The Sunday Times has identified St Mary’s Senior School in Colchester as 7th in England, in its rankings of top independent secondary schools with no sixth forms.
Using GCSE results from August 2025, the 2026 Sunday Times Parent Power league table was published on 5 December. This ranking marks a rise of nine places since last year and reflects the continuous enhancements St Mary’s makes to the all-girls’ education on offer. This, partnered with the most recent Attainment 8 score data released by the Government, where St Mary’s was identified as the top non-selective school in Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, highlights both the strength of their empowering educational approach and the growing recognition of the unique advantages of all-girls education.
We are absolutely thrilled by these rankings” said Mrs Nicola Griffiths, Principal. “Whilst this position is a reflection of the girls’ outstanding accomplishments in their GCSEs, we provide an all-round education partnered with outstanding pastoral care,” continues Mrs Griffiths. “Our girls not only get a fantastic grounding in the core academic subjects, they are also encouraged to take advantage of all that St Mary’s has to offer – from Fine Art and Textiles, to Latin and Classics, through to developing leadership skills and fostering confidence.”
“These results once again prove the expertise we have in contemporary girls’ education”, concludes Mrs Griffiths. “At St Mary’s we provide an enlightened, empowering and complete education, designed specifically for girls to thrive.”
The latest data for independent prep schools is not currently available, however in the last table released by the Sunday Times, St Mary’s Lower School, located in Copford, Colchester was ranked 12th highest performing in England.