The top private secondary schools across Wales have been ranked in the latest Sunday Times guide. Cardiff Sixth Form College on Newport Road was named the best independent secondary in Wales after more than 99% of its A-level results scored between A* and B.
The 'Parent Power' guide has drawn from the first post-Covid set of exam results to rank schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The table is based on A-levels and GCSEs. The guide has also drawn up a list of the top 10 state secondaries in Wales, which you can see here. The top three state schools in Wales would all have made the top 10 of a combined list - at eighth, ninth and tenth - based on grades alone.
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Here are the top 10 private schools in Wales according to the rankings:
Cardiff Sixth Form College
A-level A*-B (%): 99.2
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 88.8
2022 UK rank: 16 (first in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 13
St Michael's School in Llanelli
A-level A*-B (%): 95.9
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 84.4
2022 UK rank: 49 (second in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 52
St John's College in Cardiff
A-level A*-B (%): 96.6
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 80
2022 UK rank: 60 (third in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 61
The Cathedral School in Llandaff, Cardiff
A-level A*-B (%): 92.1
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 66.4
2022 UK rank: 115 (fourth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 161
Rougemont School in Newport
A-level A*-B (%): 94.2
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 62
2022 UK rank: 118 (fifth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 167
Ruthin School in Denbighshire
A-level A*-B (%): 81.8
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 78.2
2022 UK rank: 145 (sixth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 45
Howell's School, Llandaff GDST in Cardiff
A-level A*-B (%): 80
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 75
2022 UK rank: 161 (seventh in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 107
Rydal Penrhos School in Colwyn Bay
A-level A*-B (%): 80.5
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 57
2022 UK rank: 215 (eighth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: n/a
Christ College in Brecon
A-level A*-B (%): 74.4
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 62.2
2022 UK rank: 240 (ninth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 253
St David’s College in Llandudno
A-level A*-B (%): 74.4
GCSE A*/A/9/8/7 (%): 21.6
2022 UK rank: 352 (tenth in Wales)
2019 UK rank: 375
Cardiff 'an academic powerhouse'
A spokesperson for the guide said: "The Sunday Times Independent Secondary School of the Year in Wales is Cardiff Sixth Form College, one of a number of urban independents to triumph in the rankings. The city of Cardiff remains an academic powerhouse, with [two] schools in the top 100. Cardiff Sixth Form College, a coeducational boarding school, is joint 16th in the national rankings."
Its principal Gareth Collier said: "Cardiff Sixth Form College is for the ambitious student whose aspirations are broad and whose academic dreams are big. It is for students who wish to win a place at the best universities to study courses that will provide fulfilment and challenge. It is not for everyone, but it is the perfect place for many.”
Students from the school have this year gone to universities including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, London School of Economics and University College London as well as top universities in the US, Hong Kong, Australia and Europe.
You can read the rankings of the top state secondary schools in Wales here. And you can get more of the latest education news here.
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