Surrey’s Top Secondary Schools Revealed: What Parents Need to Know
St Andrews Leatherhead Tops Surrey’s Secondary School Rankings
Parents across Surrey are today studying the latest GCSE performance figures as the clock ticks down on secondary school applications—with just two weeks remaining before the deadline. The data paints a clear picture of academic achievement across our county, and one school stands out significantly from the rest.
St Andrews Catholic School in Leatherhead has emerged as Surrey’s highest-performing secondary, demonstrating exceptional results that far exceed national averages. An impressive 83.7% of students achieved Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths—nearly double the state school average of 46.3%. The achievement reflects the school’s deeply rooted commitment to high expectations, discipline, and structured learning for its 11-18 student population.
Beyond English and Maths, St Andrews recorded an outstanding 95.9% pass rate for students achieving at least five GCSEs, indicating broad academic success across multiple subjects. These figures represent not just isolated high-achievers, but consistent performance across their entire cohort.
For families in Leatherhead and surrounding areas, these results provide concrete evidence of educational quality. However, it’s worth noting that exceptional results require sustained commitment from students, families, and staff working together toward common academic goals.
Other Strong Performers: Guildford and Woking Schools Lead the Way
While St Andrews leads the county rankings, several other Surrey schools have delivered impressive GCSE results that deserve recognition from prospective families. In Guildford, both St Peter’s Catholic School and George Abbot School have secured places among the county’s top performers, offering families in that vibrant neighbourhood excellent educational options.
Woking residents benefit from similar opportunities, with Gordon’s School and St John the Baptist Catholic Comprehensive School both demonstrating strong academic performance. These schools serve distinct communities across our region—from the established residential areas surrounding Guildford’s town centre to Woking’s expanding suburbs.
The variation in performance across these schools reflects different educational philosophies, student demographics, and community engagement levels. Parents should consider not only raw statistics but also whether each school’s values, facilities, and specialisms align with their child’s needs and aspirations.
Many of these schools have invested significantly in their facilities and infrastructure. Some have undertaken substantial renovation projects, similar to how local Guilford builders have transformed residential properties through loft conversion and loft rebuilding work—upgrading their physical spaces to support modern learning environments.
With applications closing soon, families should visit school websites, attend open events, and speak with current parents to make informed decisions.
What Parents Should Know: Understanding the Data and Taking Action
These GCSE league tables measure performance through three key metrics: the percentage achieving Grade 5+ in English and Maths, the percentage passing five or more GCSEs, and average exam scores. Understanding what these figures mean helps parents move beyond headlines and evaluate schools meaningfully.
National context matters too. Across England, approximately 46.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in both English and Maths this year—a slight improvement from 2024/25. However, significant regional variation exists, with South East schools averaging 48.4%, well above the West Midlands’ 42.6%.
One important caveat: Progress 8 scores, which previously measured how much students improved between ages 11 and 16, are unavailable for 2024/25 and 2025/26 due to COVID-related data gaps. This metric provided valuable insight into schools’ added value, so families should seek alternative indicators of student progress.
Your next steps should include: reviewing specific results for schools you’re considering, visiting school websites for detailed performance breakdowns, attending remaining open events to meet staff and students, speaking with current parents about their experiences, and consulting the Department of Education’s interactive performance tool.
Remember that GCSE results represent one measure of school quality. Pastoral care, community involvement, extracurricular opportunities, and individual student support often prove equally important for long-term success and wellbeing.
Source: Surrey’s best performing secondary school revealed as GCSE data published
