Loreto Grammar has been named the State Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest in a prestigious league table.
The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide 2025, to be published in a 28-page supplement this Sunday, is recognised as the definitive ranking of the UK’s top primary and secondary state and independent schools.
Loreto Grammar climbed "meteorically" from 70th to 23rd in the national state school table, and from sixth to second place in the North West.
The improvement was enough for the Parent Power Guide to award the Altrincham Catholic school the title of State Secondary School of the Year in the Northwest 2025.
It's the first time the school has won the accolade.
Jane Beever, the school's head teacher, told Altrincham Today: "The Governors and I are thrilled at the recognition in today's Parent Power Guide.
"It is a wonderful testament to the Loreto community and to the rich legacy of Mary Ward and the Loreto sisters."
The guide said that Altrincham as a whole "rules the educational roost when it comes to the state sector in the northwest".
Altrincham Grammar School for Girls was named the State Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence in the Northwest 2025, climbing two places to eighth in the national league table.
The placing recognised the fact that 46% of all GCSE entries at the school this summer achieved the top grade 9, with 90.4% of all results graded at 7 or above, while at A-level, 68% of passes were graded A* or A.
Principal Stephanie Gill said: "There was a great deal to celebrate. A remarkable 19 students achieved A* grades across the board."
Making up the top three state secondary schools in the region was Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, which was ranked 24th nationally.
Another impressive performance came at St Ambrose College in Hale Barns, which was ranked eighth top state secondary in the region and 91st nationally (up 46 places).
The guide also gave a "shout-out" to Wellington School in Timperley.
The school climbed 76 places to rank joint 218th nationally, and once again made the top five comprehensive schools in the region.
