St Mary’s Senior School ranks highest performing Independent School in Essex with no sixth form

The Sunday Times has identified St Mary’s Senior School as the top school in Essex and 16th in England, in its rankings of top independent secondary schools with no sixth forms.

Using GCSE results from August 2024, the 2025 Sunday Times Parent Power league table was published on 6 December.

“We are absolutely thrilled by these rankings” said Mrs Nicola Griffiths, Principal of St Mary’s Colchester. “These results are made even more impressive by the fact that we have a broad academic intake. It showcases the excellence of the education on offer here for girls at St Mary’s Senior School, along with the support and dedication of our highly experienced staff.”

“Whilst this position is a reflection of our girls’ academic ability, 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 to Latin, 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.