schools. This guide selects 100 open, non-selective state-funded secondary-school records across England’s nine regions. It covers academies and local-authority-maintained schools. The list is a way to research locations and official records, not a ranking of examination performance. A family’s next step is the school’s current admission arrangement and the relevant local authority’s application guidance.

Illustration for 100 High Schools in England: State Secondary-School Guide; fictional setting — AI-generated editorial illustration; not a photograph of a listed institution or company.

The complete 100-entry table

Filter by name, location or type

100 of 100 entries shown

No.	Institution and source	Location	Type / status	Recorded information
1	Abbeyfield School Listed website	Northampton, West Northamptonshire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
2	Aldercar High School Listed website	Nottingham, Derbyshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
3	Alderman White School Listed website	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
4	All Saints' Catholic Voluntary Academy Listed website	Mansfield, Nottinghamshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
5	Allestree Woodlands School Listed website	Derby, Derby	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
6	Alvaston Moor Academy Listed website	Derby, Derby	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
7	Anthony Gell School Listed website	Matlock, Derbyshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
8	Ashfield Comprehensive School Listed website	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
9	Babington Academy Listed website	Leicester, Leicester	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
10	Beauchamp College Listed website	Leicester, Leicestershire	Academy converter	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
11	Beaumont Leys School Listed website	Leicester, Leicester	Community school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
12	Belper School and Sixth Form Centre Listed website	Belper, Derbyshire	Foundation school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
13	Abbey College, Ramsey Listed website	Ramsey, Cambridgeshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
14	Acle Academy Listed website	Norwich, Norfolk	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
15	Alde Valley Academy Listed website	Leiston, Suffolk	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
16	Alderman Peel High School Listed website	Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
17	Alec Hunter Academy Listed website	Braintree, Essex	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
18	All Saints Academy Dunstable Listed website	Dunstable, Central Bedfordshire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
19	Anglo European School Listed website	Ingatestone, Essex	Academy converter	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
20	Arthur Mellows Village College Listed website	Peterborough, Peterborough	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
21	Ashlyns School Listed website	Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire	Foundation school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
22	Attleborough Academy Listed website	Attleborough, Norfolk	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
23	Aylsham High School Listed website	Norwich, Norfolk	Foundation school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
24	Abbs Cross Academy and Arts College Listed website	Hornchurch, Havering	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
25	Acland Burghley School Listed website	London, Camden	Community school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
26	Addey and Stanhope School Listed website	London, Lewisham	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
27	Alexandra Park School Listed website	London, Haringey	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
28	All Saints Catholic College Listed website	London, Kensington and Chelsea	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
29	All Saints Catholic High School Listed website	London, Hackney	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
30	All Saints Catholic School and Technology College Listed website	Dagenham, Barking and Dagenham	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
31	Alperton Community School Listed website	Wembley, Brent	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
32	Archbishop Tenison's CofE High School Listed website	Croydon, Croydon	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
33	Ark Acton Academy Listed website	London, Ealing	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
34	Ark All Saints Academy Listed website	London, Southwark	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
35	Acklam Grange School Listed website	Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
36	All Saints Church of England Academy Listed website	Stockton-on-Tees, Stockton-on-Tees	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
37	Ashington Academy Listed website	Ashington, Northumberland	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
38	Bedlington Academy Listed website	Bedlington, Northumberland	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
39	Belmont Community School Listed website	Durham, County Durham	Community school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
40	Benfield School Listed website	Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
41	Berwick Academy Listed website	Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland	Academy converter	Ages 13–18; Mixed; No boarders
42	Biddick Academy Listed website	Washington, Sunderland	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
43	Bishop Barrington Academy Listed website	Bishop Auckland, County Durham	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
44	Boldon School Listed website	Boldon Colliery, South Tyneside	Community school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
45	Burnside College Listed website	Wallsend, North Tyneside	Foundation school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
46	Academy@Worden Listed website	Leyland, Lancashire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
47	Accrington Academy Listed website	Accrington, Lancashire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
48	Accrington St Christopher's Church of England High School Listed website	Accrington, Lancashire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
49	Albany Academy Listed website	Chorley, Lancashire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
50	Alder Community High School Listed website	Hyde, Tameside	Community school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
51	Alder Grange School Listed website	Rossendale, Lancashire	Community school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
52	All Hallows Catholic College Listed website	Macclesfield, Cheshire East	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
53	All Hallows Catholic High School Listed website	Preston, Lancashire	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
54	All Hallows RC High School Listed website	Salford, Salford	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
55	All Saints Catholic College Listed website	Dukinfield, Tameside	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
56	All Saints Catholic High School Listed website	Knowsley, Knowsley	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
57	Admiral Lord Nelson School Listed website	Portsmouth, Portsmouth	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
58	All Hallows Catholic School Listed website	Farnham, Surrey	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
59	Altwood Church of England School Listed website	Maidenhead, Windsor and Maidenhead	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
60	Amersham School Listed website	Amersham, Buckinghamshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
61	Amery Hill School Listed website	Alton, Hampshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
62	Applemore College Listed website	Southampton, Hampshire	Foundation school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
63	Ark Alexandra Academy Listed website	HASTINGS, East Sussex	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
64	Ark Charter Academy Listed website	Southsea, Portsmouth	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
65	Ash Manor School Listed website	Ash, Surrey	Community school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
66	Astor Secondary School Listed website	Dover, Kent	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
67	Aureus School Listed website	Didcot, Oxfordshire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed;
68	Abbey Park School Listed website	Swindon, Swindon	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
69	Abbeyfield School Listed website	Chippenham, Wiltshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
70	Abbeywood Community School Listed website	Bristol, South Gloucestershire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
71	All Saints Church of England Academy Listed website	Plymouth, Plymouth	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
72	All Saints' Academy, Cheltenham Listed website	Cheltenham, Gloucestershire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–19; Mixed; No boarders
73	All Saints' Church of England Academy Listed website	Weymouth, Dorset	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
74	Ansford Academy Listed website	Castle Cary, Somerset	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
75	Archway School Listed website	Stroud, Gloucestershire	Community school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
76	Ashton Park School Listed website	Bristol, Bristol, City of	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
77	Avon Valley Academy Listed website	Salisbury, Wiltshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
78	Avonbourne Boys' Academy Listed website	Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Boys; No boarders
79	Abbot Beyne School Listed website	Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire	Voluntary controlled school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
80	Alcester Academy Listed website	Alcester, Warwickshire	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
81	Alderbrook School Listed website	Solihull, Solihull	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
82	Aldersley High School Listed website	Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
83	Aldridge School - A Science College Listed website	Walsall, Walsall	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
84	Alleyne's Academy Listed website	Stone, Staffordshire	Academy converter	Ages 13–18; Mixed; No boarders
85	Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School Listed website	Birmingham, Birmingham	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
86	Arden Listed website	Solihull, Solihull	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
87	Ark Boulton Academy Listed website	Birmingham, Birmingham	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
88	Ark St Alban's Academy Listed website	Birmingham, Birmingham	Academy sponsor led	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
89	Arrow Vale High School Listed website	Redditch, Worcestershire	Academy sponsor led	Ages 13–18; Mixed; No boarders
90	Abbey Grange Church of England Academy Listed website	Leeds, Leeds	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
91	Airedale Academy Listed website	Castleford, Wakefield	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
92	All Saints Catholic College Listed website	Huddersfield, Kirklees	Voluntary aided school	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
93	All Saints Catholic School York Listed website	York, York	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
94	All Saints' Catholic High School Listed website	Sheffield, Sheffield	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
95	Allerton Grange School Listed website	Leeds, Leeds	Community school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
96	Allerton High School Listed website	Leeds, Leeds	Community school	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
97	Archbishop Holgate's School, A Church of England Academy Listed website	York, York	Academy converter	Ages 11–18; Mixed; No boarders
98	Ark Carleton High School Listed website	Pontefract, Wakefield	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
99	Ark the King's School Listed website	Pontefract, Wakefield	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders
100	Armthorpe Academy Listed website	Doncaster, Doncaster	Academy converter	Ages 11–16; Mixed; No boarders

