Parent Power list celebrates our top schools

Winstanley College, one of the two named schools

Sixth form colleges, secondary schools and primaries from Wigan were all celebrated in the collection of high-achieving education establishments published by a national newspaper.

In the category for state high schools and sixth form colleges Winstanley came in second in Greater Manchester and fifth in the country, while St Edmund Arrowsmith RC High School in Ashton was ranked fifth regionally and 29th in the UK.

St John Rigby College also made the list, with the Gathurst institution coming in 13th in Greater Manchester and 67th in the country.

Staff at the Rookery Avenue secondary school were particularly delighted to finish so high up the Parent Power list of the top 2,000 schools nationwide.

St Edmund Arrowsmith headteacher Mark Dumican said: "This is a great reinforcement of the superb efforts of the whole school community and to have this recognised by a leading national newspaper is testimony to how well pupils, parents, staff and governors all work together to create the special atmosphere that exists in our school.

"I think being ranked as number five in the North West and in the top 30 schools nationally in state secondaries and sixth form colleges indicates the special nature of our school."

In the classification of the best state primary schools in the country there was also plenty for Wigan teachers to celebrate.

St Marie’s RC Primary School in Standish was rated ninth in the region and 105th in the country, while St Mary and St John RC Primary School in Swinley came in 29th in Greater Manchester and 347th in the country.

Nicol Mere School in Ashton was ranked 34th in the region and 436th nationwide while Woodfield Primary School on Wigan Lane rounded out the list for the borough with a placing of 38th in Greater Manchester and 453rd in the country.

The rankings were put together by compiling a large amount of data on schools which was available to the public.

Secondary schools and sixth form colleges were scored on the percentage of their students achieving the top grades of A* and A at GCSE and A* to B in their A-levels.

The primary schools list was compiled using SATs results, meaning some independent establishments which no longer make their pupils sit the tests did not appear.

Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, a selective institution in Trafford, was named Greater Manchester’s best state secondary or sixth form.