These are the maintained secondary and independent schools named best in Wales
Cowbridge School has been ranked best maintained school in Wales for the second year running. The top secondary schools in Wales have been listed in the latest Sunday Times guide out today (FRI DEC 5).
Cowbridge School triumphs with two accolades as State Secondary of the Year in Wales 2026 and State Secondary School of the Year in Wales for Academic Excellence 2026.
The UK’s highest-achieving schools are listed in the The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide table, which is based on available A level, GCSE and other exam results. Welsh-medium Ysgol Bro Preseli in Crymych, first in 2023, is placed second for 2026. You can see how every area of Wales ranked on GCSE results here.
Schools are ranked in the list by performance at A-level and GCSE in summer, 2025, on exam results available to the guide compilers. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here.
Westbourne School is crowned Welsh Independent Secondary School of the Year in the rankings and Cardiff Sixth Form College is named the UK’s Independent School of the Year for A-levels .
Top secondary maintained schools in Wales according toThe Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026
- 1. Cowbridge School (143) State Secondary School of the Year in Wales 2026 and State Secondary School in Wales for Academic Excellence 2026
- 2. Ysgol Bro Preseli, Crymych (263)
- 3. Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, Aberystwyth (310)
- 4. Ysgol Eirias, Colwyn Bay (330)
- 5. Y Pant Comprehensive School, Pontyclun (340)
- 6. Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin, Carmarthen (347)
- 7. Bishop Vaughan RC School, Swansea (379)
Top secondary independent schools in Wales according toThe Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2026
- 1.Cardiff Sixth Form College (40) also named Independent Secondary School of the Year in Wales for Academic Excellence 2026, Independent School of the Year for A-levels 2026
- 2. Westbourne School, Penarth (56)
- 3. St Michael’s School, Llanelli (58)
- 4. St John’s College, Cardiff (75)
- 5. The Cathedral School, Llandaff (88)
- 6. Ruthin School, Ruthin (166)
- 7. Howell’s School, Llandaff GDST (177)
- 8. Rougemont School, Newport (185)
- 9. Christ College Brecon (267)
Schools are ranked by performance at A-level and GCSE in summer, 2025. If a school does not appear on the Parent Power league table the publishers say that is “most likely because it did not respond to our requests for its A-level and GCSE results, and the results could not be found in the public domain”.
Parent Power lists what it calculates are the 400 best state secondary and grammar schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 35 11-16 schools and 50 sixth form colleges, 30 IB (International Baccalaureate) state schools, and the top 100 state schools in Scotland.
It also ranks the top 300 independent schools in the UK and 17 under Scotland’s Highers and Standards system, the 30 11-16 schools, and 50 IB schools.
Full list of winners in Wales
- State Secondary School of the Year in Wales 2026 and State Secondary School in Wales for Academic Excellence 2026: Cowbridge School
- Independent Secondary School of the Year in Wales 2026: Westbourne School
- Independent Secondary School of the Year in Wales for Academic Excellence 2026: Cardiff Sixth Form College
Awards are judged on year-on-year performance as well as editorial discretion, the guide says.
The full guide will be published online at 7am on Friday, December 5, and will then be available in print in a 28-page supplement on Sunday, December 7.
The guide includes a searchable national database of more than 2,000 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode.
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.”
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