List numbers are navigation identifiers except where the stated research/completion ordering or published NIRF rank is explained. Download the complete CSV.

Sources and selection method

Open, state-funded, Secondary, Non-selective; round-robin across English regions; alphabetical within each region.

England only; no result ranking.

Source: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/Downloads. Source records checked 2026-10-01. Current admissions, courses and fees require the institution’s own current evidence. Each row links to its source.

Check admission and catchment details

Non-selective does not mean unrestricted admission. Oversubscription criteria, residence, distance and other published priorities can affect allocation. Read the arrangement for the intended entry year. Some schools have separate rules for specialist places or sixth-form entry. The directory establishes school identity and status; it does not establish that a particular address qualifies for a place.

Compare curriculum and progression

Ask about compulsory subjects, option blocks and availability in the intended year. A school may provide secondary education without an on-site sixth form. Older pupils need a feasible route to A levels, vocational study or another next stage. Check prerequisites and the actual subject combination rather than a general statement about broad choice. A school’s official course information should support the plan.

Read inspection and performance together

Inspection reports and performance measures describe different aspects of a school. Use the correct year, measure and cohort when comparing outcomes. Differences in pupil intake affect interpretation. Avoid treating a single headline as a complete judgement about the child’s likely experience. The guide’s numbers are row identifiers; no examination score is used to order them.

Ask about everyday support

A family can ask how the school supports a pupil who falls behind, experiences bullying or needs language or learning help. Confirm the reporting route and how parents receive progress updates. Visit at a normal time if possible and examine travel, homework and extracurricular routines. A written support plan is more useful than an unqualified promise that every pupil thrives.

Prepare an affordable, realistic application

Record the relevant application deadline and evidence required by the admission authority. Test the daily journey and compare transport, uniforms, devices and activities. Include feasible preferences rather than assuming proximity alone guarantees allocation. Ask about transition support from primary school. The final shortlist should combine eligibility, provision and a manageable daily routine.

Coverage counts and four decision checks for 100 High Schools in England: State Secondary-School Guide — Counts reflect this article’s actual selection; they do not measure quality.

Decision checklist

Check the admission year
Read allocation priorities
Compare option subjects
Plan the post-16 route
Test the daily journey

Shortlist worksheet

For three feasible options, record the exact programme or year group, current eligibility, full cost, support provision, travel and the official evidence date. Leave a missing answer unresolved instead of estimating it.

Handwritten-style editorial checklist: Check the admission year; Read allocation priorities; Compare option subjects; Plan the post-16 route; Test the daily journey — Handwritten-style editorial notes; not a scanned notebook or evidence of a campus or site visit.

Questions before you decide

Are grammar schools included?

No. The filter selects non-selective state-funded secondary schools.

Does the list cover the whole UK?

No. Its official data scope is England.

Is high school a separate official category here?

No. This guide uses the official Secondary phase.

Does every school have a sixth form?

No. Check the directory and current school provision.

Are these the top 100 by results?

No. It is a regional directory sample with no results ranking.

Top 100 Grammar Schools in England: Admissions and Comparison Guide

Browse all education guides

Compiled by VisitBest from the stated public sources. Current course, admission, service and price details should be obtained from the relevant provider. Send corrections with the exact record and a supporting source.