The Fairer Schools Index ranks 50 of the country’s best performing schools where teachers are making a difference in the classroom.
Across London, 17 schools made the list including St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark and Ark Greenwich Free School in Greenwich.
The list was compiled based on research into areas such as pupil demographics, ethnicity and deprivation, along with existing performance-based analytics to ensure the list is not biased.
The index measures schools using a system that compares GS results of students who started from the same point up until Key Stage 2, similar to the current government standard used to create league tables.
Here are all the south east London schools that made this year’s list:
St Thomas the Apostle College, Southwark
St Thomas the Apostle College in Southwark was ranked number five in London, and number 10 in the country by the Fairer Schools Index – an increase of 14 places.
This all boys college in Southwark has an ethos about teaching students in a “supportive and caring environment”, and teaches 35 different subjects ranging from art and 3D design to chemistry and French.
The college was rated Outstanding following a recent Ofsted inspection in November last year, with the report commenting on the school’s “ambitious and inclusive” curriculum” that “prepares pupils well for life.”
Ark Greenwich Free School, Greenwich
Ark Greenwich Free School in Greenwich was ranked at number 18 by the index, marking it as the ninth highest school in London.
It was rated Outstanding by Ofsted following the most recent inspection in July 2023.
The school describes its curriculum as “unashamedly academic”, teaching 17 subjects, and many students are also entered to study the Ebacc qualification.
Students also have the option to learn subjects from Year 9 like Photography, Computer Science and Statistics.
For languages, the school teaches French and Spanish, along with selected students having the opportunity to learn Mandarin from Year 7.
Sacred Heart Catholic School, Southwark
Sacred Heart Catholic School in Southwark was ranked at number 20 on the list, making it tenth in London.
The school was rated Outstanding by Ofsted following an inspection in January 2004, and has a 74 percent strong pass rate and 91 percent pass rate for both English and Maths.
The school teaches a range of subjects like Photography, Graphics, Construction and Criminology alongside core subjects, with 85 percent of students attaining A Level grades between A* and C.
